[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 153 (Wednesday, August 9, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45576-45577]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-12952]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[WY-030-1310-DB]


Notice of Availability of Final Environmental Impact Statement 
for the Atlantic Rim Natural Gas Development Project

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of a Final Environmental Impact 
Statement (FEIS) for the Atlantic Rim Natural Gas Development Project, 
Rawlins, Wyoming.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces the availability 
of the Atlantic Rim Natural Gas Development Project FEIS. The FEIS 
analyzes the environmental consequences of a proposed natural gas 
development and production operations on the 270,080 acres Atlantic Rim 
project area. The area is located within the administrative 
jurisdiction of the BLM Rawlins Field Office, and runs in an arc 
between Rawlins and Baggs in Townships 12-20 North, Ranges 89-93 West, 
Sixth Principal Meridian, Carbon County, Wyoming.

DATES: The FEIS will be available for review and comment for 30 
calendar days starting on the date the Environmental Protection Agency 
(EPA) publishes its Notice of Availability in the Federal Register. The 
BLM can best use your comments and resource information submissions 
within the 30-day review period provided above.

ADDRESSES: A copy of the FEIS has been sent to affected Federal, State, 
and local government agencies and to interested parties. The document 
may be available electronically on the following Web site: http://www.wy.blm.gov/rfo/nepa.htm. If you are interested in viewing material 
referenced or posted to the BLM Web site, please contact the Rawlins 
Field Office as to its availability.
    Copies of the FEIS will be available for public inspection at the 
following locations:
     Bureau of Land Management, Wyoming State Office, 5353 
Yellowstone Road, Cheyenne, Wyoming 82003
     Bureau of Land Management, Rawlins Field Office, 1300 N. 
Third Street, Rawlins, Wyoming 82301

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. David Simons, Project Lead, BLM 
Rawlins Field Office, 1300 N. Third Street, Rawlins, WY 82301. Requests 
for information may be sent electronically to: [email protected]. Please submit electronic comments with ``Attn: Atlantic 
Rim Project Manager'' in the subject line and avoid using special 
characters and any form of encryption. Mr. Simons may also be reached 
at (307) 328-4328.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Anadarko E & P Company, LP, is the lead 
proponent for a proposal to explore for and develop natural gas 
resources in the Atlantic Rim project area. Double Eagle Petroleum and 
Mining Company and Warren Resources, Inc., are also participating in 
this proposal. Collectively, the Operators propose to drill up to 2,000 
wells; 1,800 completed to coal formations and 200 to other geologic 
targets for natural gas. Drilling would occur within the Atlantic Rim 
Project Area over the next 20 years with Life-of-Project expected to be 
30 to 50 years. Well density completed in coal formations would be up 
to 8 wells per 640-acre section of land; wells in other geologic 
formations would be spaced no tighter than four wells per section.
    Prior to the initiation of this project approximately 185 oil and 
gas wells were drilled or approved for drilling within the Atlantic Rim 
project area. Consistent with an interim drilling plan, six exploratory 
plans of development (pods) of up to 24 wells each were completed in 
areas believed to have potential for commercial quantities of natural 
gas. The proposed action was developed based on the results of 
exploratory drilling conducted by the Operators within the project 
area.
    On June 26, 2001, the BLM published its Notice of Intent to prepare 
an EIS for the Atlantic Rim Natural Gas Development Project in the 
Federal Register. Issues and concerns were identified during scoping 
and throughout the NEPA process. The Atlantic Rim FEIS focuses on 
impacts to air quality, biological and physical resources, 
transportation, socio-economics, and cumulative effects. In compliance 
with Section 7(c) of the Endangered Species Act, as amended, the FEIS 
includes a biological assessment for the purpose of identifying 
endangered or threatened species which may be affected by the Proposed 
Action.
    On December 16, 2005, the BLM published its Notice of Availability 
of

[[Page 45577]]

the Draft EIS for this project in the Federal Register. The 60-day 
public comment period ended on February 16, 2006. Over 60,000 comments 
were received on the Draft EIS.
    The Atlantic Rim FEIS analyzed four alternatives in detail:
1. The Proposed Action Alternative,
2. Alternative A--The No Action Alternative, which means the project as 
proposed would be rejected by the BLM;
3. Alternative B--See discussion below;
4. Alternative C--Special protection of sensitive resources; and,
5. Alternative D--Natural gas development with disturbance limitations.

    The agency's preferred alternative is Alternative D.
    Based on comments received to the Draft EIS, the potential for long 
delays in the allowable development and recovery of oil and gas 
resources held by the leaseholders and the requirement that the BLM 
allow reasonable access across Federal lands to private and state 
lands, Alternative B was eliminated from further study in the FEIS.
    The Atlantic Rim FEIS includes the analysis of the impacts of the 
proposed development of 2,000 natural gas wells, Alternative A and the 
construction of access roads, pipelines, and other ancillary facilities 
such as a gas processing plant, compressor stations, and water disposal 
sites. If selected, Alternative B, the no action alternative BLM would 
reject the proposed action as submitted. To address concerns regarding 
the potential impacts of the activities as proposed, Alternative C 
provides for intense mitigation measures or limitations limited where 
sensitive resource values exist or overlap with the objective of 
reducing impacts. Examples of sensitive resources include threatened, 
endangered, and sensitive wildlife, fish and plant species; fragile 
soils; and unique cultural features. Respondents commenting on 
Alternative C indicated that the mitigation measures intended to 
minimize the level of disturbance and restrictions on number of well 
pad may render the project as technically and economically unfeasible. 
Alternative D is similar to Alternative A. The Operators would be 
limited in by the extent of surface disturbance that may occur at any 
one time and as quantified by a pre-determined percentage of the total 
project area.

How To Submit Comments

    The BLM welcomes your comments on the Atlantic Rim FEIS. Comments 
may be submitted as follows:
    1. Comments may be electronically mailed to [email protected]. Please submit electronic comments with ``Attn: Atlantic 
Rim Project Manager'' in the subject line and avoid using special 
characters and any form of encryption. Please do not include any 
attachments, as the BLM e-mail security system will not accept them.
    2. Written comments may be mailed or delivered to the BLM at: 
Atlantic Rim FEIS, Project Manager, Bureau of Land Management Rawlins 
Field Office, P.O. Box 2407, Rawlins, WY 82301.
    The BLM will only accept comments on the Atlantic Rim FEIS if they 
are submitted using one of the methods described above. To be given 
consideration by BLM, all FEIS comment submittals must include the 
commenter's name and street address.
    Our practice is to make comments, including the names and mailing 
addresses of each respondent, available for public review at the BLM 
office listed above during business hours (7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), 
Monday through Friday, except for Federal holidays. Your comments may 
be disclosed as part of the EIS process. Individual respondents may 
request confidentiality. If you wish to withhold any information from 
public review or from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, 
you must state this prominently at the beginning of your written 
comments. Such requests will be honored to the extent allowed by law. 
We will not consider anonymous comments. All submissions from 
organizations or businesses will be made available for public 
inspection in their entirety.

    August 3, 2006.
Donald A. Simpson,
Acting State Director.
 [FR Doc. E6-12952 Filed 8-8-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-22-P