BLM opened a 30-day public scoping period on three oil and gas parcels in Nevada totaling 5,230 acres, the first step toward a possible lease sale in March 2027. The agency is taking public comments through September 23, 2026.
- Parcels under review: 3
- Combined acreage: 5,230 acres
- Comment deadline: September 23, 2026
- Target lease sale: March 2027
What happens after leasing
Winning a lease is not the same as winning approval to drill. Before any operator can begin development, it must file an application for permit to drill that lays out its plans for the site. BLM reviews each application, posts it for public review, runs an environmental analysis, and coordinates with state partners and other stakeholders before work can start. Every parcel included in a federal lease sale also carries stipulations meant to protect natural resources on the land.
BLM will run the March 2027 sale online through its Efficient Markets platform. Details on this and other current and upcoming offerings are posted through the agency's National Fluid Lease Sale System, and maps of the three Nevada parcels, along with instructions for submitting comments, are available on BLM's ePlanning website.
BLM manages about 245 million acres of public land, most of it across 12 western states including Alaska, and administers 700 million acres of federal subsurface mineral estate nationwide.
