Pawnee National Grassland, Colorado; Oil and Gas Leasing Analysis Environmental Impact Statement, 19444 [2013-07488]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
• Forest Service

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 62 (Monday, April 1, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Page 19444]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-07488]


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Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 62 / Monday, April 1, 2013 / 
Notices

[[Page 19444]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Pawnee National Grassland, Colorado; Oil and Gas Leasing Analysis 
Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.

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SUMMARY: In November of 1997, the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forest 
and Pawnee National Grassland Record of Decision (ROD) for the Revision 
of the Land and Resource Management Plan (LRMP), which included the Oil 
and Gas Leasing Analysis on the Pawnee National Grassland (PNG), was 
signed. That decision determined which Lands are administratively 
available for leasing [36 CFR 228.102(d)], including conditions (lease 
stipulations) under which lands will be available. The oil and gas 
decisions contained in the 1997 ROD were based on an April 1995 
projection of the reasonably foreseeable oil and gas development for 
the Pawnee National Grassland. Much of the PNG's federal mineral estate 
made available per the 1997 ROD has already been leased.
    Since the analysis was completed 16 years ago, there has been a 
change in the manner in which oil and gas development has occurred on 
the Pawnee National Grassland. Multiple wells can be drilled from a 
single well pad rather than just one, as was most common in the past. 
The improvements in horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing 
technologies to improve the ability to access and recover oil and gas 
located deep underground from horizons previously thought uneconomic 
are the primary reasons for these changes in development.
    The remaining available lands that are not presently leased have 
been nominated for leasing by industry. Before the Forest Service 
provides the Bureau of Land Management with consent to offer these 
lands for lease, it must verify that the requested lands have been 
adequately addressed in a NEPA document and is consistent with the 
Forest Land and Resource Management Plan [36 CFR 228.102(e)]. 
Accordingly, the PNG finds it is necessary to disclose the potential 
effects of the changed pattern and level of oil and gas development 
from those effects considered in the 1997 FEIS, and determine whether 
or not there is a need to change LRMP standards and guidelines (and 
possibly leasing stipulations) to minimize the potential impact of oil 
and gas development on the Pawnee National Grassland, which may require 
a plan amendment.

DATES: Scoping is an early and open process for identifying the issues 
and determining the scope of issues to be addressed in the analysis. 
The Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National 
Grassland are soliciting comments on the proposed action. Comments 
should be written to help identify the issues that need to be addressed 
in the analysis. The public is welcome to comment at any time 
throughout the process; however, comments received prior to 05/14/2013 
would be more useful and help keep the time line. The draft 
environmental impact statement is expected to be available to the 
public for comment in August, 2013 and the final environmental impact 
statement is expected in August 2014.

ADDRESSES: USDA Forest Service, Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests 
and Pawnee National Grassland, 2150 Centre Avenue, Building E, Fort 
Collins, CO 80526.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom Ford, Interdisciplinary Team 
Leader, at 2150 Centre Avenue, Building E, Fort Collins, CO 80526, by 
email at tford01@fs.fed.us or by phone at 970-295-6610.
    Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) 
may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 
between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Purpose and Need for Action

    In light of a changed pattern and level of oil and gas activity 
from what was anticipated in the 1997 ROD, there is a need to 
reevaluate our 1997 Oil and Gas Leasing Analysis that identified NFS 
lands available for federal oil and gas leasing on the PNG. The purpose 
of the analysis is to consider and disclose any new circumstances or 
information relevant to environmental effects that may not have been 
anticipated in the 1997 FEIS to determine if additional management 
direction and/or leasing stipulations are necessary to protect National 
Forest System lands. The need for this action is to allow the PNG to 
verify that specific lands nominated by industry for leasing are 
adequately addressed in a NEPA document before providing consent to the 
BLM to offer such lands at a lease sale.

Proposed Action

    The PNG proposes to validate what lands are available for federal 
oil and gas leasing; what constraints are needed (lease stipulations) 
to minimize impacts to surface resources; and make any needed changes 
to management direction in the LRMP.

Responsible Official

    Glenn Casamassa, Forest Supervisor of the Arapaho and Roosevelt 
National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    Based on the analysis and information contained in the EIS, the 
Forest Supervisor will validate which lands will be available for 
lease, which lands will be adminstratively unavailable for lease, 
whether or not additional management direction would be incorporated 
into the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National 
Grassland LRMP, and if that would require a plan amendment.

    Dated: March 22, 2013.
Hal Gibbs,
Acting Forest Supervisor of the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests 
and the Pawnee National Grassland.
[FR Doc. 2013-07488 Filed 3-29-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P