BLM Utah office adopts USFS leasing analysis for Fishlake Forest

The US Bureau of Land Management’s Utah state office will adopt the US Forest Service’s final environmental impact statement and record of decision for oil and gas leasing on land administered by Fishlake National Forest.

BLM and USFS share responsibilities for issuing and administering leases on USFS land, with BLM responsible for selling and issuing leases but only with USFS’s consent.

Adopting the USFS leasing analysis and decision does not authorize BLM to issue oil and gas leases in Fishlake National Forest, which is in nine south-central Utah counties, the US Department of the Interior agency emphasized on Feb. 25.

By adopting it, however, BLM said it can use the analysis and determinations when deciding whether to offer lands proposed for leasing in the forest.

Appeals of the BLM-Utah record of decision may be filed until Mar. 25, BLM said.

Contact Nick Snow at [email protected].