[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 157 (Tuesday, August 15, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42172-42173]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-20039]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[UT-920-05-1310-01]


Oil and Gas Leases; Utah

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of adoption/notice of availability of Record of 
Decision.

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SUMMARY: This notice is to advise the public that the Bureau of Land 
Management (BLM) Plans to adopt the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement for Oil and Gas Leasing in the North Slope Area of the 
Wasatch-Cache and Ashley National Forests and of the availability of 
the BLM's Record of Decision (ROD).

DATES: The public will have until September 14, 1995 to appeal this 

[[Page 42173]]
decision in accordance with the instructions provided in this Notice.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with section 102 of the 
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), a Final Environmental 
Impact Statement (FEIS) for Oil and Gas Leasing within the North Slope 
Area of the Wasatch-Cache and Ashley National Forests has been prepared 
by the U. S. Forest Service (USFS) and the Bureau of Land Management. 
National and local agreements between the two agencies identified the 
USFS as lead agency for preparing the analysis with BLM participating 
as a cooperating agency as described in 40 CFR 1501.6.
    The FEIS addresses the potential impacts of leasing on lands within 
the Wasatch-Cache and adjacent Ashley National Forests determined to 
have high potential for the occurrence of oil and gas and identifies 
which areas are available for leasing and any stipulations that will be 
attached to leases. The two Forest Plans have been amended to be 
consistent with the decisions reached in this FEIS.
    The Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended, provides the Secretary 
of the Interior the authority to issue oil and gas leases on lands 
where oil and gas rights are held by the Federal Government. This 
authority has been delegated to the BLM. The Federal Onshore Oil and 
Gas Leasing Reform Act of 1987 requires the BLM to obtain the consent 
of the Secretary of Agriculture before issuing leases on National 
Forest System Lands. Authority to consent has been delegated to Forest 
Supervisors. The North Slope Leasing FEIS identifies those lands that 
will be made available to BLM for leasing and site specific 
stipulations that will be attached to leases.
    In accordance with 40 CFR 1506.3(c), BLM is adopting the FEIS for 
the purpose of issuing oil and gas leases within the North Slope area 
of the Wasatch-Cache and Ashley National Forests. BLM actively 
participated in the preparation of the Draft and Final EISs and 
independently reviewed each document. Department of the Interior as 
well as Public comments and concerns have been satisfactorily addressed 
in the FEIS. The FEIS complies with NEPA and meets the requirements of 
the regulations for implementing the Federal Land Policy and Management 
Act of 1976 (43 CFR part 1600). BLM's preferred alternative is 
Alternative P as described in the FEIS which is also the preferred 
alternative of the USFS.
    Copies of the FEIS are available from the Wasatch-Cache National 
Forest, 8230 Federal Building, 125 South State Street, Salt Lake City, 
Utah 84138, and the Ashley National Forest, 355 North Vernal Avenue, 
Vernal, Utah 84078. Public reading copies are available at the 
following BLM locations:

Utah State Office, 324 South State Street, Salt Lake City, Utah 84111.
Rock Springs District Office, Highway 191 North, Rock Springs, Wyoming 
82902.

    This decision may be appealed to the Interior Board of Land 
Appeals, Office of the Secretary, in accordance with the regulations in 
43 CFR part 4. The Appellant has the burden of showing the decision 
appealed from is in error. If you wish to file a petition for a stay of 
the effectiveness of this decision during the time that your appeal is 
being reviewed by the Board, the petition for stay must accompany your 
notice of appeal. If you request a stay, you have the burden of proof 
to demonstrate that a stay should be granted.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James Fouts, Bureau of Land 
Management, Utah State Office, P. O. Box 45155, Salt Lake City, Utah 
84145-0155 or Teri Deakins, Rock Springs District Office, P. O. Box 
1869, Rock Springs, Wyoming 82902-1869.
Mat Millenbach,
Utah State Director.
Alan R. Pierson,
Wyoming State Director.
[FR Doc. 95-20039 Filed 8-14-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-DQ-P