Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Continental Divide-Creston Natural Gas Project, Carbon and Sweetwater Counties, WY, 10989-10990 [E6-3043]
Download as PDF
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 42 / Friday, March 3, 2006 / Notices
published four times in the Tundra
Drums.
The time limits for filing an
appeal are:
1. Any party claiming a property
interest which is adversely affected by
the decision shall have until April 3,
2006 to file an appeal.
2. Parties receiving service of the
decision by certified mail shall have 30
days from the date of receipt to file an
appeal.
Parties who do not file an appeal in
accordance with the requirements of 43
CFR part 4, Subpart E, shall be deemed
to have waived their rights.
ADDRESSES: A copy of the decision may
be obtained from: Bureau of Land
Management, Alaska State Office, 222
West Seventh Avenue, #13, Anchorage,
Alaska 99513–7599.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: D.
Kay Erben, by phone at (907) 271–4515,
or by e-mail at kay_erben@ak.blm.gov.
Persons who use a telecommunication
device (TTD) may call the Federal
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–
800–877–8330, 24 hours a day, seven
days a week, to contact Mrs. Erben.
DATES:
D. Kay Erben,
Land Law Examiner, Branch of Adjudication
II.
[FR Doc. E6–3044 Filed 3–2–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–$$–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[WY–030–1310–DB]
Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement for
the Continental Divide—Creston
Natural Gas Project, Carbon and
Sweetwater Counties, WY
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare
an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) and to conduct public scoping for
the Continental Divide—Creston Natural
Gas Project, Carbon and Sweetwater
Counties, Wyoming.
wwhite on PROD1PC61 with NOTICES
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: Under section 102(2)(C) of the
National Environmental Policy Act of
1969, as amended (NEPA), the Bureau of
Land Management (BLM), Rawlins Field
Office, announces its intent to prepare
an EIS on the potential impacts of a
proposed natural gas development
project consisting primarily of
conventional natural gas well
development with some coalbed natural
gas wells.
VerDate Aug<31>2005
16:43 Mar 02, 2006
Jkt 208001
In April 2005, Devon Energy
Corporation (Devon), representing itself
and other lease holders, submitted to
BLM a proposal to drill and develop up
to 1,250 wells from an estimated 1,000
well pads and associated facilities. The
Devon proposal was named ‘‘Creston/
Blue Gap II Natural Gas Project.’’ The
BLM published its NOI to prepare an
EIS for this project in the Federal
Register on September 8, 2005.
In November 2005, BP America
Production Company (BP), representing
itself and other lease holders, submitted
a proposal to drill and develop up to
7,700 wells and associated facilities
within a portion of the Continental
Divide/Wamsutter II (CD/W2) Natural
Gas Project area adjacent to the Creston/
Blue Gap II EIS (CBC2) project area.
Upon reviewing BP’s proposal the BLM
determined that the CD/W2 proposal
and the CBC2 proposal were similar
actions within the same geographic area,
with similar timing. Based on these
factors, the BLM has determined that
the best way to analyze these actions
and identify their cumulative impacts
adequately is to treat them in a single
impact statement. The combined
proposals, henceforth known as the
Continental Divide—Creston (CDC)
Natural Gas Project, will be considered
in one EIS.
DATES: This notice initiates the public
scoping process. The BLM can best use
public input if comments and resources
information are submitted within 60
days of the publication of this notice. To
provide the public with an opportunity
to review the proposal and project
information, the BLM will host a
scoping meeting in Rawlins, Wyoming.
The BLM will notify the public of the
meeting date, time, and location at least
15 days prior to the event.
Announcement will be made by news
release to the media, individual letter
mailings, and posting on the BLM Web
site listed below, if it is available.
ADDRESSES: Please send written
comments or resource information to
the Bureau of Land Management,
Rawlins Field Office, Eldon Allison,
Team Leader, 1300 North Third Street,
Rawlins, Wyoming 82301. Electronic
mail may be sent to:
rawlins_wymail@blm.gov. The scoping
notice will be posted on the Wyoming
BLM NEPA Web page at https://
www.wy.blm.gov/nepa/nepadocs.htm.
