[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 62 (Thursday, March 31, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-7668]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: March 31, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management
[WY-040-94-4110-03]

 

Moxa Arch Natural Gas Field, WY; EIS

agency: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

action: Notice of intent to conduct public scoping and prepare an 
environmental impact statement.

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summary: The action proposed is to conduct scoping and to prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the proposal of Amoco 
Production Company, Union Pacific Resources Company, Wexpro/Celsius 
Energy Company, Bannon Energy, Marathon Oil Company, Presidio 
Exploration and other oil and gas companies (Companies) to drill 
approximately 300 wells in the existing Moxa Arch natural gas field 
beginning in 1994 and continuing into the following year. The Moxa Arch 
area is generally located in Townships 15 through 23 North, Ranges 111 
through 113 West of Lincoln, Sweetwater and Uinta Counties in 
southwestern Wyoming, and encompasses approximately 450,000 acres.

dates: A scoping notice will be distributed by mail on or about the 
date of this notice. Responses and comments will be accepted on or 
before May 2, 1994. No public meetings are scheduled at this time. The 
comments and concerns received in response to the scoping will aid the 
BLM in identifying alternatives and assure all issues are analyzed in 
the EIS. Should public demand warrant a public meeting, it will be 
scheduled at a later date.

addresses: Information and a copy of the Scoping Notice for the 
proposed Moxa Arch Natural Gas Development EIS can be obtained by 
writing or visiting the following offices:

--BLM, Wyoming State Office, 2515 Warren Ave., P.O. Box 1828, Cheyenne, 
Wyoming 82003.
--BLM, Rock Springs District Office, Highway 191 North of Rock Springs, 
P.O. Box 1869, Rock Springs, Wyoming 82902-1869.
--BLM, Kemmerer Resource Area Office, 415 Highway 30 North, P.O. Box 
632, Kemmerer, Wyoming 83101.
Scoping comments should be sent to: Bureau of Land Management, Rock 
Springs District Office, ATTN: Dennis Stenger, P.O. Box 1869, Rock 
Springs, Wyoming, 82902-1869.

for further information contact: Bill McMahan, Environmental 
Specialist, Bureau of Land Management, Rock Springs District Office, 
P.O. Box 1869, Rock Springs, Wyoming, 82902-1869, phone (307) 382-5350.

supplementary information: The intent of the expanded Moxa Arch natural 
gas development is to enhance natural gas recovery from the Moxa Arch 
lease area, allowing the Companies to provide more natural gas to 
companies distributing and supplying natural gas to consumers. This 
would benefit consumers by making additional supplies of clean-burning 
natural gas available. The additional wells will maximize production in 
an area where approximately 700 wells are already producing. In 
addition to wellheads and production units, associated facilities will 
include access roads, natural gas gathering pipeline systems and 
individual well tank facilities. The existing wells plus the indicated 
planned development wells would result in approximately 1,000 wells 
within the expanded Moxa Arch area.
    An environmental assessment and supplement were prepared on natural 
gas development within the Moxa Arch field in 1991 and 1992 
respectively. The decisions for these environmental analyses concluded 
that a certain level of development could be authorized without 
resulting in significant impact to the human environment. That level of 
development has not been exceeded--thus development concurrent with the 
preparation of the Expanded Moxa Arch Natural Gas Development EIS would 
be authorized so long as it remains within the scope of the existing 
environmental analyses and decisions.
    Land and resource management issues and concerns associated with 
the construction of roads, well pads, and pipelines; the drilling and 
completion of well; and the operation and maintenance of a producing 
well field that will be analyzed in the EIS are:

--Sensitive and threatened/endangered species (plant and animal).
--Black-footed Ferret, Bald Eagle, Whooping Crane, Peregrine Falcon, 
Bonytail Chub, Humpbacked Chub and Colorado Squawfish.
--Antelope crucial winter range, sage grouse breeding and nesting 
habitat and raptor use.
--Steep slopes and unstable soils.
--Three perennial streams--Hams Fork River, Blacks Fork River and Slate 
Creek.
--Cultural resources.
--Surface and ground water resources.
--Areas of difficult rehabilitation due to poor soil conditions.
--Historic Oregon/Mormon Trail.
--Wetland/riparian and floodplain area protection pursuant to Executive 
Orders 11990 and 11988.
--High and moderate visual resource sensitivity.
--Increased human activity.
--Social and economic effects to the local communities.
--Increased public access and road density.
--Hunting quality change.
--Cumulative impacts.

    Opportunities that may be derived from the expanded Moxa Arch 
development include: Increased royalties and tax revenues to local, 
State and Federal Governments; added employment and economic benefits 
to communities near the natural gas field; increase in Wyoming's share 
of new and existing markets; and development of natural gas to assist 
in the attainment of clean air in conformance with Presidential and 
Congressional direction.

    Dated: March 22, 1994.
David J. Walter,
Acting State Director.
[FR Doc. 94-7668 Filed 3-30-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-22-M