Oil and Gas Resources

What it does

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA or Department) is finalizing revisions to its regulations governing Federal oil and gas resources within the National Forest System (NFS). The Department is making these revisions to update and modernize its existing regulations. In addition, conforming technical amendments to other parts of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) affected by this rule are also being updated. The regulations revise the process for analyzing whether the USDA, Forest Service will consent to making certain lands available for oil and gas leasing by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The regulations also clarify requirements for conducting lease operations and revise procedures concerning monitoring operator compliance with all applicable terms and conditions of leasing. The revised regulations will apply to operations on both existing and future leases.

The Forest Service's summary, as published in the Federal Register.

What changed in the regulation

3 parts of Title 36 of the Code of Federal Regulations:

36 CFR 214, 36 CFR 228, 36 CFR 261

Wording on eCFR: the day before it took effect and from the day it took effect (first part listed).

Compared with

The Forest Service has published 7 final rules in 2026 so far, compared with 4 in all of 2025.

Counted by the Tribune from Federal Register records since Jan. 1, 2025.

Before this

No earlier Federal Register document under regulation identifier 0596-AD33 since Jan. 1, 2025.

What happens next and when

This rule is effective February 27, 2026.

The agency's dates, word for word.

Check it yourself

• The document in the Federal Register
• Docket FS-2020-0007 on Regulations.gov
• Title 36 on eCFR

The record as published

Source: the Federal Register (public domain). The document in the Federal Register