Jewell says ‘Keep It in the Ground’ movement simplistic, country too reliant on fossil fuels

Hundreds of environmental groups are uniting under a new banner to curtail greenhouse gas emissions. It’s called: “Keep It in the Ground.” They’re asking President Obama to stop new petroleum leases on public lands. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell rejected the idea in a meeting with reporters today. For decades, Alaska’s congressional delegation has been clamoring for more oil and gas leases on federal land. Now, in a letter to Obama, more than 400 green groups are saying exactly the opposite, that the president should just stop fossil fuel leases. Secretary Jewell, whose first career was as a petroleum engineer, told reporters the administration is dedicated to a lower carbon future by reducing energy use and fostering alternatives. But, she says, the nation is still dependent on oil, gas and coal. “There are millions of jobs around the country that are dependent on these industries and you can’t just cut it off overnight,” she said. She says her job, as head of the department that controls one-fifth of the U.S. landmass, and more than half of Alaska, is to ensure thoughtful regulation and development that is safe and responsible. “I think it over-simplifies a very complex situation to suggest that one could simply cut off leasing or drilling on public lands and solve the issues of climate change,” Jewell said, speaking at a breakfast meeting organized by the Christian Science Monitor...more