News & Alerts
August 31, 2021 BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT STATE OFFICES SEEK PUBLIC INPUT ON PROPOSALS FOR UPCOMING COMPETITIVE OIL AND GAS LEASE SALESpdf
On August 31, 2021, the Offices of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in several states, including Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Utah and Wyoming, announced they now seek public input on numerous parcels in each state for competitive oil and gas lease sales that were deferred pursuant to Executive Order 14008, “Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad,” issued by the Executive Office of President Biden on January 27, 2021. The statements were issued in compliance with the recent District Court decision in Louisiana v. Biden, No. 2:21-CV-00778 (W.D. La. June 15, 2021) enjoining the federal oil and gas leasing pause under E.O. 14008, and in accordance with Instruction Memorandum No. 2021-027 issued on August 30, 2021. IM 2021-027 sets out BLM’s policy to ensure that oil and gas lease sales are held in accordance with the Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. § 226) and other applicable laws, as well as Executive Order 13990, “Protecting Public Health and the Environment and Restoring Science to Tackle the Climate Crisis,” issued by the Executive Office of President Biden on January 25, 2021. Scoping periods are now underway, after which each state office will consider comments received and conduct any necessary environmental reviews of parcels for potential leasing. Announcements of lease sales are generally expected to be issued later this year. The June 15, 2021 order in Louisiana v. Biden is available on the attached document. IM 2021-027 may be read in its entirety at https://www.blm.gov/policy/im-2021-027. Proposed sale parcels can be searched on BLM’s National NEPA Register website at EplanningUi (blm.gov).