Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Monument Butte Area Oil and Gas Development Project, Duchesne and Uintah Counties, Utah, 41331-41333 [2016-15023]
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 122 / Friday, June 24, 2016 / Notices
Agencies: Nevada Department of
Wildlife, State of Nevada Sagebrush
Ecosystem Program, Eureka County,
White Pine County, and the U. S. Fish
and Wildlife Service Ruby Lake
National Wildlife Refuge. A Notice of
Availability was published in the
Federal Register on August 14, 2015 (80
FR 48913–48914), and the public was
invited to provide written comments on
the Draft EIS during the 45-day
comment period (8/14/2015 to 9/28/
2015). The BLM extended the comment
period an additional 15 days to 60 days
based on several comments received
that requested an extension of the
comment period on the Draft EIS.
A legal notice was prepared by the
BLM and published in the Elko Daily
Free Press, Ely Times, Eureka Sentinel,
and Reno Gazette-Journal informing the
public of the availability of the Bald
Mountain Mine North and South
Operations Area Projects Draft EIS and
upcoming public meetings, which were
held in Ely, Eureka, Elko, and Reno (9/
15/2015 to 9/18/2015). A total of 35
individual comment submittals
containing 451 individual comments
were received. Comments on the Draft
EIS received from the cooperating
agencies, the public, and the internal
BLM review were considered and
incorporated, as appropriate, into the
Final EIS. Concerns included potential
impacts (1) to mule deer migration; (2)
to Greater Sage-Grouse leks and
associated habitats; (3) to springs from
groundwater pumping; (4) to Wild
Horse Herd Management Areas (HMAs),
including herd access to surface water
sources; (5) to air quality (specifically
from mercury); (6) of climate change on
wildlife and other resources; and (7) to
visual resources and other indirect
impacts to the setting of the Pony
Express National Historic Trail, Ruby
Valley Pony Express Station, Fort Ruby
National Historic Landmark, and
Sunshine Locality National Register
District and the Ruby Lake National
Wildlife Refuge. There were also
comments received in general support
or opposition to the Project. These
public comments resulted in the
addition of clarifying text, but did not
significantly change the analysis. The
selected agency preferred alternative is
the Western Redbird Modification
Alternative.
On September 21, 2015, during the
public comment period for the Draft
EIS, the Record of Decision (ROD) and
2015 Nevada and Northeastern
California Greater Sage-Grouse
Approved Resource Management Plan
Amendment was signed. To ensure
consistency with the Plan Amendment,
the BLM compared the maps and habitat
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management categories in that
document to the initial habitat maps
from BLM Instruction Memorandum
2012–044 (December 27, 2011) that were
used in the development of the DEIS.
The proponent has proposed a robust
suite of applicant-committed
environmental protection measures into
their Proposed Action and all
Alternatives, to incorporate Design
Features and Management Decisions
from the 2015 Nevada and Northeastern
California Greater Sage-Grouse
Approved Resource Management Plan
Amendment. As a result, the analysis
and resulting mitigation for Greater
Sage-Grouse outlined in Chapter 6
(Mitigation and Monitoring) of this
Final EIS are consistent with the Greater
Sage-Grouse Plan. This will be achieved
by avoiding, minimizing, and
compensating for residual impacts by
applying beneficial mitigation actions.
Following a 30-day Final EIS
availability and review period, a Record
of Decision (ROD) will be issued. The
decision reached in the ROD is subject
to appeal to the Interior Board of Land
Appeals. The 30-day appeal period
begins with the issuance of the ROD.
