Interior will no longer pursue lengthy analysis for oil and gas leasing decisions in seven states
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WASHINGTON – The Department of the Interior will no longer require the Bureau of Land Management to prepare an environmental impact statement for approximately 3,224 oil and gas leases in seven Western states.
This rescission of a Notice of Intent prepared by the Bureau of Land Management in January 2025 supports the policy direction of Executive Order 14154 and Secretary's Order 3418, both with the title “Unleashing American Energy,” by reducing regulatory barriers for oil and gas companies and expediting domestic energy development.
With this action, the Bureau of Land Management will no longer move forward with preparing an environmental impact statement for oil and gas leasing decisions encompassing 3.5 million acres across Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming, and the Bureau is evaluating options for compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act for these oil and gas leasing decisions.
The Department and the Bureau of Land Management remain committed to responsibly developing energy on public lands.
The Notice of Rescission will publish in tomorrow’s Federal Register.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.