News Release

1. For Release: January 13, 2006
Contact: Jeff Prude (661) 391-6140; E-mail: jprude@ca.blm.gov
or John Dearing (916) 978-4622 CC-06-22

BLM Seeks Public Comment on Draft Plan Amendment for Managing NPR-2

The Bureau of Land Management is seeking public comment on a draft plan amendment and environmental assessment (EA) regarding management of lands recently transferred to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), known as the Naval Petroleum Reserve Number 2 (NPR-2), located in Kern County.

The plan amendment will incorporate management prescriptions for oil and gas related operations and certain realty actions at NPR-2 within the broader framework of the BLM's Caliente Resource Management Plan (RMP). The proposal includes both leasing new lands and ongoing oil and gas related activities on lands that are already leased. The lands affected comprise only the federal portion of NPR-2. NPR-2 was transferred from the Department of Energy to BLM in August 2005 as part of the National Energy Policy Act.

BLM's Bakersfield Field Office Manager Ron Huntsinger said the proposal opens all 2,532 acres of unleased oil and gas rights to competitive leasing. Nearly all of the 10,451-acre NPR-2 has already been developed for oil and gas, and the entire area is generally oilfield in character. This plan amendment will allow for the remaining 10 percent to be leased, he said. To ensure compliance with environmental laws and provide protection for threatened, endangered, and other special status species and their habitat, all lands would be subject to "limited surface use" special stipulations, he added.

The document is available online at

 http://www.ca.blm.gov/bakersfield/DivofMinerals.html.

Copies on CD may be obtained from the BLM Bakersfield Field Office, 3801 Pegasus Dr., Bakersfield, CA 93308, or requested by telephone (661) 391-6000, facsimile message (661) 391-6156, or email jprude@ca.blm.gov. The public is provided 30 days to submit written comments on this draft plan amendment and EA. To be considered by BLM, all written comments must be received no later than Monday, February 13, 2006.

Public comments will be analyzed and utilized by BLM in making a final decision, Huntsinger said, which should be completed by mid-June. For additional information contact Jeff Prude in the BLM Bakersfield Field Office at (661) 391-6140, or by email at jprude@ca.blm.gov.

-BLM-

California Bakersfield Field Office - 3801 Pegasus Dr. - Bakersfield, California - (661) 391-6000

Page last updated: 2006-01-13 16:01:37.993