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publishes its Notice of Availability of
the Final EIS in the Federal Register.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the Monument
Butte Area Oil and Gas Development
Project Final EIS are available for public
inspection at the BLM-Vernal Field
Office at 170 South 500 East Vernal,
Utah 84078. Interested persons may also
review the Final EIS on the Internet at
https://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/vernal/
planning/nepa_.html.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Stephanie Howard, NEPA Coordinator;
telephone: 435–781–4469; address 170
South 500 East Vernal, Utah 84078;
email BLM_UT_Vernal_Comments@
blm.gov. Persons who use a
telecommunications device for the deaf
(TDD) may call the Federal Information
Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339
to contact the above individual during
normal business hours. The FIRS is
available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,
to leave a message or question with the
above individual. Replies are provided
during normal business hours.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Newfield
Exploration Company (Newfield)
submitted oil and gas field development
plan for the Monument Butte Project
Area (MBPA) to the BLM. The MBPA
encompasses approximately 119,784
acres in an already developed field
containing approximately 3,209 existing
oil and gas wells. The MBPA
contemplates the drilling of up to 5,750
new oil and gas wells over a 16-year
period, and the construction and
operation of ancillary transportation,
transmission, processing, and treatment
facilities. The MBPA is located in
southeastern Duchesne County and
southwestern Uintah County:
Notice of Availability of the Final
Environmental Impact Statement for
the Monument Butte Area Oil and Gas
Development Project, Duchesne and
Uintah Counties, Utah
Salt Lake Meridian, Utah
Tps. 8 S., Rs. 15 thru 19 E.
Tps. 9 S., Rs. 15 thru 19 E.
The areas described, including both
Federal and non-Federal lands, aggregate
119,784.12 acres.
Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6 and 40 CFR
1506.10.
Jill A. Moore,
Field Manager, Egan Field Office.
[FR Doc. 2016–15017 Filed 6–23–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–HC–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Availability.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
National Environmental Policy Act of
1969, as amended (NEPA), and the
Federal Land Policy and Management
Act of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of
Land Management (BLM) has prepared
a Final Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) for the Monument Butte Area Oil
and Gas Development Project and is
announcing its availability.
DATES: The BLM will not issue a final
decision on the proposal for at least 45
days after the date on which the
Environmental Protection Agency
SUMMARY:
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The BLM’s purpose and need for the
action is to respond to Newfield’s
proposal. The BLM intends to approve,
approve with modifications, or
disapprove Newfield’s proposed project
and project components based on the
analysis of potential impact in the Final
EIS and related documents. As part of
this process, the BLM worked with
Newfield, the State of Utah,
Environmental Protection Agency
Region 8 (EPA) to develop measures
designed to avoid, minimize, or mitigate
environmental impacts to the extent
possible, while allowing Newfield to
exercise its valid existing lease rights.
The Federal Land Policy and
Management Act of 1976 recognizes oil
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and gas development as one of the uses
of the public lands. Federal mineral
leasing statutes, including the Mineral
Leasing Act of 1920, 30 U.S.C. 181 et
seq., and their implementing regulations
recognize the right of lease holders to
develop Federal mineral resources to
meet continuing national needs and
economic demands, subject to lease
stipulations and reasonable measures
that the BLM may require to minimize
adverse impacts.
The BLM is the lead Federal agency
for this Final EIS. Cooperating agencies
include the EPA, Utah’s Public Lands
Policy and Coordination Office, and
Duchesne and Uintah Counties.
On August 25, 2010, the BLM
published in the Federal Register a
Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an EIS.
Public response to the NOI and public
meetings included seven letters: Two
from Federal agencies, one from a State
agency, one from a county agency, and
three from industry or private
individuals. Comments focused on air
quality impacts, impacts to adjacent
gilsonite mining operations, recognition
of valid existing lease rights, requests
for flexibility in the decision, economic
benefits, water impacts and protection,
produced water treatment and
management alternatives, noise impacts
to wildlife and residences, weed
expansion, the BLM’s statutory and
regulatory authority to manage air
resources, and resource management
plan (RMP) conformance.
