Most oil and gas resources on public lands in the five Rocky Mountain States are available for leasing and development.

In The 2003 "EPCA" report, prepared by the BLM, indicates that 85 percent of oil resources, and 88 percent of natural gas resources -- 122.6 trillion cubic feet -- occurring on federal lands in Colorado, New Mexico, Montana, Utah and Wyoming were available for leasing and development.

Only 12 percent of federal natural gas resources were off-limits to leasing. An additional 87.6 TCF of natural gas resources is available from non-federal lands in the region.

Over 42,000,000 acres of BLM lands are currently under lease for oil and gas.

However, only 11,413,000 acres under lease were in production in 2002.




In 2003, the BLM issued a record number of drilling permits on BLM lands - 4,067.

But the industry drilled 2,878 wells on those permits, leaving over 1,100 undrilled



"Seasonal wildlife stipulations" which require production activities to be timed to avoid unnecessary impacts on wildlife are incorrectly characterized by the oil and gas industry as "impediments" to development. The record shows that these protections are usually waived.

For example, during the 2002-2003 winter season, the Pinedale (WY) BLM Field Office received 137 industry requests for "exceptions" to protective sage grouse stipulations. The BLM granted all 137 requests. Likewise, the BLM Pinedale office received 61 requests for "exceptions" to raptor stipulations, and granted 60.



The vast majority of federal oil and gas resources are available for development, the vast majority of leased BLM lands are not in production and the BLM every year issues more drilling permits than the industry can actually drill. The gas industry doesn't need more access.

For More Information, Contact:
Pete Morton, The Wilderness Society: 303-650-5818 x105
Jim Waltman, The Wilderness Society: 202-429-2674
FactSource