|
The Trump administration announced a draft plan that would open millions of acres in the Alaskan Arctic to oil and gas drilling. The proposed plan seeks to develop the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A), an area the size of Indiana designated in 1923 as an emergency supply of oil for the Navy, which is currently the largest expanse of unprotected wilderness in the country. The reserve was transferred to the Interior Department in 1976.
The proposed plan could reverse current protections for areas that provide critical habitat for polar bears, waterfowl, and calving grounds for the largest caribou herd in Alaska. Simultaneously, the Interior Department is attempting to hold the first-ever lease sale to drill in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
International mining companies taking advantage of public lands, taxpayers
A new report from the Center for American Progress finds 100% of all companies mining uranium and 64% of all companies mining gold on public lands are foreign owned. Those companies are taking advantage of wildly outdated laws, which do not require mining companies to pay taxpayers a royalty for extracting publicly-owned resources.
|
It sends a clear message to operators: Utah regulators should not be taken seriously. One [oil and gas] operator was issued four violation notices but, according to auditors, 'blatantly disregarded' the notices, likely realizing 'there is no consequence for doing so.' During that time, the same operator submitted numerous applications to drill new wells.”
