White House maintains need to reduce reliance 'on oil in general'

Russia invasion of Ukraine has not changed that assessment, says White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki speaks during a White House daily briefing at the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House on February 18, 2022 in Washington, D.C. Psaki held a daily news briefing to answer questions, including the Ukraine-Russia border crisis, from members of the press. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON — White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki today responded to concerns being raised by Indigenous and environmental advocates over whether the Biden administration will upend its commitment to weaning America off fossil fuels as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Some tribal citizens are especially concerned about this issue because they feel the legal and practical techniques the federal government has long favored to create infrastructure to pump fossil fuels has been largely harmful to the health and safety of Indian people — and antithetical to treaty and trust law.