83 FR 12810 - Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Riley Ridge to Natrona Project, Wyoming

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 57 (March 23, 2018)

In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended, and the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920 (MLA), as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Rock Springs Field Office has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Riley Ridge to Natrona Project (RRNP or Project) and by this Notice announces the beginning of public review to solicit public comments.

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 57 (Friday, March 23, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12810-12812]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-05858]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLWYD04000-LL51010000-ER0000-LVRWK14K1600.17X]


Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Riley Ridge to Natrona Project, Wyoming

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969 (NEPA), as amended, and the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920 (MLA), as 
amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Rock Springs Field Office 
has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Riley 
Ridge to Natrona Project (RRNP or Project) and by this Notice announces 
the beginning of public review to solicit public comments.

DATES: The Draft EIS is now available for public review. To be 
considered in the Final EIS, written comments on the Draft EIS must be 
received within 45 days after the Environmental Protection Agency's 
publication in the Federal Register of a Notice of Availability (NOA) 
of this Draft EIS.
    Four public open houses for the proposed Project will be held in 
Big Piney, Rock Springs, Lander, and Casper, Wyoming. Meeting times and 
locations will be announced through local media and the BLM Project 
website at http://bit.ly/2aW727l at least 15 days prior to the event. 
To be considered in the analysis, all comments must be received prior 
to the close of the public comment period or 15 days after the last 
public meeting, whichever is later.

ADDRESSES: The Draft EIS and supporting documents will be available 
electronically on the following BLM website: http://bit.ly/2aW727l.
    Written comments may be submitted by any of the following methods:
     Email: [email protected].
     Fax: 307-352-0329.
     Mail or Delivery: BLM High Desert District, Attn: Mark 
Mackiewicz, BLM National Project Manager, Riley Ridge to Natrona 
Project, 280 Highway 191 North, Rock Springs, WY 82901.
    Copies of the Draft EIS may be examined at the following BLM 
offices from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. MDT, Monday through Friday, except 
Federal holidays:
     BLM Rock Springs Field Office, 280 Highway 191 North, Rock 
Springs, Wyoming.
     BLM Pinedale Field Office, 1625 West Pine Street, 
Pinedale, Wyoming.
     BLM Rawlins Field Office, 1300 N. Third Street, Rawlins, 
Wyoming.
     BLM Lander Field Office, 1335 Main Street, Lander, 
Wyoming.
     BLM Casper Field Office, 2987 Prospector Drive, Casper, 
Wyoming.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Mark Mackiewicz, BLM National Project 
Manager, at:
     Telephone: 435-636-3616.
     Email: [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 speak with 
Mr. Mackiewicz during normal business hours. The FRS is available 24 
hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave a message or question for the 
above individual. You will receive a reply during normal business 
hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM is responding to three applications 
for right-of-way (ROW) grants submitted by Denbury Green Pipeline-Riley 
Ridge, LLC (Denbury) and PacifiCorp, doing business as Rocky Mountain 
Power (collectively referred to as the Applicant), to the BLM for the 
Project. Denbury submitted an ``Application for Transportation and 
Utility Systems and Facilities on Federal Lands'' (Standard Form 299) 
to the BLM for two underground pipeline projects: (1) The Riley Ridge 
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Pipeline Project (WYW-167867) and (2) 
the Bairoil to Natrona CO2 Pipeline Project (WYW-168290). In 
addition, Denbury has proposed two hydrogen sulfide (H2S) 
injection wells (WYW-181373) to be sited near the proposed Riley Ridge 
Sweetening Plant, which is included in the Riley Ridge CO2 
Pipeline Project application. PacifiCorp submitted an application for 
ROW for a 230-kilovolt (kV) transmission line (WYW-185369) to supply 
energy to the Riley Ridge Sweetening Plant. The applications for ROW 
grants for Denbury's Proposed Action were submitted to the BLM on 
February 19, 2013 (Denbury), and January 25, 2016 (PacifiCorp); the 
proposal for the injection wells was submitted to the BLM on September 
12, 2013. Collectively, the Project consists of the following 
components (as proposed):
     An underground non-gaseous H2S/carbon dioxide 
(CO2) pipeline from the existing Riley Ridge Treating Plant 
(a methane and helium recovery facility) to the proposed Riley Ridge 
Sweetening Plant, consisting of 31 miles of 16-inch-diameter pipe 
within Sublette County;
     A CO2 underground pipeline from the proposed 
Riley Ridge Sweetening Plant to the Bairoil Interconnect, consisting of 
129 miles of 24-inch-diameter pipe, and continuing from the 
interconnect another 84 miles to the terminus at the Natrona Hub within 
Natrona County;
     The 4.3-acre proposed Riley Ridge Sweetening Plant, 
located on BLM-administered lands, constructed and operated to separate 
the CO2 from the H2S; the H2S would be 
reinjected into deep geologic formations via two proposed injection 
wells;
     An approximately 1-mile-long 230 kV overhead transmission 
line that would bring power to the Riley Ridge Sweetening Plant from an 
existing 230 kV transmission line; and
     Ancillary facilities, such as roads, valves, flowlines, 
etc.
    After reviewing the scope of the Project, the BLM, as the lead 
Federal agency, determined that the Proposed Action is a major federal 
action and would require preparation of an EIS in compliance with 
requirements of NEPA, as amended by the Council on Environmental 
Quality regulations for implementing NEPA (40 CFR 1500-1508).
    On June 9, 2014, the BLM published in the Federal Register a Notice 
of Intent to prepare the EIS. Thirteen agencies are participating as 
cooperating agencies in preparation of the EIS, including the U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the National Park Service and the U.S. 
Army Corps of Engineers (USACE); the State of Wyoming (and associated 
departments); Fremont, Lincoln, Sublette, Sweetwater, and Natrona 
counties, Wyoming; and four conservation districts, Natrona County, 
Popo Agie, Sublette County, and Sweetwater County, in Wyoming. To allow 
the public an opportunity to review the Project information, the BLM 
held public meetings from July 14 to July 17, 2014, in Casper, Lander, 
Big Piney, and Rock Springs, Wyoming. Issues and potential impacts on 
specific resources were identified during the

