Blog: Arizonans Deserve Bold Legislation to Mitigate Climate Crisis

The United States has been experiencing unprecedented times – from the COVID-19 pandemic impacting the health of Americans and leaving thousands without jobs, to extreme weather events amplified by climate change like wildfires, our livelihoods are on the line. During this tumultuous time, it is critical that our communities are protected from climate change impacts, that our economy is fortified via the introduction of jobs that would help to mitigate the effects of climate change, and that our existing infrastructure system is improved.

Oil & GasGuest BloggerSeptember 28, 2021Blog, Climate Change, Environmental Justice (EJ), Build Back Better, The HillComment

Op-ed: Abandoned Wells Threaten Colorado

This piece originally appeared as an op-ed in the Daily Camera on July 1, 2021.

By Bianca McGrath-Martinez, HECHO Program Manager | 07/01/2021 at 11:32 a.m.

Our communities rely on public lands for clean air and water, and for opportunities to connect with the land. Our identities are intertwined with the health of our public lands, and when properly stewarded, we are the beneficiaries. But a growing crisis of abandoned oil and gas wells on federal public lands threatens our clean air and water.

HECHO in the News, Oil & GasBianca McGrath-MartinezJuly 1, 2021Op-Ed, Oil and Gas, Colorado, Bianca McGrath-MartinezComment

Press Release: New Bills Modernizing Oil and Gas Industry Will Benefit Us All

June 22, 2021 – U.S. Senator Michael Bennet introduced the Oil and Gas Bonding Reform and Orphaned Well Remediation Act today, setting a precedent in holding oil and gas companies accountable in their operation of our nation’s public lands. The bill calls for a two-step approach in addressing the burdensome and broken system that has been in place for the decades and has impacted local governments and taxpayers alike.

Press Releases/Statements, Oil & GasGuest UserJune 22, 2021Press Release, Public Lands, Oil and Gas, ColoradoComment

Blog: A Quick and Easy Update on Current Federal Oil and Gas Issues

On January 27, the Biden administration passed an executive order to tackle the climate crisis that included a pause on new oil and gas leasing. The pause was put in place to allow the Department of the Interior the opportunity to assess what lands are leased and why, as well as whether taxpayers are properly benefitting from oil and gas that are extracted from our public lands. The pause did not impact existing operations or leases, and did not apply to private lands.

Oil & GasGuest UserJune 21, 2021Public Lands, Oil and Gas, BlogComment

Statement: Bill to Clean Up Abandoned Oil and Gas Wells Would Create Jobs and Reduce Pollution

May 27, 2021 -- Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández’s Orphaned Well Cleanup and Jobs Act of 2021 is a dynamic bill that would stimulate rural economies, create jobs, and cut down on pollution. The bill would help clean up state, private, public, and Tribal lands while also combatting the climate crisis. Passing out of the House Natural Resources Committee this week, it now heads to the House floor.

Press Releases/Statements, Oil & GasGuest UserMay 27, 2021Statement, Public Lands, Oil and Gas, Leasing ReformComment

Joint Press Release: Rep. Susie Lee Introduces Bicameral Bill to Promote Appropriate Land-Use Management and Protect Nevada's Public Lands from Speculative Oil and Gas Leasing

This piece originally appeared as a press statement on May 4, 2021 via susieLee.house.gov

By Zoe Shepherd | 05/04/2021

WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Representative Susie Lee (NV-03) introduced the End Speculative Oil and Gas Leasing Act. This bill, which was introduced in the Senate by Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), would promote more appropriate land-use management by prohibiting oil and gas leasing on public lands that are determined by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to have little to no potential for energy development. The bill would also reprioritize the BLM’s administration of these lands for more appropriate purposes, such as wildlife habitat preservation, outdoor recreation, mining, grazing, and renewable energy development.

