[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 197 (Friday, October 12, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58113-58114]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-20114]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[WY-090-07-1310-DB]


Notice of availability of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Moxa Arch Area Infill Gas Development Project, WY

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement (DEIS) for the Moxa Arch Area Infill Gas Development Project, 
Kemmerer, Wyoming.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA) of 1969 as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management 
Act of 1976, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces the 
availability of the Moxa Arch Area Infill Gas Development Project DEIS. 
The DEIS analyzes the environmental consequences of a proposed natural 
gas development and production operation on the 475,808 acre Moxa Arch 
project area.

DATES: The DEIS will be available for public review and comment for 60 
calendar days starting on the date the Environmental Protection Agency 
(EPA) publishes their Notice of Availability in the Federal Register. 
The BLM can best utilize your comments and resource information 
submissions within the 60-day review period.

ADDRESSES: A copy of the DEIS has been sent to affected Federal, State, 
and local government agencies and to interested parties. The document 
will be available electronically on the following Web site: http://www.blm.gov/wy/st/en/info/NEPA/kfodocs/moxa_arch.html.
    If you are interested in viewing material referenced or posted to 
the BLM Web site, please contact the Kemmerer Field Office as to its 
availability. Copies of the DEIS will be available for public 
inspection at the following locations:
     Bureau of Land Management, Wyoming State Office, 5353 
Yellowstone Road, Cheyenne, Wyoming 82009; and
     Bureau of Land Management, Kemmerer Field Office, 312 
Highway 189 North, Kemmerer, Wyoming 83101.

[[Page 58114]]

(For additional information on how to submit comments, refer to the 
Supplementary Information section below.)

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michele Easley, Project Lead, BLM 
Kemmerer Field Office, 312 Highway 189 North, Kemmerer, Wyoming 83101, 
or by telephone at (307) 828-4524. Requests for information also may be 
sent electronically to: [email protected] with ``Attention: Moxa 
Arch DEIS Information Request'' in the subject line.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The area is located within the 
administrative jurisdiction of the BLM Kemmerer Field Office, Townships 
15 through 23 North (T15-23N), Ranges 111 through 113 West (R111-113W), 
6th Principal Meridian, west of Green River, Wyoming, east of Lyman and 
Opal, Wyoming, and south of the Green River and Fontenelle Reservoir. 
Interstate 80 (I-80) bisects the southern third of the Project Area.
    EOG Resources, Inc. (EOG) and other companies (Operators) propose 
to expand the existing natural gas drilling and field development 
operations on BLM-administered Federal, state, and private lands in the 
Moxa Arch Area of southwestern Wyoming. The Operators propose to drill 
up to 1,861 new wells from 1,861 new well pads over a 10-year period. 
Wells would be drilled to the Frontier and Dakota formations at depths 
of 11,000 to 12,000 feet. The Life-of-Project is expected to be 40 to 
60 years and the wells would be drilled at densities ranging from 4-12 
wells per square mile. Of the 1,861 wells, 695 would be drilled from 
lands administered by the BLM, Bureau of Reclamation, and U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service. The remaining 1,166 wells would be drilled from 
private lands, or lands administered by the State of Wyoming.
    The BLM published its Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS for the 
Moxa Arch Area Infill Gas Development Project in the Federal Register 
on October 7, 2005. Based upon issues and concerns identified during 
scoping and throughout the NEPA process, the Moxa Arch Area Infill Gas 
Development Project DEIS focuses on potential impacts to air quality, 
biological and physical resources, transportation, socio-economics, and 
grazing. In compliance with Section 7(c) of the Endangered Species Act, 
as amended, the DEIS includes a biological assessment for the purpose 
of identifying endangered or threatened species, which may be affected 
by the Proposed Action.
    The current identified range of alternatives will allow the BLM to 
select a management strategy that will meet project objectives, while 
providing adequate environmental protection. During scoping and 
alternatives development, few public comments were received. The BLM is 
seeking additional public input, and has not identified a preferred 
alternative at this time. The DEIS analyzes four alternatives in 
detail:
     The Proposed Action Alternative: The construction of well 
pads, access roads, pipelines, and other ancillary facilities (gas 
processing plant, compressor stations, etc.) for projected development 
of 1,861 natural gas wells;
     Alternative A (No Action): Development of approximately 
757 new wells would continue under the 1997 Record of Decision for the 
Expanded Moxa Arch Area Natural Gas Development Project EIS;
     Alternative B: Development would occur as in the Proposed 
Action, but would apply additional Best Management Practices to reduce 
impacts on sensitive resources; and
     Alternative C: Development of 5,165 new wells and well 
pads throughout the Moxa Arch gas field (densities ranging from 4-16 
wells per square mile).
    Comments may be submitted as follows:
    1. Electronically mailed to [email protected]. Please submit 
comments with ``Attn: Moxa Arch Project Manager'' in the subject line 
and do not use special characters or any form of encryption. Do not 
include attachments, as the BLM e-mail security system will not accept 
them. If you do not receive a confirmation of receipt of your comment, 
contact Michele Easley at the same address or telephone number provided 
in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION section.
    2. Written comments may be mailed or delivered to the BLM at: Moxa 
Arch DEIS, Project Manager, Bureau of Land Management Kemmerer Field 
Office, 312 Highway 189 North, Kemmerer, WY 83101.
    The BLM will only accept comments on the Moxa Arch DEIS if they are 
submitted using one of the methods described above. All comment 
submittals must include the commenter's name and street address.
    Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or 
other personal identifying information in your comment, be advised that 
your entire comment--including your personal identifying information--
may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in 
your comment to withhold from public review your personal identifying 
information, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

Alan Rabinoff,
Acting State Director.
[FR Doc. E7-20114 Filed 10-11-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-22-P