This week, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released new data showing that federal onshore oil and natural gas leases and permits are at the lowest levels in more than a decade. According to the data:

• BLM leased 1.2 million acres in 2013, down from 1.8 million acres leased the year before and the smallest area since at least 1988, the earliest year BLM reported data.

• BLM issued 1,468 oil and natural gas leases in 2013, down from 1,729 issued the year before.

• BLM issued 3,770 drilling permits in 2013, down from 4,256 permits issued the year before and the lowest level since 2002.

“This data confirms that the Obama Administration is purposely stifling American energy production wherever it can. Since President Obama took office, total federal oil production has declined 7.8 percent and federal natural gas production has declined 21 percent. This is unacceptable and forfeits the opportunity to create good-paying jobs and grow our economy,” said House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04). “In order to create an America that works, the Obama Administration must embrace the vast opportunities for new American energy production. This can be done by supporting the numerous common sense, bipartisan pieces of legislation passed by the House that create millions of much-needed jobs, energy costs for American families and small businesses, and increase our energy security.”

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