Getting Involved

The Final Programmatic EIS was released on September 4, 2008.

Release of the Final Programmatic EIS

A Notice of Availability (NOA) announcing the release of the Final PEIS was published in the Federal Register on September 5, 2008. The Final PEIS includes proposed amendments to 12 BLM land use plans in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming, as described in Appendix C of the Final PEIS.

Because developing this and other alternative energy resources is of strategic importance in enhancing our Nation's domestic energy supplies, the Assistant Secretary, Land and Minerals Management, in the Department of the Interior is the responsible official for these proposed plan amendments. The Federal Land Policy and Management Act and its implementing regulations provide land use planning authority to the Secretary, as delegated to this Assistant Secretary. Because this decision is being made by the Assistant Secretary, Land and Minerals Management, it is the final decision for the Department of the Interior. This decision is not subject to administrative review (protest) under the BLM or Departmental regulations (43 CFR 1610.5-2).

Future Public Involvement Opportunities

The public will have the opportunity to review the Record of Decision when it is published. The Record of Decision will be available through this Web site.

Past Public Involvement Opportunities: Public Review of the Draft Programmatic EIS

The public was given the opportunity to provide comments on the Draft PEIS. The Draft PEIS public comment period opened December 21, 2007, and closed April 21, 2008. Draft PEIS comments have been incorporated into Volume 4 of the Final PEIS, and the Draft PEIS comments are also available for downloading or browsing online.

The Draft PEIS was published in the Federal Register on December 21, 2007 for a 90-day public review and comment period. The BLM received approximately 105,000 comments on the Draft, resulting in the addition of clarifying text to the Final PEIS, but no significant changes to the land use plan decisions proposed in the Draft.

Prior to the public comment period, a Notice of Availability (NOA) was published in the Federal Register announcing the distribution of the Draft Programmatic EIS, announcing a public comment period, and describing how the public could submit comments. Comments were provided by mail and through the Web.

Public Meetings

Informal open house style public meetings on the Draft PEIS were held during February 2008. More information is available under Public Meetings.

Public Scoping Process

The BLM invited interested parties to participate in the Oil Shale and Tar Sands PEIS scoping process in 2005-2006. The scoping process was intended to involve all interested agencies (Federal, state, county, and local), public interest groups, Native American Tribes, businesses, and members of the public. The public scoping period started with the publication of the Notice of Intent in the Federal Register and ended January 31, 2006.

The purpose of the public scoping process was to determine relevant issues that will influence the scope of the environmental analysis and the alternatives. These issues also guide the planning process. Comments on issues and planning criteria were accepted at public scoping meetings, by mail, and electronically through a public comment form on this Web site.

Scoping Comments and Scoping Summary Report

Written public comments received during the scoping phase, including individual letters and comments received electronically, can be viewed on this Web site under Search Scoping Comments.

A report entitled Summary of Public Scoping Comments for the Oil Shale and Tar Sands Resources Leasing Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement is available for downloading or browsing under Documents. The report summarizes comments that were received during the scoping period for consideration in preparing the PEIS.

Public Scoping Meetings

Public scoping meetings for the Oil Shale and Tar Sands PEIS were held in seven cities in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming in January 2006. Presentations made by the BLM at the public scoping meetings can be viewed or downloaded by following the links below.

Public Scoping Meeting Presentation for Oil Shale and Tar Sands Programmatic EIS (3.9 MB)

Oil Shale and Tar Sand Resources Slide Presentation (452 KB)

For More Information

For further information on the Oil Shale and Tar Sands Programmatic EIS, please contact:

Sherri Thompson
Bureau of Land Management
Colorado State Office
2850 Youngfield Street
Lakewood, CO 80215
Phone: (303) 239-3758