Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- The federal Bureau of Land Management says some of the 360,000 acres of public land it's opening to oil and gas drilling is within view of national parks and monuments.
BLM officials say they will impose noise, light and other restrictions on the drilling. For example, drillers wouldn't be able to occupy certain parcels near Dinosaur National Monument. Instead, they'll have to reach the parcels from another pad, using directional drilling.
The bureau announced late on Election Day that it would hold the lease auction Dec. 19, but it didn't immediately identify the 241 oil and gas parcels nominated by industry representatives. Opponents say they will file objections.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
