​DENVER – In response to two separate lawsuits against President Biden’s ban on federal leasing filed today by the State of Wyoming and a coalition of 13 oil and natural gas producing states, Western Energy Alliance released the following statement attributable to President Kathleen Sgamma:
 
“Western Energy Alliance felt a little lonely for a while, but now we’re in great company. We’re very pleased that 14 states have filed lawsuits today against an executive order that so clearly exceeds presidential authority. Western Energy Alliance, representing a land-locked region, is focused on the onshore aspects of the president’s ban on leasing, so we’re pleased to see the Louisiana AG leading the charge offshore. We especially appreciate that the State of Wyoming has filed its lawsuit in the District for Wyoming so that we have more firepower focused there on the onshore leasing ban. I hope other states consider joining the litigation in Wyoming as well. Since the onshore leasing ban alone will cost states $8.3 billion in revenue over just the president’s first term, there’s a strong imperative for states to get legally involved.”

​DENVER – Western Energy Alliance today announced that the Petroleum Association of Wyoming (PAW) is joining the lawsuit challenging President Biden’s Executive Order (EO) #14008 banning new oil and natural gas leasing on public lands. The Wyoming state trade association filed as a joint petitioner after the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) failed to hold the first quarter lease sale this week. The Alliance filed the lawsuit on January 27th in the U.S. District Court for the District of Wyoming immediately after the president signed the order.
 
“While many have tried to spin President Biden’s Executive Order as harmless, that narrative is simply false” said Pete Obermueller, president of PAW. “On average, Wyoming schools could have expected $4 million from this week’s lease sale–enough money to educate 220 Wyoming school children for an entire year. We join this lawsuit to show that the president’s leasing ban has resulted in real harm to Wyoming and those consequences will continue if this ill-advised EO is not overturned.”
 
“We’re pleased to have PAW join our litigation,” said Kathleen Sgamma, president of the Alliance. “We filed in Wyoming because it has the largest amount of federal acreage under lease, and now we have the home team assembled. Because of the interlocking land ownership in Wyoming, it’s nearly impossible to develop oil and natural gas in the state without touching some federal lands or minerals. President Biden’s ban is a direct threat to one of Wyoming’s largest employers. The decree might make sense to someone sitting in Washington, D.C., but makes no sense in Wyoming and across the West.”

​DENVER – In response to a letter sent to President Biden by the Western Governors’ Association that details numerous economic and community benefits that result from oil and natural gas development on public lands, Western Energy Alliance released the following statement attributable to President Kathleen Sgamma:
 
“It’s encouraging to see a bipartisan letter that reflects the balance achieved in the West among various energy sources while protecting the environment. Western governors are practical leaders who understand that a one-size-fits-all leasing ban issued from Washington is not the way to govern effectively, but simply disadvantages the West. The presidential decree does not change the energy that all Americans use, but merely shifts production to other areas of the country without significant public lands.