A Government Accounting Office (GAO) report has recommended the Interior Department seek legislation authorizing closer controls for its Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) over oil and gas drilling in national wildlife refuges.

The report, commissioned by Reps. Wayne Gilchrest, R-MD, and Edward Markey, D-MA, found that about one-quarter of all national wildlife refuges have infrastructure and facilities that support past or present oil and gas activity, and that management and oversight of these activities varies widely among refuges.

“This GAO report raises serious concerns about oil and gas activities on national wildlife refuges. The Fish and Wildlife Service needs more money, people and authority to deal with the current level of oil and gas activities on refuges,” Markey said.

“Although no new oil and gas rights have been granted on wildlife refuges since the passage of the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966, the legacy of inholdings and subsurface rights inherited by our refuge system continue to cause damage within refuge boundaries.”

“Certainly if FWS can’t cope with today’s oil and gas activities, it would be a mistake to add to its woes by asking it to cope with unprecedented new responsibilities such as the mitigation of drilling damage in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge,” he added.

Gilchrest, chairman of the fisheries conservation, wildlife and oceans subcommittee, said the committee would review the report and he would “work closely with the FWS to improve management of oil and gas facilities on national wildlife refuges to ensure it is consistent with the protection of the crucial habitats they support for fish and wildlife.” The refuges, “like other federal lands, can support a responsible mineral extraction program.”

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