On December 20, 2013, the BLM
published a Notice of Availability in the
Federal Register announcing the
availability of the Draft EIS. The Draft
EIS was made available for a 45-day
public comment period, which was
subsequently extended by an additional
30 days at the request of the State of
Utah. Twenty-three unique comment
letters or emails were submitted: One
from a Federal agency, one from the
House of Representatives, one from a
State agency, two from county
governments, one from the proponent
(Newfield), nine from other oil and gas
industry representatives or trade groups,
one from the proponent’s outside legal
counsel, one from a non-governmental
organization, and six from private
individuals. There were also 1,780 form
letters received from members of the
public that expressed concern regarding
ozone impacts, and 161 form letters
received from Newfield employees that
expressed concern over impacts to their
livelihoods from the Agency Preferred
Alternative. Substantive comments
focused on technical flaws, water
impacts and protection, air quality
impacts, the BLM’s statutory or
regulatory authority to protect air
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quality or enforce air quality laws,
economic benefits and losses, protection
of wetlands and streams, produced
water treatment and management
alternatives, and surface restrictions in
the Pariette Wetlands Area of Critical
Environmental Concern (ACEC) and
Sclerocactus core conservation areas.
The parameters of the Agency
Preferred Alternative, Alternative D,
were adjusted between the Draft EIS and
the Final EIS in response to issues
raised during the public comment
period, which were not considered
when the alternative was originally
designed. The BLM engineers
determined that the data provided
regarding these technical issues was
accurate and that measures presented in
Alternative D adversely affected the
proponent’s ability to diligently and
efficiently develop oil and gas resources
in the MBPA consistent with their valid
existing rights. The BLM also
determined that other adjustments to
the alternative were necessary. Since
these adjustments were all within the
range of alternatives considered in the
Draft EIS, the BLM determined that a
supplement to the Draft EIS was not
necessary. However, the review period
following release of the Final EIS has
been extended to 45 days to provide
additional time for review of these
changes prior to BLM making a decision
on the project.
The Final EIS describes and analyzes
the impacts of Newfield’s Proposed
Action and three alternatives, including
the No Action Alternative. The
following is a summary of the
alternatives:
1. Proposed Action—Up to 5,750 new
oil or gas wells would be drilled over a
period of 16 years. Additionally, this
alternative includes the construction of
approximately 243 miles of new roads
and pipelines, 363 miles of new
pipeline adjacent to existing roads, 21
new compressor stations, one gas
processing plant, 7 new water treatment
and injection facilities, 12 gas and oil
separation plants, 6 water pump
stations, as well as the drilling of a
freshwater collector well, and the
expansion of 6 existing water treatment
and injection facilities and 3 existing
compressor stations. Total new surface
disturbance under the Proposed Action
would be approximately 16,129 acres,
which would be reduced to 7,808 acres
through interim reclamation.
2. No Action Alternative—Drilling
and completion of development wells
and infrastructure would continue as
previously approved, and the proposed
natural gas development on BLM lands
as described in the Proposed Action
would not be implemented. Based on
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the foregoing documents and a review of
information from Utah Division of Oil,
Gas and Mining, the BLM has estimated
that, as of December 31, 2012, 788 wells
remain to be drilled including
construction of roads, pipelines, and
additional support facilities. Total new
surface disturbance under the No Action
Alternative would be 870 acres of new
disturbance, which would be reduced to
659 acres through interim reclamation.
3. Field-wide Electrification
Alternative—This alternative is
identical to the Proposed Action, in that
it would allow the drilling of up to
5,750 new wells in addition to the
existing producing wells, with
associated facilities. However, this
alternative also incorporates a phased
field-wide electrification component
which consists of construction of 34
miles of overhead cross-country 69kV
transmission lines, 156 miles of
distribution lines, and 11 substations.
Total new surface disturbance under
this alternative would be approximately
20,112 acres, which would be reduced
to 10,173 acres through interim
reclamation.
4. Agency Preferred (Resource
Protection) Alternative—This alternative
was revised to meet the purpose and
need for the project while: (1) Protecting
the relevant and important values of the
Pariette Wetlands ACEC; (2) minimizing
the amount of new surface disturbance
and habitat fragmentation within and
around the Fish and Wildlife Service
proposed Level 1 and 2 Core
Conservation Areas (for two federallylisted plant species: The Uinta Basin
hookless cactus and the Pariette cactus);
(3) precluding new well pads (with the
exception of Newfield’s proposed water
collector well) and minimizing new
surface disturbance (roads or pipelines)
within 100-year floodplains; (4)
precluding new well pads, pipelines, or
roads within riparian habitats; and, (5)
minimizing overall impacts from the
proposed oil and gas development
through the use of directional drilling
technology. Under the Resource
Protection Alternative, up to 5,750 new
wellbores would be drilled.
Additionally, this alternative includes
the construction of approximately 226
miles of new roads and pipelines, 318
miles of new pipeline adjacent to
existing roads, 21 new compressor
stations, a gas processing plant, 7 new
water treatment and injection facilities,
12 gas and oil separation plants, 6 water
pump stations, as well as the drilling of
a freshwater collector well, and the
expansion of 6 existing water treatment
and injection facilities and 3 existing
compressor stations. Total new surface
disturbance under the Agency Preferred
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Alternative would be approximately
10,122 acres, which would be reduced
to 4,978 acres through interim
reclamation.
The Final EIS contains detailed
analysis of impacts to: Air quality,
including greenhouse gas emissions;
geology and minerals; paleontological
resources; soil, surface water and
groundwater resources; vegetation,
including weeds; range, including
livestock grazing; fish and wildlife,
including migratory birds and raptors;
special status wildlife and plant species;
cultural resources; land use and
transportation; recreation; visual
resources; special designations,
including Pariette Wetlands ACEC,
Lower Green River Corridor ACEC, and
Suitable Lower Green River Wild and
Scenic River; and social and economic
resources, including environmental
justice. Based on the impact analysis,
on-site, landscape and compensatory
conservation and mitigation actions
have been identified for each alternative
to achieve resource objectives.
Also worth noting are changes
between the draft and final EIS to the air
quality section. In the Draft EIS BLM
committed to conducting photochemical
modeling post-ROD through the Air
Resource Management Strategy
modeling platform. However, that
modeling platform became available
shortly after the comment period on the
Draft EIS closed, so that modeling was
conducted for, and the results are
included in, the Final EIS. Upon review
of those modeling results, applicantcommitted air quality mitigation
measures were refined, and additional
applicant- and BLM-committed
measures to further reduce emissions
from the MBPA were included in the
Final EIS. This robust suite of measures
was developed in consultation between
Neufield, the BLM, EPA and the State of
Utah. The robust measures will help
minimize and mitigate impacts to
important air resource values. These
measures have been analyzed in the
Final EIS and are within the range of
alternative analyzed in the Draft EIS.
All required consultations, including
Endangered Species Act section 7
Consultation, National Historic
Preservation Act section 106
Consultation, and government-togovernment consultation with interested
Native American Tribes, have been
completed. During the section 7
Consultation for the Final EIS, many
additional applicant- and agencycommitted mitigation measures,
including a detailed Conservation,
Restoration and Mitigation Strategy for
the Pariette and Uinta Basin Hookless
Cactus, were developed and
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incorporated into the Agency Preferred
Alternative. This process is explained in
greater detail in the Biological Opinion.
The Biological Assessment, Biological
Opinion, and additional mitigation
measures and cactus strategy are all
attached to the Final EIS as Appendix
J.
Since the publication of the
Monument Butte Draft EIS, the Utah
Greater Sage-Grouse Land Use Plan
Amendment Record of Decision (ROD)
has been issued. No Sagebrush Focal
Areas, General Habitat Management
Areas, or Priority Habitat Management
Areas are present within the Monument
Butte project boundary. Therefore, the
BLM determined that the provisions of
the Utah Greater Sage-Grouse Land Use
Plan Amendment do not affect the
MBPA.
After the conclusion of Final EIS
review period, the BLM will issue a
ROD which will describe the selected
alternative and any conditions of
approval, including a mitigation
strategy.
The selected alternative will be
conceptual only. Any well pads, roads,
pipelines and other facilities and
infrastructure that may be constructed
in the future in the project area will be
subject to an appropriate level of sitespecific NEPA analysis prior to final
approval.
Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR
1506.10.
Jenna Whitlock,
Acting State Director.
[FR Doc. 2016–15023 Filed 6–23–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–DQ–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
Notice of Application for Withdrawal
and Opportunity for Public Meeting;
Idaho (IDI 38117)
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
The United States Department
of Agriculture, Forest Service (USFS)
has filed an application with the Bureau
of Land Management (BLM) requesting
the Secretary of the Interior to withdraw
approximately 107.02 acres of National
Forest System land from the mining
laws to protect the Dump Creek
Diversion Ditch within the Salmon
National Forest in Idaho. This notice
temporarily segregates the land for up to
2 years from the United States mining
laws while the application is being
processed. This notice also gives an
SUMMARY:
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41333
opportunity for the public to comment
on the application and to request a
public meeting.
DATES: Comments and public meeting
requests must be received by September
22, 2016.
ADDRESSES: Comments and public
meeting requests should be sent to the
Idaho State Director, BLM, 1387 S.
Vinnell Way, Boise, ID 83709.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeff
Cartwright, BLM Idaho State Office 208–
373–3885 or Sherry Stokes-Wood,
Lands, USFS Intermountain Regional
Office 801–625–5800. Persons who use
a telecommunications device for the
deaf (TDD) may call the Federal
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at
1–800–877–8339 to contact either of the
above individuals. The FIRS is available
24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You will
receive a reply during normal business
hours.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The USFS
has filed an application with the BLM,
pursuant to Section 204 of the Federal
Land Policy and Management Act of
1976, 43 U.S.C. 1714, requesting that the
Secretary of the Interior withdraw, for a
20-year period and subject to valid
existing rights, the National Forest
System land described below from
location and entry under the United
States mining laws. The land will
remain open to discretionary uses.
Salmon National Forest
Boise Meridian
T. 23 N., R. 20 E.,
Secs. 12, 13, and 24.
Beginning at USLM No. 4, Eureka Mining
District, said Monument No. 4 being more
particularly located in the unsurveyed NW1/
4SE1/4 Section 24. From point of beginning,
North 4°32′52″ East 5061.93 feet to Corner
No. 1, the True Point of Beginning, said
Corner being identical with Corner No. 1
Lemhi Gold Placer, as shown on Moose Creek
Hydraulic Placer Mineral Survey Plat No.
3057. Thence North 0°01′ West, 4109.7 feet
along the west line of Lemhi Gold Placer to
a point at the intersection of line 1–2 of
Rocky Mountain Placer, MS No. 1867, which
point lies North 58°56′ West, 58.1 feet from
Corner No. 1 of MS No. 1867 and said point
being Corner No. 2 of herein described lands;
Thence North 58°56′ West, along line 1–2 of
MS No. 1867 for a distance of 817.35 feet to
Corner No. 3; Thence South 0°01′ East,
4529.24 feet to Corner No. 4; Thence South
8°33′ East, 1877.1 feet to Corner No. 5;
Thence South 89°49′ East, 883 feet to Corner
No. 6, said Corner No. 6 being identical with
Corner No. 4 of Moose Creek Hydraulic
Placer MS 3057; Thence North 8°33′ West,
1877.1 feet along the west line of said Moose
Creek Hydraulic Placer to Corner No. 7 said
Corner No. 7 being identical with Corner No.
5 of MS No. 3057; Thence North 89°49′ West,
183 feet to Corner No. 1, the True Point of
Beginning.
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 122 (Friday, June 24, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41331-41333]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-15023]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[16X L1109PF LLUTG01100 L13110000.EJ0000 24 1A]
Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact
Statement for the Monument Butte Area Oil and Gas Development Project,
Duchesne and Uintah Counties, Utah
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969, as amended (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act
of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a
Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Monument Butte Area
Oil and Gas Development Project and is announcing its availability.
DATES: The BLM will not issue a final decision on the proposal for at
least 45 days after the date on which the Environmental Protection
Agency publishes its Notice of Availability of the Final EIS in the
Federal Register.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the Monument Butte Area Oil and Gas Development
Project Final EIS are available for public inspection at the BLM-Vernal
Field Office at 170 South 500 East Vernal, Utah 84078. Interested
persons may also review the Final EIS on the Internet at https://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/vernal/planning/nepa_.html.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stephanie Howard, NEPA Coordinator;
telephone: 435-781-4469; address 170 South 500 East Vernal, Utah 84078;
email BLM_UT_Vernal_Comments@blm.gov. Persons who use a
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to contact the above
individual during normal business hours. The FIRS is available 24 hours
a day, 7 days a week, to leave a message or question with the above
individual. Replies are provided during normal business hours.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Newfield Exploration Company (Newfield)
submitted oil and gas field development plan for the Monument Butte
Project Area (MBPA) to the BLM. The MBPA encompasses approximately
119,784 acres in an already developed field containing approximately
3,209 existing oil and gas wells. The MBPA contemplates the drilling of
up to 5,750 new oil and gas wells over a 16-year period, and the
construction and operation of ancillary transportation, transmission,
processing, and treatment facilities. The MBPA is located in
southeastern Duchesne County and southwestern Uintah County:
Salt Lake Meridian, Utah
Tps. 8 S., Rs. 15 thru 19 E.
Tps. 9 S., Rs. 15 thru 19 E.
The areas described, including both Federal and non-Federal
lands, aggregate 119,784.12 acres.
The BLM's purpose and need for the action is to respond to
Newfield's proposal. The BLM intends to approve, approve with
modifications, or disapprove Newfield's proposed project and project
components based on the analysis of potential impact in the Final EIS
and related documents. As part of this process, the BLM worked with
Newfield, the State of Utah, Environmental Protection Agency Region 8
(EPA) to develop measures designed to avoid, minimize, or mitigate
environmental impacts to the extent possible, while allowing Newfield
to exercise its valid existing lease rights. The Federal Land Policy
and Management Act of 1976 recognizes oil
[[Page 41332]]
and gas development as one of the uses of the public lands. Federal
mineral leasing statutes, including the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, 30
U.S.C. 181 et seq., and their implementing regulations recognize the
right of lease holders to develop Federal mineral resources to meet
continuing national needs and economic demands, subject to lease
stipulations and reasonable measures that the BLM may require to
minimize adverse impacts.
The BLM is the lead Federal agency for this Final EIS. Cooperating
agencies include the EPA, Utah's Public Lands Policy and Coordination
Office, and Duchesne and Uintah Counties.
On August 25, 2010, the BLM published in the Federal Register a
Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an EIS. Public response to the NOI
and public meetings included seven letters: Two from Federal agencies,
one from a State agency, one from a county agency, and three from
industry or private individuals. Comments focused on air quality
impacts, impacts to adjacent gilsonite mining operations, recognition
of valid existing lease rights, requests for flexibility in the
decision, economic benefits, water impacts and protection, produced
water treatment and management alternatives, noise impacts to wildlife
and residences, weed expansion, the BLM's statutory and regulatory
authority to manage air resources, and resource management plan (RMP)
conformance.
On December 20, 2013, the BLM published a Notice of Availability in
the Federal Register announcing the availability of the Draft EIS. The
Draft EIS was made available for a 45-day public comment period, which
was subsequently extended by an additional 30 days at the request of
the State of Utah. Twenty-three unique comment letters or emails were
submitted: One from a Federal agency, one from the House of
Representatives, one from a State agency, two from county governments,
one from the proponent (Newfield), nine from other oil and gas industry
representatives or trade groups, one from the proponent's outside legal
counsel, one from a non-governmental organization, and six from private
individuals. There were also 1,780 form letters received from members
of the public that expressed concern regarding ozone impacts, and 161
form letters received from Newfield employees that expressed concern
over impacts to their livelihoods from the Agency Preferred
Alternative. Substantive comments focused on technical flaws, water
impacts and protection, air quality impacts, the BLM's statutory or
regulatory authority to protect air quality or enforce air quality
laws, economic benefits and losses, protection of wetlands and streams,
produced water treatment and management alternatives, and surface
restrictions in the Pariette Wetlands Area of Critical Environmental
Concern (ACEC) and Sclerocactus core conservation areas.
The parameters of the Agency Preferred Alternative, Alternative D,
were adjusted between the Draft EIS and the Final EIS in response to
issues raised during the public comment period, which were not
considered when the alternative was originally designed. The BLM
engineers determined that the data provided regarding these technical
issues was accurate and that measures presented in Alternative D
adversely affected the proponent's ability to diligently and
efficiently develop oil and gas resources in the MBPA consistent with
their valid existing rights. The BLM also determined that other
adjustments to the alternative were necessary. Since these adjustments
were all within the range of alternatives considered in the Draft EIS,
the BLM determined that a supplement to the Draft EIS was not
necessary. However, the review period following release of the Final
EIS has been extended to 45 days to provide additional time for review
of these changes prior to BLM making a decision on the project.
The Final EIS describes and analyzes the impacts of Newfield's
Proposed Action and three alternatives, including the No Action
Alternative. The following is a summary of the alternatives:
1. Proposed Action--Up to 5,750 new oil or gas wells would be
drilled over a period of 16 years. Additionally, this alternative
includes the construction of approximately 243 miles of new roads and
pipelines, 363 miles of new pipeline adjacent to existing roads, 21 new
compressor stations, one gas processing plant, 7 new water treatment
and injection facilities, 12 gas and oil separation plants, 6 water
pump stations, as well as the drilling of a freshwater collector well,
and the expansion of 6 existing water treatment and injection
facilities and 3 existing compressor stations. Total new surface
disturbance under the Proposed Action would be approximately 16,129
acres, which would be reduced to 7,808 acres through interim
reclamation.
2. No Action Alternative--Drilling and completion of development
wells and infrastructure would continue as previously approved, and the
proposed natural gas development on BLM lands as described in the
Proposed Action would not be implemented. Based on the foregoing
documents and a review of information from Utah Division of Oil, Gas
and Mining, the BLM has estimated that, as of December 31, 2012, 788
wells remain to be drilled including construction of roads, pipelines,
and additional support facilities. Total new surface disturbance under
the No Action Alternative would be 870 acres of new disturbance, which
would be reduced to 659 acres through interim reclamation.
3. Field-wide Electrification Alternative--This alternative is
identical to the Proposed Action, in that it would allow the drilling
of up to 5,750 new wells in addition to the existing producing wells,
with associated facilities. However, this alternative also incorporates
a phased field-wide electrification component which consists of
construction of 34 miles of overhead cross-country 69kV transmission
lines, 156 miles of distribution lines, and 11 substations. Total new
surface disturbance under this alternative would be approximately
20,112 acres, which would be reduced to 10,173 acres through interim
reclamation.
4. Agency Preferred (Resource Protection) Alternative--This
alternative was revised to meet the purpose and need for the project
while: (1) Protecting the relevant and important values of the Pariette
Wetlands ACEC; (2) minimizing the amount of new surface disturbance and
habitat fragmentation within and around the Fish and Wildlife Service
proposed Level 1 and 2 Core Conservation Areas (for two federally-
listed plant species: The Uinta Basin hookless cactus and the Pariette
cactus); (3) precluding new well pads (with the exception of Newfield's
proposed water collector well) and minimizing new surface disturbance
(roads or pipelines) within 100-year floodplains; (4) precluding new
well pads, pipelines, or roads within riparian habitats; and, (5)
minimizing overall impacts from the proposed oil and gas development
through the use of directional drilling technology. Under the Resource
Protection Alternative, up to 5,750 new wellbores would be drilled.
Additionally, this alternative includes the construction of
approximately 226 miles of new roads and pipelines, 318 miles of new
pipeline adjacent to existing roads, 21 new compressor stations, a gas
processing plant, 7 new water treatment and injection facilities, 12
gas and oil separation plants, 6 water pump stations, as well as the
drilling of a freshwater collector well, and the expansion of 6
existing water treatment and injection facilities and 3 existing
compressor stations. Total new surface disturbance under the Agency
Preferred
[[Page 41333]]
Alternative would be approximately 10,122 acres, which would be reduced
to 4,978 acres through interim reclamation.
The Final EIS contains detailed analysis of impacts to: Air
quality, including greenhouse gas emissions; geology and minerals;
paleontological resources; soil, surface water and groundwater
resources; vegetation, including weeds; range, including livestock
grazing; fish and wildlife, including migratory birds and raptors;
special status wildlife and plant species; cultural resources; land use
and transportation; recreation; visual resources; special designations,
including Pariette Wetlands ACEC, Lower Green River Corridor ACEC, and
Suitable Lower Green River Wild and Scenic River; and social and
economic resources, including environmental justice. Based on the
impact analysis, on-site, landscape and compensatory conservation and
mitigation actions have been identified for each alternative to achieve
resource objectives.
Also worth noting are changes between the draft and final EIS to
the air quality section. In the Draft EIS BLM committed to conducting
photochemical modeling post-ROD through the Air Resource Management
Strategy modeling platform. However, that modeling platform became
available shortly after the comment period on the Draft EIS closed, so
that modeling was conducted for, and the results are included in, the
Final EIS. Upon review of those modeling results, applicant-committed
air quality mitigation measures were refined, and additional applicant-
and BLM-committed measures to further reduce emissions from the MBPA
were included in the Final EIS. This robust suite of measures was
developed in consultation between Neufield, the BLM, EPA and the State
of Utah. The robust measures will help minimize and mitigate impacts to
important air resource values. These measures have been analyzed in the
Final EIS and are within the range of alternative analyzed in the Draft
EIS.
All required consultations, including Endangered Species Act
section 7 Consultation, National Historic Preservation Act section 106
Consultation, and government-to-government consultation with interested
Native American Tribes, have been completed. During the section 7
Consultation for the Final EIS, many additional applicant- and agency-
committed mitigation measures, including a detailed Conservation,
Restoration and Mitigation Strategy for the Pariette and Uinta Basin
Hookless Cactus, were developed and incorporated into the Agency
Preferred Alternative. This process is explained in greater detail in
the Biological Opinion. The Biological Assessment, Biological Opinion,
and additional mitigation measures and cactus strategy are all attached
to the Final EIS as Appendix J.
Since the publication of the Monument Butte Draft EIS, the Utah
Greater Sage-Grouse Land Use Plan Amendment Record of Decision (ROD)
has been issued. No Sagebrush Focal Areas, General Habitat Management
Areas, or Priority Habitat Management Areas are present within the
Monument Butte project boundary. Therefore, the BLM determined that the
provisions of the Utah Greater Sage-Grouse Land Use Plan Amendment do
not affect the MBPA.
After the conclusion of Final EIS review period, the BLM will issue
a ROD which will describe the selected alternative and any conditions
of approval, including a mitigation strategy.
The selected alternative will be conceptual only. Any well pads,
roads, pipelines and other facilities and infrastructure that may be
constructed in the future in the project area will be subject to an
appropriate level of site-specific NEPA analysis prior to final
approval.
Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10.
Jenna Whitlock,
Acting State Director.
[FR Doc. 2016-15023 Filed 6-23-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-DQ-P
