I wonder why this story isn't making the front pages and leading newscasts across the nation.

The Biden administration is artificially raising the price of gas by making it harder and more expensive for oil companies to get leases all in the name of his green agenda.

The Biden administration acknowledged in a memo, accidentally leaked on Friday, that charging fossil fuel companies less to drill would provide "greater energy security" despite its plans to hike royalty fees.

Former Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Director Amanda Lefton recommended late last year that, as part of its climate agenda, the Department of the Interior (DOI) move forward with higher royalty fees for an oil and gas lease sale spanning 958,202 acres in the Cook Inlet off the coast of Alaska, according to the memo obtained by Fox News Digital. DOI Assistant Secretary Laura Daniel-Davis ultimately signed off on the recommendation.

"If a Cook Inlet prospect would be developed, there would be additional government revenues and greater energy security for the State of Alaska, especially if development of natural gas resources in the Cook Inlet ameliorated the long-term supply challenges facing the Anchorage area," Lefton wrote in the memo.

We could make money, make oil and gas cheaper, and not have to depend on evil nations to give us oil.

And Biden and his crew answer:

They'd rather promote the fanciful utopian green agenda that will actually just destroy the economy and livelihoods of Americans while pretending they're doing it to save the planet.

"Nevertheless, because of the serious challenges facing the Nation from climate change and the impact of [greenhouse gasses] from fossil fuels, BOEM is not recommending this option since it would not include an appropriate surcharge to account for those impacts," she continued.

Lefton's specifically recommended the federal government charge drillers with a royalty fee of 18.75% as opposed to an alternative of 16.67% which she said would attract more bids and "be more likely to facilitate expeditious and orderly development of [offshore] resources."

Daniel-Davis stated in her record of decision — published in November after she signed off on Lefton's recommendation — that she selected a fee of 18.75% "because this rate constitutes the most reasonable balancing of environmental and economic factors for the American public." She didn't mention the alternative would produce greater energy security as highlighted in the memo.

If we just charge oil producers more money then we will magically make the evil sun monster disappear and live in a perfect environment! Won't that be magical?

This is the level of thinking in the Biden administration.

"The Department of the Interior mistakenly posted an internal memo making recommendations to Acting Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management, Laura Daniel Davis, on the Cook Inlet Oil and Gas Lease Sale 258 mandated by the Inflation Reduction Act," Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., who helped author the IRA, said in a statement Friday.

"I am appalled by its contents, which make crystal clear that this administration is literally putting their radical climate agenda ahead of the needs of the people of Alaska and the United States," he continued.

Manchin blasted the administration for ignoring Congress' intent and seemingly pandering to environmental groups "at the expense of shoring up American energy security and keeping Americans safe."

Manchin nails it. This is an absolute disgrace.

"The contents of this memo speak volumes - if this is what this Administration truly believes and is how they are going to make decisions, it is unacceptable," the West Virginia senator continued. "It's a clear and intentional threat to energy security and the all-of-the above energy policy Congress has consistently reinforced."

"I will not support anyone who agrees with this type of misguided reasoning."

The Democrats, except for Manchin, apparently, would rather sell the country out to radical green party tree huggers than propose actual solutions that help instead of hurt average Americans.