Three years after the federal government approved oil and gas drilling leases on nearly 6,000 acres of land in New Mexico, it is thinking of revoking the contracts.
The Bureau of Land Management is reported to be reconsidering a plan to lease the land in question in Eddy and Lea Counties, two counties that are the site of heavy oil and gas production in the state. They also make up the state’s share of the Permian Basin.
The BLM, reported KRQE TV in Santa Fe, is considering whether to cancel the leases or continue with them after a lawsuit was filed against the agency by the environmental group, Citizens Caring for the Future.
Instead of deciding on its own, the BLM, according to the televised report, wants to hear from the public and use the feedback to make a decision. A May 21 deadline was set for public comment.