[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 179 (Friday, September 15, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47928-47930]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-22919]



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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Oil and Gas Leasing Analysis; Los Padres National Forest, Los 
Angeles, Kern, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura 
Counties, California; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental 
Impact Statement

    The Department of Agriculture, Forest Service (FS) and the Bureau 
of Land Management (BLM) are conducting an analysis to identify lands 
within Los Padres National Forest that should or should not be made 
available for oil and gas leasing. The analysis will be documented in 
an environmental impact statement (EIS). The Forest Service is the 
Federal lead agency. The Bureau of Land Management is participating in 
the analysis as a cooperating agency.

    The purpose of the EIS is to implement the authority and 
responsibility granted to the FS by the Federal Onshore Oil and Gas 
Leasing Reform Act of 1987 (P.L. 100-203) and to meet the regulatory 
requirements of 36 CFR 228 Subpart E. This Act gives the FS authority 
to approve or disapprove the leasing of National Forest System lands 
for development of oil and gas resources. The Act also authorizes the 
FS to identify appropriate stipulations to be applied to a lease to 
protect the surface resources. The BLM issues the leases and 
administers operations connected with the extraction of the mineral 
resources. The FS approves all surface disturbing activities and 
administers all surface operations.

    The FS and BLM, Federal agencies with separate responsibilities for 
administration of oil and gas leasing on lands within Los Padres 
National Forest, propose the following specific actions:

    (1) The Forest Supervisor will decide, within Los Padres National 
Forest, which National Forest System (NFS) lands and non-Federal lands 
with Federal mineral ownership (split-estate lands) are 
administratively available for oil and gas leasing and under what 
conditions. A significant part of the leasing decision is to determine 
stipulations to become part of any lands offered for lease. There are 
numerous possible varieties and combinations of these lease 
stipulations but each can be placed into one of the following 
categories: no lease; no surface occupancy; timing limitations; 
controlled surface use; and, lease with standard BLM lease terms.

    (2) The Forest Supervisor will decide which specific NFS lands the 
BLM is authorized to offer for lease, subject to the FS ensuring that 
correct stipulations will be attached to leases issued by the BLM.
    (3) The FS proposes to amend Los Padres National Forest Land and 
Resource Management Plan to incorporate the leasing decision in place 
of guidelines for oil and gas leasing contained in the Forest Plan.
    (4) The BLM conducts public offerings to lease the specific lands 
authorized by the Forest Service.
    The decisions made as a result of this analysis will not result in 
on-the-ground activities. Ground disturbing projects such as 
exploration, drilling or field development would require further 
environmental analysis and separate site specific decisions prior to 
approval.
    Since the Forest Plan was completed prior to the passage of the 
Federal Onshore Oil and Gas Leasing Reform Act of 1987, the current 
Forest Plan did not determine the availability of NFS lands for oil and 
gas leasing. The Plan directs that later analyses and decisions to 
lease, or not lease, specific lands would be documented in an EIS.
    The area involved in this leasing analysis includes all Federal 
lands within the boundary of Los Padres National Forest except for 
lands which have been legislatively withdrawn from mineral entry--
wilderness, the Santa Ynez municipal watershed and the Big Sur coastal 
zone. The study area encompasses approximately 743,000 acres or 42 
percent of the total area within the Forest boundary.
    Possible oil and gas exploration and development that could result 
from leasing Federal lands within Los Padres National Forest could 
affect the lands and resources of the Forest in several ways. The FS 
and BLM have identified the following as tentative issues and resources 
to be addressed during the analysis process: wildlife and wildlife 
habitat; threatened, endangered and sensitive animals and plants; soils 
and water; riparian, wetlands and floodplains; and, visual and 
recreation resources. In addition, the possible effects of leasing on 
opportunities to explore for and develop oil and gas resources within 
the analysis area and possible effects on local communities and 
socioeconomic values will be analyzed.
    The range of alternatives for this analysis is being developed. The 
following alternatives are proposed at this time. This list will be 
changed/supplemented as needed as a result of scoping.
    (1) No leasing.
    (2) Current Forest Plan direction.
    (3) Emphasize biodiversity and watershed protection.
    (4) Emphasize visual and recreational resources.

