The Bureau of Land Management announces annual adjustment to drilling permit fee on public lands
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GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced today that it is adjusting for inflation the fee required by law to process oil and gas drilling permits on public and Indian lands, effective Oct. 1, 2020. The adjustment reflects the percentage change in the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ seasonally adjusted Consumer Price Index. That adjustment will increase the fee from $10,230, to $10,360.
The BLM collects this non-refundable processing fee when an oil and gas operator submits a drilling permit (called an application for permit to drill). The fee is required regardless of whether a particular permit is subsequently approved. Congress directed the BLM to adjust the application for permit to drill fee annually for inflation over 10 fiscal years (2016-2026) per P.L. 113-291.
In Fiscal Year 2019, oil and gas production on BLM-managed public lands generated $71.5 billion in economic output and supported more than 300,000 jobs nationwide. For more information on the BLM’s Oil and Gas Program, visit https://www.blm.gov/programs/energy-and-minerals/oil-and-gas.
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.