Statement: 28 Western State and Local Elected Officials Support Biden Administration’s Oil and Gas Leasing Pause, Urge Reform

This week, 28 state and local elected officials -- representing thousands of constituents across the southwestern United States -- sent a letter to the Interior Department and Secretary Deb Haaland in support of their pause and review of the federal oil and gas leasing program. The letter, organized by Hispanics Enjoying Camping, Hiking, and the Outdoors (HECHO), comes as the first opportunity for public feedback to the administration closes and the Department prepares its report on the future of the leasing program. Western voters, particularly Latinos, overwhelmingly want oil and gas development on federal public lands to be stopped or strictly limited, not expanded.

Joint Press Release: Comments Signed by 115k+ People Submitted to Interior Department Urging Reforms to Federal Oil and Gas Leasing to Protect Public Lands, Oceans, Taxpayers, and Wildlife

This piece originally appeared as a press statement on April 15, 2021.

By Nolan Bush | 04/15/2021

Western, ocean, and conservation groups emphasize important opportunity to modernize the federal government’s antiquated leasing program Today, 28 leading conservation, ocean, and western advocacy organizations announced that they have shared more than 115,000 combined signatures with the Department of the Interior in support of their pause and review of the federal oil and gas leasing program. These signatures were collected in just a few weeks, during this first opportunity to provide feedback to the administration on how they can fix the broken federal leasing system so it works for everyone.

Press Releases/Statements, Oil & GasadminApril 15, 2021Joint Press Release, Oil and Gas, Public LandsComment

Statement: Senator Cortez Masto 2021 Bill Would End Speculative Leasing on Our Public Lands

Today Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) sponsored the End Speculative Oil and Gas Leasing Act of 2021 that would prevent oil and gas speculators from leasing public lands that offer little to no potential for energy development.

Our nation’s public lands, and the people and wildlife who rely on them, face unprecedented challenges. Among them is the threat of speculative leasing, a destructive practice that allows oil and gas companies to tie up public lands with little to no potential for development in long-term leases. Speculative leasing not only wastes important government resources, but it also puts critical wildlife habitat in harm’s way, and hinders public access to the great outdoors, threatening important opportunities to connect with the landscape that is home to valuable cultural landmarks. Thankfully, it is not too late to stop this.

Press Releases/Statements, Oil & GasGuest UserMarch 4, 2021Statement, Oil and Gas, Leasing Reform, Public LandsComment

Op-ed: Biden’s executive orders on climate change bring welcome optimism

This piece originally appeared as an op-ed in the Arizona Mirror on February 12, 2021.

By Arizona Councilmember for District 5, David Luna | 02/12/2021 2:00 PM MST

Last month, President Joe Biden took bold action via executive order to fix our broken oil and gas leasing system, as well as to protect wildlife habitat, clean water, and conserve 30% of our land and waters by 2030. On behalf of a community that is impacted by oil and gas development, and that experiences health challenges as a result of climate change impacts, I support the measures the president took to pause oil and gas leasing on federal public lands, and protecting our lands and waters.

Op-ed: Selling off public lands sells out present and future Nevadans

This piece originally appeared as an op-ed in the Las Vegas Sun Times on September 30, 2020.

By HECHO National Advisory Board Member, and Nevada State Senator, Moises “Mo” Denis — 09/30/2020 2:00 AM MDT

Growing up, I was shaped by my time outdoors, hiking and camping with my family. Now, I’ve made it a priority to keep myself and my children connected to the outdoors, both for recreation and as a place of respite and rejuvenation from the fast pace of life.

Op-ed: Utah’s public lands are what make it special, and they must be protected

Utah’s public lands are the envy of other states, and they draw countless visitors from all over the world. They also are at the heart of what it means to be a Utahn — no matter your background. Growing up, I spent a majority of my free time outdoors, hunting elk and deer on our public lands to put food on the table. Now, as a state representative, I feel an even greater sense of duty to protect these places so that families like mine can continue to enjoy and recreate on our public lands, particularly during these difficult times.

Blog Series: Are Public Lands a Part of the Climate Solution or Climate Problem?

In this series, HECHO will explore the case of public lands as a climate crisis solution by looking to the communities that have built and sustained the momentum for change. We look to the West and Southwest regions of the United States, where the majority of public lands are and where heat, drought, and wildfires have been raging. Lowering of greenhouse gas emissions and transitioning from fossil fuel based energy to renewable energy cannot exist in a vacuum. The process of lowering emissions needs to take into account the full picture — economic, environmental, health and social resiliency.

