Notice2026-18054
Notice of Intent To Amend the Vernal Resource Management Plan for Oil and Gas Leasing and Prepare an Associated Environmental Assessment, Utah
Primary source
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Published
September 3, 2026
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentLand Management Bureau
Abstract
In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Utah State Director intends to prepare a Resource Management Plan Amendment (RMPA) with an associated Environmental Assessment (EA) to consider opening the federal minerals beneath the Ouray National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas leasing, subject to a no surface occupancy stipulation, and by this notice is announcing the beginning of the scoping period to solicit public comments and identify issues and is providing the planning criteria for public review.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 170 (Thursday, September 3, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 170 (Thursday, September 3, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56666-56667]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-18054]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[A2407-014-004-065516, #O2509-014-004-125222; LLUTG01100]
Notice of Intent To Amend the Vernal Resource Management Plan for
Oil and Gas Leasing and Prepare an Associated Environmental Assessment,
Utah
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) of 1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management
Act (FLPMA) of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
Utah State Director intends to prepare a Resource Management Plan
Amendment (RMPA) with an associated Environmental Assessment (EA) to
consider opening the federal minerals beneath the Ouray National
Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas leasing, subject to a no surface
occupancy stipulation, and by this notice is announcing the beginning
of the scoping period to solicit public comments and identify issues
and is providing the planning criteria for public review.
DATES: The BLM requests that the public submit comments concerning the
scope of the analysis, potential alternatives, and identification of
relevant information and studies, by October 5, 2026. To afford the BLM
the opportunity to consider issues raised by commenters in the RMPA and
EA, please ensure your comments are received prior to the close of the
30-day scoping period.
The BLM also requests that the public submit comments on the
planning criteria by the same date identified above. The planning
criteria are available to the public on the project website at the BLM
National NEPA Register (see ADDRESSES). To afford the BLM the
opportunity to consider comments on the planning criteria in the RMPA
and EA, please ensure your comments are received prior to the close of
the 30-day scoping period.
A public meeting will be held. The specific date, time, and
location of the public meeting will be announced at least 15 days in
advance through the project website at the BLM National NEPA Register
(see ADDRESSES).
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on issues and planning criteria
related to the Oil and Gas Leasing Vernal Resource Management Amendment
by any of the following methods:
<bullet> BLM National NEPA Register: <a href="https://eplanning.blm.gov/Project-Home/?id=BF84B58C-9075-F111-AB0D-001DD803D7D3">https://eplanning.blm.gov/Project-Home/?id=BF84B58C-9075-F111-AB0D-001DD803D7D3</a>.
<bullet> Mail: BLM Vernal Field Office, 170 S 500 E, Vernal, Utah
84078.
Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined online at the
BLM National NEPA Register link above and at the Vernal Field Office.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joel Ward, 435-781-3406; address 170 S
500 E Vernal, Utah 84078; email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#90fafde7f1e2f4d0f2fcfdbef7ffe6"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="6903041e081b0d290b0504470e061f">[email protected]</span></a>. Contact Mr. Ward to
have your name added to our mailing list. Individuals in the United
States who are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a speech
disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access
telecommunications relay services for contacting Mr. Ward. Individuals
outside the United States should use the relay services offered within
their country to make international calls to the point-of-contact in
the United States.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This document provides notice that the BLM
Utah State Director intends to prepare an RMPA with an associated EA to
consider opening the federal minerals within the Ouray National
Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas leasing, subject to a no surface
occupancy stipulation, announces the beginning of the scoping process,
and seeks public input on issues and planning criteria. The RMPA would
change the existing Vernal Resource Management Plan (RMP).
The planning area is located in Uintah County, Utah, and
encompasses less than 5,200 acres of federal minerals managed by the
BLM. The surface acreage of the planning area is managed by the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) as part of the Ouray National
Wildlife Refuge.
The scope of this land use planning process does not include
addressing the evaluation or designation of Areas of Critical
Environmental Concern (ACEC) and the BLM is not considering ACEC
nominations as part of this process.
