Today, the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) announced a final rule to revise the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) oil and gas leasing regulations that will increase and create new regulatory fees and stifle energy development.

"The Biden administration will stop at nothing to make American energy more expensive and more difficult to access in their tireless quest to chase unattainable campaign promises and undefined climate goals. American families endure blow after blow from this administration's failing economic policies as they watch the cost of everyday goods skyrocket. Now, as American families are struggling to keep the lights on and keep fuel in their tanks, Biden and the activists in his administration are abusing their power and attempting to stifle further American energy development on BLM land. This hurried rule will create new fees and regulatory burdens that will inevitably be passed onto consumers in the form of higher prices for energy. However, House Republicans saw this coming. Just last month, we passed Congresswoman Boebert's Restoring American Energy Dominance Act, which will require the BLM to withdraw this burdensome and unnecessary rule. Solutions like this are part of the ways Republicans are committed to supporting consumers and keeping energy prices affordable across the country. American energy is among the cleanest and safest in the world, and it's baffling that President Biden wants to force us to turn to foreign adversaries for resources that we have in abundance right here at home." – House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.)

"I’m disheartened to see the Biden Administration’s Bureau of Land Management finalize its misguided rule today, which will increase energy prices for the American people, jeopardize our energy independence, and make us reliable on adversarial nations like Russia, Iran, and Venezuela for our energy. It’s yet another part of the Biden Administration’s anywhere but America; any worker but American energy agenda. As Chairman of the Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee, I was proud to support and advance across the House floor H.R. 6009, the Restoring American Energy Dominance Act, which requires the Bureau of Land Management to withdraw this disastrous rule." – Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources Chairman Pete Stauber (R-Minn.)

Background

Today, the Biden administration announced a final rule that will impose new and increasing fees and regulatory burdens on American energy producers on federal lands. This will have a devastating effect on small businesses and will ultimately increase energy costs for American consumers.

Earlier this week, the Biden administration also issued a rulemaking to reduce fees nationwide on renewable energy, showing that they have fully embraced the radical Green New Deal agenda.

The U.S. House of Representatives recently observed Energy Week by passing a slate of legislation to support domestic energy production and lower energy costs for American consumers. Among the energy bills passed out of the House were two important pieces of legislation from the Natural Resources Committee: U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert’s (R-Colo.) Restoring Energy Dominance Act and U.S. Rep. Jeff Duncan’s (R-S.C.) Protecting American Energy Production Act. These two bills are key parts of Republicans’ ongoing work to support American energy production and energy independence. 

Since taking office, President Joe Biden has taken unprecedented steps to cripple American energy production and cede control of the global market to our adversaries. Starting on day one, the Biden administration revoked the Keystone XL pipeline permit, killing thousands of American jobs and making us more reliant on foreign energy sources. The president also imposed an indefinite pause on new oil and natural gas leasing on U.S. federal lands and waters and did not hold an onshore lease sale for a year and a half.

In September 2023, the administration canceled seven oil and gas leases on the North Slope of Alaska and locked up millions of acres in the National Petroleum Reserve. Biden’s DOI is also responsible for the worst five-year offshore leasing plan in history, which contained the fewest lease sales since the start of the program and was issued over a year late.

To learn more about the committee’s ongoing work to support American energy production, click here.