Biden's invocation of the Defense Production Act — a federal law passed in 1950 during the Korean War to let the president order production of specific goods and services to support national defense — would encourage renewables production and curtail President Vladimir Putin's power over the oil and gas industry while addressing global climate change, the groups said Wednesday in a letter to the White House.
Policies to scale up domestic fossil fuel production are short-sighted, especially since the price of oil and gas has skyrocketed following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, according to the letter, signed by groups including 350.org, the Center for Biological Diversity, the Indigenous Environmental Network and the Center for International Environmental Law.
"Putin's ability to wreak such destruction on Ukraine is predicated on global dependence on fossil fuels," the letter said. "Oil and gas constitute 40% of Russia's national revenue, meaning Russian exports of oil and gas are literally funding this invasion. What's more, global reliance on Russian oil and gas slowed our collective will to respond over fear of higher energy costs the world over."
On Tuesday, the U.S. and U.K. said they will ban imports of Russian oil and gas, as part of the latest round of sanctions to target Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.
Biden, in announcing the ban, said it targets "the main artery of Russia's economy."
"We're banning all imports of Russian oil and gas and energy," the president said. "That means Russian oil will no longer be acceptable at U.S. ports and the American people will deal another powerful blow to Putin's war machine."
He also exhorted oil and gas companies Tuesday not to "exploit" the ban, saying that any "profiteering or price-gouging" that further spikes the pain consumers are already feeling at the pumps will not be tolerated.
Meanwhile, U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm on Wednesday implored the energy industry to immediately increase production to stabilize the market that's been reeling since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Granholm made her comments while addressing a room full of industry leaders present for an annual energy conference, CERAWeek by S&P Global, in Houston. She praised BP, Exxon, Shell and other companies that are withdrawing from Russia, and called the bravery of the Ukrainian people "breathtaking."
Granholm also repeatedly told the audience the government was hopeful the crisis could be used to forge meaningful partnerships with the industry to address not only the immediate need for more production, but the long-term need for cooperation in addressing climate change.
--Additional reporting by James Arkin, Michelle Casady, Keith Goldberg and Bryan Koenig. Editing by Adam LoBelia.
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