81_FR_86568 81 FR 86338 - Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for the Previously Issued Oil and Gas Leases in the White River National Forest, CO

81 FR 86338 - Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for the Previously Issued Oil and Gas Leases in the White River National Forest, CO

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 230 (November 30, 2016)

Page Range86338-86340
FR Document2016-28807

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a Record of Decision (ROD) based on the analysis in the ``Previously Issued Oil and Gas Leases in the White River National Forest Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).'' That EIS addressed the treatment of 65 previously issued oil and gas leases on lands within the White River National Forest (WRNF). By this notice the BLM is announcing the availability of the ROD. On November 17, 2016, the BLM Colorado State Director signed and the Deputy Secretary of the Department of the Interior approved the ROD.

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 230 (Wednesday, November 30, 2016)
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 230 (Wednesday, November 30, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 86338-86340]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-28807]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLCON04000 L16100000.DP0000-16X]


Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for the 
Previously Issued Oil and Gas Leases in the White River National 
Forest, CO

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a Record of 
Decision (ROD) based on the analysis in the ``Previously Issued Oil and 
Gas Leases in the White River National Forest Final Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS).'' That EIS addressed the treatment of 65 
previously issued oil and gas leases on lands within the White River 
National Forest (WRNF). By this notice the BLM is announcing the 
availability of the ROD. On November 17, 2016, the BLM Colorado State 
Director signed and the Deputy Secretary of the Department of the 
Interior approved the ROD.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the ROD are available for public inspection at the 
BLM Colorado River Valley Field Office, 2300 River Frontage Road, Silt, 
CO 81652. Interested persons may also review the ROD on the project Web 
site

[[Page 86339]]

