12 Apr 2025

Interior Department No Longer Requires Environmental Impact Analysis for Oil and Gas Leases

by Bonnie | | 0

The Department of the Interior announced it will no longer require environmental impact assessments from the Bureau of Land Management for oil and gas leases in seven states.

More than 3200 leases are affected across 3.5 million acres in Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming.

Environmental impact statements have not always been required. The announced policy change most directly involves leasing decisions that were challenged in court on the grounds that their environmental impact was inadequately assessed.

BLM announced it is “evaluating options for compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act” in ways other than conducting lengthy environmental impact studies.

According to the Council on Environmental Quality ,environmental impact statements have been getting completed faster. The median time for federal agencies to complete one has dropped by 18 months since 2019, and as of last year was 2.2 years. The proportion being done in less than two years has been increasing.

Click here for more details.

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