{"id":3462,"date":"2010-05-17T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2010-05-17T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/coloradowildlife.org\/uncategorized\/dept-interior-finalizes-onshore-oil-and-gas-leasing-reforms-2\/"},"modified":"2010-05-17T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2010-05-17T00:00:00","slug":"dept-interior-finalizes-onshore-oil-and-gas-leasing-reforms-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/coloradowildlife.org\/dept-interior-finalizes-onshore-oil-and-gas-leasing-reforms-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Dept. Interior Finalizes Onshore Oil and Gas Leasing Reforms"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

On May 17, 2010 the Department of Interior announced finalized oil and gas leasing reforms for BLM managed sub-surface lands. \u00a0 This means the policy applies to leasing of federal minerals under land surfaces managed by BLM, state surface lands, and private land surfaces. \u00a0 See the Department of Interior press release below.<\/p>\n

CWF issued a press advisory, stating: “The Department of Interior policy on oil and gas leasing issued today is an important and long-needed step to balance key needs of Colorado’s wildlife before offering BLM lands for lease sales. \u00a0Of particular note is the concept of a “master leasing plan” that will factor in the needs of \u00a0wildlife (and other resource issues) before BLM determines whether an area will be offered for lease. \u00a0For too long, we have been forced to submit protests in an attempt to avoid detrimental cumulative impacts when it comes to energy development, reducing the important habitat areas our wildlife needs to survive. \u00a0This federal stewardship action, coupled with Colorado’s own rules to protect wildlife habitat during energy development, means our wildlife heritage can survive.”<\/p>\n

*WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013* As part of Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar’s
\nongoing agenda to change how the Department of the Interior does business,
\nthe Bureau of Land Management today finalized several reforms to its oil and
\ngas program that will improve environmental protection of important natural
\nresources on U.S. public lands while aiding in the orderly leasing and
\nbalanced development of the nation’s energy supply.<\/p>\n

\u0153We must continue to move forward quickly and responsibly on our agenda to
\nreform the management of our nation’s onshore and offshore energy resources
\nand our oversight of the companies that develop them,\u009d said Secretary
\nSalazar. \u0153The BLM reforms we are finalizing today establish a more orderly,
\nopen, and environmentally sound process for developing oil and gas resources
\non public lands. The BP oil spill is a stark reminder of how we must
\ncontinue to push ahead with the reforms we have been working on and which we
\nknow are needed.\u009d<\/p>\n

\u0153These reforms take a fresh look \u2013 from inside the Federal government and
\nfrom outside \u2013 at how we can better manage Americans’ energy resources,\u009d
\nsaid BLM Director Bob Abbey. \u0153They will improve protections for land,
\nwater, and wildlife, and reduce potential conflicts that can lead to costly
\nand time-consuming protests and litigation of leases. The reforms will also
\nmove control of the leasing process from Washington, DC, to the field.\u009d<\/p>\n

Under the reformed oil and gas leasing
\npolicy<http:\/\/www.doi.gov\/documents\/BLM_Energy_Reform_Fact_sheet.pdf>,
\nthe BLM will:<\/p>\n

\u00b7 Engage the public in the development of Master Leasing Plans (MLP)
\nprior to leasing in certain areas where significant new oil and gas
\ndevelopment is anticipated. The intent is to fully consider other important
\nnatural resource values before making a decision on leasing and development
\nin an area.<\/p>\n

\u00c3\u00a2\u00c3\u00af\u00bf\u00bd\u00c3\u00af\u00bf\u00bd Ensure potential lease sales are fully coordinated both
\ninternally and externally, including public participation, and
\ninterdisciplinary review of available information, as well as on-
\nsite visits to parcels prior to leasing when necessary to supplement or
\nvalidate existing data.<\/p>\n

\u00b7 Require an \u0153extraordinary circumstances\u009d review screen before
\napplying the categorical exclusions in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to oil
\nand gas drilling activities on BLM lands. Categorical exclusions are
\ncategories of actions that do not have a significant effect on the quality
\nof the human environment, and for which the BLM is generally not required to
\nprepare extensive environmental reviews. A review for extraordinary
\ncircumstances has been required for all administratively-established
\ncategorical exclusions, and will now apply to oil and gas categorical
\nexclusions established by the Energy Policy Act of 2005, as well.<\/p>\n

In January, Secretary Salazar outlined the
\nreforms<http:\/\/www.doi.gov\/news\/pressreleases\/Secretary-Salazar-Launches-Onshore-Oil-and-Gas-Leasing-Reforms.cfm>that
\nBLM is finalizing today. Many of the reforms follow the
\nrecommendations of an interdisciplinary review
\nteam<http:\/\/www.doi.gov\/news\/09_News_Releases\/100809a.html>that
\nstudied a controversial 2008 oil and gas lease sale in Utah.<\/p>\n

Abbey said the increased opportunity for public participation and a more
\nthorough environmental review process and documentation can help reduce the
\nnumber of protests filed, as well as enhance the BLM’s ability to resolve
\nprotests prior to lease sales.<\/p>\n

\u0153The consequence of not following this front-loaded process in the past has
\nbeen significant protests and appeals, coupled with judicial restraints on
\ndevelopment, job loss, and diminished access to energy resources,\u009d said
\nAbbey. \u0153Instead of the BLM investing vast amounts of staff time and
\nattention to defending lawsuits and revisiting the leasing process after
\nreceiving direction from the courts, our goal is to undertake important
\nreviews in advance.\u009d<\/p>\n

The BLM manages 253 million acres \u2013 more land than any other Federal agency.
\nThis land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily
\nlocated in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM, with a budget of
\nabout $1 billion, also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral
\nestate throughout the nation. The BLM’s multiple-use mission is to sustain
\nthe health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of
\npresent and future generations. The BLM accomplishes this by managing such
\nactivities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development,
\nand energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and
\nother resources on public lands.<\/p>\n

*###*<\/p>\n

Note: Later in the day, BLM posted on its website, Instructional Memorandum No. 2010-117
\n“Oil and Gas Leasing Reform — Land Use Planning and Lease Parcel Reviews”
\nand Instructional Memorandum No. 2010-118 “Energy Policy Act Section 390
\nCategorical Exclusion Policy Revision.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On May 17, 2010 the Department of Interior announced finalized oil and gas leasing reforms for BLM managed sub-surface lands. \u00a0 This means the policy applies to leasing of federal minerals under land surfaces managed by BLM, state surface lands, and private land surfaces. \u00a0 See the Department of Interior press release below. CWF issued …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-3462","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-news","7":"anons"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/coloradowildlife.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3462"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/coloradowildlife.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/coloradowildlife.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coloradowildlife.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coloradowildlife.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3462"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/coloradowildlife.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3462\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/coloradowildlife.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3462"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coloradowildlife.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3462"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coloradowildlife.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3462"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}