Purpose and Need
The BLM's need for action is to consider amending the Vernal RMP in
response to external interest in leasing federal oil and gas minerals
beneath the Ouray National Wildlife Refuge, in addition to direction in
Executive Order 14154, Unleashing American Energy, and Secretary's
Order 3418, Unleashing American Energy. The BLM's purpose is, with
consideration of modern drilling technology, to optimize the decisions
of the Vernal RMP to be consistent with the Mineral Leasing Act of
1920, the Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands, and the BLM's oil and
gas leasing regulations at 43 CFR 3100.3(a)(2)(xii), 3100.3(b)(2)(xiv),
3101.13(c), and 3101.52(d), which provide for the orderly and
environmentally responsible development of federal oil and gas
resources within wildlife refuges managed by the USFWS, subject to
appropriate protections to wildlife species, populations, and habitats
in such refuges.
Preliminary Alternatives
The BLM is considering two preliminary alternatives in the RMPA--a
No Action Alternative and the Proposed Action. The No Action
Alternative would continue the closure of the Ouray National Wildlife
Refuge to oil and gas leasing contained in the Vernal RMP. The Proposed
Action would amend the Vernal RMP to open the federal mineral estate
underlying the Refuge to oil and gas leasing subject to a no surface
occupancy restriction. As a result, lease development would have to be
accomplished through directional or horizontal drilling from well pads
outside the Refuge boundary. The BLM welcomes comments on all
preliminary alternatives as well as suggestions for additional
alternatives.
[[Page 56667]]
Planning Criteria
The planning criteria guide the planning effort and lay the
groundwork for effects analysis by identifying the preliminary issues
and their analytical frameworks. Preliminary issues for the planning
area have been identified by BLM and USFWS personnel and from early
engagement conducted for this planning effort with Federal, State, and
local agencies; Tribes; and other stakeholders. The BLM has identified
seven preliminary issues for this planning effort's analysis. The
planning criteria are available for public review and comment on the
project's website at the BLM National NEPA Register (see ADDRESSES).
Public Scoping Process
This notice of intent initiates the scoping period and public
review of the planning criteria, which guide the development and
analysis of the RMPA and EA. The BLM will be holding one in-person
meeting at the following location: Vernal, Utah. The specific date(s)
and location(s) of this scoping meeting will be announced at least 15
days in advance through the website for this project at the BLM
National NEPA Register (see ADDRESSES).
The relevant issues identified through the scoping process would
influence the alternatives and lease stipulations considered as part of
the RMPA. The BLM also requests the identification of potential impacts
that should be analyzed. Impacts should be a result of the action;
therefore, please identify the activity along with the potential
impact. Information that reviewers have that would assist in the
development of alternatives or analysis of resources issues is also
helpful.
Interdisciplinary Team
The BLM will use an interdisciplinary approach to develop the RMPA
in order to consider the variety of resource issues and concerns
identified. Specialists with expertise in the following disciplines
will be involved in this planning effort: air quality, water quality,
minerals and geology, wildlife and fisheries, and economics.
Additional Information
The BLM will utilize and coordinate the NEPA and land use planning
processes for this planning effort to help support compliance with
applicable procedural requirements under the Endangered Species Act (16
U.S.C. 1536) and Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act
(54 U.S.C. 306108) as provided in 36 CFR 800.2(d)(3), including public
involvement requirements of Section 106. The information about historic
and cultural resources and threatened and endangered species within the
area potentially affected by the proposed RMPA will assist the BLM in
identifying and evaluating impacts to such resources.
The BLM will consult with Indian Tribal Nations on a government-to-
government basis in accordance with Executive Order 13175, BLM Manual
Section 1780, and other Departmental policies. Tribal concerns,
including impacts on Indian trust assets and potential impacts to
cultural resources, will be given due consideration. Federal, State,
and local agencies, along with Indian Tribal Nations and other
stakeholders that may be interested in or affected by the proposed RMPA
that the BLM is evaluating, are invited to participate in the scoping
process and, if eligible, may request or be requested by the BLM to
participate in the development of the environmental analysis as a
cooperating agency.
Before including your address, phone number, email address, or
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be
aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be
able to do so.
(Authority: 43 CFR 1610.2(c).)
Christina Price,
Acting State Director.
[FR Doc. 2026-18054 Filed 9-2-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4331-25-P
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