FALLS CHURCH, Virginia — The Eastern States State Office Bureau of Land Management today opened a 30-day public comment period to receive public input on plans to include 41 oil and gas parcels, totaling 2,794 acres, in the Wayne National Forest in a September 2026 lease sale. This is the first lease sale held in Wayne National Forest since March 2017. The comment period ends June 17, 2026.
The BLM completed scoping on these parcels in January 2026 and is now seeking public comment on the parcels and related environmental analysis. The BLM will use input from the public to help complete its review of each parcel.
Leasing is the first step in the process to develop federal oil and gas resources. Before development operations can begin, an operator must submit an application for permit to drill detailing development plans. The BLM reviews applications for permits to drill, posts them for public review, conducts an environmental analysis and coordinates with state partners and stakeholders.
All parcels that are included in a federal oil and gas lease sale include appropriate stipulations to protect important natural resources. Information on current and upcoming BLM leases is available through the National Fluid Lease Sale System. BLM lease sales are held online through Efficient Markets.
The parcels BLM is analyzing, as well as maps and instructions on how to comment, are available here.
