Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Greater Deadman Bench Region, Uintah County, UT, 7058-7059 [E6-1796]
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7058
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 28 / Friday, February 10, 2006 / Notices
February 27, 2006 at 6 p.m. at the Clay
County Public Library located at 211
Bridge Street, in Manchester, Kentucky.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Stuart Grange, Bureau of Land
Management, Jackson, Mississippi
39206, at (601) 977–5400.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On
December 3, 1998 Chas Coal LLC
submitted a lease by application
serialized as KYES–50213. The coal in
the LBA is to be developed by
conventional underground methods.
The tracts, designated 545b and 3094
Parcel 1 and Parcel 2 in the National
Forest System, are located on the upper
end of the Left Fork of Blue Hole Creek
in southern Clay County on the DBNF
and encompass 314.53 acres. Estimated
recoverable federal reserves of
bituminous coal from the Hazard No. 8
seam are 792,335 tons. The proximate
analysis of the coal is as follows: 14,033
BTU/lb. with 2.12% moisture, 0.87
sulfur, 5.03 ash, 54.26 fixed carbon, and
38.58 volatile matter.
The EA consists of an analyst of
environmental impacts that could result
from leasing Federal coal and the
alternatives. In accordance with the
Federal coal management regulations 43
CFR 3422 and 3425, not less than 30
days prior to the publication of a notice
of sale, the Secretary shall solicit public
comments on the EA, FMV and MER of
the tracts proposed to be offered for
lease and on factors that may affect FMV
and MER. In addition, notice is also
given that a public hearing will be held
on (insert hearing date) requesting
comments on the EA, FMV, and MER.
Procedures for leasing Federal coal
are provided by 43 CFR 3400. The
United States Department of Agriculture
Forest Service (lead agency) the Bureau
of Land Management-Eastern States’
Jackson Field Office, the U.S.
Department of the Interior Office of
Surface Mining, and the Kentucky
Department of Surface Mining
Reclamation and Enforcement,
cooperative agencies, prepared a Land
Use Analysis and Environmental
Assessment (LUA/EA) to address coal
lease application KYES–50213. The
DBNF, Redbird Ranger District mailed
scoping letters to all individuals on the
district mailing list requesting public
input on the LUA/EA in 1999, and again
on May 28, 2004. Public Notices
requesting input concerning this tract
was published in the Manchester
Enterprise, Manchester, Kentucky, on
June 3, 2004, and June 10, 2004, and on
the DBNF web site. The DBNF signed a
Decision Record consenting to allow
leasing and signed a Finding of No
Significant Impact.
VerDate Aug<31>2005
15:10 Feb 09, 2006
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Comments on the EA, FMV, and MER
should address, but are not limited to
the following factors:
1. The method of mining to be
employed in order to obtain MER;
2. The method of determining FMV
for the coal to be offered;
3. The quality and quantity of the coal
resource;
4. If this resource is likely to be mined
as part of an existing mine;
5. The price that the mined coal
would bring when sold;
6. Costs, including mining and
reclamation, of producing the coal and
the times of production and impacts the
leasehold may have on the area;
7. Depreciation and other tax
accounting factors;
8. The percentage rate at which
anticipated income streams should be
discounted, either in the absence of
inflation or with inflation, in which case
the anticipated rate of inflation should
be given;
9. Any comparable sales data of
similar coal lands; and
10. Restrictions to mining which may
affect coal recovery.
The values given above may or may
not change as a result of comments
received from the public and changes in
market conditions between now and
when final economic evaluations are
completed.
As provided by 43 CFR 3422.1(a),
proprietary data marked as confidential
may be provided in response to this
solicitation of public comments. Data so
marked shall be treated in accordance
with the laws and regulations governing
the confidentiality of such information.
A copy of the comments submitted by
the public on FMV and MER, except
those portions identified as proprietary
and meeting exemptions stated in the
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), will
be available for public inspection at the
Bureau of Land Management office
noted above.
If you wish to withhold your name or
address from public review or from
disclosure under the FOIA, you must
state this prominently at the beginning
of your written comments. Such
requests will be honored to the extent
allowed by the FOIA. All submissions
from organizations, businesses and
individuals identifying themselves as
representatives or officials of
organizations or businesses will be
available for public inspection in its
entirety.
David Stout,
Acting Associate State Director, Eastern
States.
