BLM Seeks Initial Input for Potential Oil and Gas Leases in California
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SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The Bureau of Land Management today opened a 30-day public scoping period to receive public input on 50 oil and gas parcels totaling approximately 36,000 acres that may be included in a future lease sale in Kern, Kings, San Luis Obispo, and Fresno counties in California. The scoping period ends on August 1.
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 detailing development plans. The BLM reviews applications for permits to drill, posts them for public review, conducts an environmental analysis and coordinates with state partners and stakeholders.
All parcels that are included in a federal oil and gas lease sale include appropriate stipulations to protect important natural resources. Information on current and upcoming BLM leases is available through the National Fluid Lease Sale System. BLM lease sales are held online through Efficient Markets.
The parcels BLM is analyzing, as well as maps and instructions on how to comment, are available on the BLM National NEPA Register.
More than 95 percent of federal drilling in California occurs in established Kern County fields, supporting roughly 3,500 jobs and generating over $200 million annually. Federal royalties total $65-90 million each year, with about half returned to the State of California and half to the U.S. Treasury.
The BLM manages about 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.