Federal government collects $10.8M in Wyoming lease sales

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) - The final federal quarterly oil and gas lease sale in Wyoming this year netted $10.8 million in bids, the federal Bureau of Land Management announced.

The BLM received bids on 123 parcels totaling about 123,000 acres around the state in Wednesday's sale.

Wyoming produces more energy on public land than almost any other state in the country.

The bureau released 160 of the 169 nominated public land and mineral parcels to energy companies for purchase. The withdrawn parcels conflicted with designated big game migration corridors and existing coal mining operations, the BLM concluded.

The state receives about half of the funds made through federal lease sales. Last year, the sales brought $117 million back into state coffers.

Statewide lease sales have attracted opposition from conservation groups and some landowners, who contend the Trump administration's energy dominance strategy has sparked a race to claim thousands of public acres in sensitive habitats, at the expense of the environment and the public, the Casper Star-Tribune reported.

Thirteen conservation groups filed six separate protests opposing much of this week's sale.