May I protest BLM’s decision to offer the lands in this notice for lease?

PER THE BLM:  Yes, under regulation 43 CFR 3120.1-3, you may protest the inclusion of a parcel listed in this sale notice.  All protest must meet the following requirements:

•        We must receive a protest no later than close of business on the 15th calendar day [Note:  NOT the 15th day of the month] prior to the date of the sale.  If our office is not open on the 15th calendar day prior to the date of the sale, a protest received on the next day our office is open to the public will be considered timely filed.  The protest must also include any statement of reasons to support the protest.  We will dismiss a late-filed protest or a protest filed without a statement of reasons.
•         A protest must state the interest of the protesting party in the matter.
•        You may file a protest either by mail in hardcopy form or by telefax and must be received in our office by 4:30 pm on December 4, 2008.  You may not file a protest by electronic mail.  A protest filed by fax must be sent to (801) 539-4237.  A protest sent to a fax number other than the fax number identified or a protest filed by electronic mail will be dismissed.
•        If the party signing the protest is doing so on behalf of an association, partnership or corporation, the signing party must reveal the relationship between them.  For example, unless an environmental group authorizes an individual member of its group to act on their behalf, the individual cannot make a protest in the group's name.

If BLM receives a timely protest of a parcel advertised on this Sale Notice, how does it affect bidding on the parcel?

We will announce receipt of any protest at the beginning of the sale.  We will also announce a decision to either withdraw the parcel or proceed with offering it at the sale.

If I am the high bidder at the sale for a protested parcel, when will BLM issue my lease?

We will make every effort to decide the protest within 60 days after the sale.  We will issue no lease for a protested parcel until the State Director makes a decision on the protest.  If the State Director denies the protest, we will issue your lease concurrently with that decision.

Sample Protest letter

Attached is a template of a protest letter.  Please note it requires you to fill in the information that applies to you (your interest) and the specific parcels you are protesting.

Please note that the BLM must receive your protest letter by on the due date.  The address and fax number are included on the letter. 

We also suggest that you send a copy of your letter to Utah Governor Jon Huntsman (we've included his mailing address at the bottom of the letter.  If you'd like us to hand-deliver your letter to the Governor when we are in Salt Lake on December 3rd, send us a copy of your protest letter (P.O. Box 298, Moab, UT 84532 or email it to:  terry@redrockforests.org).