For Release: March 6, 2006
Contact: Jeff Prude (661) 391-6140, email: jprude@ca.blm.gov
CA-CC-06-36

BLM Announces Availability of Proposed Plan Amendment for Managing NPR-2

The Bureau of Land Management has released the proposed resource management plan amendment and environmental assessment (EA) for management of lands recently transferred to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), known as the Naval Petroleum Reserve Numbered 2 (NPR-2), located in Kern County.

The plan amendment addresses oil and gas operations and certain realty actions on the federal portion of NPR-2 within the broader framework of BLM's Caliente Resource Management Plan (RMP). The proposal provides information for oil and gas leasing as well as ongoing oil and gas related activities on lands that are already leased.

NPR-2 was transferred by the Congress from the Department of Energy to BLM in August 2005 as part of the National Energy Policy Act. As directed in the Act, "The principal purpose of the lands subject to transfer ... is the production of hydrocarbon resources, and the Secretary of the Interior shall manage the lands in a fashion consistent with this purpose."

BLM's Bakersfield Field Office Manager Ron Huntsinger said, "The proposal opens 2,532 acres of unleased federal oil and gas rights to competitive leasing as directed by the Energy Act. Nearly all of NPR-2 has already been developed for oil and gas, and the entire area is generally oilfield in character."

To ensure compliance with environmental laws and provide protection for threatened, endangered, and other special status species and their habitat, all lands are subject to "limited surface use" special stipulations, he added.

The document is available online at http://www.blm.gov/ca/bakersfield/. Copies on CD may be obtained from the BLM Bakersfield Field Office, 3801 Pegasus Dr., Bakersfield, CA 93308, or requested by telephone (661) 391-6000, facsimile message (661) 391-6156, or email jprude@ca.blm.gov.

There is a 30 day protest period following the effective date of March 6, 2006. A protest may raise only those issues which were submitted for the record during the planning process.

For additional information contact Jeff Prude in the BLM Bakersfield Field Office at (661) 391-6140, or by email at jprude@ca.blm.gov.

-BLM-

California Bakersfield Field Office - 3801 Pegasus Dr. - Bakersfield, California - (661) 391-6000