THE WILDERNESS SOCIETY
AUDUBON ROCKIES (WY, CO, UT) * COALITION TO PROTECT AMERICA’S NATIONAL PARKS * FRIENDS OF THE EARTH * NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY * NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL * WILD MONTANA * WYOMING OUTDOOR COUNCIL * WYOMING WILDERNESS ASSOCIATION
May 1, 2023
BLM Wyoming State Office
Attention: Andrew Archuleta, State Director
5353 Yellowstone Road
Cheyenne, WY
Re: Protest of lease parcels for the Wyoming Bureau of Land Management 2023 Second Quarter Oil and Gas Lease Sale (DOI-BLM-WY-0000-2023-0001- EA)
Dear State Director Archuleta:
The Wilderness Society, Audubon Rockies (WY, CO, UT), Coalition to Protect American’s National Parks, Friends of the Earth, National Audubon Society, the Natural Resources Defense Council, Wild Montana, Wyoming Outdoor Council, and Wyoming Wilderness Association respectfully protest the below-listed parcels in the Wyoming Bureau of Land Management (BLM) 2023 Competitive Oil and Gas Lease Sale. The reference identifications for this lease sale are, respectively, DOI-BLM-WY-0000-2023-0003-EA (New Mexico) and DOI-BLM-NM-0040-2022-00345-EA (Oklahoma). On March 31, 2023, the BLM Wyoming State Office released the Environmental Assessment1BUREAU OF LAND MGMT., ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT, DOI-BLM-WY-0000-2023-0003-EA (Mar. 31, 2023) [hereinafter EA]. and Finding of No Significant Impact2BUREAU OF LAND MGMT., FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT, DOI-BLM-WY-0000-2023-0001-EA (Mar. 31, 2023) [hereinafter FONSI]. for the lease sale, offering 116 parcels containing 127,014.62 acres.3BUREAU OF LAND MGMT., NOTICE OF COMPETITIVE OIL AND GAS INTERNET LEASE SALE at 1 (Mar. 31, 2023). For the reasons stated herein, our groups protest all 116 parcels.4Please see the list of all parcels and associated serial numbers in the Appendix.
This protest is filed on behalf of the above-listed organizations. The names, mailing addresses, and telephone numbers for each organization filing this protest are as follows:
Ben Tettlebaum
Director & Senior Staff Attorney
The Wilderness Society
1660 Wynkoop Street, Suite 1150
Denver, CO 80202
(720) 647-9568
be************@tw*.org
Daly Edmunds
Policy and Outreach Director Audubon Rockies (WY, CO, UT)
320 E. Vine Drive, Suite 312
Fort Collins, CO 80524
(307) 760-7342
Da**********@au*****.org
Michael B. Murray
Chair
Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks
2 Massachusetts Ave NE, Unit 77436
Washington, DC 20013
(202) 819-8622
Ed****@pr********.org
Nicole Ghio
Senior Fossil Fuels Campaign Manager
Friends of the Earth
PO Box 7010
Merrifield, VA 22116-7010
(510) 900-8061
ng***@fo*.org
Christopher Simmons
Senior Manager, Public Lands Policy
National Audubon Society
1580 Lincoln Street, Suite 1280
Denver, CO 80203
(925) 915-0381
ch*****************@au*****.org
Joshua Axelrod
Senior Policy Advocate
Natural Resources Defense Council
1152 15th St NW, Suite 300
Washington, DC 20010
(202) 289-2379
ja******@nr**.org
Aubrey R. Bertram
Staff Attorney, Climate and Energy Program Director
Wild Montana
80 S. Warren St.
Helena, MT 59601
(303) 956-5263
ab******@wi*********.org
Meghan Riley
Public Lands and Wildlife Advocate
Wyoming Outdoor Council
262 Lincoln Street
Lander, WY 82520
(307) 488-8214
me****@wy*******************.org
Lauren Marsh
BLM Community Organizer
Wyoming Wilderness Association
PO Box 6588
Sheridan, WY 82801
(205) 807-4783
la****@wi*****.org
I, Ben Tettlebaum, have been authorized to file this protest on behalf of the above organizations.
I. INTERESTS OF THE PROTESTING PARTIES Our organizations have a long-standing interest in the management of BLM lands in Wyoming and engage frequently in the decision-making processes for land use planning and project proposals that could potentially affect our public lands and mineral estate, including the oil and gas leasing process and associated lease sales. Our members and staff enjoy myriad recreational, scientific, and other opportunities on BLM-managed public lands, including hiking, biking, nature-viewing, photography, and quiet contemplation in the solitude offered by wild places. Our missions are to work for the protection and enjoyment of the public lands for and by our members and the public.
Read the full statement here.