The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced the launch of a statewide scientific assessment of oil and gas development in California, including an in-depth environmental study of fracking and other oil and gas projects.

The BLM says the outcome of its assessment could establish additional environmental protections on those parcels.

This announcement followed a federal court decision holding that the BLM violated environmental law by auctioning off the rights to extract oil on 2,500 acres of public lands in Monterey County.

A likely outcome of this process is an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for regions in California with existing leases and where companies have expressed interest in leases.

BLM California State Director Jim Kenna stated, “The planning process, coupled with the findings of the science assessment, will improve our resource management plans. This approach goes a long way toward bringing the most current scientific information on industry practices to planning and public dialogue about oil and gas leasing and development.”