Clinton sees end to fossil fuels on public lands

OREANDA-NEWS. February 08, 2016. President Barack Obama's policies eventually will stop oil, natural gas and coal production on US public lands, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton says, adding that she supports that goal.

Ending fossil fuel extraction on US public lands is a "done deal," Clinton said yesterday during a discussion with activists with liberal environmental group Action350.org. The group posted a video of the discussion, which took place following Clinton's debate with senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) in Durham, New Hampshire.

"President Obama's policies have started us on that path and Clinton supports the president's actions," her campaign told Argus. The White House declined to comment.

Obama in his final State of the Union address on 12 January promised to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels. His administration since then halted new coal mining leases on public lands. The US Bureau of Land Management in March is expected to propose changes affecting leasing and royalties for oil and natural gas and is considering charging a higher royalty rate for oil producers on public lands that routinely flare off large amounts of natural gas. Obama yesterday proposed a \\$10/bl tax on US oil companies.

Public lands in the fiscal 2014 year accounted for 11pc of the US dry natural gas production, 5pc of crude output and 40pc of coal mining, government data show.

Both Clinton and Sanders have championed a shift to renewable energy in US power generation. But Sanders advocates a wholesale ban on hydraulic fracturing, differentiating himself from Clinton and the Obama administration.

Clinton during a discussion with 350Action.org activists defended shale exploration that is heavily reliant on the hydraulic fracturing completion technology. "It would be a very difficult thing if we had shut down every single opportunity to create domestic energy. I do not think that will happen," she said.