To the editor

To the Editor:

This is an example of an overreach by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).

We have leased our fee minerals to an oil company. The oil company has proposed a site to drill an oil well. The direction will be horizontal for two miles, all under privately owned surfaces. Out of the two miles, five-eighths are fee minerals, and three-eighths are federal minerals. Since some of the minerals are federal, BLM starts to have total control over the entire project.

Therefore, they have their archeologists out looking for everything and anything. They state they have found a “cairn” – also known as a pile of rocks – on a BLM 40-acre parcel, which is at least one mile away from the proposed site. They state a production pad cannot be within the view shed, or line of sight, of the cairn. There are already many production sights in view of the cairn, many on our neighbor’s land and two on our private surface.

Now, back to the so-called cairn. Our ranch has been a sheep ranch for well over 100 years. Just recently, we have gone to a cow/calf operation. There are at least three other sites that are sheepherder’s monuments. We claim this cairn is a sheepherder’s monument. Like all the other monuments, it is on the top of a hill with excellent view of the surrounding area. Like the cairn, all of the monuments have been tumbled by Mother Nature or by animals.

The cairn is in line of sight of a huge portion of our privately-owned minerals. Therefore, the BLM seems to think they can prevent any development of our minerals. We call this a taking of private property without due compensation. This is part of the Fifth Amendment.

We thought Roundup readers might like to know about this arbitrary and capricious ruling. It is not a law. We are currently in touch with our Senators, Congresswoman and state officials. Hopefully we can come to a mutual agreement.

Respectfully,

Warren and Judith Manning

Douglas