[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 64 (Wednesday, April 3, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20133-20134]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-07751]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLCOSO50000 L13100000.DB0000]
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
the Proposed Bull Mountain Unit Master Development Plan, Gunnison
County, CO
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Intent.
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SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 (NEPA), as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act
of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Uncompahgre
Field Office, Montrose, Colorado, intends to prepare an Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS) to analyze a Master Development Plan (MDP) that
proposes to drill up to 150 wells within the Bull Mountain Unit (146
natural gas wells and 4 water disposal wells) and to construct
associated access roads, pipelines and infrastructure.
DATES: The BLM held a public scoping period while preparing an
Environmental Assessment (EA) for the 150-well Bull Mountain Unit MDP
from September 21 to November 13, 2009. The preliminary EA was
available for a 30-day public comment period from March 23 to April 23,
2012.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments related to the proposed Bull
Mountain Unit MDP by any of the following methods:
Email: [email protected],
Fax: 970-240-5368,and
Mail: 2465 South Townsend Ave. Montrose, CO 81401.
Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the BLM
Uncompahgre Field Office.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information and/or to have
your name added to our mailing list, contact Jerry Jones, Bull Mountain
EIS Project Manager, telephone 970-240-5300; address 2465 South
Townsend Ave., Montrose, CO 81401; email [email protected]. Persons
who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the
Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to contact
the above individual during normal business hours. The FIRS is
available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave a message or question
with the above individual. You will receive a reply during normal
business hours.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proponent, SG Interests, Ltd., submitted
[[Page 20134]]
an MDP to the BLM for the Bull Mountain Unit. The Unit is located on
approximately 19,645 acres of Federal and private subsurface mineral
estate approximately 30 miles northeast of the Town of Paonia and
bisected by State Highway 133. The proposal is to drill up to 146
natural gas wells and 4 water disposal wells, and develop associated
pads, access roads, gas and water pipelines, screw compressors and
overhead electric lines. This project was analyzed in a preliminary EA;
the BLM determined it is necessary to prepare an EIS due to projected
air quality impacts.
The project was initially scoped from October 29 to December 12,
2008, for 55 natural gas wells and 5 water disposal wells. The MDP
proposal changed in September 2009 to include up to 146 natural gas
wells and 4 water disposal wells. The BLM held a new public scoping
period for the revised MDP from September 21 to November 13, 2009. The
BLM released the preliminary EA for a 30-day public review and comment
period on March 23, 2012.
While there will not be another formal scoping period, all previous
comments from the public will be considered in the EIS. The BLM will
continue to accept and consider public comments to guide the
development of this EIS and the resulting decision. Written comments on
the scope of alternatives and issues will be particularly helpful for
the BLM. The BLM will provide additional opportunities for public
participation upon publication of the Draft EIS
At present, the BLM has identified the following preliminary
issues: Air quality; water quality and supply; threatened, endangered,
and sensitive wildlife species; wildlife and wildlife habitat;
recreation and visual resources; socio-economics; and transportation.
The BLM will use NEPA public participation requirements to assist in
satisfying the public involvement requirements under Section 106 of the
National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) (16 U.S.C. 470(f)) pursuant
to 36 CFR 800.2(d)(3). The information about historic and cultural
resources within the area potentially affected by the proposed Bull
Mountain Unit MDP will assist the BLM in identifying and evaluating
impacts to such resources in the context of both NEPA and Section 106
of the NHPA.
The BLM will consult with Indian tribes on a government-to-
government basis in accordance with Executive Order 13175 and other
policies. Tribal concerns, including impacts on Indian trust assets and
potential impacts to cultural resources, will be given due
consideration. Federal, State, and local agencies, along with tribes
and other stakeholders that may be interested in or affected by the
proposed Bull Mountain Unit MDP may request or be requested by the BLM
to participate in the development of the EIS as a cooperating agency.
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 in your comment to withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be
able to do so.
Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7.
Helen M. Hankins,
BLM Colorado State Director.
[FR Doc. 2013-07751 Filed 4-2-13; 8:45 am]
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