Oil, Gas Leasing in Grouse Habitat Has Tripled, Groups Say (1)

Oil and gas leasing in greater sage grouse habitat nearly tripled in the first two years of the Trump administration compared to the Obama administration, three environmental groups charge.

The report from the groups—the Wilderness Society, the National Audubon Society, and the National Wildlife Federation—is likely to provide additional fodder for environmentalists’ arguments against leasing. The report dated July 25 examined lease sales and drilling permits in sage-grouse habitat in Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming.

Having analyzed Bureau of Land Management data, the groups said the rate of leased acres per month in designated sage-grouse habitat ...