Oil and gas development has reached record levels, surpassing previous years’ production and beginning debates about management of America’s public lands. With more than 37 million acres of federal land currently leased to industry for drilling, lawmakers and communities are joining together to strike a balance between the rapid expansion of energy development and protection of Western public lands.
Today, Chair of the Center for American Progress, John Podesta and Melyssa Watson from the Wilderness Society announced the launch of the Equal Gound campaign. The campaign urges Congress and President Obama to put conservation and preservation of America’s parks and wilderness on equal footing with energy development.
Highlighting the need for public land preservation for future generations, the Equal Ground campaign can redeem what wasn’t taken into consideration during the last Congress. The first since World War II, the 112th Congress failed to permanently protect even one acre of public land as a national park, wilderness area, or monument.
With the launch of the Equal Ground campaign, this Congress can make up for lost time and establish a much needed balance for our public lands, while the Obama administration can begin building a conservation legacy that prioritizes Western air quality, drinking water, wildlife and community health.