[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 126 (Monday, July 1, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39313-39314]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-15679]
[[Page 39313]]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLUTG01100-13-L51010000-ER0000 LVRWJ13J8060 13X]
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
the Enefit American Oil Utility Corridor Project, UT
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, as amended (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act
of 1976, as amended, and the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended,
the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Vernal Field Office, Vernal, Utah,
intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for right-
of-way (ROW) applications for the Enefit American Oil Utility Corridor
Project (Utility Corridor Project), and by this notice is announcing
the beginning of the scoping process to solicit public comments and
identify issues.
DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process for the EIS.
Comments on issues must be submitted by July 31, 2013. The date(s) and
location(s) of any public scoping meetings will be announced at least
15 days in advance through local news media, a project newsletter, and
the BLM Web site at: http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/info/newsroom.2.html.
Additional opportunities for public participation will be provided upon
publication of the Draft EIS.
ADDRESSES: Comments on issues related to the Enefit Utility Corridor
Project may be submitted by any of the following methods:
Email: [email protected]
Fax: (435) 781-4410
Mail: 170 South 500 East, Vernal, Utah 84078
Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the BLM
Vernal Field Office.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information and/or to have
your name added to the Utility Corridor Project mailing list, contact
Stephanie Howard, BLM Project Manager; telephone 435-781-4469; 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 applicant, Enefit American Oil, has
filed ROW applications seeking authorization to construct and operate
natural gas, electricity, and water utilities on Federal lands. As
proposed, 19 miles of water supply pipeline, 8 miles of natural gas
supply pipeline, 10 miles of oil product line, 29 miles of single or
dual overhead 138-kilovolt H-frame powerlines, and 5 miles of Dragon
Road upgrade and pavement would be constructed and operated in 5
separate utility corridors crossing BLM-administered lands within the
Project area.
The Utility Corridor Project would provide natural gas,
electricity, and water to, and move processed oil from, Enefit American
Oil's ``South Project,'' which is planned on private land and minerals
owned by Enefit. The Enefit American Oil's planned South Project will
include development of a commercial oil shale mining, retorting, and
upgrading operation located in Uintah County, Utah. Approval or
disapproval of Enefit American Oil's South Project is outside of the
BLM's authority because it is located on private lands and minerals;
however, since it is a connected and cumulative action to the Utility
Corridor Project, the potential indirect and cumulative effects
associated with the South Project will be analyzed and disclosed in the
Utility Corridor Project EIS.
The Utility Corridor Project area is located within the southern
portion of Townships 8-10 South, Ranges 24-25 East, Salt Lake Meridian,
in Uintah County, Utah, approximately 12 miles southeast of Bonanza,
Utah. Vernal, Utah, is the nearest major municipality, located
approximately 40 miles north of the Utility Corridor Project area. The
community of Rangely, Colorado, is located approximately 25 miles
northeast of the Enefit American Oil's planned South Project site. The
requested ROW widths for the Utility Corridor Project range from 50
feet, where a single pipeline would be located, to over 350 feet, where
gas, water, and product lines would be located adjacent to overhead
transmission lines.
Alternatives identified at this time include the proposed action
and the no action alternatives. Additional alternatives will be
developed as a result of issues and concerns identified through the
scoping process.
The BLM Vernal Field Office Record of Decision and Approved
Resource Management Plan (RMP) (October 2008) directs management of the
BLM-administered public lands within the Utility Corridor Project area.
The RMP provides for issuance of new ROWs (RMP, pp. 96 and 97). An
amendment of the RMP is not required.
Pursuant to Section 368 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C.
15926), a Programmatic EIS was prepared by the Department of Energy for
energy corridors in the 11 western states (Washington, Oregon, Idaho,
Montana, Wyoming, California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New
Mexico), and notice of its availability was published on November 28,
2008 (73 FR 72521). Records of Decision (ROD) signed January 14, 2009,
designated energy corridors and provided guidance, best management
practices, and mitigation measures to be used where linear facilities
are proposed crossing Federal lands. Designation of corridors does not
require their use, nor does such designation exempt the Federal
agencies from conducting an environmental review on each project
therein. The Final RODs are available at the following Web site: http://corridoreis.anl.gov/eis/guide/index.cfm. The Project EIS will take
into consideration the use of guidance, best management practices, and
mitigation measures described in the RODs.
The BLM is the designated lead Federal agency for preparation of
the EIS as defined in 40 CFR 1501.5. Agencies with legal jurisdiction
or special expertise have been invited to participate as cooperating
agencies in preparation of the EIS including: U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Bureau of Indian
Affairs, Utah Public Lands Policy and Coordination Office, and the Ute
Indian Tribe. The purpose of the public scoping process is to determine
relevant issues that will influence the scope of the environmental
analysis, including alternatives, and guide the process for developing
the EIS. At present, the BLM has identified the following resources as
potentially being impacted by the project: local and regional air
quality and air quality related values; surface water and groundwater
resources; floodplains; cultural and paleontological resources; soils;
special status plant and animal species; range management; recreation;
the White River; regional social programs; and regional economics.
The BLM will use and coordinate the NEPA commenting process to
assist in satisfying the public involvement
[[Page 39314]]
process for Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (16
U.S.C. 470f) as provided for in 36 CFR 800.2(d)(3). Native American
Tribal consultations will be conducted and Tribal concerns will be
given due consideration, including impacts on Indian trust assets.
Federal, State, and local agencies, along with other stakeholders that
may be interested or affected by the BLM's decision on this project are
invited to participate in the scoping process and, if eligible, may
request or be requested by the BLM to participate as a cooperating
agency.
Comments may be submitted in writing to the BLM at any public
scoping meeting, or you may submit them to the BLM using one of the
methods listed in the ADDRESSES section above. To be considered,
comments must be submitted by July 31, 2013.
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.
Jenna Whitlock,
Associate State Director.
[FR Doc. 2013-15679 Filed 6-28-13; 8:45 am]
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