BLM seeks public input on draft Pinedale RMP Amendment and EA
Organization:
BLM Office:
Media Contact:
PINEDALE, Wyo. - The Bureau of Land Management Pinedale Field Office is accepting public comments on the draft Pinedale Resource Management Plan Amendment and Environmental Assessment to determine the appropriate management of the federal fluid minerals estate for 5,120 split-estate acres located about seven miles southeast of Bondurant, Wyoming.
These split-estate lands, which are comprised of private surface with federal minerals management, were available for fluid mineral leasing in the 2008 Pinedale RMP. The Plains Exploration and Production Company (PXP) acquired leases in the area in 1994 and 1995. In 2012, the Trust for Public Lands purchased the leases from PXP for conservation purposes, following the passage of the 2009 Wyoming Range Legacy Act that withdrew future mineral leasing in the surrounding area.
The EA analyzes three alternatives. The No Action Alternative would retain current land use allocations. The No Leasing Alternative would remove the federal mineral estate from availability for fluid mineral leasing. The No Surface Occupancy (NSO) alternative would allow the area to remain available for fluid mineral leasing with a NSO lease stipulation. Under the NSO alternative, an adjacent state-owned section of land would allow for fluid mineral extraction.
The BLM is seeking public input on the Pinedale RMP Amendment and EA to assist the agency in making an informed decision on future fluid mineral leasing and the appropriate level of resource protection within the area. A public meeting will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 26, from 4-7 p.m., at the BLM Pinedale Field Office.
The draft RMP Amendment, EA documents and maps are available on the BLM Wyoming website at http://bit.ly/PXP_Pinedale_RMP_Amend.
The 30-day public comment period will close on Oct. 10, 2017. Written comments can be e-mailed to BLM_WY_PRMP_PXP@BLM.gov.
Comments can also be mailed to the following address:
USDI Bureau of Land Management
Pinedale Field Office
Attn: Kellie Roadifer, Project Lead
P.O. Box 768
1625 West Pine Street
Pinedale, WY 82941-0768
Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, be advised that your entire comment – including your personal identifying information – may be publicly available at any time. While you may ask us in your comment to withhold from public review your personal identifying information, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
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.