Congress Passes Inflation Reduction Act

Washington, D.C. – Yesterday, Congress passed the historic Inflation Reduction Act which includes several key reforms to the antiquated onshore oil and gas leasing program and the largest investment towards climate action in American history.

The Inflation Reduction Act invests $2 billion nationwide for national forest restoration and fuel management, $4 billion to combat Western drought, including support for conservation, incentives for farmers to use less water and support for tribes to improve conservation and water infrastructure. These investments will build upon the bi-partisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which has already begun investing in forest health and wildfire mitigation throughout the West. The funding allocated through this bill will not only go to recover lands affected by catastrophic wildfire, but to better defend our landscapes, our forests, and our communities.

Regarding oil and gas leasing reforms, the current fiscal terms for public lands leasing and drilling are, in some cases, over 100 years old. The provisions to reform the broken federal oil and gas leasing program include:

• Updating the royalty rate, minimum bid requirements, rental rates that oil and gas companies pay to use our public land and putting an end to noncompetitive leasing. Now these public lands can be managed for other uses, like outdoor recreation that powers local economies and businesses.

“Our organization has worked over the past two years to bring the federal oil and gas leasing system into the 21st century. While there is still more to do, the text in this bill is a large step in the right direction”, said Russell Kuhlman, Executive Director of the Nevada Wildlife Federation. “We are also glad to see Congress realize the cost of climate inaction and make historic investments that lower costs for families and provide funding for wildfire and drought related issues.

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About Nevada Wildlife Federation: Nevada Wildlife Federation is a 501(c)3 and is the oldest statewide conservation organization dedicated to sustaining Nevada’s natural resources for wildlife through conservation, preservation, and education.