A closer look at how the BLM leases land for oil and gas development

SALT LAKE CITY — Earlier this month, President Trump released a set of executive orders that could dramatically reduce the size of the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase Escalante national monuments. Those orders could open up much of that land to private companies and oil drilling.

The Bureau of Land Management currently handles the leases and permits for oil and gas development nationally and opens up leases for sale quarterly. Tuesday, the BLM opened a public protest period for 35 parcels in Utah totaling 34,596.13 acres in Emery, Grand, and Uintah counties on public lands managed by the BLM.

The Competitive Oil and Gas Lease sale process begins with developers or interested parties submitting parcels to the BLM for review and environmental evaluations.

"These leased parcels are areas of land that are nominated for leasing by the companies wishing to drill for oil and/or natural gas," said BLM Public Affairs Specialist Ashley Snipes.

An initial public comment period is open during each sale process, and those comments are reviewed for environmental and other concerns to the local public.

"That's key for us. We do review those comments; we are looking for, that we are ensuring that the public participation is completely included," Snipes said.

Following that internal review, a final public protest period begins. In this case, comments must be submitted by Aug. 21 at 4 p.m. Protests may only be submitted by hand delivery, mailed in hardcopy form or submitted by email.

"Once a company has purchased that lease, they must then go through a separate process to obtain a permit from the BLM before any construction or drilling can happen," Snipes said.

No land impacted by the president's recent executive orders is included in this current round of leasing.

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