Cheney Bill – Pay to Protest

CASPER, Wyo. (AP) — A bill sponsored by Wyoming U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney would impose fees on protests against oil and gas projects on federal land.

The Republican introduced the bill in the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday, saying it aims to deter intentional burdens to Wyoming's energy development.

Cheney says in a statement that some groups are flooding the permitting agencies with frivolous protests.

The Casper Star-Tribune reports that under the measure, individuals or groups would be charged $150 to file a protest under 10 pages, with additional pages charged at $5 each. If a single filed protest concerns multiple parcels of land, each is assessed at an additional $10.

Brian Rutledge is a policy adviser for the Audubon Society. He calls Cheney's bill "obscene."