at https://eplanning.blm.gov/epl-front-office/eplanning/nepa/nepa_register.do.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Greg Larson, Project Manager, at the 
address above, by telephone at (970) 876-9000, or by email at 
[email protected]. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the 
deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339 
to contact the above individual during normal business hours. The FRS 
is available 24 hours a day, 7 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 has developed the Previously Issued 
Oil and Gas Leases in the White River National Forest EIS (Previously 
Issued Leases in the WRNF EIS) to address a National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) deficiency identified by the Interior Board of Land 
Appeals (IBLA) related to the issuance of oil and gas leases on WRNF 
lands between the years of 1995 to 2004. In 2007, the IBLA ruled that 
before including WRNF parcels in an oil and gas lease sale, the BLM 
must either formally adopt the NEPA analysis completed by the U.S. 
Forest Service (USFS) or conduct its own NEPA analysis (Board of 
Commissioners of Pitkin County, 173 IBLA 173 (2007)). The BLM canceled 
the three leases at issue in that case and identified 65 additional 
leases with effective dates ranging from 1995 to 2012 that the BLM had 
leased without either adopting applicable USFS NEPA, or preparing its 
own NEPA analysis. For these 65 existing leases, the most recent USFS 
decision to make these lands available for oil and gas leasing was 
analyzed and put forth in the USFS's 1993 Oil and Gas Leasing EIS and 
ROD. The USFS then adopted its 1993 Oil and Gas Leasing EIS in its 2002 
White River National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan.
    While the BLM obtained USFS consent before offering and 
subsequently issuing the 65 leases at issue, it did not adopt the USFS' 
NEPA analysis or prepare its own analysis. As a result, the BLM 
determined that the issuance of the leases in question was not in 
compliance with applicable NEPA requirements, rendering the leases 
voidable. The BLM therefore determined that additional actions were 
necessary to reaffirm, modify, or cancel those leases. As part of that 
determination, the BLM determined that the available USFS NEPA analysis 
relevant to the 65 leases was no longer adequate due to changes in 
laws, regulations, policies and conditions since that analysis was 
finalized in 1993. As a result, the BLM prepared the Previously Issued 
Leases in the WRNF EIS to determine whether these 65 leases should be 
cancelled, reaffirmed, or modified with additional or different terms. 
The ROD announced by this Notice is based on that EIS analysis.
    Distinct from this effort, the USFS recently updated its 1993 Oil 
and Gas Leasing EIS to address future oil and gas leasing availability 
on WRNF lands and issued a new EIS, the White River National Forest Oil 
and Gas Leasing Final Environmental Impact Statement (USFS WRNF Oil and 
Gas Leasing EIS), in December 2014. The USFS signed their Final ROD for 
this new EIS in December 2015. The recently issued USFS EIS and ROD are 
forward-looking and do not affect the 65 previously issued leases that 
the BLM is reexamining; however, the information generated as part of 
that process was relevant to the BLM's analysis. Therefore, as part of 
its process, the BLM has incorporated the new USFS analysis into its 
analysis of the previously issued leases, to the extent practicable.
    The BLM considered six alternatives in the Previously Issued Leases 
in the WRNF EIS, including a No Action Alternative. The No Action 
Alternative would reaffirm the lease stipulations on the 65 leases as 
they were issued. Under this alternative, the BLM would take no action 
by continuing to administer the leases with their current stipulations. 
Alternative 2 would address inconsistencies in some of the existing 
leases by adding stipulations identified in the USFS 1993 Oil and Gas 
Leasing EIS that were not attached to eight leases when they were 
issued. Alternative 3 would modify the 65 leases to match the 
stipulations identified for future leasing in the 2014 USFS WRNF Oil 
and Gas Leasing Final EIS Proposed Action. Alternative 4 (BLM's 
Proposed Action) would modify or cancel the 65 leases to match the 
stipulations and availability decision in the USFS ROD. In areas the 
USFS identified as open to future leasing, stipulations would be 
modified to track those found in the most recent USFS decision and all 
or part of 25 existing leases in areas identified as closed would be 
cancelled. Alternative 5 would cancel all 65 leases. For purposes of 
the BLM's Previously Issued Oil and Gas Leases in the WRNF Final EIS, 
the BLM identified a combination of Alternatives 2 and 4 as its 
Preferred Alternative. Under this Preferred Alternative, the BLM would 
cancel in their entirety 25 leases that are not producing or committed 
to a unit or communitization agreement, and which overlap with the area 
identified as closed to future leasing by the USFS Final ROD. The BLM 
would apply Alternative 4 stipulations (i.e., those that were 
identified in the 2015 USFS ROD) to 12 undeveloped (as of Final EIS 
publication) leases that are within parts of the WRNF identified as 
open to future leasing, including one expired lease under appeal. It 
would apply Alternative 2 stipulations to 27 leases that were producing 
or committed to a unit agreement or communitization agreement as of 
Final EIS publication, including four expired leases currently under 
appeal that had previously been part of the Willow Creek Unit. In 
addition, one expired lease not subject to appeal would receive no 
decision. As with Alternative 4, the lessee would have to either accept 
the new stipulations or have the lease cancelled. Cancellation would be 
accomplished through an administrative process and would require 
reimbursement of bonus bids and rental payments.
    The BLM released the Draft Previously Issued Leases in the WRNF EIS 
on November 20, 2015 (80 FR 72733), for a 49-day public comment period. 
During that period, the BLM held three public meetings in communities 
near the project area: Glenwood Springs, DeBeque and Carbondale, 
Colorado. The BLM received 60,515 comments during the formal comment 
period. The BLM worked with cooperating agencies (including the 
Environmental Protection Agency; USFS; the Colorado Department of 
Natural Resources, including Colorado Parks and Wildlife; Garfield, 
Mesa, Pitkin and Rio Blanco counties; the Cities of Glenwood Springs 
and Rifle; and the Towns of Carbondale, New Castle, Parachute and Silt) 
to prepare the Previously Issued Leases in the WRNF EIS. The BLM also 
consulted with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) informally 
and through a Biological Assessment. In response, the Service issued a 
consultation memorandum on May 19, 2016, concurring with the BLM 
effects determinations of ``may affect, but is not likely to adversely 
affect'' for the following species: Ute ladies'-tresses orchid, 
Colorado hookless cactus and its critical habitat, Western yellow-
billed cuckoo, Green-lineage cutthroat trout, Colorado pikeminnow and 
its critical habitat, Razorback sucker and its critical habitat, 
Humpback chub and its critical habitat, Bonytail and its critical 
habitat, and Canada lynx. In addition, the BLM notified the Colorado 
State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) via an informational letter 
that, pursuant to the

[[Page 86340]]

