[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 10 (Thursday, January 15, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2358-2360]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-748]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Authorizing BLM To Offer Oil and Gas Leases in Management Areas 
21, 45, 71, 72; Bridger-Teton National Forest; Teton, Sublette and 
Fremont Counties, Wyoming

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA--Lead Agency; Bureau of Land Management 
(BLM) Cooperating Agency.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: The Bridger-Teton National Forest will prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to document the analysis and 
disclose the environmental impacts of the proposed authorization of the 
BLM to offer oil and gas leases in Management Areas 21, 45, 71, and 72.
    The 1990 Bridger-Teton National Forest Land and Resource Management 
Plan identified all of Management Areas 21, 45, 71, and 72 as available 
for oil and gas leasing. The Forest Plan did not make the leasing 
decision for site specific lands. Therefore, because the Forest Plan 
made no site-specific decisions, the Forest Plan did not make an 
irreversible commitment of resources. The next step in the leasing 
process is to complete a site specific analysis of the Management 
Areas. The oil and gas leasing analysis is tiered to the oil and gas 
analysis contained within the Bridger-Teton National Forest Land and 
Resource Management Plan Final Environmental Impact Statement and 
analyzes resource issues at a smaller scale and incorporates any new 
resource information. The purpose of offering Management Areas 21, 45, 
71, and 72 is to provide opportunities for exploration and development 
of leasable minerals. A specific objective of the 1990 Bridger-Teton 
National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan is to ``Provide 
leasable, locatable, and salable mineral exploration and development 
opportunities'' (see Goal and objective 1.1 (d) page 113 Bridger-Teton 
National Forest Land and

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Resource Management Plan). Additionally, the Federal government's 
policy for minerals resource management is expressed in the Mining and 
Minerals Policy Act of 1970. The Act directs the Forest Service to 
``foster and encourage private enterprise in the development of 
economically sound and stable industries and in the orderly and 
economic development of domestic resources* * *''

DATES: Written comments concerning the scope of the analysis described 
in this Notice should be received by March 2, 1998, to ensure timely 
consideration. Comments previously submitted in response to the scoping 
for the proposed Environmental Assessment dealing with leasing 
Management Areas 45, 21, 71, and 72 will be included in this analysis. 
These previous comments do not need to be resubmitted. Scoping meetings 
are planned for February 10, 1998 in Jackson, Wyoming at 7:00 pm in the 
Teton County Library and February 12, 1998 in Pinedale, Wyoming at 7:00 
pm in the Sublette County Library.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Rick Anderson, Project Coordinator, 
Bridger-Teton National Forest, P.O. Box 1888, Jackson, WY 83001. E-Mail 
comments may be sent to: eis/[email protected]

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions concerning the proposed 
action and EIS should be directed to Rick Anderson at (307) 739-5558, 
or through writing or electronic mail to the addresses listed above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: When the Bridger-Teton National Forest Land 
and Resource Management Plan was approved in 1990 it identified at a 
programmatic level the lands available for oil and gas leasing. The 
next step in the leasing process is for the Forest Service to perform a 
site specific leasing analysis tiered to the Forest Plan. The purpose 
of this analysis is to implement the authority granted to the Forest 
Service by the Federal Onshore Oil and Gas Leasing Reform Act of 1987 
and the implementing regulations (36 CFR 228 E), and to make the 
leasing decision for the specific lands for which interest in leasing 
has been expressed.
    Conducting this analysis and making the necessary determinations 
will include the following steps or determinations:
    (a) Verify that the leasing of these lands is consistent with the 
Forest Plan.
    (b) Determine that the leasing has been adequately addressed in a 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) document.
    (c) Determine if further analysis is needed resulting from new 
circumstances or new information.
    (d) Determine which specific lands and under what conditions the 
Forest Service will consent to authorize the Bureau of Land Management 
(BLM) to offer for lease.
    Conducting an environmental analysis on a proposed leasing action 
is triggered when the BLM receives an Expression of Interest in leasing 
a specific area. The Expression of Interest means an entity has 
identified a block of land that it wants to be offered for leasing. In 
cases where no site-specific analysis has been completed, this action 
requires the Forest Service to complete an analysis of the area to 
determine which of the nominated lands it will consent to be leased and 
to identify under what conditions the oil and gas activities will be 
permitted. The Bridger-Teton National Forest will analyze the entire 
Management Areas where the nominated lands are located.
    To satisfy the requirements of the National Environmental Policy 
Act (NEPA), a proposed action must be identified by the Forest Service. 
A proposed action is not necessarily what will occur on the ground. It 
is a starting point for identification of issues and alternatives.
    The Forest Service proposes to authorize the BLM to offer oil and 
gas leases in four areas of the Bridger-Teton National Forest.
    The first area, Management Area 21, also known as the Hoback Basin 
Area contains approximately 72,400 acres of National Forest System 
lands and is located about 25 miles southeast of Jackson surrounding 
the community of Bondurant, WY, in Sublette County. The second area, 
Management Area 45, also known as the Moccasin Basin Area contains 
approximately 58,000 acres of National Forest System land and is 
located about 30 miles northeast of Jackson, WY, in Teton County. The 
third area, Management Area 71, also known as the Union Pass Area 
contains approximately 87,000 acres of National Forest System land and 
is located about 40 miles north of Pinedale, WY, in Fremont, Sublette 
and Teton Counties. The fourth area, Management Area 72, also known as 
the Upper Green River Area contains approximately 152,500 acres of 
National Forest System land and is located about 30 miles north of 
Pinedale, WY, in Sublette and Teton Counties.
    The Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Bridger-
Teton National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan estimates 
reasonable foreseeable developments for each of the Management Areas of 
the Forest. The estimate for Management Area 21 indicates that ``In the 
event of a discovery, gas with some oil or condensate would most likely 
be encountered, and field development would involve up to 5 wells. 
Wells would be drilled on 640 acre spacing.'' (FEIS p. 244) It is 
estimated that there would be two exploratory wells in this area. The 
estimation for Management Area 45 is stated as, ``the potential for the 
occurrence of oil and gas in this MA is high. Any discoveries will 
probably be gas with some oil or condensate. Spacing would be 640 acres 
with about 10 wells.'' (FEIS p. 197) Two of the 10 wells are expected 
to be exploratory wells. The estimate for MA 71 is stated as: ``The 
potential for the occurrence of hydrocarbons is rated high. Cretaceous 
through Paleozoic rocks are believed to be present along with good 
structural possibilities. If discovery is made, wells would be spaced 
on 640 acres with up to 10 wells drilled.'' (FEIS p. 198). The estimate 
for MA 72 is: ``The MA is rated as high for the occurrence of 
hydrocarbons * * * Less activity is expected here than on other MAs but 
it is estimated that some activity will occur. Gas would most likely be 
encountered in a discovery with some associated oil or condensate. Well 
spacing would be 640 acres. In the event that a discovery is made up to 
5 wells may be drilled.'' (FEIS p. 224)
    The development scenarios are based on an assumption that each 
exploratory well will have an average total disturbance of 15 acres--11 
of which will be stabilized in about three years for a producer. Dry 
and abandoned wells will have no facilities and all acreage will be 
stabilized (FEIS p. 192)
    Prior to deciding to analyze the proposed action using an 
Environmental Impact Statement, scoping was conducted to identify 
issues to be analyzed through an Environmental Assessment. This 
previous scoping identified many issues which will be considered in the 
Environmental Impact Statement. The many issues received relate to the 
general categories listed below:
     Economic Impacts.
     Social Impacts.
     Effects on community and regional infrastructure.
     Effects on Air quality.
     Effects on Wilderness Areas, roadless areas, and other 
special management areas.
     Effects on wildlife.
     Effects on vegetation.
     Effects on water quality and fisheries.
     Effects on the character of the area.

