(Reuters) -Some government staff will be kept on during the federal shutdown to process permits and leases for oil, gas and coal operations on public lands, according to contingency plans published by the Interior Department on Wednesday.

Maintaining workers in those areas is aimed at addressing the national energy emergency President Donald Trump declared when he took office in January, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management plan posted by the Interior Department said.

Energy leasing and permitting was not exempt in a shutdown plan BLM published in 2023.

“In order to protect human life and federal property and address the National Energy Emergency, BLM staff responsible for processing oil & gas permits/leases, coal energy leases, and other energy and mineral resources necessary for energy

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