The U.S. Forest Service has revised its oil and gas leasing rules, aiming to modernize and streamline the fossil fuels permitting process in national forests and grasslands. These changes have sparked criticism from environmental groups who see them as part of ongoing attacks on public lands protections by the Trump administration.
The updated regulations affect how the Forest Service evaluates lands for potential inclusion in a Bureau of Land Management oil and gas leasing auction. Now, instead of examining areas on a parcel-by-parcel basis, the agency will rely on a broader, NEPA-compliant environmental review, which may cover millions of acres.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum stated, “These new rules provide the certainty needed to boost production, slash energy costs, and guarantee our global leadership.” He added that streamlining permitting will lower costs for families, create jobs, and secure the nation while protecting public lands.
Despite renewable energy sources like solar and wind being the cheapest electricity producers, Trump’s administration has prioritized reducing public lands for privatization in legislative and administrative actions.
The American Petroleum Institute praised the revised rules. Holly Hopkins, vice president of upstream policy, said the final rule enhances transparency and efficiency between federal agencies, supporting timely development of oil and natural gas resources while maintaining strong environmental protections on Forest Service lands.
Environmental groups argue these changes facilitate oil and gas drilling in national forests and grasslands while reducing transparency in decision-making. Critics warn that eliminating parcel-by-parcel reviews may overlook sensitive habitats that require additional protection.
Randi Spivak, public lands policy director at the Center for Biological Diversity, expressed concern, stating, “That very close look is not going to happen anymore; it’s going to be more like a check-the-box exercise.”
Oil and gas production on federal lands has plateaued since 2025, following highs under former President Joe Biden. With oil prices below $60 a barrel under Trump and declining drilling rig counts, there is skepticism about the fossil fuel industry’s interest in more public land drilling.
Josh Axelrod of the National Resources Defense Council criticized the rule as a “wasteful handout to big pollution,” while Josh Hicks from the Wilderness Society decried the administration’s lack of interest in protecting public lands.
The new rule will be published tomorrow and is set to take effect in 30 days.
Original Story at insideclimatenews.org