In response to the Department of the Interior’s announcement just before the holiday weekend that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will soon hold onshore oil and natural gas lease sales for 173 parcels on roughly 144,000 acres, Western Energy Alliance today issued the statement below attributable to President Kathleen Sgamma.
“While we’re glad to see BLM is finally going to announce a sale, the extreme reduction of acreage by 80%, after a year and a quarter without a single sale, is unwarranted and does nothing to show that the administration takes high energy prices seriously,” said Sgamma. “The sales being considered were the ones that had already been fully analyzed at the end of the Trump Administration and were ready to go before the Biden Administration decided to redo the analysis. Career employees at BLM, not political appointees, had done that analysis and determined it was protective. This administration has decided to make leasing and production a political football, and Americans are paying the price at the pump.
“Finally holding a sale after five quarters without a single one doesn’t erase the fact that BLM violated the law by not holding quarterly sales. We have a court hearing on May 13th and hope the judge will rule that indeed, BLM violated the law and needs to move forward with regular leasing. At the rate they’re going, there’s no indication there will be third quarter lease sale, as it appears they haven’t even started the analysis. We hope the judge will compel BLM to meet its legal obligations to hold quarterly lease sales and rule that bureaucratic foot-dragging is not an excuse.
“Raising the royalty rate 50 percent increases the costs of production on federal lands, which already carry a higher cost than nonfederal lands. This increased tax will have the effect of any other tax increase–you get less of what’s taxed, in this case, federal oil and natural gas. At a time when the administration should be increasing production, it continues to introduced new policies that further depress American production and keep gasoline prices high.”
According to Interior, agency staff analyzed 646 parcels on roughly 733,000 acres that was previously nominated for leasing by oil and natural gas companies, however only 173 parcels on roughly 144,000 acres, or 20 percent, will be available for auction. BLM assessed potentially available and eligible acreage in Alabama, Colorado, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Utah, and Wyoming, though the agency didn’t specify if each of these states are included in the final list of approved parcels.
About Western Energy Alliance
Western Energy Alliance represents 200 companies engaged in all aspects of environmentally responsible exploration and production of oil and natural gas in the West. Alliance members are independents, the majority of which are small businesses with an average of fourteen employees. Learn more at www.WesternEnergyAlliance.org.
If anyone would like to schedule an interview, meeting or news tip email studio@thecrudelife.com
Industrial Integrity and Energy Ethics are the new entry level expectations in oil and gas, and The Crude Life continues to create original Local, Boots-On-The-Ground Journalism while showcasing other environmentally conscious companies.
Communication is vital in today’s energy extraction and empowerment.
About The Crude Life
The Crude Life produces original content that focuses on industry, the people, energy innovations, community building and it’s proactive culture. Our custom content is non-polarizing, trusted and often news making.
The Crude Life promotes a culture of inclusion and respect through interviews, content creation, live events and partnerships that educate, enrich, and empower people to create a positive social environment for all, regardless of age, race, religion, sexual orientation, or physical or intellectual ability.
Part of our mission is to enable people, companies and communities to affect change, demonstrate their transformative actions and drive energy awareness through storytelling and access to resources.
Sponsors, Music and Other Show Notes
Studio Sponsor: The Industrial Forest
The Industrial Forest is a network of environmentally minded and socially conscious businesses that are using industrial innovations to build a network of sustainable forests across the United States.
Weekly Sponsor: KBL Complete Services
Strikingly dynamic, incomparably strong and absolutely reliable, KBL Complete Services excels at all of your pipeline needs. From AGM Surveys, ILI tool tracking, Digsite Locating, and Equipment Decontamination, to Project Management, KBL Complete Services are ready to make your project a success.
Weekly Sponsor: Great American Mining Co
Great American Mining monetizes wasted, stranded and undervalued gas throughout the oil and gas industry by using it as a power generation source for bitcoin mining. We bring the market and our expertise to the molecule. Our solutions make producers more efficient and profitable while helping to reduce flaring and venting throughout the oil and gas value chain.
Join Podcasters from across the world and all walks of life as they unite to bring civil solutions to life and liberty.
Studio Email and Inbox Sponsor: To Be Announced
Featured Music: Alma Cook
For guest, band or show topic requests, email studio@thecrudelife.com
Spread the word. Support the industry. Share the energy.
