BLM seeks input for January 2026 sale of oil and gas leases in Montana and North Dakota
Organization:
Media Contact:
BILLINGS, Mont. – The Bureau of Land Management Montana/Dakotas State Office today opened a 30-day public comment period to receive public input on plans to include 20 oil and gas leases, totaling 4,267 acres in Montana and North Dakota in a January 2026 sale. The comment period ends Sept. 29, 2025.
The BLM completed scoping on these parcels in July 2025 and is now seeking public comment on the parcels, potential deferrals, and the related environmental analysis. The BLM will use input from the public to help complete our review of each parcel.
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 EnergyNet.
The parcels the BLM is analyzing, as well as maps and instructions on how to comment, are available on the BLM’s ePlanning website at https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2039217/510
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.