Exciting news! The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has proposed updated rules pushing operators to clean up after themselves once they are finished with a well pad on our public lands.

The minuscule bonds that the BLM has required for oil and gas development for decades have been the gift that keeps on giving to the industry, leaving our landscapes littered with idled and abandoned wells. This meant that for decades, money came from taxpayers to clean up and recover after oil and gas leases and wasteful development processes.

This rulemaking shows the BLM intends to adopt new procedures and requirements to address those issues. This rule applies to a massive amount of land — roughly equal to Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming combined — and is a solid step towards protecting financial interests of taxpayers and promoting more diligent development requirements for sustainable leasing practices. These updates will save the BLM more than $2.7 million each year.

In the words of our Alliance’s own Barbara Vasquez: “We look forward to the BLM enacting the increased bond requirements included in the new rules in the hopes that public health, the environment, and the taxpayers’ wallets will be meaningfully protected.”

This change came because Colorado residents stepped forward and told their stories to regulators. We believe that your voice matters and that, together, we can create real change.

The next step for Colorado residents to have a say in this rulemaking comes on August 29, when the BLM will host another meeting in Denver. We are looking for Western Colorado residents who want to make a difference for our public lands by traveling to Denver on that day and commenting. Don’t miss out on this chance to have your voice heard and make a difference! Join us today by signing up for future comment. (We’ll then be in touch with you to coordinate for the day of the meeting.)

Together, we can shape policies that prioritize our health, our environment, and our communities. Thank you for your commitment and support. If you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me at laura@westerncoloradoalliance.org.