Notice of public comment period for Environmental Assessment for 322 parcels to be offered in the March oil and gas lease sale
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(BILLINGS, Mont.) – In keeping with the Administration’s goal of promoting American energy independence, the Bureau of Land Management will offer 322 parcels, totaling nearly 180,366 acres in Beaverhead, Big Horn, Blaine, Carbon, Carter, Custer, Dawson, Fallon, Madison, Musselshell, Powder River, Richland, Rosebud, Toole, Valley, and Wibaux counties, Montana, Bowman county, North Dakota, and Fall River and Harding counties, South Dakota, at its March 2019 quarterly oil and gas lease sale. This notice initiates a 30-day public comment period on the associated Environmental Assessment (EA) that ends on December 21, 2018. The BLM will hold the lease sale online at www.energynet.com.
This sale includes 76 parcels removed from the December 2018 quarterly sale in order to comply with the U.S. District Court, District of Idaho issued a Preliminary Injunction in W. Watersheds Project v. BLM (No. 1:18-cv-00187-REB), which required lengthier comment periods on environmental compliance documents associated with parcels that intersect Priority or General Habitat Management Areas for Greater Sage-Grouse.
This comment period complies with the terms of a Preliminary Injunction issued by the U.S. District Court of Idaho in W. Watersheds Project v. BLM (No. 1:18-cv-00187-REB), which required lengthier comment periods on environmental compliance documents associated with parcels that intersect Priority or General Habitat Management Areas for Greater Sage-Grouse.
Responsible energy development includes thoughtful consideration of parcels nominated for leasing as well as potential resource impacts of decisions to lease. An additional environmental review will take place during processing of an Application for Permit to Drill (APD), when site-specific Conditions of Approval will be placed on the permit in addition to the stipulations attached to the lease.
Comments on the EA must be submitted electronically via the ePlanning project site “Submit Comment” feature, or in writing to the BLM Montana-Dakotas State Office, Attn: Amy Waring, 5001 Southgate Drive, Billings, MT 59101. The EA, lists and maps of the parcels, and attached stipulations are online at https://go.usa.gov/xP96S.
Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to leave a message or question with the individual named above. The FRS is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Replies are provided during normal business hours.
The oil and gas industry on public lands in Montana-Dakotas contributed $4.9 billion in total economic output in FY2017. Continuous exploration, development, and site restoration is required to sustain production rates, jobs, income and royalties.
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.