On August 1, 2025, the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management (BLM) published a direct final rule amending its regulations on leasing public lands for oil and gas drilling. The amendments prevent BLM from including any stipulations and mitigation measures in a lease unless they are already included in the pre-approved resource management plan.
Interior takes this action in response to the passage of the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," which "amended the [Mineral Leasing Act of 1920] by removing the existing language in section 226(a) and replacing it with new language that requires the Secretary to make lands in an expression of interest (EOI) available for leasing within 18 months of receipt of an EOI, subject to enumerated conditions. It adds a new subparagraph requiring any leases issued under the MLA to be subject to the terms and conditions of an approved resource management plan (RMP) and prohibits the Secretary from including any stipulations or mitigation in a lease, unless such stipulations or mitigation are included in an approved RMP."