For decades, the broken federal onshore leasing program prioritized oil and gas development over other activities on public lands, threatening wildlife, clean air and water, and communities – all while short-changing taxpayers and all who use and cherish the nation’s public lands.

The Biden administration just finalized critical reforms to protect taxpayers’ wallets, support wildlife, and ensure that our public lands and minerals are better managed to benefit all uses, not just oil and gas development.

But now, there is an effort in Congress to roll back these common-sense reforms by industry-funded politicians in Washington, D.C. Make no mistake, this is nothing less than another attempt to boost the record profits of bad industry actors at a high cost to hard-working taxpayers and families.

The oil and gas rule protects taxpayers from unfair clean-up costs and ensures our public lands are better managed for local needs and public health. The new reforms:

  • Ensure that oil and gas companies pay to clean up their messes – not taxpayers;
  • Provide a fairer return to taxpayers by increasing fees for oil and gas development, bringing them in line with the levels required by many states;
  • Steer oil and gas development away from important wildlife, recreation, and cultural sites; and
  • Reduce “speculative leasing,” a practice that allows the oil and gas industry to tie up land in leases where drilling will never occur due to limited resources.

It’s easy to see why there is unprecedented support for reforms in the oil and gas rule. But, we must continue to demonstrate our support for these common-sense reforms and defend them every chance we get. By maintaining our enthusiasm and engagement, we can ensure that the rule is protected from attacks.

Join us to defend the onshore oil and gas rule today! 

 

Name

Who We Are

  • The Coalition for Oil and Gas Reform’s members are: California Environmental Voters, Center for Western Priorities, Colorado Wildlife Federation, Conservation Colorado, Conservatives for Responsible Stewardship, The Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks, Dakota Resource Council, Hispanics Enjoying Camping Hunting and the Outdoors, Hispanic Access Foundation, League of Conservation Voters, Nevada Conservation League, New Mexico Voices for Children, Montana Wildlife Federation, New Mexico Wildlife Federation, National Parks Conservation Association, Natural Resources Defense Council, National Wildlife Federation, Nevada Wildlife Federation, Public Citizen, Rocky Mountain Wild, The Wilderness Society, Upper Missouri Waterkeeper, West Virginia Rivers Coalition, Wild Montana, Wilderness Workshop, Western Organization of Resource Councils, Western Colorado Alliance, and Wyoming Outdoor Council

    Photo Credit: John Mullen