SALT LAKE CITY – The Bureau of Land Management today opened a 30-day public scoping period to receive public input on 44 oil and gas parcels, totaling 74,664 acres that may be included in a December 2026 lease sale in Utah. The scoping period ends July 16, 2026. Leasing is the first step in the process to develop federal oil and gas resources. Before development operations can begin, an operator must submit an application for permit to drill det…