2014 Protocol agreement between the BLM Colorado and the SHPO, this 
undertaking does not exceed any of the review thresholds requiring SHPO 
concurrence, and that there will be no adverse effect to historic 
properties. Finally, the BLM began tribal consultation for the project 
in April 2014 when the field manager sent a scoping letter via 
certified mail to the Ute Indian Tribe (Uintah and Ouray Reservation), 
Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, and Southern Ute Indian Tribe. Consultation and 
outreach continued through April 22, 2016, when the BLM sent the tribes 
a letter that identified the Preferred Alternative and summarized 
cultural resource records within the area of potential effect 
(including potential Traditional Cultural Properties). The letter also 
offered the opportunity for comments or clarifications. The BLM will 
continue to offer opportunities for tribes that may be affected by 
potential future development of these leases as stipulated under E.O. 
13175, November 6, 2000.
    The BLM published the Notice of Availability of the Final 
Previously Issued Leases in the WRNF EIS in the Federal Register on 
August 5, 2016 (81 FR 51936). Publication of the Notice of Availability 
initiated a 30-day availability period. Even though there was no 
comment period on the Final EIS, the BLM received a number of comments, 
all of which were addressed in the ROD as appropriate.
    The BLM's ROD for the Previously Issued Leases in the WRNF EIS 
implements a slightly modified version of the Preferred Alternative, 
which combines portions of Alternatives 2 and 4. The decision applies 
stipulations described under Alternative 2 (including minor updates to 
reflect the 1993 USFS ROD stipulations) to all leases within the 
analysis area that are producing or committed to a unit or agreement. 
For those leases within the analysis area that are not producing or 
committed to a unit, Alternative 4 applies (canceling or modifying 
leases to match the 2015 USFS Final ROD) with one exception: The 
decision cancels in their entirety all undeveloped leases that overlap 
the area identified as closed to future leasing by the USFS's 2015 
Final ROD. The difference between lease cancellations under Alternative 
4 in the BLM's Previously Issued Leases in the WRNF EIS and this ROD is 
that seven leases having acres retained under Alternative 4 are 
cancelled in full under the ROD. There are no partial lease 
cancellations. On August 15, 2016, the Middleton Creek Unit was 
automatically contracted, retroactively effective August 20, 2015, 
according to Section 2(e) of the unit agreement and as per BLM 
regulation at 43 CFR 3186.1. As a result of the contraction, three 
leases (COC67147, COC70013, and COC70361) considered producing in the 
Final EIS are now considered undeveloped, and thus will be offered 
modified lease terms consistent with Alternative 4 of the Final EIS.
    Under the BLM's Previously Issued Oil and Gas Lease ROD, 25 
undeveloped leases are administratively cancelled in full, 12 
undeveloped leases remain open with new stipulations applied under 
Alternative 4 (with lessee consent), 20 producing or committed leases 
are reaffirmed or modified as described under Alternative 2, four 
expired leases currently under appeal that had previously been part of 
the Willow Creek Unit (held by production) would have Alternative 2 
applied if the appeal is successful, and one expired lease subject to 
appeal would have Alternative 4 stipulations applied if it were 
reauthorized. No decision is made for three leases that have expired or 
terminated and are not subject to appeal.
    The BLM's Previously Issued Oil and Gas Lease ROD takes agency and 
public comments into account and best meets the BLM's mandate to 
protect important resources while allowing oil and gas development. For 
reaffirmed or modified leases, upon receiving an application to approve 
an action on the ground, the BLM will conduct site-specific analysis of 
impacts through the subsequent NEPA reviews and analyses that will be 
necessary before the BLM issues any permit or approval for oil and gas 
development.
    This decision is approved by the Deputy Secretary for the U.S. 
Department of the Interior; therefore it is not subject to 
administrative appeal (43 CFR 4.410(a)(3)).

    Authority:  40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR 1506.10.

Gregory P. Shoop,
BLM Colorado Associate State Director.
[FR Doc. 2016-28807 Filed 11-29-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-JB-P



                                                86338                    Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 230 / Wednesday, November 30, 2016 / Notices

