[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 211 (Thursday, November 1, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61896-61897]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-21512]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs


Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Riverton 
Dome Coal Bed Natural Gas and Conventional Gas Development, Wind River 
Indian Reservation, Fremont County, WY

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that the Bureau of Indian 
Affairs, in cooperation with the Joint Business Council of the Eastern 
Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribes (JBC), Bureau of Land Management 
and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), intends to file a Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) at EPA for the proposed coal bed 
natural gas and conventional gas development project, and that the DEIS 
is now

[[Page 61897]]

available for public review. The purpose of the proposed action is to 
meet the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribes' need to maximize 
their economic benefit from this trust resource. This notice also 
announces a public hearing to receive comments on the DEIS.

DATES: Written comments on the DEIS must arrive by January 2, 2008.
    The public hearing will be held November 28, 2007, starting at 7 
p.m. and continuing until all those who register to make statements 
have been heard.

ADDRESSES: You may mail or hand carry written comments to Ray Nation, 
Bureau of Indian Affairs, Wind River Agency, P.O. Box 158, Fort 
Washakie, Wyoming 82514.
    The public hearing will be held at St. Stephens Indian School, 134 
Mission Road, St. Stephens, Wyoming.
    You may obtain CD or paper copies of the DEIS by contacting Ray 
Nation at the address above or the telephone number below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ray Nation, (307) 332-3718.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Riverton Dome Project Area is located on 
the Wind River Indian Reservation, approximately five miles southeast 
of Riverton, Wyoming, in Township 1S, Range 4E, Sections 13, 14, 23, 
24, 25, 26, 35, and 36; Township 2S, Range 4E, Sections 1, 2, 11 and 
12; Township 1S, Range 5E, Sections 17, 18, 19, 20, 29, 30, 31 and 32; 
and Township 2S, Range 5E, Sections 5, 6, 7, and 8, in Fremont County, 
Wyoming. The Project Area comprises approximately 13,804 acres, of 
which 12,656 acres of surface and minerals belong to the Eastern 
Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribes and approximately 1,148 acres 
(surface and minerals) are privately owned. Devon Energy Production 
Company, L.P. is the lessee and project proponent.
    The DEIS analyzes three alternatives, the proposed action 
(Alternative A), Devon's existing leases (Alternative B), and no action 
(Alternative C). Under Alternative A, Devon would develop coal bed 
natural gas (CBNG) wells and conventional gas wells on its existing 
leases and on additional leases it has formally requested from the JBC. 
If development is implemented at 40-acre spacing, a maximum of 326 CBNG 
wells and 20 conventional gas wells may be drilled. However, Devon 
anticipates that 40-acre spacing may only be necessary under certain 
circumstances, and that 80-acre spacing is more likely, where up to 163 
CBNG wells and 20 conventional gas wells may be drilled. Construction 
of wells, roads, pipelines, compressor stations and power lines would 
disturb approximately 1,511 surface acres. After interim reclamation, 
approximately 680 acres would remain disturbed throughout the 20 to 40-
year life of the project.
    Under Alternative B, a maximum of 151 CBNG wells and 20 
conventional gas wells at 40-acre spacing, or a maximum of 70 CBNG 
wells and 20 conventional gas wells at 80-acre spacing, may be drilled. 
Construction of wells, roads, pipelines, compressor stations and power 
lines would disturb approximately 858 surface acres. After interim 
reclamation, approximately 373 acres would remain disturbed throughout 
the 20 to 40-year life of the project.
    Under Alternative C, wells would only be developed on fee surface 
and minerals, through individual permits issued by the Wyoming Oil and 
Gas Conservation Commission, on a case-by-case basis. Devon estimates 
that under this no action alternative, a maximum of 24 CBNG wells at 
40-acre spacing and two conventional gas wells may be drilled on 
private minerals. If 80-acre spacing is utilized, a total of 12 CBNG 
wells and two conventional gas wells may be drilled.
    The DEIS analyzes the potential direct, indirect, and cumulative 
environmental impacts of the proposed action and alternatives on 
geology, paleontology, minerals, climate, air quality, soil, surface 
water and groundwater, land use, range resources, vegetation, wetlands, 
noxious weeds, wildlife and fisheries, threatened and endangered 
species, recreation, cultural resources, socioeconomics, environmental 
justice, transportation, visual resources, health and safety, noise, 
and fire management.

Public Comment Availability

    Comments, including names and addresses of respondents, will be 
available for public review at the mailing address shown in the 
ADDRESSES section during regular business hours, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 
p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. Individual respondents 
may request confidentiality. Before including your address, phone 
number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in 
your comment, you should be aware 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 your 
personal identifying information from public review, we cannot 
guarantee that we will be able to do so.

Authority

    This notice is published in accordance with section 1503.1 of the 
Council on Environmental Quality regulations (40 CFR Parts 1500 through 
1508) implementing the procedural requirements of the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), 
and the Department of Interior Manual (516 DM 1-6), and is in the 
exercise of authority delegated to the Assistant Secretary-Indian 
Affairs by 209 DM 8.1.

    Dated: October 19, 2007.
Carl J. Artman,
Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. E7-21512 Filed 10-31-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-W7-P