The Interior Department on Monday proposed two changes to federal regulations that would slash up-front costs for oil and gas drillers on federal land and cut a requirement that cleanup plans be included in drilling applications.
The walk-back of leasing rules aims to make it easier for companies to pump oil and gas from federal lands as the Trump administration pushes to increase domestic fossil fuel production while constricting renewable energy projects.
The two-part shift would reverse Biden-era bonding increases to cover cleanup costs and make it easier to issue noncompetitive leases.
“These targeted updates cut through the red tape that has historically deterred investment, ensuring our public lands remain a reliable engine for economic growth and innovation,” Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said of the changes to Bureau of Land Management rules.
