Did you know that the federal government owns nearly one-third of U.S. land? But what are they doing with it?
In fact, the federal government’s ownership often gets in the way of domestic energy production and American job creation.
According to Heritage expert Nicolas Loris, unnecessary regulations and limited access inhibit economic growth across various parts of the country. For example, a recent study suggests that opening up offshore areas for drilling in the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf—where drilling is currently prohibited—could create 280,000 jobs in that region alone.
While U.S. oil production has surged in recent years, most of it has occurred on privately owned land.
Loris says that “a major reason that production on federal land has lagged behind is not a matter of economic viability or location but rather inefficiencies on the part of the federal government.”
It only makes sense that areas where the states have more control are far more productive. When the oil is in your backyard, you have the most to gain from an economic boom – and you have the incentive to make sure energy production is done in an environmentally sound way.
To see how federal lands lag behind, take this example: Total daily federal onshore oil production is only about one-third of what is produced every day at North Dakota’s Bakken formation alone.
Federal land management holds Americans back. Loris explains
Congress should consider privatizing some of the federal government’s land, Loris says, but in the meantime, free the states to join in this economic boom – and provide homegrown energy for their neighbors while they’re at it.
