USDA, Interior update Forest Service, BLM oil, gas leasing rule
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum on Tuesday announced an updated rule governing federal oil and gas resources on National Forest System land.
“The final rule (36 CFR 228 Subpart E), now published in the Federal Register, updates and simplifies federal oil and gas leasing procedures, allowing the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to seamlessly coordinate when issuing permits,” USDA said in a news release. “By establishing a single, clearly defined leasing decision point and reducing duplicative analysis, the rule improves response times to industry requests, helps reduce longstanding backlogs, accelerates lease issuance, and supports the timely processing of applications for permits to drill,” USDA added.
Under federal law, the Forest Service manages the surface estate of National Forest System lands, while the BLM manages the subsurface mineral estate. The two agencies work together to develop permitting conditions under their respective authorities.
“President Trump has made it clear that unleashing American energy requires a government that works at the speed of the American people, not one slowed by bureaucratic red tape,” Rollins said.
“We are replacing the Biden administration’s bureaucratic delays with American innovation and efficiency,” Burgum said. “These new rules provide the certainty needed to boost production, slash energy costs, and guarantee our global leadership. By streamlining permitting and cutting bureaucracy, we are lowering costs for families, creating jobs, and securing our nation all while protecting our public lands.”
Currently, 5,154 federal oil and gas leases cover approximately 3.8 million acres (about 2%) of National Forest System lands. Of these, roughly 2,850 leases spanning 1.8 million acres across 39 national forests and grasslands contain producing federal oil or gas wells.
