BLM releases sale notice for September 2020 Oil and Gas Lease Sale
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BILLINGS, Mont. – The Bureau of Land Management’s Montana/Dakotas State Office today released the September 2020 Notice of Competitive Oil and Gas Lease Sale List, which includes 38 parcels totaling about 17,302.43 acres. The sale is scheduled to occur online at www.energynet.com starting on Sept. 22, 2020. The proposed parcels are located in Dawson, Sheridan and Richland counties in Montana, and Burke, McKenzie, Williams, Billings and Slope counties in North Dakota.
The sale notice, environmental review documents, and additional information including protest instructions for the September oil and gas lease sale can be viewed online at https://eplanning.blm.gov. Search using the NEPA number: DOI-BLM-MT-0000-2020-0004-EA. Instructions for in-person access to the BLM office can be found on ePlanning. Publication of this sale notice starts a 30-day protest period that closes at 4:30 p.m. on Sept. 2, 2020.
Protests must be as specific and substantive as possible. Opinions or preferences will not receive a formal response, but may be considered in the BLM decision-making process. Protests must be submitted to the Montana/Dakotas State Office via:
- Online: https://eplanning.blm.gov
- Mail: mail BLM Montana/Dakotas State Office; 5001 Southgate Drive, Billings, MT 59101
- Fax: 406-896-5292
For information on how to file a timely protest, please refer to the September 2020 Notice of Competitive Lease Sale at https://eplanning.blm.gov. Search using the NEPA number: DOI-BLM-MT-0000-2020-0004-EA.
Before including an address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in any comments, be aware that the entire comment — including personal identifying information — may be made publicly available at any time. Requests to withhold personal identifying information from public review can be submitted, but the BLM cannot guarantee that it will be able to do so.
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 (APD) detailing development plans. The BLM reviews APDs, posts them for public review, conducts an environmental analysis, and coordinates with state partners and stakeholders.
For additional information about oil and gas leasing in the Montana/Dakotas, please contact Samantha Iron Shirt at 406-896-5060. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to leave a message or question with the above individual. The FRS is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Replies are provided during normal business hours.
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 BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.