The Wilderness Society released its Energy and Conservation 2013 Second Quarter Report today, showing the dire need for President Obama and Congress to adopt an equal ground approach to how public lands are managed.
The report shows the stark contrast between how many acres have been leased for drilling in recent years and the number permanently protected. This quarter alone (March 31, 2013 to June 30, 2013), 201,479 acres were leased to industry, while zero acres were designated as parks, wilderness areas, or national monuments. That puts industry’s total acreage at 484,418 this year, for a total of 6.7 million acres during Obama’s tenure in office. Those numbers dwarf the conservation data, calling attention again to the need for an equal ground agenda as we move into the next quarter of this year.
With only 2.6 million acres permanently protected during the Obama Administration, it’s time now to build a conservation legacy that will last after Obama’s time in office.
There’s not a shortage of opportunities for the Administration and Congress to act. Take, for example, the Hermosa Creek Watershed in southwestern Colorado, a pristine area that draws hunters, anglers, hikers and bikers. Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Scott Tipton (D-CO) initiated a bipartisan push to permanently protect the Hermosa Creek Watershed by introducing the Hermosa Creek Watershed Protection Act, a bill with broad support from the local community.
The numbers speak for themselves. Day to day, oil and gas companies are leasing more and more land, while Congress drags its feet on conserving precious lands that are too special to drill. Starting with Hermosa Creek in Colorado, Congressional action can begin a conservation legacy that will ensure our most prized lands will be put on equal ground with energy development.