December 2019
A total of 24 parcels containing 13,422.20 acres were nominated by the public for the December 2019 Oil and Gas lease sale.
The parcels are located within the Monticello Field Office (9 parcels, 5,536.26 acres), Richfield Field Office (7 parcels, 3,914.82 acres), Price Field Office (5 parcels, 3,267.11 acres), Moab Field Office (2 parcels, 393.39 acres), and Vernal Field Office (1 parcel, 310.62 acres), and were nominated by the public for oil and gas leasing.
The BLM offered a 30-day public comment period from August 29, 2019 through September 30, 2019.
The protest period ended on November 25, 2019. The BLM received 4 protests.
On November 21, 2019, the BLM received a letter from the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP). ACHP states "BLM has correctly applied the Criteria of Adverse Effect pursuant to 36 CFR 800.5(a)(1) for this undertaking." The letter is posted on the "Documents" tab.
Background:
The Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended [30 U.S.C. 181 et seq.], and the Federal Onshore Oil and Gas Leasing Reform Act of 1987, require the BLM to conduct quarterly, competitive lease sales to offer available oil and gas lease parcels. Expressions of Interest (EOIs) to nominate parcels for leasing by the BLM are submitted by the public. From these EOIs, the BLM prepares the parcels and determines whether or not the existing analyses in the LUPs, as amended, provide basis for leasing oil and gas resources within these parcels or if additional NEPA analysis is needed before making a leasing decision.
Additional Links:
BLM Utah Lease Sale Project Page: https://www.blm.gov/programs/energy-and-minerals/oil-and-gas/leasing/regional-lease-sales/utah
ArcGIS data displaying land status by surface management agency and existing oil and gas leases on federal lands can be found at: https://blm-egis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=6be0174d44f04f1c853197cadcfa89f0.
https://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=6be0174d44f04f1c853197cadcfa89f0
Additionally, the 2018 BLM Utah Annual Air Monitoring Report has been published and is also located on eplanning. It can be located at https://eplanning.blm.gov/epl-front-office/projects/lup/101390/170567/207199/2018_BLM_Utah_Air_Monitoring_Report_-_Final.pdf
Split Estate information can be found at https://www.blm.gov/documents/national-office/public-room-blm-library/brochure/split-estate-rights-responsibilities-and
Mineral Leasing Act of 1920 as amended: https://www.blm.gov/or/regulations/files/mla_1920_amendments1.pdf
The Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 as amended: https://web.archive.org/web/20141129050500/http://www.blm.gov/style/medialib/blm/wo/Communications_Directorate/legislation.Par.3647.File.dat/FLPMA.pdf
