From the Missoulian: "In an aggressive push by the Bush administration to open more public land to oil and gas production, the Interior Department has quit conducting environmental reviews and seeking comments from local residents every time drilling companies propose new wells."
The director of the Bureau of Land Management issued an instruction memorandum on September 30, 2005, outlining the policy change: National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Compliance for Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Development. Another instruction memorandum was issued that day on coal lease modifications: Interim Guidance for Implementation of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 [P.L. 109-58] for Federal Coal Leasing. Both memos cite the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which was signed into law on August 8, 2005.
Sources: "Interior waives environmental reviews on new drilling." Missoulian October 19, 2005. A5.
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