Comment on FR Doc # 2026-12734

Thank you for providing the opportunity to submit comments during this scoping period regarding the proposed December 2026 oil and gas lease sale for parcels within the Bakersfield and Central Coast Field Offices. As a UC California Naturalist educator, I regularly spend time on public lands throughout California, including the Carrizo Plain National Monument. I also lead community science and research efforts that collect field data for both California and federally protected species, including the federally endangered Crotch's bumble bee, the western monarch butterfly, and the federally endangered California condor. These landscapes provide irreplaceable habitat for native wildlife, support biodiversity, and offer opportunities for education, scientific observation, and long-term ecological monitoring. They also serve as critical habitat and migration corridors for endangered, threatened, and other native species whose survival depends on connected, intact landscapes. These lands deserve careful stewardship that prioritizes long-term ecological resilience alongside any consideration of resource development. I am concerned that additional oil and gas leasing in this region would further fragment already vulnerable habitats, reduce landscape connectivity, and place additional pressure on species that have experienced decades of decline, including federally listed plants and animals. Increased industrial development also has broader implications for air quality, ecosystem health, and the integrity of California's remaining natural landscapes. I am particularly concerned about the following nine parcels. The first five are located adjacent to or very near the Carrizo Plain National Monument, where development would diminish the ecological integrity and wilderness character of one of California's most significant protected landscapes. The remaining four parcels are located within the Lokern-Buena Vista Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC), an area specifically designated to conserve sensitive habitats and the species that depend upon them. Leasing these parcels would be inconsistent with the conservation purpose for which the ACEC was established. I respectfully urge the Bureau of Land Management to remove the following parcels from consideration for the December 2026 lease sale: CA-2099-01-0100 – located 1.5 miles from Carrizo Plain National Monument CA-2099-01-0187 – located 1 mile from Carrizo Plain National Monument CA-2099-01-0179 – located adjacent to Carrizo Plain National Monument CA-2099-01-0185 – located adjacent to Carrizo Plain National Monument CA-2099-01-0152 – located adjacent to Carrizo Plain National Monument CA-2099-01-0081 – located within the Lokern-Buena Vista ACEC CA-2099-01-0098 – located within the Lokern-Buena Vista ACEC CA-2099-01-0102 – located within the Lokern-Buena Vista ACEC CA-2099-01-0103 – partially located within the Lokern-Buena Vista ACEC Thank you for considering my comments and for protecting California's public lands, wildlife, and the ecological resources they sustain for future generations.