"CHEYENNE, Wyo. — A disputed federal oil and gas lease sale in Wyoming that ended Friday was among the biggest recently in the state, bringing in almost $88 million amid environmental groups’ concern that drilling the public land could imperil migrating wildlife and a ground-dwelling bird.

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management originally planned to offer the parcels in December but postponed their sale after a federal judge in Idaho ordered the agency to allow more time for public comment before lease sales.

Preliminary results show the five-day online sale ending Friday was the biggest dollar-wise in Wyoming since a $129 million sale in February 2017. About three-quarters of the 565 parcels, which combined covered an area almost as big as Rhode Island, sold this week."

Mead Gruver reports for the Associated Press March 1, 2019. [2]

SEE ALSO:

"The Greater Sage-Grouse’s Most Important Habitat Is on the Auction Block" (Audubon) [3]