The Trump administration on Wednesday proposed two regulatory changes that would lower cleanup costs for oil and gas drilling on federal lands, allow increased methane emissions, and sharply reduce the public’s ability to comment on permitting decisions, according to the Interior Department.
One proposal would lower the fees companies must pay before drilling to cover future cleanup costs, the department said. A second would allow companies to release more methane, a potent greenhouse gas. The Bureau of Land Management would also stop assessing whether areas proposed for leasing could conflict with wildlife habitat, and the public comment process for drilling permits would be shortened.
The Wilderness Society said the administration had unveiled “emergency permitting procedures to fast-track oil, gas and mining projects on federal public lands — sharply curtailing public participation and environmental review.”
“The Trump administration wants to make it easier and more profitable to expand drilling on public lands, all while weakening the rules that protect clean air, clean water, and wildlife,” Amy Mall, director of fossil fuels at the Natural Resources Defense Council, said in a statement.
Public Citizen, an advocacy group, said the administration is opening 200 million acres of national public lands to drilling while slashing royalties and public comment opportunities.
The proposals are the latest in a series of administration actions to accelerate energy development on public lands. The Trump administration has rescinded the Roadless Rule protecting 58 million acres of national forests, rolled back National Environmental Policy Act regulations requiring environmental reviews, and eliminated half a century of off-road vehicle restrictions on federal lands.