DOUGLAS (WNE) — After six years of sometimes controversial debating, studying and protracted periods of waiting, the Bureau of Land Management released its highly anticipated decision regarding the Converse County Oil & Gas Project with a resounding yes. BLM’s signed and official Record of Decision on Dec. 23 allows the development of up to 500 new oil and natural gas wells per year within a 1.5 million-acre area in Converse County during the 10-year life of the project. The proposed multi-company project’s initial letter of intent was filed in May 2014 by Occidental Petrol Corporation, Chesapeake Energy Corporation, Devon Energy, EOG Resources and Northwoods Energy.