News
News Release
BLM Utah State
Office
Media Contact:
Kimberly Finch (385) 249-0699 [email protected]
August 11, 2020
BLM Utah issues September oil and gas
lease sale notice
SALT LAKE CITY — The
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will offer 23 parcels, totaling approximately
27,387.86 acres, at the oil and gas lease sale during the week of September 28.
The parcels are located in Juab, Sanpete, Sevier, Emery, Duchesne and Uintah
counties on lands managed by the BLM’s Richfield, Vernal, Price and Fillmore
Field Offices. At this time, the BLM will not offer parcels for sale located
within Grand or San Juan counties managed by the Moab Field Office.
“Understanding
the nature of the proposed parcels, as well as gathering input from local
communities, partners and the public are a priority for me as the new State
Director for BLM Utah,” said State
Director Greg Sheehan. “The BLM supports the recreation and tourism
industry as an important source of revenue in Utah, while also responsibly
leasing and supporting our nation’s energy independence.”
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 remaining parcels, if sold, will support well-paying
energy industry jobs which contribute to revenues for Utah’s schools and infrastructure projects. In fiscal year
2019, the State of Utah received $47,191,791 from oil and gas revenues on
federal lands.
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 August 21, 2020. Protests
must 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 August 21,
2020. Protests may also be submitted via email to [email protected] with
the subject line: September 2020 Protest. Electronic protests must be received
by 4:30 p.m. on August 21, 2020. The Utah State Office is temporarily closed
due to earthquake damage and the BLM will not be able to accept protests by
hand delivery or fax.
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/2000028/510.
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.
-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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