The Casper Star-Tribune reports that “Congress approved a little-noticed provision aimed at streamlining oil and gas permits on federal land as part of a $585 billion defense spending bill on Friday.”  

“The measure, which passed after lobbying from the oil industry, makes permanent a U.S. Bureau of Land Management pilot project intended to reduce the time needed to process oil and gas permits.”  

“Under the plan, BLM will receive $18 million annually through 2026 to pay for additional staff in field offices receiving a high number of oil and gas drilling permits. The pilot project would have expired next year without the funding.”