CONTACT
Aaron Weiss, Deputy Director
Center for Western Priorities
aaron@westernpriorities.org
720-279-0019
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 17, 2020
DENVER—The Interior Department is currently moving forward with numerous public comment periods, oil and gas lease sales, and major policy changes, including regulations to permanently weaken enforcement of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. These efforts come as the country is fighting to respond to the novel coronavirus, with Americans focused on taking care of their families and loved ones. In response, the Center for Western Priorities released the following statement from Policy Director Jesse Prentice-Dunn:
“The Interior Department should immediately suspend ongoing public comment periods, halt upcoming oil and gas lease sales, and delay new policy proposals. Americans should be focused on protecting the health and wellbeing of themselves and their families, not fighting back more attempts to weaken protections for public lands and wildlife.
“The Trump administration has already gone to extraordinary lengths to stifle and ignore public input to enact its drill everywhere agenda. Ramming through major policies while the country battles a global pandemic would only add to its legacy of corporate charity and environmental destruction.”
The Bureau of Land Management has scheduled public meetings for communities to provide input on public land management and multiple Resource Advisory Councils are scheduled to meet in upcoming weeks.
Learn more:
- Cutting the public out of public lands [Westwise]
- The Trump administration’s unfinished business on public lands [Westwise]
For more information, visit westernpriorities.org. To speak with an expert on public lands, contact Aaron Weiss at 720-279-0019 or aaron@westernpriorities.org. Sign up for Look West to get daily public lands and energy news sent to your inbox.
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