[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 211 (Thursday, October 31, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65354-65355]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-25929]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLNMA02000.L51010000.ER0000.LVRWG13G0940; NMNM-129147]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
the Proposed Lobos CO2 Pipeline Project in Arizona and New 
Mexico and Amend the Rio Puerco, Roswell, and Socorro Resource 
Management Plans

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 (FLPMA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), 
Socorro Field Office, Socorro, New Mexico, intends to prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in order to analyze the proposed 
Lobos carbon dioxide (CO2) Pipeline Project and consider 
amendments to the Roswell Resource Management Plan (RMP) (1997), the 
Rio Puerco RMP (1986), and the Socorro RMP (2010). This notice 
announces the scoping process to solicit public comments and identifies 
issues.

DATES: This notice initiates the public scoping process for the RMP 
amendment with associated EIS. Comments on issues may be submitted in 
writing until January 29, 2014. The date(s) and location(s) of any 
scoping meetings will be announced at least 15 days in advance through 
local news media and the BLM Web site at: http://www.blm.gov/nm/LobosCO2. In order to be included in the Draft EIS, all comments must 
be received prior to the close of the 90-day scoping period or 15 days 
after the last public meeting, whichever is later. We will provide 
additional opportunities for public participation as appropriate.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
     Email: [email protected]
     Fax: 575-835-0223, Attention: Andi Knight
     Mail: Bureau of Land Management, Socorro Field Office, 
Attention: Andi Knight, 901 S. Highway 85, Socorro, NM 87801-4168.
    Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the Socorro 
Field Office at the address above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gregory Helseth, Washington Office 
Project Manager, at 702-515-5173; or

[[Page 65355]]

email at [email protected]. Contact Mr. Helseth if you wish to have your 
name added to our mailing list. 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: Kinder Morgan CO2 Company, L.P. 
(Kinder Morgan) has filed a right-of-way (ROW) application with the BLM 
pursuant to Title V of FLPMA proposing to construct and operate the 
Lobos CO2 Pipeline. This pipeline would consist of about 214 
miles of 16-inch diameter pipeline, with an initial capacity of about 
200 million standard cubic feet per day of CO2. The pipeline 
would originate in the St. Johns CO2 field in Apache County 
in eastern Arizona, cross central New Mexico south of Albuquerque, and 
terminate at the Main Line Valve 160 located along the existing Cortez 
Pipeline in Torrance County, New Mexico. It is anticipated that up to 
four pump stations would be strategically located along the proposed 
new pipeline route and interconnections would be made at the origin and 
terminus. A 40-mile-long, 30-inch-diameter loop would also be 
constructed parallel to the existing Cortez Pipeline in Chaves County, 
New Mexico. A new pump station would be added along the existing Cortez 
Pipeline at the existing location of Main Line Valve 170 in Torrance 
County, New Mexico, and upgrades in pumping capacity would be made to 
the existing Caprock Station on the Cortez Pipeline in Chaves County, 
New Mexico.
    This document provides notice that the Socorro Field Office, 
Socorro, New Mexico, intends to prepare an EIS and a RMP Amendment for 
the Proposed Lobos CO2 Pipeline Project in Arizona and New 
Mexico, announces the beginning of the scoping process, and seeks 
public input on issues and planning criteria. The planning area is 
located in Catron, Socorro, Torrance, and Chaves Counties, New Mexico; 
and Apache County, Arizona; and encompasses about 773 acres of BLM-
managed public land that may result in a linear 58.96-mile right-of-way 
grant.
    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 planning process. Preliminary 
issues for the plan amendment area have been identified by BLM 
personnel; Federal, State, and local agencies; and other stakeholders. 
The issues include: Loss of habitat and direct disturbance to plant and 
animal species (including special and sensitive status species); new 
visual intrusions on the landscape that would impact the scenic and 
visual quality of the area; impacts to cultural resources, lands that 
contain places of traditional cultural or religious importance, and 
historic sites; impacts to National Scenic or Historic Trails; and 
potential public health and safety impacts. Preliminary planning 
criteria include: The RMP Amendment and EIS will be completed in 
compliance with FLPMA, NEPA, and all other relevant Federal laws, 
executive orders, and management policies of the BLM; where existing 
planning decisions are still valid, those decisions may remain 
unchanged and be incorporated into the new RMP amendment; the RMP 
amendment will recognize valid existing rights; the RMP Amendment and 
EIS will be completed by coordination with cooperating agencies, 
government agencies, tribal entities, and all other interested parties.
    You may submit comments on issues and planning criteria 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 most helpful, you should submit comments by the close of the 90-day 
scoping period or within 15 days after the last public meeting, 
whichever is later.
    The BLM will use the NEPA public participation requirements to 
assist the agency 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 action 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 Native American tribes and pueblos 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 action that the BLM is evaluating, are invited to participate 
in the scoping process and, if eligible, may request or be requested by 
the BLM to participate in the development of the environmental analysis 
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.
    The minutes and list of attendees for each scoping meeting will be 
available to the public and open for 30 days after the meeting to any 
participant who wishes to clarify the views he or she expressed. The 
BLM will evaluate identified issues to be addressed in the plan, and 
will place them into one of three categories:
    1. Issues to be resolved in the plan amendment;
    2. Issues to be resolved through policy or administrative action; 
or
    3. Issues beyond the scope of this plan amendment.
    The BLM will provide an explanation in the EIS as to why an issue 
was placed in category two or three. The public is also encouraged to 
help identify any management questions and concerns that should be 
addressed in the plan. The BLM will work collaboratively with 
interested parties to identify the management decisions that are best 
suited to local, regional, and national needs and concerns.
    The BLM will use an interdisciplinary approach to develop the plan 
amendment in order to consider the variety of resource issues and 
concerns identified. Specialists with expertise in the following 
disciplines will be involved in the planning process: Rangeland 
management, minerals and geology, outdoor recreation, archaeology, 
paleontology, wildlife, lands and realty, hydrology, soils, sociology, 
and economics.

    Authority:  40 CFR 1501.7 and 43 CFR 1610.2

Jesse J. Juen,
State Director.
[FR Doc. 2013-25929 Filed 10-30-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-FB-P