Environmental groups have filed a pair of lawsuits seeking to block the Biden administration from restarting lease sales for oil and gas wells on public lands. Together, the lawsuits seek to protect more than 140,000 acres in several western states. In April, President Biden called on the U.S. to expand fossil fuel drilling to offset a spike in fuel costs linked to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Public Citizen President Robert Weissman said in response, “Selling off more public lands for drilling might help Big Oil, but it won’t lower gas prices and it will worsen climate chaos.”