“We strongly agree with Secretary Haaland’s Interior Department; our nation’s federal oil and gas leasing system is in need of holistic reform,” said Phil Francis, Chair of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks. “It is an outdated system that threatens our climate, wildlife, clean air and water, public lands, and national parks.”
President Biden’s administration issued a pause on new oil and gas leasing on public lands and waters and the virtual public forum was part of the comprehensive review of the federal oil and gas leasing program.
“We are pleased that the Interior Department is reviewing the federal oil and gas leasing program and we believe the problem is clear: the system is broken and in need of reform,” said Francis.
“There are so many concerns. It makes no sense to lease public lands for oil and gas drilling that sit on the doorsteps of our national parks, especially when those lands do not actually have any drilling potential. In addition, some of the fiscal aspects of the federal leasing program have not been updated in over 100 years.”
“We must ensure that our irreplaceable natural and cultural resources – so many of which can be found in our national parks – are protected and preserved today, and for the benefit of future generations. It is past time to place the protection of the American people, and our climate and environment, over the interests of oil and gas companies
“We look forward to continuing the conversation and working with this administration to help enact reforms to federal oil and gas leasing and ensure our national parks and public lands are protected.”
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