The federal oil and gas auction held last month for tracts in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) is being challenged by activist groups that are seeking “any and all communications” regarding the sale since President Biden took office in January.

GOM lease map

Lease Sale 257, the eighth offshore auction and first in a year, was overseen last month by the Department of Interior’s (DOI) Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM). 

Environmental groups, which had sought to prevent the auction, have called the lease sale a betrayal by the Biden administration. They are seeking to nullify the results and require Interior Secretary Deb Haaland to reject the bids. 

Food & Water Watch (FWW) and the Action Center on Race and the Economy, along with youth advocacy groups Earth Uprising and One Up...