Dec 2008 Lease Sale

Dec 2008 Lease Sale

BLM December 2008 Lease Sale

WHAT'S ON THIS PAGE

Information Sheets on 24 Lease Parcel Areas
Announcement for November 24th Community Meeting in Moab
Maps, maps, maps
Useful Reference Documents
Info on how to file a protest
Quotable quotes

Interior: Utah Oil and Gas Sale Flawed

good news and bad news

The Department of Interior released a report today that highlights the flaws in the Bush Administration's December 2008 Oil and Gas Lease sale in Utah that put up tracts of land near iconic national parks for sale to the oil and gas industry. Some of the tracts should have been left out, according to Deputy SOI David Hayes, but some should be re-offered for leasing.

Read the DOI press release and report: http://www.doi.gov/news/09_News_Releases/061109a.html

Among changes recommended by the report are:
» That the BLM work more closely with the Park Service to avoid future listing of parcels too near national parks or monuments;
» That Interior issue specific guidance to help BLM officials decide what parcels are appropriate to auction off for oil and gas leases if they are near parks or other sensitive landscapes, including those with wilderness characteristics;
» That BLM create a special team -- picked by the acting BLM director -- to make a final decision on whether to re-open some of the 77 leases;
» That the BLM, in consultation with the Park Service, the Environmental Protection Agency and state officials, chart a comprehensive air quality strategy for the region

Keep those comments coming!

Tell Deputy Hayes that this is a good first step, but there is comprehensive work to be done by the BLM to ensure long-term, permanent protection for lands near national parks and wilderness quality lands!

Write to him at:

David Hayes, Assistant Secretary of Interior

Department of Interior

1849 C Street NW

Washington, DC 20240

or send an email to his assistant at:
c/o: barbara_diehl@ios.doi.gov

or call:

202-208-6291

Red Rock Forests joins Utah oil and gas lease lawsuit!

Feb 4, 2009

On Tuesday, Red Rock Forests joined the lawsuit brought against the oil and gas leases that were put up for auction by the BLM in December by the Bush Administration.

And today, we join with our fellow plaintiffs in applauding the action of Interior Secretary Salazar in canceling the sale of 77 oil and gas leases on wilderness-quality lands near Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Dinosaur National Monument and Nine Mile Canyon!

The litigation not only challenges the December 2008 lease sale, but also the Resource Management Plans that led to the sale, including the off road vehicle (ORV) travel plans, the lack of consideration of climate change, the failure to designate Wild and Scenic Rivers, and the refusal to consider designating new Wilderness Study Areas.

The December lease sale was only made possible because of the wildly unbalanced Resource Management Plans that the Bush administration left us with before leaving office. These plans open large swaths of Utah's wilderness quality lands to oil and gas leasing, drilling and destructive off road vehicle use and, here in Grand County, threatens the watershed that is so crucial to the desert ecology.

This is most definitely a step in the right direction. As our colleagues in other states have expressed, we are hopeful that this action is a springboard for evaluating the impacts to water, air,
wildlife and human health from unchecked oil and gas development on public lands.

We support President Obama's call for more efforts to be put towards renewable energy and hope you'll join with us in commenting on such a proposal recently put forth by the Western Governor's Association.

Thanks for your continued support!

Terry Shepherd, Red Rock Forests

Feb 2, 2009 - Salt Lake Tribune - Retooled suit targets Utah land-use plans

***PROTEST PHOTOS***

Thanks to all who joined Red Rock Forests - from all walks of life - at the BLM's Office in Salt Lake City for a peaceful protest of this sale.

on Friday, December 19, 2008.

THANK YOU to everyone who attended the 11/24 Community Meeting! Please contact us if you have any questions or would like to help out.

Dear Red Rock Forests Members and Lovers of Red Rock Country: I'm sure by now you have heard the news about the Bush Administration's last 'hail mary' assault on public lands, this time in our beloved red rock country. We are buoyed by news that the Obama Administration plans to 'rollback' some of the oil and gas decisions, and that this proposed lease sale - that will impact Arches and Canyonlands National Park, Desolation Canyon, and thousands of acres of wilderness quality public lands - is front and center in the efforts. While we are thrilled with the Obama Adminstration's plans, we must not forget that this lease sale is slated for December 19th, before inauguration day. We are hearing concerns that the Bush Administration is doing everything it can to ensure that the parcels sold on that date will stick, despite the best intentions of the Obama Administration.

We are doing everything we can to fight this effort NOW! More than ever, we urge you not to miss the opportunity to heed Barack Obama's call to service and speak out for these national treasures! We urge everyone not to get lulled into the thought that 'Obama will make it all better.' HE NEEDS OUR HELP NOW TO MAKE IT HAPPEN!

This is a national issue. These are our national treasures, there are no other places like it in the world.

