Emails Show Oil Lobby Mobilized Democratic Governors' Opposition To Biden Energy Order The effort included helping draft a letter in which Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) pushed back against the administration's pause on new oil and gas leasing. Fossil fuel trade groups in Louisiana and New Mexico rallied Democratic governors in opposition to President Joe Biden’s executive order pausing new oil and gas leasing on federal lands and in offshore waters, newly released emails show. The Biden administration paused new leases on Jan. 27 and launched a major review of the federal oil and gas leasing program. Interior Department officials have said the program currently is “not serving the American public well.”