Reported by Staff

DENVER­ — The Bureau of Land Management Colorado State Office posted its list of parcels for the quarterly competitive oil and gas lease sale scheduled for Feb. 11, and the noteworthy news is that, for the first time in state history, the sale will  include geothermal leasing.

One parcel of 799 acres with subsurface Federal mineral rights will be offered for geothermal development in Chaffee County, near the Mt. Princeton Hot Springs Resort west of Buena Vista.

This single parcel was deferred from the November 2009 sale to allow time for the Colorado Department of Natural Resources to confer with BLM Colorado on topics relating to geothermal development.

The lease sale takes place at 9 a.m. on February 11th, at the State Office. The 11 oil and gas parcels in the sale include 3,511 total acres and are located within BLM Colorado’s Royal Gorge (Cañon City) Field Office.

Protests of parcels being offered for lease must be in writing and delivered by 4 p.m., Wednesday, Jan.27, 2009, by hand, postal delivery, or fax, (303) 239-3799, to the BLM Colorado State Office, 2850 Youngfield St., Lakewood, Colo. 80215.

Lease sale information can be obtained online HERE, or at each of the Bureau’s field offices, and the BLM Colorado State Office Public Room, 2850 Youngfield St., Lakewood.