ClientEarth comments on proposed rollback of federal oil and gas bonding rules

ClientEarth submitted comments urging the Bureau of Land Management to reject proposed changes to federal oil and gas leasing rules that would weaken financial safeguards for well cleanup. The proposal would sharply reduce the bonds oil and gas operators must provide, potentially leaving taxpayers exposed to billions of dollars in cleanup costs if companies abandon wells or go bankrupt. ClientEarth argues that the changes would increase the risk of orphaned wells, pollution and damage to public lands, while providing little evidence that they would meaningfully increase domestic energy production.