WASHINGTON – Congressman David Valadao (CA-22) sent a letter alongside Reps. Vince Fong (CA-20), Doug LaMalfa (CA-01), and Tom McClintock (CA-05) to applaud the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) decision to rescind the 2012 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the California Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM) and BLM.

“Rescinding CalGem’s memorandum of understanding with BLM is a critical step toward restoring domestic oil production in the Central Valley,” said Congressman Valadao. “Kern County alone has lost hundreds of millions of dollars in local revenue and thousands of good-paying jobs because Sacramento bureaucrats refuse to issue permits in a timely and transparent way. By getting rid of this unnecessary red tape, we can get production back on track, lower energy costs for Valley families, and bring much-needed investment back to our communities.”

“It is critical that the 2012 MOU between CalGEM and Bureau of Land Management be rescinded as a vital step toward restoring California’s energy production,” said Congressman Fong. “This decision removes barriers to needed energy production, reduces costs for families, strengthens economic stability, and reaffirms our commitment to American energy dominance. By streamlining permits and restoring the Bureau of Land Management’s authority over federal lands, we can unlock California’s energy potential, support good-paying jobs, and ensure affordable energy for families across our state.”

“Under Governor Newsom, California has waged a war on oil production, hurting the economy in Kern County and threatening our ability to have affordable and reliable energy,” said Congressman LaMalfa. “Under the 2012 MOU between CalGEM and BLM, the state has been able to obstruct oil and gas production on Federal lands. This is completely unacceptable. Luckily, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum understands how this MOU is an obstacle to achieving energy dominance. I want to thank him for rescinding this MOU and allowing California’s oil and gas business to operate on Federal lands without interference from Governor Newsom.”

Background:

Oil production on federal land managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) plays a key role in California’s energy supply. While BLM continues to approve new drilling permits, CalGem now insists on a second, state-level permitting process, even though federal law does not give them authority over federal land. Over the last 15 years, BLM has gradually allowed CalGem to delay and influence permits through informal agreements—not through official law or policy change. This was accomplished through informal practices and agreements, not through statutory changes. As a result, more than 100 BLM-approved permits are now stuck, waiting for unnecessary approval from CalGEM.

Read the full letter here.

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