DENVER — The National Wildlife Federation applauded Rep. Susie Lee (D-Nev.) for introducing the End Speculative Oil and Gas Leasing Act of 2021, which will prevent oil and gas speculators from leasing public lands that have little or no potential for energy development. The bill is a companion bill to one introduced by Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) earlier this year.

“It’s time to put an end to the wasteful and inefficient practice of allowing energy speculators to pay embarrassingly low prices to lease lands that have little or no potential of ever producing oil or gas. Not only do these leases generate paltry amounts of income for taxpayers, they waste the time and resources of the Bureau of Land Management to administer,” said David Willms, senior director for western wildlife and conservation at the National Wildlife Federation. “This legislation ensures that our government runs more efficiently and that our public lands can be better managed for multiple uses.” 

Millions of acres of public land are leased each year that have almost no potential for energy development.  Sometimes those leases are sold for as little as $1.50 an acre. Local communities depend on the balanced, multiple use of public lands for hunting, fishing, camping and many other outdoor recreation opportunities.  Passage of this bill would allow the Bureau of Land Management to manage public lands for all Americans and not just the oil and gas industry.