Call to Action: Support Common-Sense Reforms to Oil-Gas Leasing on Public Lands

Interior Dept. takes steps to modernize oil and gas leasing on public lands, ensure fair return to taxpayers

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Tucson, Ariz. and Taos, N.M. (September 11, 2023)—We and our coalition partners commend the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the Department of the Interior, and the Biden administration for proposing common-sense reforms to oil and gas leasing on our federal public lands.

Preservation Archaeologist Paul F. Reed urges, “Reform of BLM’s oil-gas leasing rules is way overdue across the American West. Please join Archaeology Southwest in supporting this important evolution of BLM policy.”

Here’s why: Today’s federal oil and gas program is antiquated. Many rules that govern the system are decades-old and prioritize oil and gas over important uses such as hunting, fishing, biking, hiking, and other everyday activities. These necessary reforms help fix this broken program by establishing a fair return for taxpayers and ensuring our public lands are better managed for all uses.

A whopping 90 percent of the public lands and minerals in the West overseen by America’s largest federal land manager, the BLM, are open to oil and gas leasing. That’s 192 million acres—an area roughly the size of Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming combined—that could be tied up in oil and gas leases for decades to come.

This broken system allows oil and gas CEOs to boost their own paychecks while taxpayers and local communities pay a heavy price.

The proposed rule will significantly improve the way oil and gas drilling on our public lands is managed. In short, the rule will:

• Protect Wildlife and Cultural Resources: The rule will help steer future oil and gas development away from important wildlife habitat and cultural sites, and instead toward lands with existing infrastructure or high-production potential.
• Increase Bonding Requirements: Existing lease-bonding requirements (used for post-development cleanup) are very low, at $10,000. The rule would increase the minimum lease bond amount to $150,000 and provide much more adequate funding for reclamation obligations.
• Increase Royalty Rates: Proposed changes to royalty rates reflect provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act. Royalty rates are currently 12.5 but will rise to 16.67 percent for 10 years.

This rule will significantly improve the way oil and gas drilling on our public lands is managed.

The BLM is taking comments on this proposed oil-gas rule change until Sept. 22, 2023.

Please use this portal to comment. Thank you!

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