NATIONAL PARKS CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION
COALITION TO PROTECT AMERICA’S NATIONAL PARK
ROCKY MOUNTAIN WILD
SOUTHERN UTAH WILDERNESS ALLIANCE
THE WILDERNESS SOCIETY
A coalition of conservation organizations is calling on the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to stop the Utah 2026 Quarter 2 oil and gas lease sale, warning it would open more than 54,000 acres across 39 parcels to development near Arches National Park, Dinosaur National Monument, and within the Moab Master Leasing Plan area. These public lands support critical wildlife habitat, outdoor recreation, cultural resources, and park viewsheds vital to local communities and economies.
The coalition argues there is no legitimate “energy emergency” that justifies rushing leases or weakening environmental safeguards. Federal law does not require the BLM to lease any of these lands, and many parcels are governed by outdated land-use plans that fail to address climate impacts and current science. Courts have made clear that oil and gas leasing is an irreversible commitment that must be fully analyzed before leases are issued—not deferred to later drilling approvals. The groups urge the BLM to defer all parcels and conduct a full, lawful environmental review that protects Utah’s irreplaceable public lands.
To read the full letter, click here.