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Opportunity To Increase Oil and Gas Exploration and Lease Rental Income

RCED-83-77 Published: Apr 28, 1983. Publicly Released: Apr 28, 1983.
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Highlights

GAO reviewed the Department of the Interior's onshore oil and gas leasing system to determine whether Federal lands adjacent to wilderness or potential wilderness lands administrated by the Forest Service could be leased when such lands are included in noncompetitive, over-the-counter oil and gas lease applications.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Agriculture The Secretary of the Interior should require the Director, BLM, to initiate and oversee actions to implement joint regulations or procedures with the Forest Service that would segregate the nonwilderness portions of over-the-counter lease applications and lease them to willing applicants where practicable. The Secretary of Agriculture should require the Chief of the Forest Service to work closely with the Director of BLM to implement these procedures.
Closed – Implemented
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Interior The Secretary of the Interior should require the Director, BLM, to initiate and oversee actions to implement joint regulations or procedures with the Forest Service that would segregate the nonwilderness portions of over-the-counter lease applications and lease them to willing applicants where practicable. The Secretary of Agriculture should require the Chief of the Forest Service to work closely with the Director of BLM to implement these procedures.
Closed – Implemented
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Full Report

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Topics

Energy suppliesGas leasesLand leasesLand managementMineral bearing landsOil leasesPetroleum explorationPublic landsWilderness areasExploration