John,
Wildlife habitat on public lands is threatened by the reckless policy of noncompetitive leasing for oil and gas development.
Nearly 80% of the leases offered up for oil and gas development on public lands under the Trump administration have failed to sell at auction. There is no demand for them, so they go unsold. However, most of these then get sold behind closed doors at rock-bottom prices to energy speculators. It’s a process called noncompetitive leasing. Nearly 3 million acres of land have been leased noncompetitively, and now these lands are no longer be managed for wildlife, recreation, or conservation.
Tell the Senate to end this unfair oil and gas leasing practice that prevents land from being properly managed for elk and other wildlife—or for outdoor recreationists.
Earlier this summer, Senator Jon Tester introduced the Leasing Market Efficiency Act, which would require oil and gas leases to be offered in a fair, competitive process. It will increase transparency and cut down on government waste. Most importantly, it will ensure that the agency can manage public lands for multiple uses, including habitat and wildlife corridor conservation.
Please urge your senators to support the Leasing Market Efficiency Act today. This commonsense bill will end this wasteful practice of noncompetitive leasing so that our public lands can be managed for conservation and recreation and so that taxpayers don’t pay to pad the bottomline of energy speculators.
Our public lands deserve wise stewardship, not wasteful practices. Our federal government should be managing lands to ensure species like Rocky Mountain elk thrive for generations to come, rather than wasting their time issuing oil and gas leases at rock bottom prices that are rarely even developed. It’s time to stop this antiquated oil and gas leasing process and focus on what matters.
John, wildlife need your help. Speak out now to protect elk habitat.
Thank you for lending your voice today for wildlife and the lands and waters they call home.
