January 16, 2026: The scoping comment period has ended. An additional opportunity to comment will occur when the draft DNA document is posted for public comment.

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December 15, 2025

BLM seeks initial input for September 2026 sale of oil and gas leases in Ohio 

The Bureau of Land Management today opened a public scoping period to receive public input on 41 oil and gas parcels totaling 2,795 acres that may be included in a September 2026 lease sale in the Wayne National Forest located in southeastern Ohio. The scoping comment period ends at 7:00 pm Mountain time on January 15, 2026. Should you experience any errors or issues while submitting your comment on January 15, you may alternatively submit your comment on the 15th via email to Kurt Wadzinski at [email protected]. Please plan accordingly, as the ePlanning system will be going down for updates starting at 7pm Mountain Time and the ePlanning comment submission platform will not be available to the public until the new version goes live on January 20, 2026.

Leasing is the first step in the process to develop federal oil and gas resources. Before development operations can begin, an operator must submit an application for permit to drill detailing development plans. The BLM reviews applications for permits to drill, posts them for public review, conducts an environmental analysis and coordinates with state partners and stakeholders.

All parcels that are included in a federal oil and gas lease sale include appropriate stipulations to protect important natural resources. Information on current and upcoming BLM leases is available through the National Fluid Lease Sale System. BLM lease sales are held online through EnergyNet. 

The parcels BLM is analyzing and instructions on how to comment can be found by clicking on "How to Get Involved" on the left side of this webpage.

The Determination of NEPA Adequacy Worksheet and a spreadsheet of the preliminary parcels for the September 2026 lease sale (see Attachment 1 of the DNA), along with two previous NEPA documents that the DNA is evaluating are available by clicking "Documents" on the left side of this webpage.

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A Determination of NEPA Adequacy (DNA) is the preferred method for the BLM to document their review of existing NEPA in order to determine if it is adequate to rely on for subsequent decision making. The DOI NEPA procedures require evaluation of analysis in existing NEPA to determine if the analysis and assumptions remain valid and to determine whether any new and substantial information or circumstances that were not previously analyzed may result in substantially different environmental effects (DOI NEPA Handbook Part 3.1). The DNA may be used to evaluate existing environmental documents developed by the BLM or by other Federal agencies. While there is no requirement for an interdisciplinary process or public involvement when reviewing existing NEPA analysis, the responsible official may choose to do so. 

The DNA is the recommended method for documenting the evaluation of a programmatic EIS or EA. Prior to 5 years from the issuance of a programmatic analysis, the DNA is recommended to document that there are no new circumstances or information about the significance of adverse effects. Following 5 years from issuance, the DNA is recommended to also verify that reliance on the analysis remains valid.  

The DNA worksheet evaluates the adequacy of two previous NEPA documents that were completed for the same Proposed Action, the leasing of federal minerals. The Wayne National Forest Supplemental Environmental Assessment (EA) for Oil and Gas Leasing (decision signed April 17, 2025) and the EA for Oil and Gas Leasing, Wayne National Forest, Marietta Unit of the Athens Ranger District, Monroe, Noble, and Washington Counties, Ohio (decision signed December 12, 2016).