The Bureau of Land Management Utah issues December oil and gas lease sale notice

SALT LAKE CITY —As part of the Trump Administration’s goal of promoting responsible energy development, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Utah State Office proposes to offer 21 parcels, totaling approximately 23,648.56 acres, at its oil and gas lease sale on December 8, 2020. The parcels are located in Iron, Grand, and Uintah counties on lands managed by the BLM’s Cedar City, Vernal, and Moab field offices.

The BLM contributes to state and local jobs and revenues by providing opportunities for oil and gas leasing and recreation and plays an important role in supporting a vital economy in Utah. The parcels, if sold, will support well-paying energy industry jobs which contribute to revenues for Utah’s schools and infrastructure projects.

The BLM will hold the lease sale online at www.energynet.com. Parcels may be viewed online at the EnergyNet website approximately 10 business days after the posting of the Notice of Competitive Lease Sale on the BLM website.

Background

The BLM’s lease sales represent parcels that cleared environmental review and public comment. The BLM issues both competitive and non-competitive leases for a 10-year period. The leases are a contract to explore and develop any potential oil and gas. The lease may be extended if the production is established on the lease, otherwise the lease will expire after the primary term of 10 years.

The BLM generated a record $1.1 billion from 28 oil and gas lease sales in Fiscal Year (FY) 2018. The oil and gas industry on public lands in Utah contributed $2.5 billion in total economic output and jobs for FY 2018. Revenues from onshore oil and gas production on federal lands directly fund the U.S. Treasury, state budgets and support public education, infrastructure improvements, and other state-determined priorities.

Responsible energy development includes thoughtful consideration of parcels nominated for leasing as well as potential resource impacts of decisions to lease. An additional environmental review will take place at the Application for Permit to Drill stage, where site specific Conditions of Approval will be placed on the permit in addition to the lease stipulations.

This sale notice initiates a 10-day public protest period that ends on November 2, 2020. Protests may be submitted via mail to the BLM Utah State Office, Attn: Fluid Minerals Branch Chief, 440 West 200 South, Suite 500, Salt Lake City, UT, 84101. The BLM must receive the mailed protests by November 2, 2020. Protests may also be submitted via email to [email protected] with the subject line: December 2020 Protest. Electronic protests must be received by 4:30 p.m. on November 2, 2020. 

Links to the environmental assessments, lists, and maps of the parcels and the attached stipulations, and information on how to file a protest are online at https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2001127/510. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to leave a message or question with the above individual. The FRS is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Replies are provided during normal business hours.

News Release 
BLM Utah State Office 

Media Contact: Kimberly Finch (801) 539-4020 kfinch@blm.gov  

August 20, 2020 

The Bureau of Land Management seeks comments  

on 21 parcels offered in December oil and gas lease sale 

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — As part of the Trump Administration’s commitment to responsibly developing our energy resources, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) proposes to offer 21 parcels, totaling approximately 23,648.555 acres at the December competitive oil and gas lease sale. The parcels are located in Iron, Uintah, and Grand counties on public lands managed by the BLM’s Cedar City, Vernal, and Moab Field Offices. The BLM has initiated a 15-day public comment period on the environmental assessment that ends on Sept. 4, 2020.  

Responsible energy development includes thoughtful consideration of parcels nominated for leasing as well as the potential resource impacts of decisions to lease. The act of leasing does not authorize any development or use of the surface of leased lands without further application by the operator and approval by the BLM. An additional environmental review will take place at the Application for Permit to Drill stage, where site specific Conditions of Approval will be placed on the permit in addition to the lease stipulations. 

Public Comments 

To ensure that comments apply to the parcels actually proposed for a lease sale, the BLM encourages the public to submit comments during the official public comment period, which is now open for this environmental assessment. The BLM does not analyze comments that are not specific to parcels identified in the EA because they are outside the scope of the proposed action.   

The public may view the environmental documents, lists and maps of the parcels, and attached stipulations on the BLM Land Use Planning and NEPA Register (ePlanning) at: https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2001127/510. Public comments on the environmental documents must be submitted electronically via the ePlanning webpage and comments must be received by Sept. 4, 2020.   

Background 

The BLM’s lease sales represent parcels that cleared environmental review and public comment. The BLM issues both competitive and non-competitive leases for a 10-year period. The leases are a contract to explore and develop any potential oil and gas. The lease may be extended if the production is established on the lease, otherwise the lease will expire after the primary term of 10 years. 
 
The BLM generated a record $1.1 billion from 28 oil and gas lease sales in Fiscal Year (FY) 2018. The oil and gas industry on public lands in Utah contributed $2.5 billion in total economic output and jobs for FY 2018. Revenues from onshore oil and gas production on federal lands directly fund the U.S. Treasury, state budgets and support public education, infrastructure improvements, and other state-determined priorities. 

-BLM- 

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. In fiscal year 2018, the diverse activities authorized on BLM-managed lands generated $105 billion in economic output across the country. This economic activity supported 471,000 jobs and contributed substantial revenue to the U.S. Treasury and state governments, mostly through royalties on minerals.     

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