BLM hosting open house meetings about oil, gas resources

The Bureau of Land Management is conducting meetings as part of a scoping process in examining use of oil and gas resources on federal land, and whether to involve areas beyond the Hollister Field Office, according to an announcement from the agency.
One of those open house meetings is set for Jan. 29 at San Juan Oaks Golf Club just outside of Hollister at 3285 Union Road.
The following is the full statement:
The Bureau of Land Management is conducting a scoping process to solicit public comments on how oil and gas resources on federal mineral estate should be managed in the BLM’s Hollister Field Office and whether the BLM should include areas of California beyond the Hollister Field Office in this process.
The public scoping process is the first step in preparing an Environmental Impact Statement.
Public open houses will be:
Jan. 29: San Juan Oaks Golf Course, 3285 Union Road, Hollister.
Feb. 4: Doubletree Hotel, 2001 Point W Way, Sacramento.
Feb. 11: Cesar Chavez Library, 615 Williams Road, Salinas.
Feb. 12: Harris Ranch Inn and Restaurant, 24505 W. Dorris Ave, Coalinga.
The purpose of this planning process is to analyze the effects of alternative oil and gas management approaches on lands with federal mineral estate within the BLM’s Hollister Field Office. The need for the plan amendment is to incorporate new information about well stimulation technologies, natural resource conditions, and socioeconomic trends to update the reasonably foreseeable development scenario and the Hollister Field Office Resource Management Plan. The decision to be made is to establish additional lease stipulations, conditions of approval, or best management practices to guide safe and responsible oil and gas development.
Depending on the results of this scoping process, the BLM may also use this process to consider amending RMPs for other field offices in California with oil and gas leasing and development (Bakersfield, Palm Springs-South Coast, Mother Lode, and Ukiah Field Offices).
Early public involvement is crucial to identify various issues that should be addressed in the EIS. The scoping period provides the public with an opportunity to learn about the EIS, to help identify issues and concerns to be addressed in the EIS, and to provide input used in developing alternatives to be analyzed in the EIS.
Submit written comments to the Bureau of Land Management, California State Office, 2800 Cottage Way, Oil and Gas Leasing and Development Comments, Attn: Sara Acridge, Project Manager, Sacramento, CA 95825, or via email at BL**********@bl*.gov.  
For more information contact Sara Acridge at (916) 978-4557.  Information also is available on the BLM website at www.blm.gov/ca/eis-og.