WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Department of the Interior’s proposal to rollback bonding requirements jeopardizes wildlife habitat and increases risk of pollution to rivers, wetlands, and groundwater while burdening communities with costly cleanup. The National Wildlife Federation urges the public to underscore the need for bonding requirements that reflect the true cost of reclamation, providing meaningful protections for the environment and surrounding communities. 
 
“When companies profit from the use of our natural resources, they should be responsible for restoring the damage they create,” said Aaron Kindle, director of sporting advocacy at the National Wildlife Federation. “We need bonding rates that ensure oil and gas companies, not taxpayers, pay for cleaning up after development so wildlife and clean water can persist for future generations.”