The Wilderness Society & Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks Urge BLM to Strengthen Wyoming Lease Sale Analysis
October 30, 2025 — The Wilderness Society (TWS) and the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks submitted joint comments on the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Draft Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for the Wyoming 2026 First Quarter Competitive Oil and Gas Lease Sale.
The organizations commend BLM’s consideration of Alternative 3, which would defer or remove 15 parcels totaling over 25,000 acres due to conflicts with wildlife and habitat management areas. However, they urge the agency to take additional steps to ensure leasing complies with environmental laws and reflects up-to-date science.
Key concerns highlighted include:
- Legal Compliance: BLM must confirm that underlying Resource Management Plans (RMPs) are valid under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) and the Congressional Review Act.
- Climate Impacts: The Draft EA lacks adequate analysis of greenhouse gas emissions and fails to incorporate the social cost of greenhouse gases in its decision-making.
- Wildlife Protection: The groups call for deferral of parcels overlapping sage-grouse habitat and big game migration corridors, citing major population declines and habitat fragmentation.
- Water and Health Risks: The comments detail insufficient review of groundwater protection, methane emissions, and environmental justice impacts on nearby communities.
TWS and the Coalition urge BLM to delay leasing until it can ensure compliance with federal law, provide full environmental analysis, and protect Wyoming’s wildlife and public lands from long-term harm.
Read the full comment letter here