Mayne is challenging drilling rights beneath the mountain where he lives and has brought other landowners into the dispute. (Photo: The Slope)
Colorado had 155,000 acres sold in June and another 124,766 acres scheduled for a December sale, according to the report. The Center for Western Priorities said the administration had offered 287,765 acres in Colorado so far, with 215,128 acres already sold.
During President Donald Trump’s second term, executive orders including “Unleashing American Energy” and the declaration of a National Energy Emergency provided the backdrop for increased energy development on federal land. The increase in leasing activity follows changes in federal energy policy. The result has been a sharp increase in the amount of federal land being offered. The planned auctions cover areas with different landscapes and communities. local residents such as Mayne are challenging individual leasing decisions While the federal government is looking at the acreage as potential land for energy development.
From the December 2025 auction, which included the Baker’s Peak leases, through planned sales in December 2026, the agency is expected to offer more than 400,000 acres for drilling across six auctions.
The BLM is preparing a major expansion of federal oil and gas lease sales across the state, according to The Colorado Sun.