US will no longer require green analyses on Western states’ oil, gas leases

The Trump administration said on Thursday that it will no longer require environmental impact statements for oil and gas leases across the U.S. West, in a step toward lifting green hurdles to drilling that environmental groups will likely challenge in court.

The Interior Department said in a release that it will no longer require its Bureau of Land Management to prepare environmental impact statements for about 3,244 oil and gas leases across Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming.

Environmental impact statements are detailed analyses on the impacts of federal actions that will have a significant effect on the environment. They are required for major projects by the bedrock 1970 U.S. environmental law the National Environmental Policy Act.

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Source: Oil & Gas 360

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