BLM Oil/Gas Permitting, LeasingAssailed

摘要

The Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) permitting and leasing policies for oil and natural gas operators came under microscopic review last Tuesday by lawmakers on a House Natural Resources subcommittee. Under intense questioning, mostly by western lawmak- ers, BLM Director Robert Abbey said his agency will stand behind existing oil and gas leases that have been issued on federal lands to private companies “unless there's a court ruling [ordering it do otherwise] or a decision [is issued by another surface managing agency] that would overturn those leases.”