Mojave National Preserve credit: NPS
Proposal Raises Concerns Over Impacts on Public Lands, Including National Parks
June 25, 2026 - WASHINGTON, DC — By Daniel O. Hernandez, Senior Communications Manager, Federal Policy - On Tuesday, the Trump Administration released proposed revisions to the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) 2024 Onshore Oil and Gas Leasing Rule, which would remove critical protections that increased industry accountability for oil and gas extraction and cleanup on public lands. Congress previously eliminated several provisions of the rule last year through H.R. 1, the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.”
The new proposal would further open BLM-managed lands to increased exploitation, threatening the welfare of nearby parks. More than 80 national park units share a BLM border, leaving parks like Carlsbad Caverns, Chaco, Canyonlands and Dinosaur National Monument more vulnerable to habitat destruction and increased air, water, light and sound pollution from poorly sited drilling. The revisions would also remove the 2024 preference criteria, which enabled leasing to be directed away from sensitive cultural, wildlife, and recreational areas, including lands adjacent to national parks.
“Eliminating these commonsense protections while simultaneously slashing opportunities for public input is essentially throwing away our public lands in favor of industry profits,” said Sara Cawley, Energy Director at the National Parks Conservation Association. “ With thousands of approved but unused drilling permits on federal public lands, industry does not need cheaper access to more leases. They need to be held accountable for the cost of restoring the lands they already extract billions of dollars from annually. And we need stronger protections to safeguard the health and future of these landscapes and the national parks next door.”
The proposal also rescinds updated bonding requirements and severely curtails public notice and engagement opportunities in the federal leasing process. Bond amounts — oil and gas companies’ financial guarantees to plug wells and clean up pollution once they are done with extraction — will revert to rates from before the 1960s, far below the current cleanup and abandoned well mitigation costs.
The proposal also recommends eliminating NEPA public comment periods and leaving only 10 days to provide input during the protest period, essentially removing all opportunities for the general public to engage in the federal oil and gas leasing process. Comments provided during the protest period cannot express general opposition and must cite relevant land parcels and specific legal violations or face rejection.
NPCA has long advocated for increased public lands protections from oil and gas exploration. In a 2021 report, the organization found more than 31,000 orphaned wells were located within 30 miles of park boundaries. The comment period on the proposed rule closes on Monday, August 24.
About The National Parks Conservation Association: Since 1919, the nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association has been the leading voice in safeguarding our national parks. NPCA and its nearly 1.9 million members and supporters work together to protect and preserve our nation’s most iconic and inspirational places for future generations. For more information, visit www.npca.org.
Source: National Parks Conservation Association
