Conservation groups sue to revoke Wyoming and Colorado oil and gas leases

Two conservation groups, The Wilderness Society and Wilderness Workshop, have filed a lawsuit against the federal government, alleging that recent oil and gas leases violate environmental laws. The suit, filed in the U.S. District Court in Colorado, seeks to revoke leases sold in June across 430 square miles in Wyoming and northwest Colorado.

The plaintiffs argue that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) prioritized energy development over other uses of federal public lands, threatening critical migration corridors for big game, including Baggs mule deer and Sublette pronghorn. The lawsuit names Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and BLM acting Wyoming Director Kris Kirby as defendants.

The contested sales in Wyoming included 102 parcels totaling $34.7 million, facilitated under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. This legislation reduced the royalty rate from 16.67% to 12.5% to make drilling more economically attractive. The lawsuit asks the court to halt authorized actions, set aside the sales, and require the BLM to reconsider the impact on wildlife.