Several oil and gas companies filed a lawsuit this week alleging drilling delays due to stricter wildlife and other protections for our public lands. These protections are in place in part because of efforts by sportsmen — and are supported by a majority of Coloradans.

Moreover, any argument that leasing policy reforms will squeeze oil and gas companies off public land doesn't square with facts on the ground. Nearly 44 million acres of public lands already are under lease, but only 12 million are in production.

Interior Secretary Salazar has helped to ensure that oil and gas leasing on our public lands is balanced with hunting, angling and other public uses, requiring scientific review, more public input and that consideration be given to potential wildlife habitat impacts. Hunters especially appreciate these commonsense reforms during big game hunting season.

And we're not alone: According to new polling released by the National Wildlife Federation, the vast majority of Coloradans support more protections for our air, water and wildlife, rather than a return to the old way of rubber-stamping habitat-decimating leasing and drilling. Let's keep it that way.