[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 246 (Friday, December 21, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75646-75648]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-30756]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R7-R-2012-N233; FF07R06000 FXRS12650700000] 123


Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, Soldotna, AK; Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement for the Shadura Natural Gas Development Project

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce 
that the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Shadura 
Natural Gas Development Project is available for public review and 
comment. The EIS was prepared pursuant to the Alaska National Interest 
Lands Conservation Act of 1980 (ANILCA); the National Wildlife Refuge 
System Administration Act of 1966 (Refuge Administration Act), as 
amended by the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 
(Refuge Improvement Act); and the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969 (NEPA). It describes five

[[Page 75647]]

alternatives for accessing the subsurface natural gas estate owned by 
Cook Inlet Region, Inc. (CIRI), and provides analysis of the effects of 
those alternatives. The Service does not have a preferred alternative.

DATES: Please provide any written comments or information on the EIS by 
February 19, 2013.

ADDRESSES: Additional information concerning the Project can be found 
at http://alaska.fws.gov/nwr/planning/nepa.htm.
    Additional information concerning the Refuge may be found at http://www.fws.gov/refuges/profiles/index.cfm?id=74525.
    Send your comments or requests for information by any one of the 
following methods:
     Email: [email protected];
     Fax: Attn: Peter Wikoff, (907) 786-3976;
    [cir] U.S. Mail: Peter Wikoff, Natural Resource Planner, U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service, 1011 East Tudor Rd., MS-231, Anchorage, AK 99503

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peter Wikoff, Natural Resource 
Planner, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, at (907) 786-3357, or at the 
address above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We have received an application for, and 
have prepared a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for, a 
proposed right-of-way within the Refuge. The right-of-way would be in 
compliance with the Alaska National Interests Lands Conservation Act 
(ANILCA) Section 1110(b) regarding access to inholdings, for the 
construction and operation of facilities associated with the 
exploration and production of natural gas from the subsurface estate 
within the Refuge. The United States owns the surface estate which is 
managed by the Service as part of the Kenai Refuge, and Cook Inlet 
Region, Inc. (CIRI), owns the subsurface estate of coal, oil, and gas 
in the project area. The Project would be in the northwestern portion 
of the Kenai Peninsula, approximately 4 miles southeast of the end of 
the road in Captain Cook State Recreation Area. The application is 
being made by NordAq Energy, Inc., the holder of the lease from CIRI 
for the area.
    The EIS describes and evaluates a range of reasonable alternatives 
and the anticipated impacts of each. We are publishing this notice in 
compliance with the NEPA regulations (40 CFR 1501.7) to advise other 
agencies and the public that the EIS is available for public review and 
comment.

Alternatives Considered

Alternative 1--No Action

    The No Action alternative is required by the NEPA to present the 
current situation for comparison with the other alternatives.

Action Alternatives (Alternatives 2-5)

    Under any of the action alternatives (alternatives 2-5), the 
Shadura Natural Gas Development Project would be constructed, operated, 
maintained, decommissioned, and reclaimed. During the first stage of 
the project, a gravel road, gravel storage yards, and a minimal 
drilling/processing pad would be constructed. Then one natural gas well 
would be drilled and tested. If the results of this testing were 
unfavorable, all equipment and gravel would be removed and the affected 
areas would be restored to approximate preconstruction conditions. If 
the results of testing were favorable, the second stage would be 
constructed.
    The second stage of construction would involve expanding the 
drilling/processing pad to its final size and configuration; drilling 
five additional natural gas wells, an industrial water well, and a 
Class II disposal well; and constructing production facilities.
    Once constructed, the Project would operate for about 30 years. At 
the end of the Project's useful life, it would be decommissioned and 
the impacted areas reclaimed.
Alternative 2--Applicant's Proposed Action
    The access road would extend from the North Kenai Spur Highway 
along the west and south sides of Salmo Lake to a drilling/processing 
pad. That portion of the access road outside the Refuge has already 
been permitted by the State of Alaska as part of another project.
    The access road would be 4.3 miles long, about 2.7 miles of which 
would be on the Kenai NWR. The remaining1.6 miles are on State and 
other lands. Of that portion on the Kenai NWR, about 1.7 miles of the 
road would be constructed in upland areas and about 1 mile would be in 
wetlands. The metering pad, gathering lines, and communication cable 
would be located parallel to the access road.
Alternative 3--Natural Gas Development With Northern Access
    Under this alternative, the access road would be constructed around 
the north and east sides of Salmo Lake. The access road would be 4.6 
miles long, of which 2.2 miles would be constructed on State and other 
lands, and 2.4 miles would be on the Kenai NWR. About 3.7 miles would 
be in upland areas and about 0.9 mile would be in wetlands. The North 
Kenai Spur Highway would provide primary access to the project area. 
The metering pad, gathering lines, and communication cable would be 
located parallel to the access road.
Alternative 4--Natural Gas Development With Eastern Access
    Under this alternative, the access road would be constructed from 
the east. The access road would be 3.3 miles long--all on the Kenai 
NWR. About 2.7 miles would be constructed in upland areas and about 0.5 
mile would be in wetlands.
    The metering pad, gathering lines, and communication cable would 
not follow the access road but be constructed in the same locations as 
for Alternative 2. They would be installed cross-country between the 
drilling/processing pad and the previously permitted road on State 
lands. The segment between the Kenai NWR boundary and metering pad 
would follow this previously permitted road. The North Kenai Spur 
Highway would provide primary access to the metering pad.
Alternative 5--Natural Gas Development With Southern Access
    Under this alternative, an access road would be constructed from 
the southeast. The access road would be 5.5 miles long--all on the 
Kenai NWR. About 5.3 miles would be constructed in upland areas and 
about 0.2 mile would be in wetlands.
    The metering pad, gathering lines, and communication cable would be 
constructed in the same locations as for Alternatives 2 and 4. They 
would be installed cross-country between the drilling/processing pad 
and the previously permitted road on State lands. The segment between 
the Kenai NWR boundary and metering pad would follow this previously 
permitted road. The North Kenai Spur Highway would provide primary 
access to the metering pad.

