May 12, 2026

DENVER – Following an announcement by the U.S. Department of the Interior that it is rescinding the Bureau of Land Management’s Conservation and Landscape Heath Rule from 2024, Western Energy Alliance President Melissa Simpson offered the following remarks:

“We’re glad to see the Biden rule overturned. Our nation’s economy and conservation of public lands are both better off. Today, the Trump Administration is embracing energy production on public lands because the resources Americans collectively own can be used for our nation’s economic benefits. Nearly 10% of the oil and natural gas we use is produced on multiple use public lands. Drivers today certainly understand how important it is we produce oil at home when they go to fill up their vehicles.

“In return, the revenues from energy produced on public lands funds meaningful on-the-ground conservation in national parks, forests, wetlands, and other areas. Under the Legacy Restoration Fund that was created in 2020 during the first Trump Administration, our industry has contributed nearly $8 billion for 1,651 projects to improve public lands over the past five years. Our industry is currently the largest funder of federal conservation programs. The Biden rule put the future of that historic conservation program at risk and didn’t offer a comparable replacement. We support Trump Administration’s actions because they understand energy production and conservation are not competing priorities.”

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