BLM Prepares for Upcoming Oil and Gas Lease Sale

LAKEWOOD – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Colorado today announced that it will offer 147 parcels totaling about 159,246 acres in its Feb. 9 oil and gas lease sale. 

Nine parcels in San Miguel County originally scheduled to be part of this sale will be deferred until further study to ensure appropriate protective measures are in place.  The move was prompted by concerns the BLM received from members of the local community and government leaders in San Miguel County according to BLM Colorado Deputy State Director Lynn Rust.

"We take seriously our mandate to manage for multiple uses, including recreation, conservation, grazing and energy development," Rust said. “We rely on input from our citizens in the planning process and we make every effort to work with the local communities for the benefit of Colorado citizens.”

Rust said that each of the parcels that received protests will be reviewed before a lease will be issued.

Of the total acreage managed nationally by the BLM, less than 1 percent of surface land is disturbed by oil and gas activity.  To minimize impacts on the land, the BLM analyzes the potential environmental effects from exploration and development before offering any leases for sale.  All leases come with stipulations on oil and gas activities to protect the environment. Stipulations also can include specific restrictions, such as limits on seasons when drilling can occur and restrictions on surface occupancy by oil and gas operators. 

When preparing land use plans, revisions, or when parcels are nominated for leasing, the BLM considers available new information, such as wilderness surveys conducted by environmental groups, to determine if any significant new circumstances or impacts have occurred since the completion of the most recent land use plan.  All parcels offered for lease in this sale were analyzed on a case-by-case basis to determine whether existing environmental analysis was adequate.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages 8.3 million acres of public lands in Colorado. These lands are managed for a multitude of uses including, but not limited to, recreation, mining, wildlife habitat and livestock grazing. Along with these 8.3 million acres, BLM oversees 27.3 million subsurface acres for mineral development in the state.

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