The Biden administration said Friday it would resume plans for oil and gas drilling on federal lands and waters after an appeals court ruled to allow the use of an approximately fivefold higher “social cost of carbon” value in evaluating permits, according to reports. Interior Department spokeswoman Melissa Schwartz told Bloomberg and Reuters in a statement that, in view of the federal appeals court ruling, “the department continues its planning for responsible oil and gas development on America’s lands and waters.” It remains unclear, however, whether the Interior Department intends to resume oil and gas leasing auctions in the near future. Also unclear is how much of a near-term impact on surging gasoline prices any new lease sales would have. Shortly after President Joe Biden took office, the White House raised the “social cost of carbon” (SCC) value from around $10 per ton under the Trump administration to an Obama-era value …