politics
Interior Department Proposes Cutting Public Comment Periods and Lowering Oil and Gas Cleanup Fees on Federal Lands
The Interior Department proposed loosening two Biden-era rules on drilling on public lands this week. The changes would cut required financial assurances from $500,000 to $25,000 and reduce total public participation time from at least 90 days to 10 days. The Guardian reported the moves alongside other recent federal actions limiting environmental reviews.
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The Interior Department proposed this week to loosen two Biden-era regulations on oil and gas drilling on national public lands. One change would lower the fees companies must pay for future cleanup costs from $500,000 to $25,000. The second would allow companies to release more methane from wells.
The Bureau of Land Management would no longer be required to assess whether land proposed for leasing has high potential for conflict with wildlife habitat or other resources. Current rules require at least 90 days of public participation for lease sales, including two 30-day comment periods and a 30-day protest period.
The proposal would eliminate the first two periods and shorten the protest period to 10 days.
An Interior Department spokesperson said the revisions streamline outdated procedures that have slowed domestic energy development. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum stated the updates cut red tape that has deterred investment and ensure public lands remain a reliable engine for economic growth.
Wendy Park, a senior attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity, said a 10-day protest period is insufficient when dozens of lease parcels may be involved in one sale.
She added that public input helps agencies make better decisions that reduce later conflict and save time. The proposal continues a series of administration actions over the past year and a half that have expanded exemptions from environmental reviews for energy producers. In May the Interior Department issued guidance for certain projects to circumvent reviews.
