[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