Bureau of Land Management Seeks Public Comment for Proposed Oil Lease Sale

Earlier this month, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced that, “consistent with the direction in the Inflation Reduction Act”, its Nevada State Office had released an environmental assessment analyzing four parcels for a proposed competitive oil and gas lease sale in July.

The BLM outlined that the four parcels are located within Nye County, Nevada, and comprise 4,270 acres. The organization noted that it completed scoping on these parcels on December 21, 2023, and said it now seeks public comment on the environmental analysis. The public comment period will end on May 4, 2023, BLM highlighted.

“The most valuable public comments are practical and relevant to the proposed action,” BLM said in a statement posted on its website.

“For example, comments may question, within reason, the accuracy of information, methodology or assumptions, then present reasonable alternatives to those already analyzed,” the BLM added.

“Comments containing only opinions and/or preferences, or those seeming similar to other comments will not be addressed specifically in the environmental review process,” the organization went on to state. 

The BLM noted that this lease sale will include updated fiscal provisions authorized by Congress in the Inflation Reduction Act. Minimum bids for all offered parcels will be $10 per acre, an increase from the $2 per acre minimum bid set in 1987, and royalty rates will be 16.67 percent, up from the previous minimum of 12.5 percent, the BLM pointed out.

The organization also stated that rental rates will be $3 per acre for the first two years; $5 per acre for years three through eight; and $15 per acre for years nine and ten. Prior to the Inflation Reduction Act, rental rates were $1.50 per acre for the first five years and $2 per acre for each year thereafter, the BLM highlighted.

On March 31, the BLM announced that its Montana-Dakotas State Office had opened a 30-day public scoping period to receive public input on 68 oil and gas parcels, totaling approximately 25,759 acres, which it said may be included in a scheduled September 2023 lease sale. On the same day, the BLM Wyoming State Office announced that it had issued an environmental assessment and a competitive sale notice for a second quarter competitive oil and gas lease sale. The posting of the sale notice initiated a 30-day public protest period that ends May 1, BLM revealed.

On March 17, the BLM revealed that its Wyoming State Office had opened a 30-day public scoping period to receive public input on 47 oil and gas parcels, totaling 46,327.60 acres, which it said may be included in an upcoming lease sale. On March 10, BLM Wyoming announced that it had released an environmental assessment analyzing 115 oil and gas parcels, totaling approximately 95,419 acres, for a proposed lease sale that would be held in September 2023. The release started a 30-day public comment period, which ended on April 7, the organization outlined.

Also on March 10, the BLM Eastern States Office revealed that it had released two environmental assessments analyzing an oil and gas parcel in Michigan, totaling 40 acres, and three parcels in Louisiana, totaling 88.81 acres, for proposed lease sales that would be held in June 2023. The BLM initiated a 30-day public comment period on the environmental assessments, parcels, and potential deferrals, which closed on April 9, the organization highlighted.

Again on March 10, the BLM Montana-Dakotas State Office announced that it had released an environmental assessment analyzing 51 parcels, totaling 20,722.22 acres, for a proposed June 2023 competitive oil and gas lease sale. The release of this environmental assessment started a 30-day public comment period, which ended April 10, the BLM outlined.

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people, the organization states on its website.

To contact the author, email andreas.exarheas@rigzone.com