For Immediate Release: 10/7/21
Contact: Emily Thompson, Em************@pr********.org
Today, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper — with Senators Heinrich and Rosen as cosponsors — introduced a bill to end noncompetitive leasing. The “Competitive Onshore Mineral Policy via Eliminating Taxpayer-Enabled Speculation” (COMPETES) Act would end the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) practice of selling oil and gas leases at rock-bottom prices and without a competitive bid.
Following the introduction of Senator Hickenlooper’s bill, the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks issued the following statement:
“America’s national parks and public lands are home to irreplaceable resources, stunning landscapes, and incredible opportunities for recreation. But the practice of noncompetitive leasing undermines the multiple uses of our public lands and hinders access to the outdoors. It needlessly ties up public land that could otherwise be used for recreation or conservation.
Passage of the COMPETES Act supports multiple uses of our public lands and it is a good step in helping to fix the problems of our broken federal oil and gas program.
We urge our representatives to support this legislation and, as reconciliation discussions continue, support its inclusion in that process.”
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