A temporary ban on oil and gas drilling across federal lands and waters will exclude tribal lands, the White House said in a fact sheet released yesterday, after some Native American communities criticized the move as financially harmful for their economies. “Your order is a direct attack on our economy, sovereignty, and our right to self-determination. Indian lands are not federal public lands,” the Ute Indian Tribe wrote in a letter to the acting energy secretary. “Any action on our lands and interests can only be taken after effective tribal consultation.” In an executive order signed earlier this week, Biden said the order to halt all oil and gas leasing on federal lands will “not restrict energy activities on lands that the United States holds in trust for Tribes. The Secretary of the Interior will continue to consult with Tribes regarding the development and management of renewable and conventional […]