CAÑON CITY, Colo. - The Bureau of Land Management is seeking public comments on a proposal to offer approximately 22,175 acres of federal oil and gas leases in eastern Colorado in the upcoming September 2018 competitive oil and gas lease sale.
Before beginning an environmental assessment on the proposal, the BLM wants to hear from the public about issues that should be considered. The EA itself will be released for public review and comment in March 2018.
“Hearing from the public is critical in helping us evaluate the parcels and prepare the EA," said BLM Royal Gorge Field Office Manager Keith Berger. “The most effective comments will address issues specific to the parcels being considered."
The proposal includes 11 parcels totaling 18,358 acres in Huerfano County; two parcels totaling 795 acres in Kiowa County; three parcels totaling 395 acres in Lincoln County; three parcels totaling 412 acres in Baca County; two parcels totaling 720 acres in Washington County; and seven parcels totaling 1,495 acres in Weld County.
Maps and lease stipulations are available for review at https://go.usa.gov/xn8w6.
Comments need to be received by Jan. 4, 2018. They should be emailed to blm_co_rg_comments@blm.gov, or mailed to the Royal Gorge Field Office, Attn: September 2018 Lease Sale, 3028 E. Main St., Cañon City, CO 81212.
The State of Colorado receives 49 percent of proceeds from each lease sale, with the remainder going to the U.S. government. In Fiscal Year 2016, Colorado received about $144 million from royalties, rentals and bonus bid payments for oil and gas development on public lands. Statewide, more than 22,900 jobs are tied to mineral and energy development on public lands.
Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment-including your personal identifying information-may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management
