BLM Permit Backlog: 525 Permit Applications, The Backlog Continues To Grow

I don't think The Dickinson Press noted that it takes the BLM about 300 days to issue a permit; the NDIC processes applications in about 60 days.  It's like watching sausage being made, I suppose, but I would be hard pressed to tell the difference between a permit that took 300 days to process and a permit that took 60 days to process. I'm not talking about the shortage of staff; I'm talking about all the extra sets of eyes that the BLM requires for each application.

Back in the "old" days, back in 2012, the BLM actually saw an urgency, establishing "strike teams" that on one occasion processed 300 permits in one month. The Dickinson office processes about 40 applications/month now.

The NDIC averages about 50 applications / week based on my database.

The Dickinson Press story is linked here.

Imagine if the entire Bakken were under federal land. Actually, I doubt there would be any Bakken to imagine.  At least one can argue the BLM is not worried about the Red Queen.