|
As the federal government shutdown enters its second month, the Interior department continues to issue oil and gas drilling permits at a rapid clip, even as tens of thousands of its employees remain furloughed and unpaid.
The Center for Western Priorities is monitoring oil and gas permit and lease activity daily on our Oil and Gas Government Shutdown Tracker. As of Tuesday, November 4th, the Bureau of Land Management had issued more than 600 new permits to drill (APDs) on public lands since the shutdown began on October 1. During that time, the BLM issued more than 19 permits per day, which amounts to more than 3 approvals for every workday hour in the month. The Interior department has also issued 37 new public land leases to oil and gas companies during the shutdown.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum sent a message to employees last Friday, hours before he boarded a plane for the United Arab Emirates, telling them “your absence is felt—not just in operations, but in spirit.” Burgum’s email did not acknowledge his attempt to fire thousands of Interior department employees during the shutdown, which has been temporarily suspended while the shutdown continues. “There aren’t any American public lands in Abu Dhabi. Doug Burgum should stop trying to pretend he’s a diplomat and come home to do his job,” said Center for Western Priorities Deputy Director Aaron Weiss. The Interior department has not said how it is paying for Burgum’s travel during the lapse in congressional funding.
|
Interior’s own numbers tell the story: while tens of thousands of park rangers and land managers are furloughed, Doug Burgum is greenlighting oil and gas drilling at a rapid pace. That’s exploitation of our public lands, not stewardship.”