CO River, Oil & GasBianca McGrath-MartinezJuly 24, 2020Climate Solutions in Action, Climate Change, Public LandsComment

Blog: Five Conservation Issues that Affect Our Community

At HECHO, our mission inspires us to care for the natural resources that we all rely on. We know that Hispanics and Latinos care about protecting our outdoor spaces and resources, but that hasn’t always translated into action. That is why HECHO is working to provide opportunities to weigh in and advocate for conservation issues that affect us all. From the air we breathe, to the waterways we recreate in, issues such as climate change, wildlife protection, clean water, conservation funding, and cutting methane are essential to learn about and participate in for the protection of generations to come. Read on to learn about 5 conservation issues that affect our community.

Oil & Gas, URG, Grand CanyonCamilla SimonOctober 10, 2019Climate Change, Wildlife, Water, Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), PollutionComment

Press Release: State Control of Oil & Gas on Public Lands Amounts to Transfer

At HECHO, we support making public lands management more responsive to local communities and diverse stakeholders. However, this bill would not only give states ‘exclusive jurisdiction’ over oil and gas development on our public lands, but it would also exempt states from following our laws requiring public involvement and reviews.

There’s no guarantee that states would provide the same opportunities for public comment or conduct the kind of environmental analysis that the Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service do. This bill amounts to a de facto transfer of national public lands to the states, and we are very much opposed to it.

Press Release: Congress Must Reject Shortsighted Public Land Bills

“We’ve been asking for commonsense updates to oil and gas leasing policies established in the 1920s for years, but this proposal is a loser. The fees we should be raising are oil and gas royalty rates, which currently offer up our public lands at rock bottom rates.

We at HECHO value both our public lands and our voices. This policy of ‘pay to say’ would not only charge $150 or more just to object to an oil and gas lease on public lands, but it would also have a chilling effect on our constitutional right to petition our government. Our deep ties to the land and generations-old traditions on the land compel us, as stewards, to reject any attempt to drown out our voices, especially when it comes to decisions being made about our public lands.

Statement: HECHO Joins Other Latino Organizations in Saying "No" to Rescinding Methane Waste Rule

Today HECHO sent two letters to the Department of the Interior saying “no” to rescinding the BLM Methane Waste and Prevention Rule. One letter was sent by HECHO alone, and the other was signed by 16 Latino organizations all in opposition to this proposed change.

Statement: Local Elected Officials Urge Administration not to Repeal Methane Waste Rule

On April 10 the San Miguel County Board in Northern New Mexico unanimously passed a resolution opposing the BLM’s proposed repeal of the Methane Waste Rule, intended to reduce methane leaking, venting and flaring from oil and gas operations. Introduced by HECHO Board Chair and County Commissioner Rock Ulibarri, the resolution was prompted by Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke’s refusal to hold hearings on the repeal of this important Rule, which would save New Mexico approximately $10 million per year in revenue that could be used for education and other infrastructure.

Press Releases/Statements, Oil & GasadminApril 16, 2018Statement, Advisory Board, Rock Ulibarri, New Mexico, Methane WasteComment

Blog: “Energy Dominance” Policy on our Public Lands, Not Popular in the West

The 2018 Colorado College Conservation in the West Poll was just released last month, finding that the Trump Administration’s energy and environmental polices are unpopular in the West. It also reconfirmed what HECHO already knows – that more and more Latinos are identifying as conservationist. Here are some highlights from this year’s poll that we thought you’d be interested in.

Statement: Don't Delay the Methane Waste Rule

The Administration is threatening to delay the BLM's Methane Waste Rule, which took six years to develop with a variety of stakeholder input. HECHO is not opposed to extracting oil and gas, but we are opposed to wasting precious, natural resources. This goes against our Hispanic heritage of conservation and our ancestral values of respecting what the Earth provides for us. Read HECHO's full statement to the Administration here.

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