Dems take aim at drilling on federal lands

By Kyle Feldscher, Kyle Feldscher

Published December 20, 2015

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Senate Democrats are attempting to block any more fossil fuels being taken from public lands, but even the crafter of the legislation believes the effort is ultimately futile.

The "Keep It In The Ground Act" was introduced in the Senate Wednesday by Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and has six co-sponsors. The bill would stop the federal government from issuing new leases and end current leases that aren't productive for coal, oil, natural gas, shale oil and tar sands extraction on all public lands, in the Pacific Ocean and in the Gulf of Mexico.