BLM should be more clear with language

In July 2017, Interior Secretary Zinke signed Order 3354, directing the BLM to streamline their oil and gas leasing process. Five months later, the BLM Washington Office issued Instruction Memo 2018-34 in partial fulfillment of that order.

The BLM memo, among other things, instructs that “the BLM will not routinely defer leasing when waiting for an RMP amendment or revision to be signed.”

That phrase of the Instruction Memo opened the floodgates which had been holding back numerous parcels in the BLM Rock Springs Field Office (who is supposed to be finishing up a revised Resource Manage...