The US Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has commenced a 30-day public scoping period to gather feedback on 64 proposed oil and gas parcels across Montana and North Dakota, spanning a total of 29,058 acres.
This initiative is part of preparations for an anticipated lease sale in August 2026.
The scoping process, which concludes on 19 February 2026, forms an essential part of the leasing protocol, ensuring that public and stakeholder input is considered before any developmental activities begin.
Public participation is a critical step before operators can submit applications for permits to drill, which are subsequently reviewed by the BLM through detailed environmental analysis and made available for public scrutiny.
Additionally, the BLM successfully leased 19 parcels encompassing 4,116 acres in Montana and North Dakota during a quarterly oil and gas lease sale, generating $8.6m in total receipts.
Revenue from these sales, comprising lease bonus bids and rentals, is distributed between the federal government and the states involved.
The leasing process itself is governed by several legal frameworks including the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969.
This lease sale was executed under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which implemented a revision to the federal onshore royalty rate by reducing it from 16.67% to a minimum of 12.5%.
This adjustment reverses the rate set by the Inflation Reduction Act and aims to reduce operational costs on public lands, thereby enhancing the financial viability of oil and gas development for industry participants.
The BLM's leasing activities contribute significantly to domestic energy production and align with Executive Order 14154, Unleashing American Energy.
According to the BLM, this order underlines the importance of federal lease sales in fulfilling national energy requirements and reinforcing the US’ status as a global energy leader.
By facilitating additional leasing and drilling activities, these measures are expected to support increased domestic energy production, thereby strengthening US energy security.
Earlier this month, the BLM announced plans for another oil and gas lease sale scheduled for 12 March 2026.
This upcoming sale will offer eight parcels covering 506 acres across Arkansas, Louisiana, Michigan and Mississippi.
Scoping for these parcels was completed in July 2025, followed by a public comment period that concluded in December 2025.
To further engage stakeholders, a new 30-day protest period was opened, which will run until 9 February 2026.