[[Page 12811]]

scoping and preparation of the Draft EIS.
    In the preparation of the Draft EIS and in consideration of scoping 
comments, an initial evaluation was made of a full range of 
alternatives. All reasonable alternatives were considered, including 
one route variation to accommodate avoidance of conflict with existing 
oil and gas development. Alternative routes that were (1) ineffective 
(i.e., did not meet the agency's purpose and need), (2) technically or 
economically infeasible, (3) inconsistent with the basic policy 
objectives of the management of an area (e.g., land-use plans), (4) 
remote or speculative (i.e., could not be analyzed), or (5) 
substantially similar in design or effects to another alternative being 
analyzed were eliminated from further consideration. The alternative 
routes considered and eliminated based on screening are briefly 
described below:
     Route Option E: South Pass. This route option was 
eliminated from further review because it was inconsistent with basic 
policy objectives. This route option crosses an exclusion area within 
the Lander Field Office, a national historic landmark, a Visual 
Resource Class II area, a sage-grouse core area, and four National 
Historic Trails that share the same alignment (crossed three separate 
times). Also, the route would be inconsistent with the Green River 
Field Office Resource Management Plan (RMP), as amended by the Jack 
Morrow Hills Coordinated Activity Plan (Rock Springs Field Office). In 
May 2015, Sweetwater County submitted a letter stating the county's 
preference for Alternative Route E and requesting that the BLM analyze 
the route in detail in the EIS. However, due to the reasons listed 
above, the BLM has determined the route is not feasible, therefore, the 
route remains eliminated from detailed analysis.
     Route Variation: Poison Spider Road. This route variation 
was eliminated because it would be technically infeasible. The route 
would be congested with multiple rights-of-way, would have limited 
space for new infrastructure, and would result in substantial 
challenges for constructability and reclamation.
     Route Option F: Beef Gap. This route option was eliminated 
because the corridor is considered closed in the Lander Field Office 
RMP because development within the Black Rock designated corridor would 
not be feasible due to geological resource conflicts (specifically no 
additional room to site a utility in this corridor).
    In addition to these pipeline alternative routes, an aboveground 
crossing of the pipeline at the Green River was considered as a design 
alternative to avoid environmental effects on water quality and 
associated impacts on wildlife and fish if a leak in the pipeline were 
to occur. However, the CO2 that would be carried by the 
pipeline would be in ``supercritical'' form, which, in the case of a 
leak, would immediately become a gas and would disperse into the 
atmosphere. The CO2 would turn into a gas quickly. While no 
contamination of water resources would be anticipated, atmospheric 
release of large quantities of CO2 would be a larger hazard 
to health and safety given that CO2 is an asphyxiant. 
Further, its release may lead to lower temperatures in operations of 
structures and instrumentation outside of their design temperatures. 
The Applicant proposes to use horizontal directional drilling (HDD) to 
install the pipeline underneath the Green River at a depth of at least 
30 feet below the river bed. The entry and exit points for HDD would be 
at least a quarter mile from either side of the Green River. Because 
the design alternative would be ineffective in avoiding or reducing 
resource effects and inconsistent with the basic policy objectives of 
the management of the area, it was eliminated from detailed analysis.
    In addition to the Applicant's Proposed Action Alternative, the 
Draft EIS considers the No Action Alternative, five alternative routes, 
and one route variation in three Project segments. For this Draft EIS, 
the No Action Alternative means that the BLM ROW authorization for the 
Project to cross Federal lands would not be granted and the pipelines 
and associated facilities would not be constructed.
    The BLM, in coordination with the cooperating agencies, developed 
the Agency Preferred Alternative (APA) through a comparative evaluation 
of routing opportunities and constraints and relative potential impacts 
among the various alternative routes. Through a systematic analysis, 