[FR Doc. E6–1870 Filed 2–9–06; 8:45 am]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[UT–080–05–1310–DB]
Notice of Availability of a Draft
Environmental Impact Statement for
the Greater Deadman Bench Region,
Uintah County, UT
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: Under the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the
Federal Land Policy and Management
Act of 1976 (FLPMA) and associated
regulations, the Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) announces the
availability of a Draft Environmental
Impact Statement (DEIS) that evaluates,
analyzes, and discloses to the public
direct, indirect, and cumulative
environmental impacts of a proposal to
extract and transport natural gas and oil
in Uintah County, Utah.
DATES: The DEIS will be available for
review for 45 calendar days following
the date that the Environmental
Protection Agency publishes its NOA in
the Federal Register. The BLM can best
use comments and resource information
submitted within this 45-day review
period.
Written comments on the
DEIS may be mailed directly or
delivered to the BLM at: GDBR DEIS,
Bureau of Land Management, Vernal
Field Office, 170 South 500 East, Vernal,
UT 84078. Comments may be submitted
by facsimile to the Vernal Field Office
at 435–781–4410. At this time BLM is
unable to accept electronic comments. A
copy of the DEIS has been sent to the
affected Federal, State, and local
government agencies, Indian Tribes and
to interested parties. Copies of the DEIS
are available for public inspection at the
address above and the Bureau of Land
Management Utah State Office, 440
West 200 South, Suite 500, Salt Lake
City, UT 84101 and the Bureau of Land
Management, Vernal Field Office, 150
South 500 East, Vernal, UT 84078.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Stephanie Howard, Project Manager,
BLM Vernal Field Office 170 South 500
East, Vernal, UT 84078. Ms. Howard
may also be reached at 435–781–4400.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In
response to a proposal submitted by
Questar E&P (QEP), the BLM published
in the December 19, 2003, Federal
Register a Notice of Intent (NOI) to
prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS).
ADDRESSES:
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rmajette on PROD1PC67 with NOTICES1
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 28 / Friday, February 10, 2006 / Notices
The Greater Deadman Bench Region
(GDBR) involves approximately 98,785
acres located in Townships 6 to 8 South,
Ranges 21 and 25 East, Salt Lake Base
Meridian, about 20 miles south of
Vernal, Uintah County, Utah. The DEIS
analyzes the effects of a maximum
natural gas and oil development
scenario within the GDBR that is
conceptual in nature. The final location
of well pads, roads, and pipelines
would be determined through future
site-specific assessments required for
each facility. QEP’s proposal includes
drilling an additional 1,020 natural gas
and 219 oil wells and constructing
associated ancillary transportation and
transmission facilities within the project
area. BLM-administered lands account
for about 85% (83,860 acres) of surface
and mineral estate lands within the
BDGR. The State of Utah’s Utah State
School and Institutional Trust Lands
Administration accounts for about 12%
(1,440 acres) of surface and mineral
estate lands; and the remaining 4%
(3,470 acres) consists of various
privately owned surface and mineral
estate lands within the project area. QEP
proposes to drill 1,239 wells at the rate
of 100–120 wells per year over a period
of 10 years, or until the resource base is
fully developed. Of this total number,
891 wells would be drilled at new
locations and 348 wells would be
drilled from existing well pads.
As set out in the NOI, as of March
2003, the GDBR includes about 278
existing oil and water-injection wells
producing from or injecting water into
the Green River formation and 300 gas
wells producing from the Wasatch
formation. About 57 miles of primary
roads and 314 miles of secondary roads
have been constructed within the
region. The new gas wells would be
drilled to the Uinta, Green River,
Wasatch, Mesaverde, Blackhawk/
Mancos, and the Frontier/Dakota
formations. The new oil wells would be
drilled to the Green River formation.
The DEIS describes in detail and
analyzes the impacts of QEP’s Proposed
Action and the No Action Alternative.
The Proposed Action incorporates
standard operating procedures and
applicant-committed best management
practices currently employed on BLMadministered public lands in the Uintah
Basin that mitigate impacts to the
environment. Six additional alternatives
were considered but eliminated from
detailed analysis. The following is a
summary of the alternatives:
1. Proposed Action—Up to 1,020
natural gas and 219 oil wells would be
drilled to the Uinta, Green River,
Wasatch, Mesaverde Group, Blackhawk/
Mancos and the Frontier/Dakota
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formations. About 170 miles of new
roads and 235 miles of pipelines, 22
new central tank facilities and 15 new
gas compressor stations would be
constructed to support this proposed
development. At this time the Proposed
Action is the BLM’s preferred
alternative.
2. No Action Alternative—Oil and gas
development on Federal lands under the
Proposed action would not be
implemented. However some level of
development would continue to occur
under APDs previously approved by the
authority of the 1985 Book Cliffs RMP.
