Synopsis: Protest of BLM Utah 2026 First Quarter Oil & Gas Lease Sale Environmental Assessment On February 24, 2026, a coalition of conservation organizations and trail advocates submitted a formal protest of the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Utah 2026 First Quarter Competitive Oil and Gas Lease Sale (DOI-BLM-UT-0000-2026-0001-EA).
Groups Challenge BLM’s Failure to Provide Public Input on “Replacement” Oil & Gas Lease Sales
March 2, 2026 The Honorable Bill Groffy Acting Director, Bureau of Land Management Department of the Interior 1849 C Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20240 Re: Concerns for Compliance with Mandatory Public Participation Requirements, Including for “Replacement” Oil & Gas Lease Sales Dear Acting Director Groffy: We, the undersigned organizations, are writing to express our opposition
Conservation Groups Challenge BLM’s Wyoming 2026 Oil & Gas Lease Sale
The Wilderness Society et al. Scoping Comments (Feb. 23, 2026) is a formal comment letter submitted to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) regarding the proposed Wyoming 2026 Third Quarter Competitive Oil & Gas Lease Sale, which includes 271 parcels totaling approximately 357,357 acres. The letter, submitted by The Wilderness Society and partner conservation
Member Op-Ed: An imminent threat to Virginia’s hallowed ground
Guest Column: An imminent threat to Virginia’s hallowed ground By Cheryl Schreier Feb 19, 2026 America’s national parks and public lands represent the very best of this nation. Unrivaled in their natural beauty and significance, these vast and glorious spaces of refuge, recreation, and reflection define our history. During my 40 years with the National
Urge BLM to Defer August 2026 Oil & Gas Leasing Near Theodore Roosevelt National Park and the Maah Daah Hey Trail
On February 12, 2026, the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks, the National Parks Conservation Association, and the Badlands Conservation Alliance filed scoping comments urging the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to defer key oil and gas lease parcels proposed for the Montana–Dakotas Q3 (August) 2026 lease sale (DOI-BLM-MT-0000-2026-0001-EA). The groups recommend that BLM designate
Protect California’s Coast—No New Offshore Drilling
The Environmental Defense Center (EDC), joined by dozens of environmental, community, and conservation organizations, submitted formal comments opposing the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s 11th National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Draft Proposed Program. The letter explains that the proposed program is premature, legally flawed, and environmentally reckless—particularly its inclusion of offshore California.
144 Organizations Urge Interior Department to Reject Massive Offshore Drilling Expansion
January 23, 2025 Ms. Kelly Hammerle Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (VAM–LD) U.S. Department of Interior 45600 Woodland Road, Sterling, VA 20166-9216 RE: Opposition to New Lease Sales in the Draft Proposed National OCS Oil & Gas Leasing Program from 144 Non-profit organizations (Docket No. BOEM-2025-0483) Dear Secretary Burgum, On behalf of our millions of
Coalition To Protect America’s National Parks: Senate Must Reject House Bill That Would Open Up One Of America’s Most Treasured Landscapes Open To Mining
For Immediate Release: Wednesday, January 21, 2026 Contact: Doug Gordon | do**@***************es.com Coalition To Protect America’s National Parks: Senate Must Reject House Bill That Would Open Up One Of America’s Most Treasured Landscapes Open To Mining Emily Thompson, Executive Director of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks, released the following statement on House passage
BLM’s Direct Final Rule Sidesteps the Law to Delay Critical Oil and Gas Bonding Protections
January 20, 2026 SUBMITTED VIA REGULATIONS.GOV (BLM-2025-0269) U.S. Department of the Interior, Director (630) Bureau of Land Management 1849 C St. NW, Room 5646 Washington, D.C. 20240, Attention: 1004-AF43 Re: Comments on Direct Final Rule – Federal Onshore Oil and Gas Statewide Bonds; Extension of Phase-in Deadline To Whom It May
Conservation Groups Urge BLM to Halt Utah Oil & Gas Lease Sale
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
Comments on the Draft EA and Draft FONSI for the BLM MTDKs Proposed Q4 2025 Competitive Oil and Gas Lease Sale in McKenzie County, North Dakota
ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION – NO HARD COPY TO FOLLOW Submitted via: https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2036978/595/8021245/comment June 4, 2025 Bureau of Land Management Montana/Dakotas State Office Branch of Fluid Minerals Attention: Hattie Payne 5001 Southgate Drive Billings, MT 59101 Subject: Comments on Draft Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for the BLM Montana-Dakotas 2025 Fourth Quarter (October) Oil
Coalition Joins Opposition to Oil and Gas Provisions in Budget Reconciliation
May 21, 2025 The Honorable Mike Johnson Speaker U.S. House of Representatives Washington, D.C. 20515 The Honorable Hakeem Jeffries Minority Leader U.S. House of Representatives Washington, D.C. 20515 Dear Speaker Johnson, Leader Jeffries, and Members of the House, Our nation’s public lands are irreplaceable; they contain critical habitats and cultural resources while providing invaluable opportunities
Coalition Comments on Draft EA and FONSI for 45,804 Acres in BLM’s Wyoming 2025 Oil and Gas Lease Sale
THE WILDERNESS SOCIETY COALITION TO PROTECT AMERICA’S NATIONAL PARKS * NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL * ROCKY MOUNTAIN WILD * WYOMING OUTDOOR COUNCIL May 15, 2025 SUBMITTED VIA E-PLANNING U.S. Bureau of Land Management Wyoming State Office 5353 Yellowstone Road Cheyenne, WY 82009 Project Contacts: Lindsay Abercrombie la**********@*lm.gov (307) 332-8429 Erik Norelius en******@*lm.gov (307) 775-6284 Allen
