Today Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced a decision to make eight of the 77 federal oil and natural gas parcels in Utah permanently ineligible for lease--and defer development on another 52 parcels.

This announcement is yet another in a series of actions this administration has taken to delay or thwart oil and natural gas exploration in areas where development has been designated, and where lease sales have been carefully planned.

This troubling trend means less revenue to federal, state and local governments at a time when our nation is running a record deficit. It also means fewer jobs at a time when we're headed toward 10 percent unemployment and less domestic energy for when our economy recovers and demand rebounds.

Development that takes place today translates to production in years to come. The International Energy Agency has warned that the failure to develop oil and gas resources now is a recipe for a supply crisis in the future. Other nations are doing everything in their power to increase their oil and gas production, while this administration seems to be taking every step it can to reduce future U.S. oil and gas supplies.

Visit the Action Center to tell the administration and Congress to stop delaying and act now to put America's energy to work for Americans.