An additional 130 wells would be
located on State of Utah and private
leases.
3. Alternatives Considered, But
Eliminated From Further Analysis—
a. No new development on Federal
lands.
b. Suspension of operations for an
extended period of time.
c. Exchange of leases.
d. Full-field directional Drilling.
e. Conventional oil and gas
development.
f. Best Management Practices (BMP).
The public is encouraged to comment
on any of these alternatives.
The BLM welcomes your comments
on the Greater Deadman Bench Region
DEIS. The BLM asks that those
submitting comments make them as
specific as possible with reference to
chapters, page numbers, and paragraphs
in the DEIS document. Comments that
contain only opinions or preferences
will not receive a formal response;
however, they will be considered as part
of the BLM decision-making process.
The most useful comments will contain
new technical or scientific information,
identify data gaps in the impact
analysis, or will provide technical or
scientific rationale for opinions or
preferences. It is BLM’s practice to make
comments, including the names and
street addresses of each respondent,
available for public review at the BLM
office listed above during business
hours (7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m), Monday
through Friday, except for Federal
holidays. Your comments may be
published as part of the EIS process.
Individual respondents may request
confidentiality.
If you wish to withhold your name or
street address, or both, from public
review, or from disclosure under the
Freedom of Information Act, you must
state this prominently at the beginning
of your written comments. Such
requests will be honored to the extent
allowed by law. BLM will not consider
anonymous comments. All submissions
from organizations or businesses will be
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7059
made available for public inspection in
their entirety.
William Stringer,
Vernal Field Manager.
[FR Doc. E6–1796 Filed 2–9–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[UT–080–05–1310–EJ]
Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement for
the Gasco Production Company
Natural Gas Field Development,
Duchesne and Uintah Counties, UT
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Intent to conduct
public scoping and to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
for the Gasco Natural Gas Field
Development, Duchesne and Uintah
Counties, Utah.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(C)
of the National Environmental Policy
Act of 1969, the Bureau of Land
Management (BLM), Vernal Field Office,
Vernal, Utah, will prepare an EIS on the
proposed expansion of existing natural
gas field development operations. The
EIS area encompasses approximately
236,165 acres predominately in the
West Tavaputs Exploration and
Development Area with some overlap
into the Monument Butte-Red Wash,
and East Tavaputs Exploration and
Development Areas. The project is
located primarily on BLM administered
lands (203,357 acres). The project area
also includes lands administered by the
State of Utah (27,765 acres), and several
private landowners (5,043 acres). Gasco
has mineral lease rights underlying both
the public and private lands. The Vernal
Field Office Manager will be the
authorized officer for this project.
DATES: This notice announces the public
scoping process. A public scoping
period of at least 30 days will
commence on the date this notice is
published in the Federal Register.
Comments on issues, potential impacts,
or suggestions for additional alternatives
can be submitted in writing to the
address listed below within 30 days of
the date this Notice is published, or
within 15 days after the last public
meeting is held. Public open meetings
will be conducted during the scoping
period in Vernal, Duchesne, and Price,
Utah. All public meetings will be
announced through the local news
media at least 15 days prior to the event.
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 28 (Friday, February 10, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7058-7059]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-1796]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[UT-080-05-1310-DB]
Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement
for the Greater Deadman Bench Region, Uintah County, UT
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the
Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA) and associated
regulations, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces the
availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) that
evaluates, analyzes, and discloses to the public direct, indirect, and
cumulative environmental impacts of a proposal to extract and transport
natural gas and oil in Uintah County, Utah.
DATES: The DEIS will be available for review for 45 calendar days
following the date that the Environmental Protection Agency publishes
its NOA in the Federal Register. The BLM can best use comments and
resource information submitted within this 45-day review period.
ADDRESSES: Written comments on the DEIS may be mailed directly or
delivered to the BLM at: GDBR DEIS, Bureau of Land Management, Vernal
Field Office, 170 South 500 East, Vernal, UT 84078. Comments may be
submitted by facsimile to the Vernal Field Office at 435-781-4410. At
this time BLM is unable to accept electronic comments. A copy of the
DEIS has been sent to the affected Federal, State, and local government
agencies, Indian Tribes and to interested parties. Copies of the DEIS
are available for public inspection at the address above and the Bureau
of Land Management Utah State Office, 440 West 200 South, Suite 500,
Salt Lake City, UT 84101 and the Bureau of Land Management, Vernal
Field Office, 150 South 500 East, Vernal, UT 84078.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stephanie Howard, Project Manager, BLM
Vernal Field Office 170 South 500 East, Vernal, UT 84078. Ms. Howard
may also be reached at 435-781-4400.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In response to a proposal submitted by
Questar E&P (QEP), the BLM published in the December 19, 2003, Federal
Register a Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS).
