Petroleum Association Urges Oil and Natural Gas Permitting Continue During Government Shutdown

The Petroleum Association of Wyoming is urging the Biden Administration to ensure the uninterrupted flow of necessary permits for oil and natural gas production in the event of a government shutdown. According to PAW, the appeal comes on behalf of the thousands employed within the industry in Wyoming, the hundreds of thousands of Wyoming residents who depend on its vitality, and the millions of Americans concerned about escalating fuel prices.

Wyoming’s natural gas and oil industry, from exploration and production to processing, transportation and business services have contributed more than $2.7 billion in tax revenues to the state of Wyoming – including $1.3 billion directly to Wyoming’s K-12 education system. PAW President Pete Obermueller said as the second largest source of revenue to the federal government, after the IRS, the federal mineral program can fully fund its staffing and operation costs, and that permitting successfully continued during the 2019 shutdown and any attempt to shutter the program now would be nothing more than Washington political theater that would harm Wyoming communities.

Wyoming’s role in ensuring that the United States maintains an adequate supply of crude oil is pivotal, as the state is the second-highest producer of crude oil on federal lands in the country. Unless Congress reaches a last minute deal, the government shutdown will go into effect at 12:01 am Sunday, October 1. You can view the letter that PAW sent to U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland and Bureau of Land Management Director Tracy Stone-Manning by clicking here.