| Contacts: | Donna Hummel=505.954.2018 |
Comment Period Extended for Draft Secretarial Order Revising Rules for Co-Development of Oil and Gas and Potash Resources in Southeast New Mexico
Santa Fe, NM – The Department of the Interior has granted a 15-day extension of the public comment period for the draft Secretarial Order to promote orderly and safe development of oil and gas and potash resources in southeast New Mexico. The request for additional time was made by Senators Udall and Bingaman to allow the State of New Mexico, affected counties, affected companies, and citizens to consider the implications of the proposed secretarial guidance and to formulate substantive and meaningful comments for the Secretary to consider in a final rule.
The public comment period will now close on Friday, August 31, 2012 and no further extensions will be granted.
The draft secretarial Order and original 30-day comment period was announced by Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar on July 12, 2012. Public comment on the draft order is encouraged so that all comments can be considered in the final rule, which is expected to be completed later this year.
Comments may be submitted by any of the following methods:
• E-mail: therrell@blm.gov;
• Fax: 505-954-2115; or
• Mail: Bureau of Land Management
New Mexico State Office
301 Dinosaur Trail
Santa Fe, NM 87508
For further information, please contact Tony Herrell, Deputy State Director, Mineral Resources; telephone 505-954-2222; address 301 Dinosaur Trail, Santa Fe, NM 87508; e-mail: therrell@blm.gov.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. In Fiscal Year 2012, activities on public lands generated $4.6 billion in revenue, much of which was shared with the States where the activities occurred. In addition, public lands contributed more than $112 billion to the U.S. economy and helped support more than 500,000 jobs.