[[Page 7059]]
The Greater Deadman Bench Region (GDBR) involves approximately
98,785 acres located in Townships 6 to 8 South, Ranges 21 and 25 East,
Salt Lake Base Meridian, about 20 miles south of Vernal, Uintah County,
Utah. The DEIS analyzes the effects of a maximum natural gas and oil
development scenario within the GDBR that is conceptual in nature. The
final location of well pads, roads, and pipelines would be determined
through future site-specific assessments required for each facility.
QEP's proposal includes drilling an additional 1,020 natural gas and
219 oil wells and constructing associated ancillary transportation and
transmission facilities within the project area. BLM-administered lands
account for about 85% (83,860 acres) of surface and mineral estate
lands within the BDGR. The State of Utah's Utah State School and
Institutional Trust Lands Administration accounts for about 12% (1,440
acres) of surface and mineral estate lands; and the remaining 4% (3,470
acres) consists of various privately owned surface and mineral estate
lands within the project area. QEP proposes to drill 1,239 wells at the
rate of 100-120 wells per year over a period of 10 years, or until the
resource base is fully developed. Of this total number, 891 wells would
be drilled at new locations and 348 wells would be drilled from
existing well pads.
As set out in the NOI, as of March 2003, the GDBR includes about
278 existing oil and water-injection wells producing from or injecting
water into the Green River formation and 300 gas wells producing from
the Wasatch formation. About 57 miles of primary roads and 314 miles of
secondary roads have been constructed within the region. The new gas
wells would be drilled to the Uinta, Green River, Wasatch, Mesaverde,
Blackhawk/Mancos, and the Frontier/Dakota formations. The new oil wells
would be drilled to the Green River formation.
The DEIS describes in detail and analyzes the impacts of QEP's
Proposed Action and the No Action Alternative. The Proposed Action
incorporates standard operating procedures and applicant-committed best
management practices currently employed on BLM-administered public
lands in the Uintah Basin that mitigate impacts to the environment. Six
additional alternatives were considered but eliminated from detailed
analysis. The following is a summary of the alternatives:
1. Proposed Action--Up to 1,020 natural gas and 219 oil wells would
be drilled to the Uinta, Green River, Wasatch, Mesaverde Group,
Blackhawk/Mancos and the Frontier/Dakota formations. About 170 miles of
new roads and 235 miles of pipelines, 22 new central tank facilities
and 15 new gas compressor stations would be constructed to support this
proposed development. At this time the Proposed Action is the BLM's
preferred alternative.
2. No Action Alternative--Oil and gas development on Federal lands
under the Proposed action would not be implemented. However some level
of development would continue to occur under APDs previously approved
by the authority of the 1985 Book Cliffs RMP. An additional 130 wells
would be located on State of Utah and private leases.
3. Alternatives Considered, But Eliminated From Further Analysis--
a. No new development on Federal lands.
b. Suspension of operations for an extended period of time.
c. Exchange of leases.
d. Full-field directional Drilling.
e. Conventional oil and gas development.
f. Best Management Practices (BMP).
The public is encouraged to comment on any of these alternatives.
The BLM welcomes your comments on the Greater Deadman Bench Region
DEIS. The BLM asks that those submitting comments make them as specific
as possible with reference to chapters, page numbers, and paragraphs in
the DEIS document. Comments that contain only opinions or preferences
will not receive a formal response; however, they will be considered as
part of the BLM decision-making process. The most useful comments will
contain new technical or scientific information, identify data gaps in
the impact analysis, or will provide technical or scientific rationale
for opinions or preferences. It is BLM's practice to make comments,
including the names and street addresses of each respondent, available
for public review at the BLM office listed above during business hours
(7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m), Monday through Friday, except for Federal
holidays. Your comments may be published as part of the EIS process.
Individual respondents may request confidentiality.
If you wish to withhold your name or street address, or both, from
public review, or from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act,
you must state this prominently at the beginning of your written
comments. Such requests will be honored to the extent allowed by law.
BLM will not consider anonymous comments. All submissions from
organizations or businesses will be made available for public
inspection in their entirety.
William Stringer,
Vernal Field Manager.
[FR Doc. E6-1796 Filed 2-9-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-22-P
