Oil and Gas Leasing: a National Policy, a Local Issue

Federal oil and gas leasing occurs four times a year in Wyoming, and in other states.  The nomination of oil and gas lease parcels is made by parties whose identity remains undisclosed by BLM. The decision to lease is guided by the broad, general overview of the BLM’s Resource Management Plan.  But often, certain places are leased by the BLM without regard for local knowledge, history or traditions.

One such place where proposed leases were not afforded a closer look and offered for sale by the BLM is the Trappers’ Point migration corridor bottleneck.  Only with local protest from the Upper Green River Alliance and friends did the BLM withdraw the Trappers’ Point parcels from the lease sale at the eleventh hour. 

Another place offered for lease where site-specific scrutiny would have revealed local significance was the area of the DeSmet Monument: the site of the first Catholic mass in Sublette County and several mountain man rendezvous gatherings.  Again, local protest resulted in removal of the parcels from the lease sale.

However, the BLM is currently contemplating new oil and gas leasing policies that allow for more public input, may protect sensitive resources, and will provide more transparency in the leasing process. 

We applaud these proposed changes in BLM oil and gas leasing policies, for several reasons:

• The stakes are high when leasing results in oil and gas drilling mistakes that occur in sensitive areas – irresponsible development poses threats to drinking water, air quality, agricultural viability, wildlife habitat, the health of communities and our public lands. 
• More public participation in the leasing process will result in fewer lawsuits and protests from affected residents.
• With increasing oil and gas drilling in Sublette County, it is imperative that we maintain the highest standards and the most effective regulations possible for onshore drilling activities.  This simply has not been the case over the past decade - lands have been leased without adequate review; many best management practices have remained voluntary; the oil and gas industry has been exempted from bedrock laws protecting our air and water; and enforcement and monitoring have been severely lacking. 
• Leasing public resources should be sensitive to communities, valued landscapes and future generations.  We need a fresh look at how we can better manage these national and local public resources before making irreversible decisions to develop a place that many call home.

Next: Monitoring and Mitigation in the Pinedale Anticline and Jonah Fields