Susan Herrera House District 41 | Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter
Environmental groups are urging President Biden to halt fossil fuel leasing on public lands, following the Bureau of Land Management's proposal to lease over 260,000 acres across Wyoming, New Mexico, and Kansas for oil and gas development. The proposal has sparked protests from organizations like the Permian Basin Climate Justice Coalition and the Greater Chaco Coalition.
These groups recently gathered at the Bureau of Land Management's New Mexico Headquarters in Santa Fe. They delivered over 20,000 public comments and technical documents, along with a request to extend the comment period. This action highlights ongoing demands for an end to new fossil fuel leasing.
Miya King-Flaherty from Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter stated: “More oil and gas leasing is the exact opposite of what is needed to address the climate crisis.” Advocates argue that such leasing increases dependence on fossil fuels and poses health risks to vulnerable communities.
Kayley Shoup of Citizens Caring for the Future criticized opening additional lands for drilling: “Continuing a legacy of pollution and extraction zones is egregious at a time when addressing the impacts of climate change should be a top priority.”
The auction includes over 3,000 acres in New Mexico’s Permian Basin, an area heavily impacted by oil and gas operations. Raena Garcia from Friends of the Earth commented: “Continuing to lease our public lands for more oil and gas drilling proves President Biden is prioritizing Big Oil profits over future generations.”
New Mexico faces significant environmental challenges due to its rapid warming and water scarcity. Rebecca Sobel from WildEarth Guardians emphasized: “It’s imperative that the federal government end leasing on public lands if the Biden administration has any hope of meeting its climate goals.”