                                                Introduction                                            DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR                            Final EIS meets all requirements of the
                                                                                                                                                              CEQ, DOI and BLM for preparation of an
                                                   In accordance with the Oil Pollution                 Bureau of Land Management                             EIS.
                                                Act of 1990 (OPA), the National                                                                                 Oil and gas leasing on National Forest
                                                                                                        [LLCON04000 L16100000.DP0000–16X]
                                                Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the                                                                          System Lands is a collaborative process
                                                Consent Decree, and the Final                           Notice of Availability of the Record of               between the USFS and the BLM. The
                                                Programmatic Damage Assessment                          Decision Adopting U.S. Forest                         USFS is responsible for making land
                                                Restoration Plan and Final                              Service’s Final Environmental Impact                  availability decisions, while the BLM is
                                                Programmatic Environmental Impact                       Statement for Oil and Gas Leasing on                  responsible for issuing and managing oil
                                                Statement, the Federal and State natural                Lands Administered by the White River                 and gas leases, as described in the
                                                resource trustee agencies for the                       National Forest, CO                                   Federal Onshore Oil and Gas Leasing
                                                Louisiana Trustee Implementation                                                                              Reform Act.
                                                Group (Trustees) have prepared a Draft                  AGENCY:   Bureau of Land Management,                    The BLM was a Cooperating Agency
                                                Restoration Plan 1: Restoration of                      Interior.                                             in the preparation of the USFS’s Final
                                                Wetlands, Coastal, and Nearshore                        ACTION: Notice.                                       EIS. Per 40 CFR 1506.3(c), the BLM
                                                Habitats; Habitat Projects on Federally                                                                       adopts the Final EIS without re-
                                                                                                        SUMMARY:   In accordance with the                     circulating, as the BLM has concluded
                                                Managed Lands; and Birds (Draft                         National Environmental Policy Act of
                                                Restoration Plan 1). Draft Restoration                                                                        that its comments and suggestions were
                                                                                                        1969 (NEPA), the Bureau of Land                       incorporated during the NEPA process.
                                                Plan 1 describes and proposes                           Management (BLM) announces the
                                                engineering and design activities for                                                                           This decision is approved by the
                                                                                                        availability of the Record of Decision                Deputy Secretary of DOI; therefore, it is
                                                restoration projects intended to                        (ROD) adopting the Final United States                not subject to administrative appeal (43
                                                continue the process of restoring natural               Forest Service’s (USFS) ‘‘White River                 CFR 4.410(a)(3)).
                                                resources and services injured or lost as               National Forest Oil and Gas Leasing
                                                a result of the Deepwater Horizon oil                   Final Environmental Impact Statement                    Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR
                                                                                                                                                              1506.10.
                                                spill, which occurred on or about April                 (EIS),’’ which identifies the lands
                                                20, 2010, in the Gulf of Mexico.                        available for oil and gas leasing in the              Ruth Welch,
                                                                                                        White River National Forest, including                BLM Colorado State Director.
                                                Background                                              stipulations to protect surface resources.            [FR Doc. 2016–28806 Filed 11–29–16; 8:45 am]
                                                  For additional background                             ADDRESSES: Copies of the ROD are                      BILLING CODE 4310–JB–P
                                                information, see our original Federal                   available for public inspection at the
                                                Register notice, which opened the                       BLM Colorado River Valley Field Office,
                                                comment period (November 1, 2016; 81                    2300 River Frontage Road, Silt, CO                    DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
                                                FR 75840).                                              81652. Interested persons may also
                                                                                                        review the ROD on the project Web site                Bureau of Land Management
                                                Invitation To Comment                                   at https://eplanning.blm.gov/epl-front-
                                                                                                        office/eplanning/nepa/nepa_register.do.               [LLCON04000 L16100000.DP0000–16X]
                                                  The Trustees seek public review and
                                                                                                        FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Greg
                                                comment on the proposed projects and                                                                          Notice of Availability of the Record of
                                                                                                        Larson, Project Manager, at the address
                                                supporting analysis included in the                                                                           Decision for the Previously Issued Oil
                                                                                                        above, by telephone at 970–876–9000,
                                                Draft Restoration Plan 1. Before                                                                              and Gas Leases in the White River
                                                                                                        or by email at glarson@blm.gov. Persons
                                                including your address, phone number,                                                                         National Forest, CO
                                                                                                        who use a telecommunications device
                                                email address, or other personal                        for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal               AGENCY:   Bureau of Land Management,
                                                identifying information in your                         Relay Service (FRS) at 1–800–877–8339                 Interior.
                                                comment, you should be aware that                       to contact the above individual during                ACTION: Notice.
                                                your entire comment, including your                     normal business hours. The FRS is
                                                personal identifying information, may                   available 24 hours a day, seven days a                SUMMARY:   The Bureau of Land
                                                be made publicly available at any time.                 week, to leave a message or question                  Management (BLM) has prepared a
                                                Authority                                               with the above individual. You will                   Record of Decision (ROD) based on the
                                                                                                        receive a reply during normal business                analysis in the ‘‘Previously Issued Oil
                                                  The authority of this action is the Oil               hours.                                                and Gas Leases in the White River
                                                Pollution Act of 1990 (33 U.S.C. 2701 et                SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The                        National Forest Final Environmental
                                                seq.) and the implementing Natural                      BLM’s ROD formally adopts the USFS,                   Impact Statement (EIS).’’ That EIS
                                                Resource Damage Assessment                              December 2014, White River National                   addressed the treatment of 65
                                                regulations found at 15 CFR 990.                        Forest Oil and Gas Leasing Final EIS.                 previously issued oil and gas leases on
                                                                                                        The Department of the Interior (DOI)                  lands within the White River National
                                                Kevin D. Reynolds,                                      and the BLM concur with the selection                 Forest (WRNF). By this notice the BLM
                                                Department of the Interior Deepwater Horizon            of a combination of Alternatives B and                is announcing the availability of the
                                                Case Manager.                                           C as described in the USFS ROD                        ROD. On November 17, 2016, the BLM
                                                [FR Doc. 2016–28675 Filed 11–29–16; 8:45 am]            (December 3, 2015). As identified in 40               Colorado State Director signed and the
                                                                                                        CFR 1506.3(a), ‘‘[a]n agency may adopt                Deputy Secretary of the Department of
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES




                                                BILLING CODE 4310–55–P
                                                                                                        a Federal draft or final . . . [EIS] or               the Interior approved the ROD.
                                                                                                        portion thereof provided that the                     ADDRESSES: Copies of the ROD are
                                                                                                        statement or portion thereof meets the                available for public inspection at the
                                                                                                        standards for an adequate statement                   BLM Colorado River Valley Field Office,
                                                                                                        under these [the Council on                           2300 River Frontage Road, Silt, CO
                                                                                                        Environmental Quality (CEQ)]                          81652. Interested persons may also
                                                                                                        regulations.’’ The BLM affirms that this              review the ROD on the project Web site


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                                                                        Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 230 / Wednesday, November 30, 2016 / Notices                                             86339

                                                at https://eplanning.blm.gov/epl-front-                 1993. As a result, the BLM prepared the               area identified as closed to future
                                                office/eplanning/nepa/nepa_register.do.                 Previously Issued Leases in the WRNF                  leasing by the USFS Final ROD. The
                                                FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Greg                   EIS to determine whether these 65                     BLM would apply Alternative 4
                                                Larson, Project Manager, at the address                 leases should be cancelled, reaffirmed,               stipulations (i.e., those that were
                                                above, by telephone at (970) 876–9000,                  or modified with additional or different              identified in the 2015 USFS ROD) to 12
                                                or by email at glarson@blm.gov. Persons                 terms. The ROD announced by this                      undeveloped (as of Final EIS
                                                who use a telecommunications device                     Notice is based on that EIS analysis.                 publication) leases that are within parts
                                                for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal                    Distinct from this effort, the USFS                of the WRNF identified as open to
                                                Relay Service (FRS) at 1–800–877–8339                   recently updated its 1993 Oil and Gas                 future leasing, including one expired
                                                to contact the above individual during                  Leasing EIS to address future oil and gas             lease under appeal. It would apply
                                                normal business hours. The FRS is                       leasing availability on WRNF lands and                Alternative 2 stipulations to 27 leases
                                                available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,                issued a new EIS, the White River                     that were producing or committed to a
                                                to leave a message or question with the                 National Forest Oil and Gas Leasing                   unit agreement or communitization
                                                above individual. You will receive a                    Final Environmental Impact Statement                  agreement as of Final EIS publication,
                                                reply during normal business hours.                     (USFS WRNF Oil and Gas Leasing EIS),                  including four expired leases currently
                                                                                                        in December 2014. The USFS signed                     under appeal that had previously been
                                                SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM
                                                                                                        their Final ROD for this new EIS in                   part of the Willow Creek Unit. In
                                                has developed the Previously Issued Oil
                                                                                                        December 2015. The recently issued                    addition, one expired lease not subject
                                                and Gas Leases in the White River
                                                                                                        USFS EIS and ROD are forward-looking                  to appeal would receive no decision. As
                                                National Forest EIS (Previously Issued
                                                                                                        and do not affect the 65 previously                   with Alternative 4, the lessee would
                                                Leases in the WRNF EIS) to address a
                                                                                                        issued leases that the BLM is                         have to either accept the new
                                                National Environmental Policy Act
                                                                                                        reexamining; however, the information                 stipulations or have the lease cancelled.
                                                (NEPA) deficiency identified by the                     generated as part of that process was
                                                Interior Board of Land Appeals (IBLA)                                                                         Cancellation would be accomplished
                                                                                                        relevant to the BLM’s analysis.                       through an administrative process and
                                                related to the issuance of oil and gas                  Therefore, as part of its process, the
                                                leases on WRNF lands between the                                                                              would require reimbursement of bonus