Public Input

    Special mailings, newspaper advertisements, and other media 
announcements will inform the public of opportunities to provide 
written input throughout the planning process. The EIS and information 
pertaining to the right-of-way application for the project are 
available for viewing and downloading at http://alaska.fws.gov/nwr/planning/nepa.htm.

[[Page 75648]]

Refuge Information

    The Refuge covers approximately 2 million acres on the Kenai 
Peninsula in south-central Alaska. It is readily accessible by road 
from the city of Anchorage, which is home to 41.5 percent of Alaska's 
population. The Refuge consists of the western slopes of the Kenai 
Mountains and forested lowlands bordering Cook Inlet. The Kenai 
Mountains, with their glaciers, rise to more than 6,500 feet. Treeless 
alpine and subalpine habitats are home to mountain goats, Dall sheep, 
caribou, wolverine, marmots, and ptarmigan. Boreal forests extend from 
sea level to 1,800 feet and are composed of spruce and birch forests, 
which on the Refuge are intermingled with hundreds of lakes. Boreal 
forests are home to moose, wolves, black and brown bears, lynx, 
snowshoe hares, and numerous species of Neotropical birds, such as 
olive-sided flycatchers, myrtle warblers, and ruby crowned kinglets. At 
sea level, the Refuge encompasses the last remaining pristine major 
saltwater estuary on the Kenai Peninsula, the Chickaloon River Flats. 
The Flats provide a major migratory staging area and nesting habitat 
for shorebirds and waterfowl throughout the spring, summer, and fall. 
The Flats are also used as a haul-out area by harbor seals. Thousands 
of salmon migrate up the Chickaloon River system each year to spawn.
    While the United States owns the land surface within the Refuge, 
portions of the subsurface estate are owned by CIRI. CIRI is an Alaska 
Native regional corporation established under the Alaska Native Claims 
Settlement Act of 1971 (ANCSA; 43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.). CIRI received 
the subsurface oil, gas, and coal estate to nearly 200,000 acres within 
the Refuge as part of its ANCSA entitlement. The State of Alaska also 
owns lands adjacent to the Refuge (Captain Cook State Recreation Area). 
ANILCA Section 1110(b) requires that the Service provide adequate and 
feasible access to the CIRI-owned subsurface estate. CIRI has 
previously leased other portions of its subsurface estate within the 
Refuge. Oil and gas are currently being produced from other production 
units within the Refuge.
    The ANILCA (Section 303[4]) established the Refuge from the Kenai 
Moose Range and other lands, and set forth the following major purposes 
for which the Refuge was to be managed:
    (i) To conserve fish and wildlife populations and habitats in their 
natural diversity, including, but not limited to, moose, bear, mountain 
goats, Dall sheep, wolves, and other furbearers; salmonoids and other 
fish; waterfowl and other migratory and non-migratory birds;
    (ii) To fulfill the international treaty obligations of the United 
States with respect to fish and wildlife and their habitats;
    (iii) To ensure, to the maximum extent practicable and in a manner 
consistent with the purposes set forth in paragraph (i), water quality 
and necessary water quantity within the Refuge;
    (iv) To provide in a manner consistent with subparagraphs (i) and 
(ii), opportunities for scientific research, interpretation, 
environmental education, and land management training; and
    (v) To provide, in a manner compatible with these purposes, 
opportunities for fish and wildlife-oriented recreation.

Public Availability of Comments

    Before including your address, phone number, email 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 to withhold it from public view, we cannot guarantee we will be 
able to do so.

    Dated: December 17, 2012.
 E. LaVerne Smith,
Acting Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Anchorage, 
Alaska.
[FR Doc. 2012-30756 Filed 12-20-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P