The US Bureau of Land Management announced expanded best management practices (BMP) for oil and gas producers operating on onshore federal lands. The additional BMP aim to increase wildlife protection during exploration and production of onshore federal leases, the US Department of the Interior agency said late last month. The policies also cover geothermal resources, it added.
It said industry leaders and the agency have actively cooperated in recent years to significantly decrease the number of wildlife deaths associated with fluid mineral operations. The new BMP build on this cooperation by establishing a consistent policy approach and set of practices, BLM said.
The BMP focus on open pits and tanks containing freestanding liquid; chemical tank secondary containment; pit, tank, and trench entrapment hazards; open exhaust stacks; and wire exclosure fencing.