Prior comments submitted in
response to the September 8, 2005, NOI
for the CBG2 EIS will be considered
along with comments received from the
CDC EIS scoping. If you have submitted
comments in response to the CBG2 EIS
and would like to supplement them in
PO 00000
Frm 00040
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
10989
light of the combined proposals
announced here, the BLM will accept
supplemental comments during the
public scoping period for CDC Natural
Gas Development EIS. In your submittal
please note that you have provided
comments or resource information
during the initial scoping period for the
CBG2 EIS.
All responses will be considered in
the environmental analysis process. If
you do respond, we will keep you
informed of decisions resulting from
this analysis. Please note that public
comments and information submitted
regarding this project, including names
and email and street addresses of the
respondents, will be available for public
review and disclosure at the above
address during regular business hours
(7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) Monday through
Friday, except holidays. Individual
respondents may request
confidentiality. If you wish to withhold
your name, e-mail address, or street
address from public review or from
disclosure under the Freedom of
Information Act, you must state this
plainly at the beginning of your written
comment. Such requests will be
honored to the extent allowed by the
law. All submissions from organizations
or businesses, and from individuals
identifying themselves as
representatives or officials of
organizations or businesses, will be
made available for public inspection in
their entirety.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Bureau of Land Management, Eldon
Allison, Project Manager, 1300 North
Third Street, Rawlins, Wyoming 82301.
Mr. Allison may also be reached by
telephone at (307) 328–4291, or by email to: rawlins_wymail@blm.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
Continental Divide—Creston Natural
Gas Project is located in Townships 14,
15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, and 24
North, Ranges 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97
and 98 West, Sixth Principal Meridian,
Carbon and Sweetwater Counties,
Wyoming. The project area is about 25
air miles west of the city of Rawlins,
Wyoming and comprises 1.1 million
acres of mostly Federal (59 percent) and
private (39 percent) surface, with some
State land (2 percent). The BLM Rawlins
Field Office manages the Federal surface
lands and the Federal mineral estate.
The proposed project is further
development of natural gas fields
previously analyzed for field
development under the Continental
Divide/Wamsutter II Natural Gas Project
(CDW2) EIS and Record of Decision
(2000) and the Creston/Blue Gap (CBG)
EIS and Record of Decision (1994).
E:\FR\FM\03MRN1.SGM
03MRN1
wwhite on PROD1PC61 with NOTICES
10990
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 42 / Friday, March 3, 2006 / Notices
Development to date includes 1,805
active wells and 394 plugged and
reclaimed wells within the CDW2 area.
Currently within the CBG project area,
369 wells are active and 105 wells have
been plugged and reclaimed. Existing
infrastructure developed for CDW2 and
CBG projects approved under previous
environmental documents include:
Arterial, collector, and well pad roads;
compressor stations; connecting and
sales pipelines; water wells; and
powerlines.
BP America Production Company, the
lead applicant representing itself,
Devon, and other leaseholders, has
proposed drilling and developing about
8,950 natural gas wells, including 100 to
500 coalbed natural gas wells, within
the Continental Divide—Creston (CDC)
project area. Wells would use a
combination of vertical and directional
drilling techniques. The proposal calls
for a 15-year construction period with a
30 to 40 year life of project development
and operational period.
Associated project facilities would
include additional roads, gas and water
collection pipelines, compressor
stations, water disposal systems, and an
electrical distribution system. During
the preparation of the EIS, any interim
development on public lands within the
CDC project area will require a detailed
environmental review by the BLM.
The purpose of the development is to
extract and recover natural gas from the
Continental Divide—Creston area for
distribution to consumers. This project
would help meet the need, goals and
objectives of the President’s National
Energy Plan. Natural gas consumption
in the United States is expected to
increase by 25% over the next decade.
