December 2016 Nevada Oil and Gas Lease Sale to be Postponed
Organization:
Media Contact:
RENO, Nev.— The Bureau of Land Management is postponing the oil and gas lease sale scheduled for December 13, 2016 for parcels located on the Ely District.
The Ely District Office (EYDO) received 41 nominated parcels for the December 13, 2016 Oil and Gas Lease Sale. Based on Ely District's recommendation, all nominated parcels will be deferred until formal Section 7 Endangered Species Act (ESA) consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife (FWS) on the Programmatic Biological Opinion has been completed. The Ely District Office’s 2008 Resource Management Plan (RMP) did not consider potential adverse effects on listed fish found in 11 hydrologic basins in the Ely District from oil and gas leasing and subsequent operations such as hydraulic fracturing.
The EYDO will initiate a Biological Assessment in the fall of 2016. The formal consultation with the FWS will begin in January 2017. Therefore, the December 13, 2016 Competitive Oil and Gas Lease Sale is postponed until December 12, 2017.
In accordance with regulations, each BLM State Office is required to hold competitive oil and gas lease sales at least quarterly if lands are available for competitive leasing. The 2015 lease sale for the Ely District generated $6,676.08. Details are at: https://www.blm.gov/programs/energy-and-minerals/oil-and-gas/leasing/regional-lease-sales/nevada
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.