The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Wyoming State Office has announced an extension to the public protest period for its upcoming oil and gas lease sale, scheduled for December 3, 2024, Bureau of Land Management reports.
The sale will offer eight parcels of land totaling 4,641.95 acres in Wyoming for oil and gas exploration and development.
The initial public comment period on these parcels, which included scoping and environmental analysis, concluded in August 2024. The protest period, which began on September 16, 2024, has now been extended by 15 days and will end on October 31, 2024. This extension provides additional time for the public to review and submit protests regarding the proposed lease parcels.
Detailed information on the parcels, including maps and instructions on how to submit a protest, can be found on the BLM’s ePlanning website.
The terms of the leases follow federal guidelines under the Fluid Minerals Leasing and Leasing Process Rule, which incorporates provisions from the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Notably, the royalty rate for production on new leases will be set at 16.67 percent, with revenues shared between the state of Wyoming and the US Treasury.
Leasing is just the first step in oil and gas development on federal lands. Operators must submit an application for a permit to drill before any development can begin. The BLM reviews these applications, conducts environmental analyses, and coordinates with state partners and other stakeholders to ensure appropriate protections for natural resources.
The BLM manages over 245 million acres of public land, primarily in western states, including Wyoming, and oversees 700 million acres of subsurface mineral estates nationwide. Its mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for current and future generations.
