The Bureau of Land Management has missed the deadline to notice a sale on promised oil and gas leasing for the fifth consecutive quarter. The BLM announced November 1st it would complete an environmental assessment of 195 recommended parcels and accepted public comment through December 1st. The agency is also required to notice a sale at least...
Oil Leasing To Soon Start Again In Montana
Oil and gas leasing on federal land in Montana and North Dakota is expected to resume early this year. The federal Bureau of Land Management is planning a lease sale for the first quarter of 2022 but has not finalized details. There are 6,850 federally owned mineral acres available in eastern Montana and western North Dakota. Oil and gas compa...
Construction Completed For Middle Tow Calf Road
Back-country travelers can once again access Middle Two Calf Road part of the Missouri Breaks National Back Country Byway between Winifred and the James Kipp Recreation Area. The Bureau of Land Management recently completed road reconstruction and low-water crossing improvements allowing the road to be reopened to public access. The 19-mile-...
BLM Digitize Easements Of Montana Land With Public Access
The Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service have digitized easements identifying access routes to 450 tracts of public land including about 29,600 acres in Montana and Idaho that had previously been identified as landlocked. Efforts are also underway via legislation introduced in Congress. Both the House and Senate are considering the MA...
Oil & Gas Lease Sales On Public Lands To Begin Soon
The Interior Department is preparing to offer oil and gas lease sales on large tracts of public lands despite concluding that burning fossil fuels from those parcels could carry huge costs and contribute to climate change. Northern News Network’s Eric Young has more. https://northernbroadcasting.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/11-03_637.mp3
Senator Tester Stands By BLM Nominee Despite Recent Criticism
Republican Senators once again opposed President Biden’s selection to lead the Bureau of Land Management Tracy Stone-Manning Tuesday. During an afternoon online Q&A session Democratic Senator Jon Tester addressed the criticism and stood by his support for her. https://northernbroadcasting.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/7-28_637.mp3
Montana Stockgrowers Association Expresses Concern Over BLM Decision
The Bureau of Land Management’s recent approval of the American Prairie Reserve’s request to expand bison grazing has many producers across Montana concerned. Montana Stockgrowers Association Executive President Jay Bodner believes since this decision was based only on an environmental impact study not every factor is being considered. https:/...
Bison Grazing Expansion Approved Following Environmental Impact Report
Federal officials have given preliminary approval to the American Prairie Reserve’s proposal to expand bison grazing on public lands covering about 108 square miles south of Malta in north-central Montana. The Bureau of Land Management says there would be no significant environmental impacts which sets the stage for possible final approv...
Senator Tester To Stand By BLM Vote Despite Past Controversies
Montana Senator Jon Tester intends to vote for Tracy Stone-Manning from Missoula to be the director of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and this week mounted a defense of her nomination to Senate Democrats at their weekly caucus lunch. Stone-Manning is taking heat from some Republicans for her brief stretch with an environmental activist gro...
U.S. BLM Nominee Still Receiving Local Support Despite Recent Criticism
Tracy-Stone Manning of Missoula who has served as director of the Montana Department of Environmental Quality is receiving pushback for her nomination to direct the U.S. Bureau of Land Management but supporters are speaking up in her defense. Montana sportswoman and rancher Kathy Hadley says Stone-Manning has the experience for this position. ...