Current work in wildlife, rivers, public lands, and climate

Washington, D.C. — WildEarth Guardians today joined more than 100 other organizations in demanding the Trump Administration pause federal drilling and mining approvals in light of the enormous strain and health risks associated with the COVID-19 health crisis.

“Americans are focused on one thing and one thing only right now: protecting their health,” said Jeremy Nichols, Climate and Energy Program Director for WildEarth Guardians.  “It is simply unconscionable for the Trump Administration to burden the people with proposals to drill and mine that most Americans have no time and ability to weigh in on and that directly threaten public health and safety.”

In a letter to the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, 101 groups urged the White House agency to “to place a moratorium on all new permitting and rulemakings” and “extend all existing public comment periods until at least 60 days after the national emergency is lifted.”

Citing health risks and the burden of the COVID-19 crisis, the groups, including national, regional, and several grassroots environmental and health advocacy groups, stated:

“All people have a right to participate in our government’s decisions about oil, gas, mining, and related infrastructure affecting our public lands, public health and environment. In the midst of a global pandemic, our government urges us to stay at home and maintain social distance. During this difficult time, with many people facing daily health crises in their own communities, our government should not march ahead with business as usual.”

In spite of the COVID-19 crisis, federal agencies continue to press ahead to review and approve industry demands to mine, drill, and frack, particularly on public lands in the western U.S.  WildEarth Guardians has previously called on the U.S. Bureau of Land Management to stop selling public lands for fracking and to suspend ongoing public lands and resource management decisions.

In New Mexico, WildEarth Guardians led a coalition of thousands of individual and organizations in demanding the Bureau of Land Management halt plans to sell public lands for fracking next month.

Today’s letter is part of a mounting call on the Trump Administration to exercise restraint in response to the unprecedented coronavirus pandemic and suspend all mining and drilling proposals currently under review by all federal agencies, including the Bureau of Land Management, the White House Council on Environmental Quality, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, and others.