[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 22 (Tuesday, February 3, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 5569]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-2564]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management
[UT-066-1310-03]


Amendment to Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) for Natural Gas Development in Carbon and Emery 
Counties, Utah

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Utah.

ACTION: Amendment to Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS) for Natural Gas Development in Carbon and Emery 
Counties, Utah.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(G)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969, the Bureau of Land Management, Price Field Office 
is directing the preparation of an EIS by a third-party contractor on 
the impacts of proposed natural gas development on public, National 
Forest, State and private lands in Carbon and Emery Counties in central 
Utah. The U.S. Forest Service, Manti-La Sal National Forest, is 
participating in EIS preparation as a cooperating agency in accordance 
with Title 40, Code of Federal Regulations, Sec. 1501.6.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Development of natural gas in the Castle 
Valley area is proposed by Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, Chandler and 
Associates, Inc., Questar Pipeline Company and Texaco Exploration and 
Production, Inc. The BLM is preparing an EIS to analyze a conceptual 
natural gas development model based on the companies' proposals. 
Subsequent to initial scoping for the EIS, the project area boundary 
was adjusted to include a small portion of National Forest System 
Lands. The U.S. Forest Service was invited to participate as a 
cooperating agency to provide information regarding direct impacts of 
proposed wells on National Forest System Lands and information needed 
to address potential project-related cumulative effects adjacent to 
Forest lands and resources. Additionally, The Forest Service will make 
a NEPA decision dealing with activities on National Forest System 
lands.

Description of the Proposed Action

    Field development of existing Federal leases within an area of 
approximately 111,000 acres in the Castle Valley area of Carbon and 
Emery Counties, Utah, is proposed. The project would involve 375 wells 
with related facilities including roads, pipelines, power lines 
compressor stations, and water disposal facilities. Up to 10 of these 
wells may be on National Forest System lands. The BLM and USFS also 
propose to approve development of natural gas within the project area 
and approve individual drilling applications, right of way 
authorizations and special use permits. The BLM and USFS propose to 
make independent NEPA decisions for activities on lands under their 
respective jurisdictions.

Alternatives

    The EIS will analyze the Proposed Action, a No-Action Alternative, 
An Environmental Protection Measure Alternative, and a Wildlife 
Corridor Protection Alternative.

Other Relevant Information

    To accommodate existing Federal leases in the area and help define 
the project area ecologically, the western border of the south project 
area in Emery County was adjusted to primarily follow the 8000-foot 
contour line. This boundary shift incorporated approximately 10,000 
acres of National Forest System Lands. The BLM and USFS will prepare 
separate Record of Decision for respective portions of the EIS.
    Additional information, including maps, a scoping summary and a 
list of issues developed through the scoping process are included in 
the Ferron Natural Gas EIS Homepage located at: blm.gov/utah/minerals/
ferron.html
    The project schedule is as follows:

File Draft EIS--May 1998
File Final EIS--November 1998
Record of Decision--December 1998

Public Input

    Three public scoping meetings were held in February 1997 to receive 
oral comments. Comments received from the public were included in 
development of EIS issues and alternatives. The BLM and USFS determined 
that inclusion of National Forest System Lands did not change the scope 
of the proposal.

ADDRESSES: Any comments should be sent to George Diwachak, Team Leader, 
Ferron Natural Gas EIS, Bureau of Land Management, P.O. Box 45155, Salt 
Lake City, UT, 84145-0155.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: George Diwachak, (801) 538-4043.

    Dated: January 26, 1998.
G. William Lamb,
State Director.
[FR Doc. 98-2564 Filed 2-2-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-DQ-M