BLM Extends Comment Period on Environmental Assessment for Proposed St. George Oil and Gas Lease Parcels
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CEDAR CITY, Utah – At the request of the National Park Service and interest from other parties, the Bureau of Land Management will extend the public comment period from the original end date of Feb. 10, to March 9, 2017, for the Environmental Assessment (EA) for the proposed oil and gas lease parcels in the St. George Field Office.
As a result of this extension, the BLM will consider offering the St. George parcels at the Sept. 14 oil and gas lease sale rather than the June sale as previously proposed. The parcels in the Richfield Field Office jurisdiction are still being considered for the June 2017 oil and gas lease sale.
There are three parcels, totaling 4,730 acres, nominated for leasing in Washington County. Two parcels are approximately two miles south and west of Zion National Park, the third is located approximately 5 miles west of the park. The BLM is working with the National Park Service and other agencies and is soliciting public comments to ensure a careful environmental analysis is conducted under the National Environmental Policy Act.
Additional information about the proposed parcels is included in the EA, which is available for public review and comment. Electronic copies of the EA can be found online at the project webpage: http://bit.ly/2kio6pF in the “Documents” page. Hard copies of the EA can be obtained in person at the St. George Field Office, 345 East Riverside Drive, St. George.
The public review and comment period closes at 4:30 p.m. on March 9, 2017. Please note that the most useful comments are those that identify substantive issues relevant to the proposed action or contain new technical or scientific information. Comments that contain only opinions or preferences will not receive a formal response, but may be considered in the BLM decision-making process.
Written comments should be mailed or emailed to:
Bureau of Land Management
St. George Field Office
345 East Riverside Drive
St. George, UT 84790
Attn: Dave Corry
Email: utsgmail@blm.gov
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.
For further sale-specific information, contact Robin Naeve at 801-539-4039. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 800-877-8339 to leave a message or question with the above individual. The FIRS is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Replies are provided during normal business hours.
To learn more about BLM-Utah oil and gas lease sales visit: http://on.doi.gov/2fQdXkY.
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.