Two U.S. Representatives from Colorado and Wyoming have taken on a fight against the Biden administration’s efforts to curtail oil and gas production on federal lands in their states.
Reps. Lauren Boebert of Colorado and Harriet Hageman of Wyoming announced the introduction of a joint resolution of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act to terminate what they labeled as the “Biden Regime’s” final Fluid Mineral Leases and Leasing Process rule.
Congresswoman Boebert, in announcing the resolution, said Green New Deal ativists killed coal and good-paying jobs in Colorado.
“Now, the Biden Regime is trying to kill responsible oil and gas production through an overreaching new regulation that targets small businesses, undermines the law, discourages production, and will cause gas prices to increase further.”
She said her bill would end the “latest regulatory attack on the fossil fuel industry.”
Wyoming Rep. Harriet Hageman said the new government rule would devastate Wyoming’s oil and gas industry.
“Over 85% of the oil and gas operators in Wyoming are small, locally owned, and operated companies. These 400+ Wyoming companies directly employ over 1,500 Wyoming residents. Should this rule be implemented, Wyoming companies will be cut out of the surety market, preventing essential revenue streams for the state, and killing meaningful jobs that keep our communities afloat.”
The congresswoman called it “just another day at the office for a Biden administration that is doing everything in its power to eliminate fossil fuels.”
The Bureau of Land Management finalized the new regulation in April and it takes effect June 22, increasing the royalty rate for production on federal lands and also increasing and creating new fees for oil and gas producers. The rule also increases bonding levels for production on federal lands.
Earlier this month, Western Energy Alliance, the Independent Petroleum Association of New Mexico, the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association, the North Dakota Petroleum Council, the Petroleum Association of Wyoming, and the Utah Petroleum Association filed a lawsuit challenging this new rule in U.S. District Court.
The oil and gas trade associations stated that the new regulation “will deter development of federal oil and gas, disproportionately affect small companies, effectively close eligible and available lands to new leasing, and violate BLM’s duty to promote oil and gas development as a multiple use of federal lands” and asked for the new regulation to be vacated “because the rule is procedurally deficient, arbitrary and capricious, and contrary to law.”
Every Republican along with 3 Democrats voted to nullify this rule earlier this year with the passage through the House of Representatives of Rep. Boebert’s Restoring American Energy Dominance Act.
Cosponsors of this bill include: Rep. Andy Ogles (TN-05), Rep. Kelly Armstrong (ND-AL), Rep. Harriet Hageman (WY-AL), Rep. Troy Nehls (TX-22) Paul Gosar (AZ-09), Ryan Zinke (MT-01), Doug Lamborn (CO-05), Tom McClintock (CA-05), Dan Newhouse (WA-04 ), Randy Weber (TX-14), Matt Rosendale (MT-02).
The full text of Rep. Lauren Boebert and Rep. Harriet Hageman’s joint resolution of disapproval is available HERE.