                                                                                                        BLM has incorporated the new USFS                     bids and rental payments.
                                                years of 1995 to 2004. In 2007, the IBLA                analysis into its analysis of the
                                                ruled that before including WRNF                                                                                 The BLM released the Draft
                                                                                                        previously issued leases, to the extent
                                                parcels in an oil and gas lease sale, the                                                                     Previously Issued Leases in the WRNF
                                                                                                        practicable.
                                                BLM must either formally adopt the                         The BLM considered six alternatives                EIS on November 20, 2015 (80 FR
                                                NEPA analysis completed by the U.S.                     in the Previously Issued Leases in the                72733), for a 49-day public comment
                                                Forest Service (USFS) or conduct its                    WRNF EIS, including a No Action                       period. During that period, the BLM
                                                own NEPA analysis (Board of                             Alternative. The No Action Alternative                held three public meetings in
                                                Commissioners of Pitkin County, 173                     would reaffirm the lease stipulations on              communities near the project area:
                                                IBLA 173 (2007)). The BLM canceled                      the 65 leases as they were issued. Under              Glenwood Springs, DeBeque and
                                                the three leases at issue in that case and              this alternative, the BLM would take no               Carbondale, Colorado. The BLM
                                                identified 65 additional leases with                    action by continuing to administer the                received 60,515 comments during the
                                                effective dates ranging from 1995 to                    leases with their current stipulations.               formal comment period. The BLM
                                                2012 that the BLM had leased without                    Alternative 2 would address                           worked with cooperating agencies
                                                either adopting applicable USFS NEPA,                   inconsistencies in some of the existing               (including the Environmental Protection
                                                or preparing its own NEPA analysis. For                 leases by adding stipulations identified              Agency; USFS; the Colorado
                                                these 65 existing leases, the most recent               in the USFS 1993 Oil and Gas Leasing                  Department of Natural Resources,
                                                USFS decision to make these lands                       EIS that were not attached to eight                   including Colorado Parks and Wildlife;
                                                available for oil and gas leasing was                   leases when they were issued.                         Garfield, Mesa, Pitkin and Rio Blanco
                                                analyzed and put forth in the USFS’s                    Alternative 3 would modify the 65                     counties; the Cities of Glenwood
                                                1993 Oil and Gas Leasing EIS and ROD.                   leases to match the stipulations                      Springs and Rifle; and the Towns of
                                                The USFS then adopted its 1993 Oil and                  identified for future leasing in the 2014             Carbondale, New Castle, Parachute and
                                                Gas Leasing EIS in its 2002 White River                 USFS WRNF Oil and Gas Leasing Final                   Silt) to prepare the Previously Issued
                                                National Forest Land and Resource                       EIS Proposed Action. Alternative 4                    Leases in the WRNF EIS. The BLM also
                                                Management Plan.                                        (BLM’s Proposed Action) would modify                  consulted with the U.S. Fish and
                                                   While the BLM obtained USFS                          or cancel the 65 leases to match the                  Wildlife Service (Service) informally
                                                consent before offering and                             stipulations and availability decision in             and through a Biological Assessment. In
                                                subsequently issuing the 65 leases at                   the USFS ROD. In areas the USFS                       response, the Service issued a
                                                issue, it did not adopt the USFS’ NEPA                  identified as open to future leasing,                 consultation memorandum on May 19,
                                                analysis or prepare its own analysis. As                stipulations would be modified to track               2016, concurring with the BLM effects
                                                a result, the BLM determined that the                   those found in the most recent USFS                   determinations of ‘‘may affect, but is not
                                                issuance of the leases in question was                  decision and all or part of 25 existing               likely to adversely affect’’ for the
                                                not in compliance with applicable                       leases in areas identified as closed                  following species: Ute ladies’-tresses
                                                NEPA requirements, rendering the                        would be cancelled. Alternative 5 would               orchid, Colorado hookless cactus and its
                                                leases voidable. The BLM therefore                      cancel all 65 leases. For purposes of the             critical habitat, Western yellow-billed
                                                determined that additional actions were                 BLM’s Previously Issued Oil and Gas                   cuckoo, Green-lineage cutthroat trout,
                                                necessary to reaffirm, modify, or cancel                                                                      Colorado pikeminnow and its critical
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES




                                                                                                        Leases in the WRNF Final EIS, the BLM
                                                those leases. As part of that                           identified a combination of Alternatives              habitat, Razorback sucker and its critical
                                                determination, the BLM determined that                  2 and 4 as its Preferred Alternative.                 habitat, Humpback chub and its critical
                                                the available USFS NEPA analysis                        Under this Preferred Alternative, the                 habitat, Bonytail and its critical habitat,
                                                relevant to the 65 leases was no longer                 BLM would cancel in their entirety 25                 and Canada lynx. In addition, the BLM
                                                adequate due to changes in laws,                        leases that are not producing or                      notified the Colorado State Historic
                                                regulations, policies and conditions                    committed to a unit or communitization                Preservation Office (SHPO) via an
                                                since that analysis was finalized in                    agreement, and which overlap with the                 informational letter that, pursuant to the


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                                                86340                   Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 230 / Wednesday, November 30, 2016 / Notices

                                                2014 Protocol agreement between the                     2(e) of the unit agreement and as per                 SUMMARY:   The Committee on Rules of
                                                BLM Colorado and the SHPO, this                         BLM regulation at 43 CFR 3186.1. As a                 Practice and Procedure will hold a
                                                undertaking does not exceed any of the                  result of the contraction, three leases               meeting on January 3, 2017. The
                                                review thresholds requiring SHPO                        (COC67147, COC70013, and COC70361)                    meeting will be open to public
                                                concurrence, and that there will be no                  considered producing in the Final EIS                 observation but not participation. An
                                                adverse effect to historic properties.                  are now considered undeveloped, and                   agenda and supporting materials will be
                                                Finally, the BLM began tribal                           thus will be offered modified lease                   posted at least 7 days in advance of the
                                                consultation for the project in April                   terms consistent with Alternative 4 of                meeting at: http://www.uscourts.gov/
                                                2014 when the field manager sent a                      the Final EIS.                                        rules-policies/records-and-archives-
                                                scoping letter via certified mail to the                   Under the BLM’s Previously Issued                  rules-committees/agenda-books.
                                                Ute Indian Tribe (Uintah and Ouray                      Oil and Gas Lease ROD, 25 undeveloped                 DATES: January 3, 2017.
                                                Reservation), Ute Mountain Ute Tribe,                   leases are administratively cancelled in              TIME: 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
                                                and Southern Ute Indian Tribe.                          full, 12 undeveloped leases remain open
                                                Consultation and outreach continued                                                                           ADDRESSES: Special Proceedings
                                                                                                        with new stipulations applied under
                                                through April 22, 2016, when the BLM                    Alternative 4 (with lessee consent), 20               Courtroom, U.S. District Court, 401
                                                sent the tribes a letter that identified the            producing or committed leases are                     Washington Street, Phoenix, Arizona
                                                Preferred Alternative and summarized                    reaffirmed or modified as described                   85003.
                                                cultural resource records within the area               under Alternative 2, four expired leases              FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
                                                of potential effect (including potential                currently under appeal that had                       Rebecca A. Womeldorf, Rules
                                                Traditional Cultural Properties). The                   previously been part of the Willow                    Committee Secretary, Rules Committee
                                                letter also offered the opportunity for                 Creek Unit (held by production) would                 Support Office, Administrative Office of
                                                comments or clarifications. The BLM                     have Alternative 2 applied if the appeal              the United States Courts, Washington,
                                                will continue to offer opportunities for                is successful, and one expired lease                  DC 20544, telephone (202) 502–1820.
                                                tribes that may be affected by potential                subject to appeal would have                            Dated: November 23, 2016.
                                                future development of these leases as                   Alternative 4 stipulations applied if it              Rebecca A. Womeldorf,
                                                stipulated under E.O. 13175, November                   were reauthorized. No decision is made
                                                6, 2000.                                                                                                      Rules Committee Secretary.
                                                                                                        for three leases that have expired or
                                                   The BLM published the Notice of                      terminated and are not subject to
                                                                                                                                                              [FR Doc. 2016–28761 Filed 11–29–16; 8:45 am]
                                                Availability of the Final Previously                    appeal.                                               BILLING CODE 2210–55–P
                                                Issued Leases in the WRNF EIS in the                       The BLM’s Previously Issued Oil and
                                                Federal Register on August 5, 2016 (81                  Gas Lease ROD takes agency and public
                                                FR 51936). Publication of the Notice of                 comments into account and best meets                  DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
                                                Availability initiated a 30-day                         the BLM’s mandate to protect important
