For over a century, the federal oil and gas program has favored oil and gas development on our public lands over all other uses.

The Inflation Reduction Act in 2022 and the BLM Oil and Gas Rule in 2024 accomplished critical, common-sense reforms to provide a fair return to taxpayers, protect wildlife habitat, and ensure that our public lands are managed for multiple uses, not just oil and gas development.

Now, the oil and gas industry and its anti-conservation allies in Congress are planning to roll back some of these key regulations, effectively sell off millions of acres of public lands to the oil and gas industry, and reestablish oil and gas development as the predominant use of public lands. It is critical that we defend these vital policies to protect our public lands and the communities across the West that rely on them.

Through a series of actions, including Executive Orders and Secretarial Orders aimed at “American energy dominance,” the Administration and oil and gas industry allies in Congress are seeking to make reckless fossil fuel development the predominant use of our shared public lands, at the expense of our communities.

Industry-funded politicians in Congress are also looking to use budget reconciliation to advance their priorities quickly. Since reconciliation is not subject to filibuster in the Senate, a bill can pass that chamber with 51 votes instead of 60. They are prioritizing policies that elevate oil and gas development above all other uses of public lands, including:

  • Expanding oil and gas leasing on public lands through mandated quarterly lease sales, and requiring lease sales on all eligible federal parcels in eight Western states – that’s over 200 million acres.
  • Repealing Inflation Reduction Act provisions, including fiscal reforms, expression of interest fees, and reinstating the wasteful practice whereby oil and gas companies can purchase leases non-competitively for just $1.50/acre, and more.
  • Forcing the Department of the Interior to offer all industry-nominated parcels for lease by prohibiting deferrals.
  • Ending the restriction of new leasing in areas that local communities worked hard for years to protect because of their importance to the people who live there, like the Greater Chaco Canyon region in New Mexico and the Thompson Divide in Colorado.

Join us to defend oil and gas regulations from reckless attacks!

 

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, Earthjustice, 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, Sierra Club, 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