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The Case To Ban Fracking On Federal Lands
The Case To Ban Fracking On Federal Lands
The Case To Ban Fracking On Federal Lands
FEBRUARY 2021
FOODANDWATERWATCH.ORG
The Case to Ban Fracking on Federal Lands
Figure 2: National Parks and Sites Threatened by Federally-Managed Oil & Gas Development23
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The Case to Ban Fracking on Federal Lands
Recommendations
There is no time to waste when it comes to addressing cli-
mate change and protecting public health and our environ-
ment. We must take action to ban fossil fuels and rapidly
transition to renewable energy sources. The executive
branch can and must ban fracking and fossil fuel drilling
on our public lands if we hope to make meaningful steps
to avert climate catastrophe.
Endnotes
1 Tyson, Alec and Brian Kennedy. Pew Research Center. “Two-thirds of 11 American Petroleum Institute. Prepared by OnLocation, Inc. “The
Americans think government should do more on climate.” June 23, Consequences of a Leasing and Development Ban on Federal Lands
2020; Dumain, Emma. “Polls: Voters want land protections, end to and Waters.” September 2020 at 2, 4, 8 and 9. FWW is defining
drilling.” E&E News. October 15, 2020. “fracked oil and gas” as that produced from tight oil, shale gas and
2 Gorski, Irena and Brian S. Schwartz. “Environmental health con- tight gas. The report estimates the difference in 2030, if a drilling
cerns from unconventional natural gas development.” Oxford Re- ban were enacted today vs. a business as usual scenario (no ban).
search Encyclopedia. February 2019 at 1 and 2; Food & Water Watch 12 FWW analysis of DOI and EIA data.
(FWW). “Fracking’s Bridge to Climate Chaos.” January 2020 at 3, 4 13 FWW analysis of DOI data.
and 6. 14 Merrill, Matthew D. et al. U.S. Geological Survey. “Federal Lands
3 Natter, Ari. “Here’s why Biden can’t ban fracking, but could restrict Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sequestration in the United States:
it.” Bloomberg. October 21, 2020; U.S. Department of the Interior Estimates for 2005-14.” Scientific Investigations Report 2018-5131.
(DOI). Bureau of Land Management (BLM). [Press release]. “BLM 2018 at 1, 3 and 8.
proposes to rescind rule on hydraulic fracturing.” July 25, 2017. 15 Moser, Claire et al. Center for American Progress. The Wilderness
4 FWW analysis of Natural Resources Revenue Data. Production by Society. “Cutting Greenhouse Gas from Fossil-Fuel Extraction on
Year. DOI. Available at https://revenuedata.doi.gov/downloads/ Federal Lands and Waters.” March 19, 2015 at 1.
production/. Accessed November 2020; U.S. Energy Information 16 81 Fed. Reg. 83008, 83009. November 18, 2016.
Administration (EIA). Natural Gas Gross Withdrawals. Available at 17 81 Fed. Reg. 83008, 83010-83011. November 18, 2016; U.S. Environ-
http://www.eia.gov/dnav/ng/ng_prod_sum_a_epg0_fgw_mmcf_a. mental Protection Agency. Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calcu-
htm. Accessed November 2020; EIA. Crude Oil Production. Avail- lator. Available at https://www.epa.gov/energy/greenhouse-gas-
able at http://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/pet_crd_crpdn_adc_mbbl_a. equivalencies-calculator. Accessed November 2020.
htm. Accessed November 2020. 18 Holden, Emily et al. “Revealed: The full extent of Trump’s ‘meat
5 BLM. Oil and Gas Statistics. Table 2 Acreage in Effect, Table 6 Pro- cleaver’ assault on US wilderness.” Guardian. October 26, 2020.
ducing Acres. Available at https://www.blm.gov/programs/energy- 19 The Wilderness Society. “Open for Business (And Not Much Else):
and-minerals/oil-and-gas/oil-and-gas-statistics. Accessed Decem- How Public Land Management Favors the Oil and Gas Industry.”
ber 2020. 2016 at 1.
6 DOI. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM). “Combined 20 National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA). “Spoiled Parks:
Leasing Report as of December 1, 2020.” Available at https://www. The 12 National Parks Most Threatened by Oil and Gas Develop-
boem.gov/oil-gas-energy/leasing/combined-leasing-status-report. ment.” October 2019 at 5 to 7; Holden et al. (2020).
December 2020 at 1. 21 Holden et al. (2020).
7 Evans, Brandon. “US drilling on federal and Indian land surges in 22 Fountain, Henry. “Sale of Arctic Refuge oil and gas leases is set for
2019.” S&P Global Platts. October 28, 2019; Brown, Matthew and early January.” New York Times. December 3, 2020.
Cathy Bussewitz. “Oil companies lock in drilling, challenging Biden 23 FWW analysis of BLM National Oil and Gas Leases Polygons. BLM.
on climate.” Associated Press. January 10, 2021. Available at https://landscape.blm.gov/geoportal/catalog/search/
8 Udall, Tom and Charles Grassley. [Op-ed]. “Oil and gas companies search.page. Accessed January 11, 2021; Gulf, Pacific and Alaska Ac-
keep taking from taxpayers. And taking.” New York Times. Decem- tive Lease Polygons. BOEM. Available at https://www.boem.gov/oil-
ber 2, 2020. gas-energy/mapping-and-data. Accessed January 15, 2021; National
9 Brown and Bussewitz (2021). Park Service (NPS) Boundary. NPS. Available at https://public-nps.
10 Natter (2020). opendata.arcgis.com/datasets/nps-boundary-1. Accessed January
13, 2021; NPCA (2019) at 6.
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