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     Effects on quality of life for residents and visitor 
experience issues.
     Effects on National Forest recreation opportunities.
     Effects on Paleontologic Resources.
     The cumulative effects of the proposed oil and gas 
activities combined with the impacts of other actions on a wide 
spectrum of ecological and human environment areas of concern.
     Broadscale effects on the region including the neighboring 
National Parks.
     Adequacy of the Bridger-Teton National Forest Land and 
Resource Management Plan Final Environmental Impact Statement oil and 
gas leasing scenarios for site-specific analysis and decision making.
    The previously submitted specific issues relating to the above 
general categories will be considered in this Environmental Impact 
Statement. Other potential issues may be identified during the current 
scoping period.
    The Forest Service is seeking information and comments from 
Federal, State, and local agencies, as well as individuals and 
organizations who may be interested in, or affected by, the proposed 
action. The Forest Service invites written comments and suggestions on 
the issues related to the proposal and the area being analyzed.
    Information received will be used in preparation of the draft EIS 
and final EIS. For the most effective use, comments should be submitted 
to the Forest Service by March 2, 1998.
    The Responsible Official is Thomas Puchlerz, Acting Forest 
Supervisor, Bidger-Teton National Forest, Jackson, WY. The decision to 
be made is whether or not to authorize the BLM to offer specific lands 
for lease, subject to the Forest Service ensuring that correct 
stipulations are attached to the leases issued by the BLM 
(36CFR228.102(e)). The draft EIS is expected to be available for public 
review in January 1999, with a final EIS estimated to be completed in 
July 1999. The comment period on the draft EIS will be 45 days from the 
date the Environmental Protection Agency publishes the notice of 
availability in the Federal Register.
    The Forest Service 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 EIS's must structure their participation in the environmental 
review of the proposal so that it is meaningful and alerts an 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 EIS stage but that are not raised 
until after completion of the final EIS 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 45-day comment period so that substantive comments and 
objections are made available to the Forest Service at a time when it 
can meaningfully consider them and respond to them in the final EIS.
    To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues 
and concerns on the proposed action, comments on the draft EIS should 
be as specific as possible. It is also helpful if comments refer to 
specific pages or chapters of the draft EIS. Comments may also address 
the adequacy of the draft EIS or the merits of the alternatives 
formulated and discussed in the draft EIS. Reviewers may wish to refer 
to the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for implementing 
the procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act at 
CFR 40 1503.3 in addressing these points.
    Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names 
and addresses of those who comment, will be considered part of the 
public record on this proposed action and will be available for public 
inspection. Comments submitted anonymously will be accepted and 
considered; however, those who submit anonymous comments will not have 
standing to appeal the subsequent decision under 36 CFR 215 or 217. 
Additionally, pursuant to CFR 1.27(d), any person may request the 
agency to withhold a submission from the public record by showing how 
the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) permits such confidentiality. 
Persons requesting such confidentially should be aware that, under the 
FOIA, confidentiality may be granted in only limited circumstances, 
such as to protect trade secrets. The Forest Service will inform the 
requester of the agency's decision regarding the request for 
confidentiality, and where the request is denied, the agency will 
return the submission and notify the requester that the comments may be 
resubmitted with or without name and address within 10 days.

    Dated: January 19, 1998.
Michael Schrotz,
Acting Deputy Forest Supervisor, Brider-Teton National Forest, USDA 
Forest Service.
[FR Doc. 98-748 Filed 1-14-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M