** The oil and gas industry's public lands stockpile
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Friday, February 19, 2021
Oil and gas development in Rifle, Colorado. Source: @EcoFlight ([link removed])

The Center for Western Priorities (CWP) has released an interactive report ([link removed]) examining the millions of acres of idle leases stockpiled by the oil and gas industry. The report ([link removed]) finds that the industry is currently sitting on 9.9 million acres of idle leases across ten Western states—47.4 percent of all leases in the region. These stagnant leases lock up valuable public land ([link removed]) from proactive management for other uses, like recreation or conservation, while producing no energy and generating only $1.50 per acre for taxpayers annually.

In January, President Biden ordered a pause ([link removed]) on new federal oil and gas leases while the Interior Department evaluates the impact of America’s public lands drilling program on our climate, communities, and taxpayers. This commonsense first step begins a long-overdue process of reform for the current broken, century-old leasing system ([link removed]) and does not prevent operators from continuing to drill using existing idle leases.

CWP Policy Director Jesse Prentice-Dunn says ([link removed]) , “The oil and gas industry is well aware that the current leasing system is tilted in their favor, and they’ve spent millions on lawyers and lobbyists to keep it that way. As this analysis shows, their recent campaign against President Biden’s commonsense leasing pause is nothing more than a disingenuous ploy to prevent a broken system from being fixed.”
Quick hits


** Colorado air quality regulators adopt first-in-the-nation rule to slash methane emissions from drilling operations
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Colorado Sun ([link removed])


** After helping win the election, Native Americans expect a lot from the Biden administration
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New York Times ([link removed])


** The oil and gas industry's public lands stockpile
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Center for Western Priorities ([link removed])


** Nevada lithium mine hastily approved without addressing environmental impacts, tribal concerns
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High Country News ([link removed]) | E&E News ([link removed])


** Hunters & anglers groups support 30x30 goal as opportunity to protect key wildlife habitat
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Outdoor Life ([link removed])


** Senators bankrolled by the oil and gas industry raise spurious concerns about Haaland's Interior nomination
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HuffPost ([link removed])


** What the decline of the coal industry can teach New Mexico about boom and bust economies
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Capital & Main ([link removed])


** Wyoming senators introduce legislation to block name change for Devil's Tower, disregarding tribal wishes
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Casper Star-Tribune ([link removed])
Quote of the day
The federal government has long broken promises to Native American tribes who have been on this land since time immemorial. With her appointment, Congresswoman [Deb] Haaland will help me strengthen the nation-to-nation relationship.”
—President Joe Biden ([link removed])
Picture this


** @BLMUtah ([link removed])
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#DYK ([link removed]) the @BLMNational ([link removed]) has a @tumblr ([link removed]) ?! This is not a #throwbackthursday ([link removed]) , the #BLM ([link removed]) updates this blog with stories happening on #publiclands ([link removed]) around the country. Read fascinating articles and fight the urge to doom scroll over at [link removed] ([link removed]) .

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