Statement on House Natural Resources Committee Reconciliation Bill

WASHINGTON, D.C. — House Natural Resources Committee leaders late Thursday unveiled a draft budget and tax bill that would benefit oil, gas and coal corporations at the expense of American taxpayers, western residents, and public lands and waters. 

The bill would mandate coal, oil and gas lease sales on unprecedented amounts of the nation’s public lands and waters, and slash the royalty rates that ensure a fair return to American taxpayers for public resources — undermining the Department of the Interior’s mandate to manage public lands for multiple uses. It would cut out environmental review and public participation, even allowing large corporations to pay to evade environmental and judicial review. 

In response, Dr. Barbara Vasquez, WCA Board Member and WORC Board Chair from Cowdrey, Colorado said:

“This bill will radically cut royalty rates for publicly owned oil, gas and coal. This giveaway to corporate interests will prevent American taxpayers from getting a fair return from our public lands and resources and slash revenues to state and local governments. It’s a slap in the face to Americans in the West, and ignores decades of major waste, fraud and abuse scandals that have plagued the federal coal, oil and gas programs from the beginning. 

“But this bill doesn’t only screw American taxpayers, it will rubber stamp oil, gas and coal leases and permits, and remove the chance for people like me who live close to drilling or mining to comment. We experience impacts like water contamination, dewatering of aquifers and air pollution that can be major threats to our families, homes and livelihoods. Under this bill, we would be cut out of the process, with no chance to reduce these risks.”