the alternative routes were compared to determine the most 
environmentally acceptable routes to be addressed in the EIS and to 
select the APA on Federal lands. The APA on Federal lands is the 
alternative route that the BLM, in coordination with the cooperating 
agencies, believes would fulfill its statutory mission and 
responsibilities, considering economic, environmental, technical, and 
other factors.
    The APA is a recommendation derived from currently available 
information and is not a decision. The APA for this Project consists of 
the following alternative in each segment:
     Segment 1: Alternative 1C: Figure Four. This is an 
alternative to the Alternative 1A: Proposed Action route in the 
Pinedale and Rock Springs Field Offices and is approximately 38 miles 
in length. This alternative route follows the same alignment as 
Alternative 1B: Dry Piney but continues farther south along State 
Highway 235, cuts east crossing U.S. Highway 189 north of the Town of 
La Barge, and connects to the proposed Riley Ridge Sweetening Plant. 
This alternative route follows existing disturbance and is anticipated 
to minimize potential effects on wildlife more than the other 
alternative routes being considered in this segment.
     Segment 2: Alternative 2A: Proposed Action. This route is 
approximately 129 miles of 24-inch pipeline, which would transport the 
CO2 from the Riley Ridge Sweetening Plant eastward. The 
route travels east through southern Sublette County crossing into 
northern Sweetwater County. It continues southeast across Bush Rim and 
into the Red Desert and then turns northeast until it reaches the 
Bairoil Interconnect about 50 miles northwest of Rawlins, Wyoming.
     Segment 3: Alternative 3B: Lost Creek to Lost Cabin. This 
is an alternative to the Alternative 3A: Proposed Action route in the 
Lander Field Office and is approximately 73 miles in length. This 
alternative heads northeast from the Bairoil Interconnect crossing U.S. 
Highway 287 and parallels the Proposed Action route until it crosses 
State Highway 136. The alternative route continues north near Moneta, 
Wyoming, and ties into the Lost Cabin Interconnect near Lost Cabin, 
Wyoming. This alternative route was developed to use a utility corridor 
designated in the Approved RMP for the Lander Field Office and to tie 
into the Greencore Pipeline at Lost Cabin instead of the Natrona Hub.
    The BLM is inviting the public to offer comments on the APA, as 
well as the other alternative routes and route variations presented in 
the Draft EIS document.
    Ongoing consultations with Native American tribes will continue in 
accordance with policy, and tribal concerns, including impacts on 
Indian trust assets, will be given due consideration. Federal, state, 
and local agencies, along with other stakeholders that may be 
interested in or affected by the BLM decision on this Project, are 
invited to participate.
    Input is important and will be considered in the environmental 
analysis process. All comment

[[Page 12812]]

submissions must include the commenter's name and street address. 
Comments, including the names and addresses of the commenter, will be 
available for public inspection at the locations listed above during 
normal business hours (7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mountain Daylight Time), 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    Comments on the Draft EIS may be submitted in writing to the BLM at 
any public comment meeting or through one of the methods listed in the 
ADDRESSES section. The BLM requests that comments be structured so they 
are substantive and contain sufficient detail to allow the BLM to 
address them in the Final EIS. All comments must include a legible full 
name and address on the envelope, letter, fax, postcard, or email. 
Copies of the Draft EIS have been sent to affected Federal, State, and 
local governments; public libraries in the Project area; and interested 
parties that previously requested a copy.
    Before including your address, phone number, email address, or any 
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 may 
request in your comment that your personal identifying information be 
withheld from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able 
to do so.

    Authority:  40 CFR 1501.7.

Mary Jo Rugwell,
State Director.
[FR Doc. 2018-05858 Filed 3-22-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-22-P