Shortly after taking office, President Biden and his Administration placed an open-ended moratorium on federal oil and natural gas leasing and initiated a review on a number of other natural resource activities including making the electric grid carbon-free, increasing royalty rates, and much more. We expect this to be but the first of many actions like this from Washington, D.C. .

Oil and natural gas development are vital to the prosperity of Utah. Approximately 56% of Utah’s oil and natural gas wells fall on federal land, which means these actions will likely have intensive negative consequences for our communities and our prosperity. It is, therefore, incumbent upon us to tell our side of the story and advocate on our own behalf. But advocating for ourselves only takes us so far.

That’s why we’re seeking to expand our network of advocates to members of the community who do not work directly inside the industry. Your companies are the ones on the ground and in the community. What are the businesses you frequent? Who are the suppliers you use? Who are the members of the community you positively impact? Who would suffer if the industry is severely curtailed due to federal policy? We are looking to create a pool of local spokespersons in Uintah County, Duchesne County, and across the state who are willing to sign their names to letters to federal leaders, collaborate on op-eds and letters to the editor for media (don’t worry, they’ll have plenty of assistance in drafting these from our team), post on social media, or even appear in videos that help tell our story.

Can you help us identify valuable members of the community, business owners willing to stand up and advocate for responsible oil and natural gas development, and anyone else that embodies the spirit of Utah Energy United? We need as many voices as we can find, and we cannot find them without your help.

We cannot wait to see what we can do when we all work together. The future in Utah is bright, and it’s up to us to ensure that it remains that way.