The United States relies on oil and natural gas to supply a significant portion of the nation's energy. These fuels currently supply greater than 60 percent of the nation's energy and are the prime transportation fuels supplying nearly 100 percent of the nation's needs (NEPDG, 2001). The energy needs of the United States are greater than domestic sources are currently supplying, a situation which is expected to continue at an ever increasing rate as the energy needs of the United States rise in the future. The Bush Administration's Energy Policy highlighted the means to meet the nation's future energy needs through conservation, increasing domestic supplies, strengthening the energy infrastructure and increasing alternative and renewable fuels (NEPDG, 2001), while sustaining environmental responsibilities and strengthening foreign alliances. The National Energy Policy Development Group which provided the basis for the Bush Administration's Energy Policy suggested that one way to increase domestic on-shore production is to increase access to federal lands thus producing more of our own oil and natural gas resources. The federal government owns approximately 30 percent of the land in the United States, with much of the nation's public lands estimated to have substantial undiscovered energy resources (NEPDG, 2001) representing a favorable source for increased domestic production. Therefore, access to federal lands for the leasing and development of oil and natural gas resources is critical to meeting the nation's current and future energy demands.