    (5) Balanced resources emphasis.

    (6) Emphasize oil and gas development.

    Federal, State and local agencies, organizations, and individuals 
who may be interested in or affected by the decision will be invited to 
participate in the scoping process. Scoping will include mailings, 
media announcements, and public meetings. The scoping process will 
identify potential issues, identify those issues to be analyzed in 
depth, and eliminate insignificant issues. Scoping will also determine 
the extent of the analysis necessary for an informed decision including 
identification of alternatives.

    The FS will hold public meetings at the following locations:

    Frazier Park, CA--Saturday, Sept. 30, 1995, 10:00 A.M., Chuchupate 
Ranger Station, Lockwood Valley Road.

    King City, CA--Monday, Oct. 2, 1995, 7:30 P.M., Orradre Building, 
Salinas Valley Fairgrounds, 625 Division Street.

    Arroyo Grande, CA--Tuesday, Oct. 3, 1995, 7:30 P.M., South County 
Regional Center, 800 West Branch Street.

    Goleta, CA--Wednesday, Oct. 4, 1995, 7:30 P.M., Goleta Community 
Center, 5679 Hollister Avenue.

    Ventura, CA--Thursday, Oct. 5, 1995, 7:30 P.M., De Anza Middle 
School, 2060 Cameron.

    David W. Dahl, Forest Supervisor, Los Padres National Forest, 
Goleta, California, is the responsible official.

    Written comments and suggestions concerning the analysis should be 
sent to Los Padres National Forest, Att'n: Oil & Gas EIS, 6144 Calle 
Real, Goleta, CA 93117, by October 20, 1995.

    The environmental analysis is expected to take about 18 months to 
complete. The draft environmental impact statement should be available 
for public review in August, 1996. The final environmental impact 
statement is scheduled to be completed by April, 1997.

    The comment period on the draft environmental impact statement will 
be 60 days from the date the Environmental Protection Agency publishes 
the notice of availability in the Federal Register.

    The FS believes, at this early stage, it is important to give 
reviewers notice of several court rulings related to public 
participation in the environmental review process. First, reviewers of 
draft environmental impact statements must structure their 
participation in the environmental review of the proposal so that it is 
meaningful and alerts an 

[[Page 47930]]
agency to the reviewer's position and contentions. Vermont Yankee 
Nuclear Power Corp. v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519, 553 (1978). Also, 
environmental objections that could be raised at the draft 
environmental impact statement stage but that are not raised until 
after completion of the final environmental impact statement may be 
waived or dismissed by the courts. City of Angoon v. Hodel, 803 F.2d 
1016, 1022 (9th Cir. 1986) and Wisconsin Heritages, Inc. v. Harris, 490 
F. Supp. 1334, 1338 (E.D. Wis. 1980). Because of these court rulings, 
it is very important that those interested in this proposed action 
participate by the close of the 60-day comment period so that 
substantive comments and objections are made available to the Forest 
Service at a time when it can meaningful consider them and respond to 
them in the final environmental impact statement.
    To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues 
and concerns on the proposed action, comments on the draft 
environmental impact statement should be as specific as possible. It is 
also helpful if comments refer to specific pages or chapters of the 
draft statement. Comments may also address the adequacy of the draft 
environmental impact statement or the merits of the alternatives 
formulated and discussed in the statement. Reviewers may wish to refer 
to the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for implementing 
the procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act at 
40 CFR 1503.3 in addressing these points.
    Questions about the proposed action and environmental impact 
statement should be directed to Al Hess, Oil and Gas EIS Project 
Leader, Los Padres National Forest, phone (805) 681-2794.

    Dated: September 6, 1995.
David W. Dahl,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 95-22919 Filed 9-14-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M