Getting Involved

There are several ways to participate in the PEIS process. You can comment on the Draft Programmatic EIS, attend public meetings, read the PEIS and related documents in public reading rooms, and you can learn about the PEIS on this Web site.

Draft PEIS Public Comments Available

Public comments on the Oil Shale and Tar Sands Draft Programmatic EIS are now available for downloading or browsing online.

Draft PEIS Public Comment Period Closed

The public comment period for the Oil Shale-Tar Sands Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) closed Monday, April 21, 2008.

Resource Management Plan Amendement Protests

In accordance with Title 43, Part 1610.5-2 of the Code of Federal Regulations, any person who participates in the planning process and has an interest that is or may be adversely affected by the amendment of a Resource Management Plan may protest such amendment. A protest may raise only those issues that were submitted for the record during the planning process.

Public Meetings

Informal open house style public meetings on the Draft PEIS were held during February 2008. More information is available under Public Meetings.

Future Public Involvement Opportunities

The public will have the opportunity to review the Final PEIS and Record of Decision when they are published. These documents will be available through this Web site.

Past Public Involvement Opportunities: Public Scoping Process

The BLM invited interested parties to participate in the Oil Shale and Tar Sands PEIS scoping process in 2005-2006. 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 January 31, 2006.

The purpose of the public scoping process was to determine relevant issues that will influence the scope of the environmental analysis and the alternatives. These issues also guide the planning process. Comments on issues and planning criteria were accepted at public scoping meetings, by mail, and electronically through a public comment form on this Web site.

Scoping Comments and Scoping Summary Report

Written public comments received during the scoping phase, including individual letters and comments received electronically, can be viewed on this Web site under Search Scoping Comments.

A report entitled Summary of Public Scoping Comments for the Oil Shale and Tar Sands Resources Leasing Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement 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 January 2006. Presentations made by the BLM at the public scoping meetings can be viewed or downloaded by following the links below.

Public Scoping Meeting Presentation for Oil Shale and Tar Sands Programmatic EIS (3.9 MB)

Oil Shale and Tar Sand Resources Slide Presentation (452 KB)

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