The EIS will analyze the
environmental consequences of
implementing the proposed action and
alternatives. Identified agency concerns
include, but are not limited to direct,
indirect and cumulative effects to:
Surface and ground water resources; air
quality; wildlife populations and their
habitats; cultural and paleontological
resources; threatened and endangered
wildlife and plant species; and local and
regional socioeconomics. Other issues of
concern include access to private and
public land; impacts of road
development and transportation to
noxious weed control and livestock
grazing operations; ability to
successfully reclaim disturbed areas.
In addition to the Proposed Action,
the EIS will analyze the effects of a No
Action alternative. Contents for
alternatives being considered include: A
range of drilling surface densities;
phased development; a range of
VerDate Aug<31>2005
16:43 Mar 02, 2006
Jkt 208001
mitigation measures; and best
management practices.
The proposed development is in
conformance with the 1990 Great Divide
Resource Management Plan (RMP). This
RMP is currently being revised under
the title Rawlins Resource Management
Plan. BLM released the Draft EIS for the
Rawlins RMP in December 2004.
Robert A. Bennett,
State Director.
[FR Doc. E6–3043 Filed 3–2–06; 8:45 am]
monitoring funding sources, and overall
adaptive management implementation
as it applies to the PAWG. At a
minimum, public comments will be
heard prior to lunch and adjournment of
the meeting.
Dated: February 24, 2006.
Kathy Gunderman,
Acting Field Office Manager.
[FR Doc. 06–2028 Filed 3–2–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–22–P
BILLING CODE 4310–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Minerals Management Service
Bureau of Land Management
Notice of Public Scoping Meetings on
the Draft Environmental Impact
Statement for the Proposed 5-Year
Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and
Gas Leasing Program for 2007–2012
[WY–100–05–1310–DB]
Notice of Meetings of the Pinedale
Anticline Working Group
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of public meetings.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: In accordance with the
Federal Land Policy and Management
Act (1976) and the Federal Advisory
Committee Act (1972), the U.S.
Department of the Interior, Bureau of
Land Management (BLM) Pinedale
Anticline Working Group (PAWG) will
meet in Pinedale, Wyoming, for a
business meeting. Group meetings are
open to the public.
DATES: The PAWG will meet March 21,
April 20, May 16, June 20, and August
1, 2006, from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.
ADDRESSES: The meeting of the PAWG
will be held in the Lovatt room of the
Pinedale Library, 155 S. Tyler Ave.,
Pinedale, WY. The June 20 meeting will
be a field trip.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matt
Anderson, BLM/PAWG Liaison, Bureau
of Land Management, Pinedale Field
Office, 432 E. Mills St., PO Box 738,
Pinedale, WY 82941; 307–367–5328.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
Pinedale Anticline Working Group
(PAWG) was authorized and established
with release of the Record of Decision
(ROD) for the Pinedale Anticline Oil
and Gas Exploration and Development
Project on July 27, 2000. The PAWG
advises the BLM on the development
and implementation of monitoring plans
and adaptive management decisions as
development of the Pinedale Anticline
Natural Gas Field proceeds for the life
of the field.
The agenda for these meetings will
include discussions concerning any
modifications task groups may wish to
make to their monitoring
recommendations, a discussion on
PO 00000
Frm 00041
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
SUMMARY: The Minerals Management
Service (MMS) will hold Public Scoping
Meetings on the Draft Environmental
Impact Statement (DEIS) for the
Proposed 5-Year OCS Oil and Gas
Leasing Program for 2007–2012.
Pursuant to the regulations
implementing the procedural provisions
of the National Environmental Policy
Act (42 U.S.C. 4321, et seq.), the MMS
will hold Public Scoping Meetings on
the Draft EIS for the 2007–2012 OCS Oil
and Gas 5-Year Leasing Program. The
MMS stated its intent to prepare an EIS
in the August 24, 2005, Federal Register
notice and Request for Information
(RFI). In the Draft Proposed Program
(DPP) and Federal Register notice and
RFI on February 9, 2006, the MMS again
solicited comments and provided
procedures for submitting them, and
again stated its intent to hold Public
Scoping Meetings. The following Public
Scoping Meetings are planned for the
DEIS development.
