BLM proposes 38 oil and gas parcels for March 2027 Colorado lease sale

The Bureau of Land Management is proposing 38 oil and gas parcels in Colorado, covering about 66,221 acres, for a lease sale set for March 2027. The agency opened a 30-day public scoping period on the proposal, which closes Oct. 9.

BLM describes the proposal as part of its effort to manage federal energy resources in a transparent, balanced way, weighing community needs, national energy priorities and protection of natural and cultural resources. Partnership with the public is central to how BLM manages public land, the agency says.

Comment period and process

The scoping period gives the public a chance to weigh in before BLM decides which of the 38 parcels move forward. Maps, individual parcel details and instructions for submitting comments are posted on the BLM National NEPA Register. BLM says community input helps shape how the agency evaluates potential lease areas, including protection of wildlife habitat, water resources, cultural sites and recreation areas that Coloradans and visitors use.

Every parcel included in a federal lease sale carries stipulations meant to protect natural resources, according to BLM.

What a lease does, and does not, allow

A lease is the first step toward developing federal oil and gas resources. It is not authorization to drill. Before any development work can start, an operator holding a lease must file an application for a permit to drill that lays out its development plans. BLM then reviews that application, posts it for public review, conducts an environmental analysis, and coordinates with state partners and other stakeholders before deciding whether to approve it.

BLM says federal oil and gas leasing strengthens U.S. energy security, supports jobs and local economies, and generates revenue shared with the states and counties where the leases sit, funding schools, roads and other public services.

Colorado is one of 12 western states, including Alaska, where BLM manages a combined 245 million acres of public land. The agency also administers 700 million acres of subsurface mineral estate nationwide.