BLM Seeks Comment on 74 Oil and Gas Parcels in NM, Texas

A 30-day public comment period is open for 74 oil and gas parcels covering 33,530 acres in New Mexico and Texas, a move that could affect trails, wildlife habitat and water resources across the Four Corners region. The Bureau of Land Management opened the comment window on Jan. 21, 2026; it closes Feb. 20, 2026. The parcels may be offered in a May 2026 lease sale.

BLM completed scoping on the parcels in December 2025 and is now seeking public input to inform the environmental analysis that will guide next steps. Leasing is an initial bureaucratic step; operators still must file Applications for Permit to Drill (APDs) before any ground-disturbing development, and those APDs will undergo separate environmental review and public posting. Lease stipulations designed to protect natural resources are included in the proposal, BLM notes.

Maps and parcel information are available on the BLM ePlanning pages for the Pecos Field Office, Farmington Field Office and Oklahoma Field Office. Lease sales are conducted via EnergyNet, and parcels accepted in the May sale would follow EnergyNet’s procedures. Review map boundaries carefully: parcel placement matters for access points, trailheads, riparian corridors and areas of cultural significance. Roads and proposed well pad locations shown in the lease parcels could create new cross-country vehicle pressure or change backcountry access if development proceeds.

For outdoor users, land managers and neighbors, the comment period is a practical moment to act. Review maps and parcel files on the BLM ePlanning pages for the Pecos, Farmington and Oklahoma field offices and submit comments by Feb. 20, 2026. Your input can shape the scope of the environmental analysis and request specific protections or stipulations for wildlife migration routes, riparian buffers, scenic vistas and cultural resources.

Expect multiple layers of review before rigs arrive. Even after leases are issued, operators must submit APDs that trigger further environmental review and public notice. Follow APD postings to track potential development near recreation areas, grazing allotments and municipal watersheds. Watch EnergyNet listings for the May 2026 sale to see which parcels actually go to lease and which are withdrawn or modified.

This is a key window for community members to influence outcomes that affect the outdoors you use. Submit clear, site-specific comments by Feb. 20, 2026, monitor ePlanning and EnergyNet postings, and keep an eye on APD notices as the process moves from leasing toward any potential development.