This is an issue of Big Oil and local economies. Big Oil is pitting itself against the small business owners of Grand County - those that own bookstores, coffee shops, bicycle and rafting companies, cafes, and brew pubs - that rely on visitors/recreationists to support the local economy. What will happen to them when drill rigs are within the sight line of the Spectacles and Delicate Arch?

This is an issue of the abuse of power. The Bush Administration is bullying the American people by this last minute lease sale. We must step up, heed Obama's call to service, and save this area NOW!

Please make YES WE CAN count!
Thanks!

- The Staff at Red Rock Forests

Red Rock Forests Protest Letter - Hand-delivered 12/4/08

Information Sheets on Lease Parcels

Desolation Canyon Area

Ruby Ranch & Upper Labyrinth Area

1-70 Corridor & Book Cliffs Area

Duma Point Area

Ten Mile Canyon Area

Lower Labyrinth & Mineral Point Area

191 Corridor Area

Bartlett Wash, Tusher Canyon & Courthouse Pasture Area

Thompson Springs Area

Northwest Boundary of Arches National Park Area

Yellow Cat Road and Lost Springs Canyon Area

Amasa Back Area

Northern Hatch Point Area

Southern Hatch Point & Needles Overlook Area

Books Cliffs, Spruce Canyon WSA & Cottonwood Wash Area

Book Cliffs & Coal Canyon WSA Area

1-70 Corridor & Nash Wash Area

Dome Plateau & Colorado River Corridor Area

Dry Mesa, Cache Valley & Colorado River Corridor Area

Porcupine Rim Area

Sand Flats Recreation Area

Spanish Valley & Cedar Hills Area

Book Cliffs, Grand Valley & I-70 Corridor Area

Kirks Basin Area

Maps

There are various versions of maps floating around the cyber-world. We've posted everything we've seen so far...

Revised Maps Since Removal of Deferred Parcels (posted 12/9):

Revised Moab Area

Revised Bookcliffs Area

Revised Dinosaur National Park Area

Revised Nine Mile Canyon Area

Moab Field Office Parcel Map (Warning - this is a 67.9 MB .pdf file!)

For GIS-Savvy Folks - BLM has also posted updated (12/2) shapefiles/datasets on their website

Nine Mile Canyon Parcels Deferred - BLM Map

Arches NP-over Google Earth

Moab Area Parcels-over Google Earth

Moab North Draft

Moab South Draft

Cedar Hills (w/street labels)

Moab parcels with Editorial!

Capitol Reef NP

Dinosaur National Monument

Dinosaur NM-over Google Earth

Desolation & Ninemile Canyons-over Google Earth

Google Earth File of Lease Parcels (requires Google Earth be loaded onto your comptuer)

Useful Documents

BLM General Oil and Gas Leasing Instructions

December 2008 Leasing Proposal (BLM)

December 2008 Sale Notice (BLM)

*** NEW (12/2) *****December 2008 Final Sale List with Erratas (BLM)

*** NEW *** Errata December 2, 2008 - showing list of deferred parcels & modifications- (BLM)

December 2008 Final Sale List (BLM)

December 2008 Stipulations and Notices (BLM)

BLM Documentation of Land Use Conformance and NEPA Adequacy Worksheet for Moab (no date) for December 2008 Competitive Oil and Gas Lease Sale

Quotes

From the BLM website, explaining their usual (but not this time) protocol in involving National Parks:
"Other locations that we have taken special care in our decisions to lease have been with parcels on BLM managed lands near National Parks. BLM works with the National Park Service during land use planning to obtain input and coordinate regarding leasing of lands adjacent to or near National Park units. Additionally, we coordinate with appropriate Park Service units for each lease sale and provide descriptions of parcels under consideration, consistent with land use planning decisions. BLM may defer the offering of parcels if they are within key viewsheds of highly visited park locations. If development is proposed on a lease after it is issued, BLM works additionally with the Park Service to mitigate impacts, once a site-specific proposal is received."

From the BLM website, description of increased drilling and leasing activity:
"Production has increased to meet the demands of this region as population has increased. Drilling in the state has also increased from 378 wells drilled in 2002 to nearly 700 wells drilled in 2005."

"Interest in leasing is reflected in the amount of land nominated for lease sales over the past few years. What was typically nominated in a year-long period several years ago is now nominated for a single quarterly lease sale."

From the BLM DNA for the Moab Field Office:
"The Moab Field Office reviewed 72 parcels for the December 2008 competitive oil and gas lease sale. All 72 parcels were reviewed for land use plan conformance and NEPA adequacy as documented through completion of a Documentation of Land Use Plan Conformance and NEPA Adequacy (DNA) Worksheet attached to this Memorandum. During this review one parcel was identified as being closed to leasing. A total of 71 parcels are recommended for lease sale."