FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MAY 21, 2020
DENVER—During a trip to New Mexico, Interior Secretary David Bernhardt is expected to extend the public comment period on a land management plan that could allow more drilling around Chaco Culture National Historical Park. Nearby tribal governments and the state’s congressional delegation have repeatedly requested such a delay, noting that affected communities are particularly hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic and have low rates of broadband internet access. The move comes one day after the Bureau of Land Management abruptly postponed a scheduled oil and gas lease sale in the state.
The Center for Western Priorities released the following statement from Policy Director Jesse Prentice-Dunn:
“After spending the pandemic pushing through environmental rollbacks and slashing royalties for oil and gas companies, Secretary Bernhardt is trying to repair his image. It shouldn’t take weeks of outrage from tribal nations and members of Congress for Bernhardt to do the right thing at the eleventh hour.
“There’s no reason for the Interior Department to plow ahead with unfettered oil and gas leasing in the midst of an industry collapse and global pandemic. Secretary Bernhardt should extend all public comment periods and pause all oil and gas leasing until taxpayers get a fair return for resources on their public lands.”
Bernhardt’s New Mexico trip comes as the Interior Department started giving out drastic cuts in royalties owed to taxpayers from publicly-owned oil and gas, while simultaneously demanding millions of dollars from renewable energy companies.
LEARN MORE
- Oil companies get break on royalties while solar and wind firms get past-due rent bills [Washington Post]
- Storymap: Oil and gas companies are paying bargain rates to acquire and sit on millions of acres [Center for Western Priorities]
- Oil companies seeking bailout could deprive taxpayers of billions [Center for Western Priorities]
- The Trump administration’s unfinished business on public lands [Center for Western Priorities]