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GILLETTE, Wyo. — Federal decisions removing the need for environmental impact statements for thousands of oil and gas leases across the West were met with open arms by the Petroleum Association of Wyoming.
Environmental impact statements are required by the National Environmental Policy Act, which requires federal agencies to assess the environmental effects of their proposed actions before making decisions, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
In early April, the Bureau of Land Management announced that it is no longer required by the U.S. Department of the Interior to prepare an environmental impact statement for over 3,000 oil and gas leases in seven western states, including Wyoming.
The announcement followed an executive order issued by President Donald Trump, which sought to expedite domestic energy development by reducing regulatory barriers for oil and gas companies.
“In recent years, burdensome and ideologically motivated regulations have impeded the development of these resources, limited the generation of reliable and affordable electricity, reduced job creation, and inflicted high energy costs upon our citizens,” Trump’s order reads.
The order called for an immediate review of all agency actions potentially burdening the development of domestic energy resources, particularly oil, natural gas, coal, hydropower, biofuels, critical minerals and nuclear energy.
Under the order, agency heads had 30 days to begin implementing action plans to suspend, revise or rescind all agency actions identified as unduly burdensome.
On April 11, the BLM published a rescission nullifying a Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS for oil and gas leasing decisions in seven states.
“With this action, the (BLM) will no longer move forward with preparing an environmental impact statement for oil and gas leasing decisions encompassing 3.5 million acres across Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming,” the agency said in an early April press release, adding that it is evaluating National Environmental Policy Act compliance options for leasing decisions.
The decision was met with appreciation from the Petroleum Association of Wyoming, which described the federal oil and gas permitting process as unworkable due to red tape and bureaucratic delays.
“Today, permits are almost guaranteed to face legal challenges from activists who seek to halt all development of U.S. resources — regardless of thorough environmental review,” PAW said in a statement expressing appreciation for the Trump Administration’s efforts to evaluate the permitting process and urging Congress to pass comprehensive permitting reform.
