Today, fifteen Congressmen sent a letter to Janice Schneider, Assistant Secretary at the U.S. Department of the Interior, expressing serious concerns with the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) repeated postponement of lease sales.  In particular, the Members raised concerns about the appearance of significant influence from special interest and environmental groups, which prompted the BLM to postpone oil and gas lease sales in Arkansas and Michigan until March 2016, and sales in Utah until February 2016.    

“These postponements raise serious doubts about the BLM’s ability to conduct its statutory mandate.  Furthermore, your recent statement to the media about the BLM’s legal obligations regarding mineral leasing as “something we’re sorting through” raises questions as to whether the BLM is committed to its straight-forward obligations under federal law,” the letter stated.

The letter requests clarifications to make certain the BLM properly does its job auctioning land for lease and committing to its multiple-use mandate. The postponed lease sales would be particularly beneficial to Arkansas, Michigan, Utah and the country because development of these resources help ensure the future of our country’s energy security.

The letter was signed by House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Rob Bishop (R-UT), Vice-chair Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Reps. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT), Doug Lamborn (R-CO), Dan Benishek (R-MI), Paul Cook (R-CA), Rick Crawford (R-AR), John Fleming (R-LA), Cresent Hardy (R-NV), Raul Labrador (R-ID), Steve Pearce (R-NM), Christ Stewart (R-UT), Scott Tipton (R-CO), Bruce Westerman (R-AR), and Ryan Zinke (R-MT).

Click here to read the letter.