Coalition Joins Protest on N.M. Oil and Gas Lease Sale
THE WILDERNESS SOCIETY COALITION TO PROTECT AMERICA’S NATIONAL PARKS * NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL * ROCKY MOUNTAIN WILD May 14, 2025 BLM New Mexico State Office Attention: State Director 301 Dinosaur Trail Santa Fe, NM 87508 Re: Q3 July 2025 Protest: Lease Parcels for the New Mexico Bureau of Land Management 2025 Third Quarter Competitive
Coalition Signs on in Opposition to Harmful Provisions Targeting the Arctic in Reconciliation Bill
Dear House Natural Resources Committee Chair Westerman and Ranking Member Huffman CC: Members of the House Natural Resources Committee For decades, the Arctic has been threatened by industry attempts to sacrifice clean air and water, lands, and wildlife for the benefit of oil and gas corporations. The catastrophically harmful language in this bill around the
Coalition to Sec. Burgum: Uphold Roosevelt’s “Conservation Ethic” and Defer Leasing Near Theodore Roosevelt NP
ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION – NO HARD COPY TO FOLLOW April 28, 2025 The Honorable Doug Burgum, Secretary Department of the Interior 1849 C Street, N.W. Washington DC 20240 Subject: Proposed oil and gas leasing on BLM lands adjacent to Theodore Roosevelt National Park Dear Secretary Burgum: I am writing to you today on behalf of the
Coalition Comments on Parcels Under Consideration for Inclusion in the BLM Montana-Dakotas 2025 Fourth Quarter Oil and Gas Lease Sale
ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION – NO HARD COPY TO FOLLOW Submitted on-line via: https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2036978/595/8021033/comment April 1, 2025 Bureau of Land Management Montana/Dakotas State Office Attention: Hattie Payne 5001 Southgate Drive Billings, MT 59101 Re: Scoping comments on parcels under consideration for inclusion in the BLM Montana-Dakotas 2025 Fourth Quarter (October) Oil and Gas Lease Sale (DOI-BLM-MT-0000-2025-0003-EA) To
Coalition Joins Protest on Expansion of Domestic Mining on Public Lands
March 12, 2025 Dear Chairman Lee, Ranking Member Heinrich, and the members of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee: On behalf of our millions of members and supporters nationwide, the undersigned organizations write regarding the expansion of domestic mining on public lands and to share our concerns with the erosion of vital guardrails being proposed
Coalition Comments on Parcels for Inclusion in the BLM Montana-Dakotas 2025 Third Quarter Oil and Gas Lease Sale
February 28, 2025 Bureau of Land Management Montana/Dakotas State Office Attention: Hattie Payne 5001 Southgate Drive Billings, MT 59101 Subject: Scoping comments on parcels under consideration for inclusion in the BLM Montana-Dakotas 2025 Third Quarter (September) Oil and Gas Lease Sale (DOI-BLM-MT-0000-2025-0001-EA) To whom it may concern: Thank you for the opportunity to submit these
Coalition Speaks in Defense of Parks and Public Lands
A series of secretarial orders were recently issued, including Secretarial Order 3418 “Unleashing American Energy,” which mandates that the Department of the Interior launch an initial review of all lands withdrawn from fossil fuel and mining development, including hundreds of our national monuments. Phil Francis, Chair of the Executive Council of the Coalition to Protect
Coalition Joins Comments on BLM – Copper Rays Solar Project Draft EIS to Protect the Old Spanish National Historic Trail
Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility Coalition To Protect America’s National Parks Western Watersheds Project Basin and Range Watch and John W. Hiscock December 19, 2024 BLM Pahrump Field Office Attn: Copper Rays Solar Project 4701 N. Torrey Pines Drive Las Vegas, Nev. 89130 BL***********************@*lm.gov Comments – Copper Rays Solar Project – Draft Environmental Impact Statement
Coalition Joins Litigation to Protect Old Spanish National Historic Trail
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 9, 2024 Contact: Laura Dumais (202) 792-1277 ld*****@**er.org; Chandra Rosenthal (303) 898-0798 cr********@**er.org; John Hiscock, (435) 689-1620, jo**********@***il.com Lawsuit to Safeguard Old Spanish National Historic Trail Multiple Encroachments Doom Old Spanish Trail to Death of Thousand Cuts Washington, DC —The Old Spanish National Historic Trail is
Coalition Supports Protection for Minidoka National Historic Site from Proposed Lava Ridge Wind Project
November 15, 2024 The Honorable Joe Manchin Chair Committee on Energy and Natural Resources United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 The Honorable Bruce Westerman Chair Committee on Natural Resources U.S. House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515 The Honorable John Barrasso Ranking Member Committee on Energy and Natural Resources United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 The
Coalition Provides Comments on BLM’s Proposed Updated Western Solar Plan
ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION – NO HARD COPY TO FOLLOW Submitted by email to: rp*****@**hp.gov November 7, 2024 Rodney Parker Jr., ACHP BLM Liaison Advisory Council on Historic Preservation 401 F Street NW, Suite 308 Washington, DC 20001 Subject: ACHP Section 106 Review of the Bureau of Land Management Western Solar Plan Dear Mr. Parker: I am
Coalition Joins Administrative Protest of BLM Western Solar Plan
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 30, 2024 Contact: Chandra Rosenthal, PEER, (303) 898-0798, cr********@**er.org Kevin Emmerich, Basin and Range Watch, (775) 764-1080, at**************@***il.com Laura Cunningham, Western Watersheds Project, (775) 513-1280, lc*********@***************ds.org Conservationists File Protest Against Plan for Massive Solar Development on Public Lands, Citing Neglect of the Old Spanish National Historic Trail WASHINGTON, DC – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM)