80 FR 72733 - Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Previously Issued Oil and Gas Leases in the White River National Forest, CO
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 224 (November 20, 2015)
Bureau of Land Management
Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 224 (November 20, 2015)
| Page Range | 72733-72734 | |
| FR Document | 2015-29717 |
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 224 (Friday, November 20, 2015)] [Notices] [Pages 72733-72734] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2015-29717] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [LLCON04000 L16100000.DP000] Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Previously Issued Oil and Gas Leases in the White River National Forest, CO AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior. ACTION: Notice. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Colorado River Valley Field Office (CRVFO), Silt, Colorado, prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) reconsidering previous decisions to issue 65 leases on lands within the White River National Forest (WRNF). DATES: To ensure comments will be considered, the BLM must receive written comments on the Previously Issued Oil and Gas Leases in the WRNF Draft EIS within 49 days following the date the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) publishes its Notice of Availability in the Federal Register. The BLM will host four public meetings on the Draft EIS from 4 to 7 p.m., at the following locations:December 14, Glenwood Springs Community Center, 100 Wulfson Rd., Glenwood Springs, CO 81601. December 15, DeBeque Elementary School, 730 Minter Ave., De Beque, CO 81630. December 16, Roaring Fork High School, 2270 Hwy. 133, Carbondale, CO 81623. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the Previously Issued Oil and Gas Leases in the WRNF Draft EIS by any of the following methods: Web site: http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/crvfo.html. Email: [email protected]. Fax: 970-876-9090. Mail: BLM Colorado River Valley Field Office, Attn: WRNF Leases, 2300 River Frontage Road, Silt, CO 81652. Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the CRVFO at the above address. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Greg Larson, Project Manager, at the address above, by telephone at 970-876-9000, or by email at [email protected]. You may contact Mr. Larson to request to have your name added to our mailing list. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 [[Page 72734]] to contact the above individual during normal business hours. The FIRS is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to leave a message or question with the above individual. You will receive a reply during normal business hours. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM developed this Draft EIS to address a NEPA defect identified by the IBLA related to the issuance of the oil and gas leases on WRNF lands from 1995 to 2004. In 2007, the Interior Board of Land Appeals (IBLA) ruled that before including WRNF parcels in an oil and gas lease sale, the BLM must either formally adopt NEPA analysis completed by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) or conduct a NEPA analysis of its own (Board of Commissioners of Pitkin County, 173 IBLA 173 (2007)). The BLM has identified 65 existing leases with effective dates ranging from 1995 to 2012 that were leased by the BLM without adopting USFS NEPA or without the BLM preparing its own NEPA analysis. The most recent USFS decision to make these lands available for oil and gas leasing was analyzed in the 1993 WRNF Oil and Gas Leasing EIS, a decision that was reaffirmed in the 2002 WRNF Plan. Before offering and subsequently issuing the leases at issue in an oil and gas lease sale, the BLM obtained concurrence from the USFS; however, as noted above, it did not adopt the USFS's NEPA analysis or prepare its own. As a result, the BLM has determined additional actions need to be taken to correct this defect. Because the BLM has determined that the WRNF NEPA analysis conducted is no longer adequate, the BLM is conducting its own NEPA analysis through this EIS regarding previous decisions to lease WRNF lands for oil and gas development. The BLM will determine whether these 65 leases should be cancelled, reaffirmed, or modified with additional or different terms. Under a separate effort, the WRNF updated its 1993 Oil and Gas Leasing EIS to address future oil and gas leasing availability. The USFS released the Final EIS and Draft Record of Decision in December 2014. The BLM incorporated as much of the new USFS NEPA analysis of future oil and gas leasing on WRNF lands as possible into its analysis of existing leases. Five alternatives are considered in the BLM's Draft EIS. The No Action alternative reaffirms the lease stipulations in the 65 leases as they were issued; the BLM would take no action by continuing to administer the leases with their current stipulations. Alternative 2 would address inconsistencies by adding stipulations identified in the 1993 WRNF EIS that were not attached to eight leases. Alternative 3 would modify the 65 leases to match the stipulations identified for future leasing in the 2014 USFS Final EIS Proposed Action. Alternative 4 is the BLM's Proposed Action. It would modify or cancel the 65 leases to match the stipulations and availability decision for future leasing identified in the 2014 USFS Draft Record of Decision. In areas the USFS identified as open to future leasing, lease stipulations would be modified; all or part of 25 existing leases in areas identified as closed to future leasing would be cancelled. Alternative 5 would cancel all 65 leases. The BLM developed this range of alternatives to respond to public comments received during public scoping and input from cooperating agencies. The BLM held a public scoping period from April 1 to May 16, 2014, and received more than 32,000 public comments. The BLM held four public meetings during the scoping period. Since the end of the public scoping period, the BLM worked with cooperating agencies (including the EPA; USFS; the Colorado Department of Natural Resources including Colorado Parks and Wildlife; Garfield, Mesa, Pitkin, and Rio Blanco counties; the Town of Carbondale; the City of Glenwood Springs; the Town of New Castle; the Town of Parachute; the City of Rifle; and the town of Silt) to prepare the Draft EIS. Please note that public comments and information submitted including names, street addresses and email addresses of persons who submit comments will be available for public review and disclosure at the above address during regular business hours (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.), Monday through Friday, except holidays. Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10. Ruth Welch, BLM Colorado State Director. [FR Doc. 2015-29717 Filed 11-19-15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-JB-P
![Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 224 / Friday, November 20, 2015 / Notices 72733
manage surface within the planning intended to protect lands with DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
area. The closest non-BLM surface wilderness characteristics and Wild and
management unit to the Roan Plateau Scenic Rivers are not proposed in this Bureau of Land Management
planning area is the White River alternative as they were not addressed [LLCON04000 L16100000.DP000]
National Forest to the northwest. as part of the Settlement Agreement;
Major issues considered in the Draft however, they are analyzed within the Notice of Availability of the Draft
RMP Amendment/Supplemental EIS range of alternatives for consideration. Environmental Impact Statement for
include fluid minerals management, Other resource management decisions Previously Issued Oil and Gas Leases
social and economic impacts, riparian in the White River National Forest, CO
in this alternative would be similar to
habitat management; and air, water, and
Alternative II. AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management,
ecological resources. Due to the limited
size of the Planning Area and the Pursuant to 43 CFR 1610.7–2(b), this Interior.
supplemental nature of this analysis, notice announces a concurrent public ACTION: Notice.
regional mitigation and landscape level comment period on the proposed
analysis are not specifically considered ACECs, as the previous ACEC decisions SUMMARY: In compliance with the
in this document; however, the BLM are also being revisited consistent with National Environmental Policy Act of
Colorado River Valley and White River the Court’s remand. The BLM analyzed 1969, as amended (NEPA), the Bureau of
field offices have considered them in potential ACECs meeting the relevance Land Management (BLM) Colorado
their broader planning areas. The RMP and importance criteria within the range River Valley Field Office (CRVFO), Silt,
also addresses decisions regarding Wild of alternatives. All three action Colorado, prepared a Draft
and Scenic Rivers, Areas of Critical alternatives analyze the designation of Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
Environmental Concern (ACECs), and reconsidering previous decisions to
four ACECs to protect key fisheries,
lands with wilderness characteristics. issue 65 leases on lands within the
botanical/ecological resources, and
Greater Sage-Grouse decisions proposed White River National Forest (WRNF).
visual resources. The ACECs overlay
in the Amendment are consistent with DATES: To ensure comments will be
areas with management prescriptions
the Northwest Colorado Greater Sage- considered, the BLM must receive
Grouse Amendment Record of Decision. that include No Surface Occupancy
written comments on the Previously
The Draft RMP Amendment/ stipulations and other restrictions
Issued Oil and Gas Leases in the WRNF
Supplemental EIS focuses on evaluating specific to these resources. The
Draft EIS within 49 days following the
new information and new issues raised proposed ACECs include: date the Environmental Protection
since the BLM developed the 2006 Roan • East Fork Parachute Creek: 6,990 Agency (EPA) publishes its Notice of
Plateau Final EIS. This includes an acres (Alternatives II, III), 7,110 acres Availability in the Federal Register. The
evaluation of four alternatives including (Alternative IV) BLM will host four public meetings on
the No Action Alternative (Alternative the Draft EIS from 4 to 7 p.m., at the
I). Alternative II is based on the • Trapper/Northwater Creek: 6,290
acres (Alternatives II, III, and IV) following locations:
Proposed Plan from the 2006 Roan RMP • December 14, Glenwood Springs
Amendment/Final EIS and includes • Magpie Gulch: 4,710 acres Community Center, 100 Wulfson Rd.,
updated decisions and analysis based (Alternatives II, III, and IV); and Glenwood Springs, CO 81601.
on new information, including refined • Anvil Points: 6,900 acres • December 15, DeBeque Elementary
mapping, and issues raised during (Alternatives II, III, and IV). School, 730 Minter Ave., De Beque, CO
scoping. Alternative III is based on the 81630.
‘‘Community Alternative’’ raised during Please note that public comments and
• December 16, Roaring Fork High
the original EIS process by Rock the all information submitted with such
School, 2270 Hwy. 133, Carbondale, CO
Earth, and augmented with input from comments will be available for public
81623.
Supplemental EIS scoping comments. review and disclosure at the above
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
This alternative allows oil and gas address during regular business hours (8
related to the Previously Issued Oil and
leasing throughout the planning area, a.m. to 4 p.m.), Monday through Friday,
Gas Leases in the WRNF Draft EIS by
but limits surface disturbance on BLM except holidays.
any of the following methods:
lands above the rim (i.e, on top of the Before including your address, phone • Web site: http://www.blm.gov/co/st/
plateau). Wilderness characteristics number, email address, or other en/fo/crvfo.html.
would be managed for protection in this
personal identifying information in your • Email: WRNFleases@blm.gov.
alternative, and all eligible rivers in the
comment, you should be aware that • Fax: 970–876–9090.
planning area would be determined to
your entire comment—including your • Mail: BLM Colorado River Valley
be suitable for designation as Wild and
personal identifying information—may Field Office, Attn: WRNF Leases, 2300
Scenic Rivers. Target shooting would be
be made publicly available at any time. River Frontage Road, Silt, CO 81652.
prohibited within 1⁄4 mile (610 acres) of
a popular road that runs through an area While you can ask us in your comment Documents pertinent to this proposal
designated as open to cross country off- to withhold your personal identifying may be examined at the CRVFO at the
highway vehicle travel in Alternative III. information from public review, we above address.
Alternative IV is the BLM’s Preferred cannot guarantee that we will be able to FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Greg
Alternative and is based on the terms of do so. Larson, Project Manager, at the address
the Settlement Agreement. This Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10, above, by telephone at 970–876–9000,
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
alternative would allow for leasing at 43 CFR 1610.2. or by email at glarson@blm.gov. You
the base of the plateau (11,170 acres) may contact Mr. Larson to request to
and within several retained lease areas Ruth Welch, have your name added to our mailing
on the top of the plateau (1,830 acres), BLM Colorado State Director. list. Persons who use a
subject to development restrictions [FR Doc. 2015–29716 Filed 11–19–15; 8:45 am] telecommunications device for the deaf
described in the Settlement Agreement. BILLING CODE 4310–JB–P
(TDD) may call the Federal Information
Specific management prescriptions Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339
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![72734 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 224 / Friday, November 20, 2015 / Notices
to contact the above individual during Alternative 2 would address DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
normal business hours. The FIRS is inconsistencies by adding stipulations
available 24 hours a day, seven days a identified in the 1993 WRNF EIS that Bureau of Land Management
week, to leave a message or question were not attached to eight leases. [16X LLAK980600.L1820000.XX0000.LXSIA
with the above individual. You will Alternative 3 would modify the 65 RAC0000]
receive a reply during normal business leases to match the stipulations
hours. identified for future leasing in the 2014 Notice of Public Meeting, BLM Alaska
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM USFS Final EIS Proposed Action. Resource Advisory Council
developed this Draft EIS to address a Alternative 4 is the BLM’s Proposed
Action. It would modify or cancel the 65 AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management,
NEPA defect identified by the IBLA
leases to match the stipulations and Alaska State Office, Interior.
related to the issuance of the oil and gas
leases on WRNF lands from 1995 to availability decision for future leasing ACTION: Notice of public meeting.
2004. In 2007, the Interior Board of identified in the 2014 USFS Draft
Record of Decision. In areas the USFS SUMMARY: In accordance with the
Land Appeals (IBLA) ruled that before Federal Land Policy and Management
including WRNF parcels in an oil and identified as open to future leasing,
lease stipulations would be modified; Act of 1976 as amended (FLPMA) and
gas lease sale, the BLM must either the Federal Advisory Committee Act of
formally adopt NEPA analysis all or part of 25 existing leases in areas
identified as closed to future leasing 1972 (FACA), the Bureau of Land
completed by the U.S. Forest Service Management (BLM) Alaska Resource
(USFS) or conduct a NEPA analysis of would be cancelled. Alternative 5
would cancel all 65 leases. Advisory Council (RAC) will meet as
its own (Board of Commissioners of indicated below.
Pitkin County, 173 IBLA 173 (2007)). The BLM developed this range of
alternatives to respond to public DATES: The meeting will be held
The BLM has identified 65 existing
leases with effective dates ranging from comments received during public December 1 and 2, 2015, at the Office
1995 to 2012 that were leased by the scoping and input from cooperating of Aviation Services located at 4405
BLM without adopting USFS NEPA or agencies. The BLM held a public Lear Court, Anchorage, Alaska 99502–
without the BLM preparing its own scoping period from April 1 to May 16, 1032. The meeting starts at 8:30 a.m.
NEPA analysis. The most recent USFS 2014, and received more than 32,000 each day in training Room #109. The
decision to make these lands available public comments. The BLM held four council will accept comments from the
for oil and gas leasing was analyzed in public meetings during the scoping public on Tuesday, December 1, from
the 1993 WRNF Oil and Gas Leasing period. Since the end of the public 3:00–4:00 p.m.
EIS, a decision that was reaffirmed in scoping period, the BLM worked with FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
the 2002 WRNF Plan. Before offering cooperating agencies (including the Thom Jennings, RAC Coordinator, BLM
and subsequently issuing the leases at EPA; USFS; the Colorado Department of Alaska State Office, 222 W. 7th Avenue
issue in an oil and gas lease sale, the Natural Resources including Colorado #13, Anchorage, AK 99513; tjenning@
BLM obtained concurrence from the Parks and Wildlife; Garfield, Mesa, blm.gov; 907–271–3335. Persons who
USFS; however, as noted above, it did Pitkin, and Rio Blanco counties; the use a telecommunications device for the
not adopt the USFS’s NEPA analysis or Town of Carbondale; the City of deaf (TDD) may call the Federal
prepare its own. As a result, the BLM Glenwood Springs; the Town of New Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–
has determined additional actions need Castle; the Town of Parachute; the City 800–877–8339 to contact the above
to be taken to correct this defect. of Rifle; and the town of Silt) to prepare individual during normal business
Because the BLM has determined that the Draft EIS. hours. The FIRS is available 24 hours a
the WRNF NEPA analysis conducted is Please note that public comments and day, seven days a week, to leave a
no longer adequate, the BLM is information submitted including names, message or question with the above
conducting its own NEPA analysis street addresses and email addresses of individual. You will receive a reply
through this EIS regarding previous persons who submit comments will be during normal business hours.
decisions to lease WRNF lands for oil available for public review and SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 15-
and gas development. disclosure at the above address during member council advises the Secretary of
The BLM will determine whether regular business hours (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.), the Interior, through the BLM, on a
these 65 leases should be cancelled, Monday through Friday, except variety of planning and management
reaffirmed, or modified with additional holidays. issues associated with public land
or different terms. Under a separate Before including your address, phone management in Alaska. At this meeting,
effort, the WRNF updated its 1993 Oil number, email address, or other topics planned for discussion will
and Gas Leasing EIS to address future personal identifying information in your include: Regional Mitigation Strategy for
oil and gas leasing availability. The comment, you should be aware that the Northeast National Petroleum
USFS released the Final EIS and Draft your entire comment—including your Reserve in Alaska (NPR–A), placer
Record of Decision in December 2014. personal identifying information—may mining reclamation at Jack Wade Creek,
The BLM incorporated as much of the be made publicly available at any time. update on land transfer program, update
new USFS NEPA analysis of future oil While you can ask us in your comment on permitted oil production in the NPR–
and gas leasing on WRNF lands as to withhold your personal identifying A, and other topics of interest to the
possible into its analysis of existing information from public review, we RAC. A full agenda will be posted to the
leases. cannot guarantee that we will be able to BLM Alaska RAC Web site
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Five alternatives are considered in the do so. (www.blm.gov/ak/rac) by November 20,
BLM’s Draft EIS. The No Action Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10. 2015.
alternative reaffirms the lease All meetings are open to the public.
stipulations in the 65 leases as they Ruth Welch, During the public comment period,
were issued; the BLM would take no BLM Colorado State Director. depending upon the number of people
action by continuing to administer the [FR Doc. 2015–29717 Filed 11–19–15; 8:45 am] wishing to comment, time for individual
leases with their current stipulations. BILLING CODE 4310–JB–P oral comments may be limited. Please
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Document Created: 2015-12-14 13:58:31
Document Modified: 2015-12-14 13:58:31
| Category | Regulatory Information | |
| Collection | Federal Register | |
| sudoc Class | AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106: | |
| Publisher | Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration | |
| Section | Notices | |
| Action | Notice. | |
| Dates | To ensure comments will be considered, the BLM must receive written comments on the Previously Issued Oil and Gas Leases in the WRNF Draft EIS within 49 days following the date the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) publishes its Notice of Availability in the Federal Register. The BLM will host four public meetings on the Draft EIS from 4 to 7 p.m., at the following locations: | |
| Contact | Greg Larson, Project Manager, at the | |
| FR Citation | 80 FR 72733 |
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