Getting Involved: Current Public Involvement Opportunities
From: BLM
The scoping period for the Programmatic EIS ended on May 16, 2011. The Draft Programmatic EIS is currently available for public comment. The public comment period closes May 4, 2012.
Public involvement is a key component of the PEIS process. The BLM encourage all interested parties to continue to participate in the OSTS PEIS by submitting their comments and questions concerning the Draft Oil Shale and Tar Sands PEIS, attending public meetings, and reading PEIS publications and related materials.
The public now has the opportunity to review the Draft PEIS, which was published on February 3, 2012. The public comment period for the Draft OSTS PEIS began on February 3, 2012 and will close on May 4, 2012. Responses to comments received on the Draft OSTS PEIS will be included in the Final PEIS.
Written comments on the Draft OSTS PEIS can be submitted through the Public Comment Form. Submitting comments through the Public Comment Form is the preferred method for purposes of tracking and providing confirmation of receipt. However, comments can also be mailed to:
Draft OSTS PEIS
Argonne National Laboratory
9700 S. Cass Ave.
EVS/240
Argonne, IL 60439
The Draft PEIS and comment form are available through this Web site. See the Public Meetings page for a listing of meeting locations, dates, and times.
Comment Period Schedule
The BLM will consider all comments on the Draft PEIS that are received or postmarked by May 4, 2012. Comments received or postmarked after that date will be considered to the extent practicable; however, there is no guarantee that such comments will be considered in preparation of the Final PEIS.
Past Public Involvement Opportunities: Scoping
Public Scoping Process
The BLM invited interested parties to participate in the Oil Shale and Tar Sands PEIS scoping process in 2011. 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 May 16, 2011.
The BLM invited comments on potential resource issues that should be discussed in the NEPA analysis, including input on issues pertaining to historic and cultural resources within the areas proposed for land use plan amendment.
Comments on issues and planning criteria were accepted at public scoping meetings, by mail, e-mail, and through a Web-based comment form. Public scoping meetings were held during April and May 2011. More information is available under Public Meetings.
Scoping Summary Report
A report entitled Summary of Public Scoping Comments for the Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement and Possible Land Use Plan Amendments for Allocation of Oil Shale and Tar Sands Resources on Lands Administered by the Bureau of Land Management in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming 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 April and May of 2011. The presentation made by the BLM at the public scoping meetings can be viewed or downloaded by following the links below.
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
