Utah Oil and Gas Lease Holders Appeal Interior Secretary's Reversal Decision
Bidders who were upset when Interior Secretary Ken Salazar reversed the decision to grant oil and gas leases near Utah's Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, are joining forces to appeal the decision.
After the Bush administration sold the leases in December, Salazar claimed the sells were rushed through. The leases are on properties near Utah's Nine Mile Canyon and two of its popular national parks; Salazar insisted that the Bureau of Land Management should not have sold the leases. 
The bidders, some of whom paid high prices for the valuable leases, were, predictably, not pleased when the 77 leases were revoked back in December. Now, they are taking concrete steps to get back their lease. At least a dozen of the bidders have filed appeals with the Interior Board of Land Appeals. The Interior Secretary's office is not making the process easy for the bidders, however. Salazar's decision cannot be appealed to the board, it appears, and the Interior Secretary's office has asked the bidders to take their cases to a federal court.
The Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, which opposed the grant of the lease and welcomed Salazar's decision, insists that the Bush administration rushed through to grant the leases before their time in office was up. Environmentalists hailed the decision to reverse the leases, which they claim have the potential to destroy pristine land, but the bidders are not willing to part with their leases without a fight.
Oil and Gas Royalties Disputes
Oil and gas leases are not ordinary business contracts. They differ greatly from regular business documentation and are drafted by special lawyers called oil and gas lease attorneys. These contracts include inclusion of specifics like royalty rates and water rights. Also, these contracts cover environmental issues including clean up responsibilities and removal of drilling equipment after production.
If you are involved in a dispute over oil and gas royalties and have questions about your rights, an oil and gas lease attorney can help answer your questions. Contact an oil and gas lease attorney at Arnold & Itkin LLP for a free evaluation of your dispute.