Dates and Locations for Public Scoping
Meetings
March 6, 2006—Inupiat Heritage Center,
Barrow, Alaska, 7 p.m. Contact: Mr.
Albert Barros, 907–334–5209.
March 7, 2006—Qargi Center, Kaktovik,
Alaska, 7 p.m. Contact: Mr. Albert
Barros, 907–334–5209.
March 8, 2006—Kisik Community
Center, Nuiqsut, Alaska, 6 p.m.
Contact: Mr. Albert Barros, 907–334–
5209.
March 9, 2006—Arctic Slope Native
Association Building, Wainwright,
Alaska, 3 p.m. Contact Mr. Albert
Barros, 907–334–5209.
March 13, 2006—City of Dillingham
Council Chambers, Dillingham,
Alaska, 7 p.m. Contact: Mr. Albert
Barros, 907–334–5209.
E:\FR\FM\03MRN1.SGM
03MRN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 42 (Friday, March 3, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10989-10990]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-3043]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[WY-030-1310-DB]
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
the Continental Divide--Creston Natural Gas Project, Carbon and
Sweetwater Counties, WY
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) and to conduct public scoping for the Continental
Divide--Creston Natural Gas Project, Carbon and Sweetwater Counties,
Wyoming.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Under section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy
Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM),
Rawlins Field Office, announces its intent to prepare an EIS on the
potential impacts of a proposed natural gas development project
consisting primarily of conventional natural gas well development with
some coalbed natural gas wells.
In April 2005, Devon Energy Corporation (Devon), representing
itself and other lease holders, submitted to BLM a proposal to drill
and develop up to 1,250 wells from an estimated 1,000 well pads and
associated facilities. The Devon proposal was named ``Creston/Blue Gap
II Natural Gas Project.'' The BLM published its NOI to prepare an EIS
for this project in the Federal Register on September 8, 2005.
In November 2005, BP America Production Company (BP), representing
itself and other lease holders, submitted a proposal to drill and
develop up to 7,700 wells and associated facilities within a portion of
the Continental Divide/Wamsutter II (CD/W2) Natural Gas Project area
adjacent to the Creston/Blue Gap II EIS (CBC2) project area. Upon
reviewing BP's proposal the BLM determined that the CD/W2 proposal and
the CBC2 proposal were similar actions within the same geographic area,
with similar timing. Based on these factors, the BLM has determined
that the best way to analyze these actions and identify their
cumulative impacts adequately is to treat them in a single impact
statement. The combined proposals, henceforth known as the Continental
Divide--Creston (CDC) Natural Gas Project, will be considered in one
EIS.
DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process. The BLM can
best use public input if comments and resources information are
submitted within 60 days of the publication of this notice. To provide
the public with an opportunity to review the proposal and project
information, the BLM will host a scoping meeting in Rawlins, Wyoming.
The BLM will notify the public of the meeting date, time, and location
at least 15 days prior to the event. Announcement will be made by news
release to the media, individual letter mailings, and posting on the
BLM Web site listed below, if it is available.
ADDRESSES: Please send written comments or resource information to the
Bureau of Land Management, Rawlins Field Office, Eldon Allison, Team
Leader, 1300 North Third Street, Rawlins, Wyoming 82301. Electronic
mail may be sent to: rawlins_wymail@blm.gov. The scoping notice will
be posted on the Wyoming BLM NEPA Web page at https://www.wy.blm.gov/
nepa/nepadocs.htm.
Prior comments submitted in response to the September 8, 2005, NOI
for the CBG2 EIS will be considered along with comments received from
the CDC EIS scoping. If you have submitted comments in response to the
CBG2 EIS and would like to supplement them in light of the combined
proposals announced here, the BLM will accept supplemental comments
during the public scoping period for CDC Natural Gas Development EIS.
In your submittal please note that you have provided comments or
resource information during the initial scoping period for the CBG2
EIS.
