Oil Change International Reaction to the House Committee on Natural Resources Budget Reconciliation Bill

After midnight last night, the House Committee on Natural Resources voted to advance its portion of the Republican budget reconciliation package, which many are calling one of the worst environmental bills in history. It includes sweeping giveaways to the fossil fuel industry at taxpayers’ expense, including mandated oil and gas lease sales on public lands, reductions in royalty rates, and the ability to pay to avoid environmental review of dangerous projects.  

In response, U.S. Campaign Manager Allie Rosenbluth said: 

“With this bill, House Republicans – and lone Democratic defector Adam Gray (D-Calif.) – are launching an unprecedented attack on our public lands and waters, community health, and climate – all to benefit their fossil fuel donors, who spent $450 million in the last election cycle to purchase influence over Trump and Congress. 

“This bill is stuffed full of favors to the fossil fuel industry, including the ramp-up of oil and gas drilling on public lands and waters, the gutting of clean air and water protections, and new ways to silence the vast public opposition to destructive projects. 

“Like the rest of the Republican reconciliation package, it strips protections and access to public resources from working people to bankroll tax breaks for billionaires and big polluters. It would sell off our treasured public lands and waters to the fossil fuel industry and limit communities’ ability to challenge projects in court. As an added bonus, it allows the fossil fuel industry to escape paying its fair share for the right to drill on our public lands and waters by reducing royalty rates.” 

“In just the past year, thousands of Americans have lost lives, livelihoods, homes, and communities to climate-fueled hurricanes and wildfires. If we want to avoid even more catastrophic impacts of climate change we must stop all new fossil fuel development. Yet this bill mandates a major uptick in oil and gas leases on public lands and waters, consigning working families to more extreme heat waves and superstorms so that fossil fuel CEOs can get even richer. As an added kick in the teeth, it would also force cuts to climate resilience programs, which keep communities safe from the extreme weather the fossil fuel industry is responsible for. 

“Every member of Congress who cares about our public lands, the health and safety of their constituents, and our climate should be ringing the alarm about this reconciliation package and doing everything they can to defeat it.”