(BILLINGS, Mont.) – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM)’s Montana/Dakotas State Office today released the September 2019 Notice of Competitive Oil and Gas Lease Sale List, which includes 12 parcels totaling about 7,497 acres. The sale is scheduled to occur online at http://www.energynet.com starting on July 30, 2019.
The proposed parcels are located in 2 counties in Montana (Musselshell and Wibaux), and 3 counties in North Dakota (Burke, Divide, and Williams).
The sale notice, environmental review documents, and additional information including protest instructions for the July oil and gas lease sale can be viewed online at https://go.usa.gov/xmcQs. Instructions for in-person access to the BLM office can be found on ePlanning. Publication of this sale notice starts a 30-day protest period that closes at 4:30 p.m. on August 30, 2019.
Protests need to be as specific and substantive as possible. Those protests that contain only opinions or preferences will not receive a formal response, but may be considered in the BLM decision-making process. All protests must be submitted to the Montana/Dakotas State Office via the ePlanning website at https://go.usa.gov/xmcQs; mail protests to the BLM Montana/Dakotas State Office at 5001 Southgate Drive, Billings, MT 59101; or fax protests to 406-896-5292. For information on how to file a timely protest, please refer to the September 2019 Notice of Competitive Lease Sale at https://go.usa.gov/xmcQs.
Before including an address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in any comments, be aware that the entire comment — including personal identifying information — may be made publicly available at any time. Requests to withhold personal identifying information from public review can be submitted, but the BLM cannot guarantee that it will be able to do so.
Leasing is the first step in the process to develop federal oil and gas resources. Before development operations can begin, an operator must submit an application for permit to drill (APD) detailing development plans. The BLM reviews APDs, posts them for public review, conducts an environmental analysis, and coordinates with state partners and stakeholders.
For additional information about oil and gas leasing in the Montana/Dakotas, please contact Samantha Iron Shirt at (406) 896-5060. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to leave a message or question with the above individual. The FRS is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Replies are provided during normal business hours.
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