All responses will be considered in the environmental analysis
process. If you do respond, we will keep you informed of decisions
resulting from this analysis. Please note that public comments and
information submitted regarding this project, including names and email
and street addresses of the respondents, will be available for public
review and disclosure at the above address during regular business
hours (7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) Monday through Friday, except holidays.
Individual respondents may request confidentiality. If you wish to
withhold your name, e-mail address, or street address from public
review or from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, you
must state this plainly at the beginning of your written comment. Such
requests will be honored to the extent allowed by the law. All
submissions from organizations or businesses, and from individuals
identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations
or businesses, will be made available for public inspection in their
entirety.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bureau of Land Management, Eldon
Allison, Project Manager, 1300 North Third Street, Rawlins, Wyoming
82301. Mr. Allison may also be reached by telephone at (307) 328-4291,
or by e-mail to: rawlins_wymail@blm.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Continental Divide--Creston Natural Gas
Project is located in Townships 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23,
and 24 North, Ranges 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97 and 98 West, Sixth
Principal Meridian, Carbon and Sweetwater Counties, Wyoming. The
project area is about 25 air miles west of the city of Rawlins, Wyoming
and comprises 1.1 million acres of mostly Federal (59 percent) and
private (39 percent) surface, with some State land (2 percent). The BLM
Rawlins Field Office manages the Federal surface lands and the Federal
mineral estate.
The proposed project is further development of natural gas fields
previously analyzed for field development under the Continental Divide/
Wamsutter II Natural Gas Project (CDW2) EIS and Record of Decision
(2000) and the Creston/Blue Gap (CBG) EIS and Record of Decision
(1994).
[[Page 10990]]
Development to date includes 1,805 active wells and 394 plugged and
reclaimed wells within the CDW2 area. Currently within the CBG project
area, 369 wells are active and 105 wells have been plugged and
reclaimed. Existing infrastructure developed for CDW2 and CBG projects
approved under previous environmental documents include: Arterial,
collector, and well pad roads; compressor stations; connecting and
sales pipelines; water wells; and powerlines.
BP America Production Company, the lead applicant representing
itself, Devon, and other leaseholders, has proposed drilling and
developing about 8,950 natural gas wells, including 100 to 500 coalbed
natural gas wells, within the Continental Divide--Creston (CDC) project
area. Wells would use a combination of vertical and directional
drilling techniques. The proposal calls for a 15-year construction
period with a 30 to 40 year life of project development and operational
period.
Associated project facilities would include additional roads, gas
and water collection pipelines, compressor stations, water disposal
systems, and an electrical distribution system. During the preparation
of the EIS, any interim development on public lands within the CDC
project area will require a detailed environmental review by the BLM.
The purpose of the development is to extract and recover natural
gas from the Continental Divide--Creston area for distribution to
consumers. This project would help meet the need, goals and objectives
of the President's National Energy Plan. Natural gas consumption in the
United States is expected to increase by 25% over the next decade.
The EIS will analyze the environmental consequences of implementing
the proposed action and alternatives. Identified agency concerns
include, but are not limited to direct, indirect and cumulative effects
to: Surface and ground water resources; air quality; wildlife
populations and their habitats; cultural and paleontological resources;
threatened and endangered wildlife and plant species; and local and
regional socioeconomics. Other issues of concern include access to
private and public land; impacts of road development and transportation
to noxious weed control and livestock grazing operations; ability to
successfully reclaim disturbed areas.
In addition to the Proposed Action, the EIS will analyze the
effects of a No Action alternative. Contents for alternatives being
considered include: A range of drilling surface densities; phased
development; a range of mitigation measures; and best management
practices.
The proposed development is in conformance with the 1990 Great
Divide Resource Management Plan (RMP). This RMP is currently being
revised under the title Rawlins Resource Management Plan. BLM released
the Draft EIS for the Rawlins RMP in December 2004.
Robert A. Bennett,
State Director.
[FR Doc. E6-3043 Filed 3-2-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-22-P