The US government is proposing significant reforms to oil and gas extraction on public lands, including Raising Fees and increasing environmental accountability. Currently, companies pay a low royalty rate of 12.5% to the government and post small bonds for environmental cleanup. The proposed reforms would raise the royalty rate to 16.7%, increase the minimum bid for leases, and raise the minimum bond from $10,000 to $150,000 per lease. The rule also prioritizes leasing in areas with existing infrastructure, adds protections for wildlife habitats and cultural sites, and aims to prevent taxpayers from bearing the burden of cleanup costs. Environmental groups have praised the reforms but called for an end to leasing altogether.

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