BLM Defers Additional Parcels From the December 2008 Lease Sale

Contact:  Mary Wilson, 801-230-5112
Lease Sale Information

Salt Lake City, Utah—December 2, 2008—In the continuing process of refining parcels available for leasing, BLM Utah announced today it will defer additional parcels from the Dec. 19 lease sale.  To date, the upcoming lease sale will offer oil and gas parcels on a total of 276,025 acres of public land and geothermal parcels totaling 146,339 acres in Utah.  Pending the outcome of the protest period, which ends Dec. 4, further refinements may be made prior to the lease sale.

BLM has chosen to defer leasing in the Nine Mile Canyon area below the canyon rim and in the Desolation Canyon area to further review stipulations and mitigation measures for this area.  In addition, parcels over coalfields are being deferred to avoid potential conflicts with underground mining. 

BLM is required by law to conduct quarterly oil and gas lease sales and in doing so must ensure the appropriate amount of accessibility to energy resources necessary for the nation's security, while recognizing that special and unique non-energy resources can be preserved. Refinement and further screening of these parcels helps BLM Utah meet this important policy objective.