New federal estimates could open more of southwest Wyoming to oil and gas
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management’s effort to remove barriers to energy development within the 3.6 million-acre Rock Springs Resource Management Plan area (which replaced Green River RMP in 2024) will include revised estimates of oil and natural gas reserves, according to the agency. … Initial “low” estimates, which may change dramatically based on new calculations, will potentially be used to reduce restrictions on oil and natural gas development imposed under “area of critical environmental concern” designations in the Rock Springs RMP updated in December. That plan will likely change after a review spurred by President Donald Trump’s Unleashing American Energy executive order, and Interior orders under his administration. The U.S. Geological Survey — the BLM’s sister agency under the Interior Department — released a report Wednesday revising estimates of “undiscovered, technically recoverable” oil and natural gas reserves underlying onshore federal lands, boasting “significant increases.”
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