Trump Administration Shortens Public Review Period for Oil Leases on Federal Land

The Trump administration proposed eliminating the formal comment period under the National Environmental Policy Act for onshore oil and gas leases, replacing it with a 10-day protest window. The shift compresses multi-month review cycles, hampering environmental groups, state agencies, and tribes from building legal challenges. Courts increasingly scrutinize BLM leasing decisions; a thinner administrative record may weaken future litigation.