                                                availability period. Even though there                                                                        Foreign Claims Settlement
                                                                                                        resources while allowing oil and gas
                                                was no comment period on the Final                                                                            Commission
                                                                                                        development. For reaffirmed or
                                                EIS, the BLM received a number of                       modified leases, upon receiving an                    [F.C.S.C. Meeting and Hearing Notice No.
                                                comments, all of which were addressed                   application to approve an action on the               10–16]
                                                in the ROD as appropriate.                              ground, the BLM will conduct site-
                                                   The BLM’s ROD for the Previously                                                                           Sunshine Act Meeting
                                                                                                        specific analysis of impacts through the
                                                Issued Leases in the WRNF EIS
                                                                                                        subsequent NEPA reviews and analyses                    The Foreign Claims Settlement
                                                implements a slightly modified version
                                                                                                        that will be necessary before the BLM                 Commission, pursuant to its regulations
                                                of the Preferred Alternative, which
                                                                                                        issues any permit or approval for oil and             (45 CFR part 503.25) and the
                                                combines portions of Alternatives 2 and
                                                                                                        gas development.                                      Government in the Sunshine Act (5
                                                4. The decision applies stipulations
                                                described under Alternative 2                              This decision is approved by the                   U.S.C. 552b), hereby gives notice in
                                                (including minor updates to reflect the                 Deputy Secretary for the U.S.                         regard to the scheduling of open
                                                1993 USFS ROD stipulations) to all                      Department of the Interior; therefore it              meetings as follows:
                                                leases within the analysis area that are                is not subject to administrative appeal                 Wednesday, December 14, 2016: 10:00
                                                producing or committed to a unit or                     (43 CFR 4.410(a)(3)).                                 a.m.—Consolidated oral hearing on
                                                agreement. For those leases within the                    Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR                    Objection to Commission’s Proposed
                                                analysis area that are not producing or                 1506.10.                                              Decisions in Claim Nos. LIB–III–036,
                                                committed to a unit, Alternative 4                                                                            LIB–III–037, LIB–III–038, LIB–III–039,
                                                                                                        Gregory P. Shoop,
                                                applies (canceling or modifying leases                                                                        LIB–III–040, LIB–III–041, LIB–III–042,
                                                                                                        BLM Colorado Associate State Director.
                                                to match the 2015 USFS Final ROD)                                                                             LIB–III–043, LIB–III–044, LIB–III–045,
                                                                                                        [FR Doc. 2016–28807 Filed 11–29–16; 8:45 am]          LIB–III–046, LIB–III–047, LIB–III–048,
                                                with one exception: The decision
                                                cancels in their entirety all undeveloped               BILLING CODE 4310–JB–P                                LIB–III–049, LIB–III–050, LIB–III–051,
                                                leases that overlap the area identified as                                                                    LIB–III–052, LIB–III–053, LIB–III–054,
                                                closed to future leasing by the USFS’s                                                                        LIB–III–055, LIB–III–056, LIB–III–057,
                                                2015 Final ROD. The difference between                  JUDICIAL CONFERENCE OF THE                            LIB–III–058, LIB–III–059, LIB–III–060,
                                                lease cancellations under Alternative 4                 UNITED STATES                                         LIB–III–061, LIB–III–062, LIB–III–063,
                                                in the BLM’s Previously Issued Leases                                                                         LIB–III–064, LIB–III–065, LIB–III–066,
                                                                                                        Meeting of the Judicial Conference                    LIB–III–068, LIB–III–069, LIB–III–070,
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES




                                                in the WRNF EIS and this ROD is that
                                                seven leases having acres retained under                Committee on Rules of Practice and                    LIB–III–071, LIB–III–072, LIB–III–073,
                                                Alternative 4 are cancelled in full under               Procedure                                             LIB–III–074, LIB–III–075, LIB–III–076,
                                                the ROD. There are no partial lease                     AGENCY:  Judicial Conference of the                   LIB–III–077, LIB–III–078, LIB–III–079,
                                                cancellations. On August 15, 2016, the                  United States, Committee on Rules of                  LIB–III–080, LIB–III–081, LIB–III–082,
                                                Middleton Creek Unit was automatically                  Practice and Procedure.                               LIB–III–083, LIB–III–084, LIB–III–086
                                                contracted, retroactively effective                                                                           and LIB–III–087.
                                                                                                        ACTION: Notice of open meeting.
                                                August 20, 2015, according to Section                                                                           Status: Open.


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Document Created: 2016-11-30 02:17:45
Document Modified: 2016-11-30 02:17:45
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionNotices
ActionNotice.
ContactGreg Larson, Project Manager, at the
FR Citation81 FR 86338 

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