News
News Release
BLM Utah State Office
Media Contact: Diane Simpson 385-977-8487 [email protected]
April 18, 2022
Bureau of Land Management Utah issues notice for oil and gas lease sale
Decision follows court injunction mandating sales while government appeals
SALT LAKE CITY — Following an injunction from the Western District of Louisiana, today the Bureau of Land Management Utah State Office issued a final environmental assessment and sale notice for a competitive bid oil and gas lease sale on June 28, 2022.
Today’s notice incorporates recommendations from the Department of the Interior’s Report on the Federal Oil and Gas Leasing Program, as well as other reports issued by the Governmental Accountability Office and Congressional Budget Office.
The BLM is applying a first-ever increased royalty rate of 18.75% for the leases sold in the current competitive lease sales, in keeping with rates charged by states and private landowners.
The BLM Utah State Office will move forward with Alternative B, as analyzed in the environmental assessment (DOI-BLM-UT-0000-2021-0007-EA), by offering one parcel totaling 160 acres in Uintah County on public lands managed by the Vernal Field Office. The parcel will be offered at the online oil and gas lease sale scheduled for June 28; the sale can be accessed at www.energynet.com; the parcel may also be viewed on the EnergyNet website approximately 10 days after today’s posting of the Notice of Competitive Lease Sale on the BLM Utah oil and gas web page at https://go.usa.gov/xuWba.
Additionally, today’s posting of the sale notice initiates a 30-day public protest period that ends on May 18, 2022. Protests on the offered parcel may only be submitted through email at [email protected]; the subject line must read: “June 2022 Protest.” The BLM must receive all protests by 4:30 p.m., on May 18, and as stated, can only accept emailed protests.
Links to the environmental assessment, maps, parcel lists, Notice of Competitive Lease Sale and proposed lease stipulations are available online at the BLM ePlanning website at: https://go.usa.gov/xFhjy.
Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) at 7-1-1 to contact the above individual during normal business hours. The TRS is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to leave a message or question with the above individual. You will receive a reply during normal business hours.
The National Fluid Lease Sale System includes information on current and upcoming BLM lease sales.
_____
News Release
BLM Utah State Office
Media Contact: Diane Simpson (385) 977-8487 [email protected]
Nov. 1, 2021
BLM Utah to conduct environmental assessment and public comment period for upcoming competitive oil and gas lease sale
SALT LAKE CITY – The Bureau of Land Management Utah (BLM) has issued an environmental assessment that includes potential parcels that may be offered for a competitive oil and gas lease sale. The public will have 30 days to review and comment on the environmental assessment. The BLM proposes to lease six parcels of approximately 6,658 acres in Grand, Emery, and Uintah counties on public lands managed by BLM Utah’s Moab, Price and Vernal field offices.
With public scoping now completed, the BLM will consider the initial public comment as part of preparing environmental assessments for parcels. As previously announced, parcels for scoping include those that were deferred in the first and second quarters of 2021.
Please note that the most useful comments are specific and contain new technical or scientific information relevant to the proposed action. Comments which contain only opinions or preferences will not receive a formal response but may be considered in the BLM decision-making process. 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 environmental assessment, maps, parcel lists, proposed lease stipulations, and instructions for submitting comments are available online at the BLM ePlanning website at: https://go.usa.gov/xFhjy. Comments on the parcels must be submitted electronically via the ePlanning webpage and must be received by Dec. 1, 2021, at 4:30 p.m. MST.
Before including an address, phone number, email address, or other personally identifiable information in any comments, be aware that the entire comment—including personal identifying information—may be made publicly available at any time. Requests to withhold personal identifying information from public review can be submitted, but the BLM cannot guarantee that it will be able to do so.
This year, we invite everyone to reimagine your public lands as we celebrate 75 years of the BLM’s stewardship and service to the American people. The BLM manages approximately 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. The agency’s mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.
Follow the BLM Utah on Twitter, Facebook, Flickr @BLMUtah
Follow BLM Utah’s Instagram @utahpubliclands
____________
News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Diane Simpson, [email protected] (385-977-8487)
Date: Aug. 31, 2021
The Bureau of Land Management Utah
seeks public input on proposals for upcoming competitive oil and gas lease sale
SALT
LAKE CITY – In compliance with a recent district court decision (Louisiana
v Biden), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is asking for public feedback
on parcels that were previously under consideration for competitive auction at
the deferred 2021 Quarter 1 and Quarter 2 lease sales. To the extent parcels
had already been deferred from those sales through analysis completed by the
prior administration, those parcels will not be reevaluated.
Following
a 30-day scoping period and taking into account comments received, the BLM will
undertake environmental reviews of parcels for potential leasing and provide an
opportunity for public comment in accordance with Instruction Memorandum 2021-027.
Following this review, available parcels will be identified, along with applicable
stipulations, for public comment. The BLM Utah State Office anticipates publishing
a Notice of Competitive Lease Sale later this year.
Maps,
parcel lists, proposed lease stipulations, and instructions for submitting
comments are available online at the BLM ePlanning website at https://go.usa.gov/xFhjy. Scoping comments on the parcels
must be submitted electronically via the ePlanning webpage and comments must be
received by Oct. 1, 2021 at 4:30 p.m. MST.
Before including your
address, phone number, e-mail address or other personal identifying information
in your comment, be advised that your entire comment – including your personal
identifying information – may be made publicly available at any time. While you
can ask us in your comment to withhold from public review your personal
identifying information, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
In complying with the
June 15, 2021 court order, the Department of the Interior will
continue to exercise the authority and discretion
provided under law to conduct leasing in a manner that fulfills Interior’s
legal responsibilities. In addition, the BLM will proceed with oil and gas
leasing in compliance with agency policy in Instruction Memorandum 2021-027 and
all applicable laws and regulations.
The Department of the
Interior will continue to review the BLM’s oil and gas leasing program,
including completing a report, as part of analyzing changes needed to meet the
President’s targets of cutting greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030 and
achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
This
year, we invite everyone to reimagine your public lands as we celebrate 75
years of the BLM’s stewardship and service to the American people. The BLM
manages approximately 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. The agency’s mission is to
sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for
the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.
Follow the BLM Utah on Twitter,
Facebook, Flickr @BLMUtah
Follow BLM Utah’s Instagram @utahpubliclands