September – October 2017 Volume 45, Number 5
Powder River Pushes for Federal Oil & Gas Reform
On September 14th, Powder River joined with other stakeholders to file a petition requesting the Interior Department and Bureau of Land Management update how they manage oil and gas leasing on public lands to give a fair return to the American people and to comply with federal laws.
The signers are Dan Bucks, former director of the Montana Department of Revenue, Powder River members and ranchers Marjorie West and Leland Turner, and the Wilderness Society. The document emphasizes that the agencies are legally required to ensure that Americans receive fair market value for the natural resources found on and under public lands.
Bob LeResche, Powder River Board Chair—who is a former Alaska Commissioner of Natural Resources and former Executive Director of the Alaska Energy Authority— said, “An important part of Interior’s charge to manage natural resources owned by all Americans is their proprietary duty to achieve a fair return when they lease or sell fossil fuels. It is high time that the government prioritizes revenues that benefit all citizens, improves their lax financial management, and stops selling oil and gas to corporate interests at below market prices.”
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