BLM Proposal Puts Wildlife and Public Lands at Risk, Sends Taxpayers the Bill

Defenders of Wildlife and a coalition of conservation organizations submitted comments today opposing the Bureau of Land Management's proposal to roll back key protections governing oil and gas development on America's public lands.

"America's public lands belong to all of us, yet if this proposed rule is adopted, it would favor oil and gas development over the wellbeing of American communities," said Stephanie Altman, senior energy and biodiversity specialist at Defenders of Wildlife. "The BLM should instead protect our public lands and wildlife, preserve the public's voice in how these lands are managed and ensure that the oil and gas industry - not the American public - is responsible for the costs of development."

The proposed rule would dismantle requirements adopted in 2024 and reverse reforms that have been historically popular to address longstanding problems with the federal oil and gas program. More than 700 members and supporters from Defenders of Wildlife submitted public comments, along with over 65,000 individuals from the coalition. Across the country, Americans spoke up to oppose BLM's harmful proposal that will:

• Weaken bonding requirements that ensure oil and gas companies pay to clean up and restore toxic leaking wells and the land they develop - leaving taxpayers and communities to foot the bill.
• Eliminate measures intended to steer leasing away from important wildlife habitat and other sensitive lands including those that overlap with opportunities for recreation.
• Limit opportunities for the public to weigh in on oil and gas leasing decisions, changing protest periods from 90 days to just 10 days.

Defenders of Wildlife and its coalition partners urge BLM to withdraw the proposed rule and ensure that our public lands remain open and enjoyable to all of us.

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For nearly 80 years, Defenders of Wildlife has worked to protect and restore America's wildlife at risk of extinction, advancing a vision of a future in which wildlife thrives, sustained by broad public support and a resilient network of healthy lands and waters. With a network of more than 2 million supporters, Defenders is an advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard wildlife for generations to come. To learn more, please visit https://defenders.org/newsroom or follow us on Instagram @defendersofwildlife.

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