[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 55 (Friday, March 21, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15723-15725]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-05891]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Bridger-Teton National Forest; Wyoming; Oil and Gas Leasing in 
Portions of the Wyoming Range in the Bridger-Teton National Forest

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Corrected notice of intent to prepare a supplemental 
environmental impact statement to analyze and disclose effects of oil 
and gas leasing on portions of the Bridger-Teton National Forest 
previously identified as suitable and available for oil and gas leasing 
in the Bridger-Teton National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan.

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SUMMARY: This notice corrects notices of Intent (NOI) published in the 
Federal Register on February 4, 2008 (73 FR, No. 23, pages 6453-6454) 
and March 28, 2008 (73 FR, No. 61 pages 16621-16622), to prepare a 
supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS) to analyze and 
disclose environmental effects relative to oil and gas leasing on 
portions of the forest previously identified as suitable and available 
for oil and gas leasing in the Bridger-Teton National Forest Land and 
Resource Management Plan. The Forest Service is providing this 
corrected NOI because it intends to prepare a new draft and final SEIS 
in place of the draft and final SEIS released in February 2010 and 
January 2011, respectively. Extensive public involvement efforts were 
conducted with the 2008 scoping period. Because extensive public 
comments covering the range of relevant issues for the analysis were 
received in the 2008 scoping period and in the comment period on the 
2010 Draft SEIS, an additional scoping period is not being conducted. 
Scoping comments and comments on the Draft SEIS previously submitted 
will be considered in preparation of the new SEIS. Scoping for a 
supplemental environmental impact statement is not required [40 CFR 
1502.9(c)(4)]. The public will have another opportunity to comment on 
this project when the new Draft SEIS is released. A draft Record of 
Decision will be released with the new Final SEIS, and will be subject 
to the pre-decisional (objection) administrative review process [36 CFR 
218]. Individuals and entities who submitted timely, specific written 
comments

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regarding this project during the 2008 scoping period and the 2010 
Draft SEIS comment period and those who submit comments on the new 2014 
Draft SEIS will be eligible to file objections.

DATES: The new Draft SEIS is expected to be published in October 2014. 
The estimated completion date for the Final SEIS is May 2015.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rob Hoelscher, Big Piney District 
Ranger, Bridger-Teton National Forest, 10418 South Highway 189, P.O. 
Box 218, Big Piney, WY 83113.
    Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) 
may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 
between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A previous revised NOI was published in the 
Federal Register on March 28, 2008 (73 FR, No. 61, pages 16621-16622) 
with the title: Revised Notice of Intent To Prepare a Supplemental 
Environmental Impact Statement To Analyze and Disclose New Information 
Relative to Oil and Gas Leasing of 44,720 Acres on the Big Piney Ranger 
District; its purpose was to extend the scoping comment period. This 
corrected notice updates the original February 2008 NOI and the revised 
NOI of March 2008 to announce the intent to prepare a new draft and 
final SEIS. In February 2010, a Draft SEIS was released for public 
review and comment (75 FR, No. 24, page 6027). In January 2011, a Final 
SEIS (76 FR, No. 29, page 7844) and Record of Decision were released. 
In May 2011, the Record of Decision was withdrawn to allow for 
additional analyses considering updated information. The Forest Service 
is preparing a new SEIS and Record of Decision to replace previous 
analysis efforts regarding these specific parcels with the most up-to-
date information and scientific analysis. Since the previous notices 
were published, the Forest Service received notice from the Bureau of 
Land Management that some parcels are no longer being considered for 
leasing (updated project map available at http://www.fs.usda.gov/projects/btnf/landmanagement/projects). The title of this analysis is 
revised to reflect this updated information. The purpose and need, 
proposed action, and known possible alternatives are clarified as noted 
below.

Purpose and Need for Action

    The purpose for offering parcels and subsequent issuance of leases 
is to meet the Bridger-Teton National Forest Land and Resource 
Management Plan Objective 1.1(d) to ``provide leasable, locatable, and 
salable mineral exploration and development opportunities;'' and Goal 
4.4 ``other resources are protected during exploration and development 
of subsurface resources;'' the Bureau of Land Management Pinedale 
Resource Management Plan mineral management goal to ``provide 
opportunities for mineral extraction and energy exploration and 
development to provide resources to meet national and local needs while 
avoiding or otherwise mitigating significant impacts on other resource 
objectives;'' and the Bureau of Land Management Kemmerer Resource 
Management Plan Goal MR: 1 to ``provide opportunities for exploration 
and developing mineral resources on available public lands.'' The 
offering for sale and subsequent issuance of oil and gas leases is 
needed to respond to interest in obtaining future opportunities for 
exploration and development of mineral resources under specific 
parcels. The Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended, requires the 
Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to respond to all leasing 
interests.

Proposed Action

    The Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management propose to offer 
specific parcels for oil and gas leasing on the eastern slope of the 
Wyoming Range, along the western portion of Sublette County in areas 
identified as suitable and available for oil and gas leasing within the 
Bridger-Teton National Forest and not prohibited by the Wyoming Range 
Legacy Act. Issuance of leases would follow, incorporating the 
appropriate standard stipulations for forest management areas 12, 23, 
24, 25, 26, and 32, and the applicable Bureau of Land Management 
resource management plan.

Preliminary Issues

    Following are the preliminary issues developed from previous public 
involvement efforts and considered during alternative development:
    Potential impacts from post-leasing exploration and/or development 
could have cumulative effects on the social and economic well-being of 
the local communities and quality of life for residents.
    Potential impacts from post-leasing exploration and/or development 
could change the backcountry recreation setting, detracting from the 
quality of recreation opportunities in the area.
    Not issuing leases for these specific parcels or applying 
additional constraints to leases could prevent effective recovery of 
energy resources in the area.
    Potential impacts from post-leasing exploration and/or development 
could affect groundwater quality and quantity in the area.
    Potential impacts from post-leasing exploration and/or development 
could occur to terrestrial wildlife including threatened, endangered, 
sensitive, management indicator species' habitats and populations; 
large game; and trophy game species.
    Potential impacts from post-leasing exploration and/or development 
could occur to water quality and could affect habitat for fish and 
other special status aquatic species.
    Potential impacts from post-leasing exploration and/or development 
could occur to rare plant species habitats including sensitive and 
management indicator species' habitats and populations.
    Potential impacts from post-leasing exploration and/or development 
could impact air quality and air quality-related values, with emphasis 
on cumulative effects because of extensive development in the Pinedale 
area and previously monitored exceedances of National Ambient Air 
Quality Standards for ozone in Sublette County.
    Potential impacts from post-leasing exploration and/or development 
could affect permitted livestock grazing, cultural resources, and 
visual resources.

Possible Alternatives

    Alternative 1: No action/No leasing. The Forest Service would 
object to the Bureau of Land Management offering for sale leases within 
these specific parcels.
    Alternative 2: Proposed Action, Implement Forest Plan Leasing 
Availability Decision. The Forest Service would not object to the 
Bureau of Land Management offering for sale leases within these 
specific parcels. The Bureau of Land Management would offer for sale 
leases with existing standard lease stipulations as required by the 
Bridger-Teton National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan. The 
Bureau of Land Management may add additional stipulations in accordance 
with the applicable resource management plan. Future oil and gas 
exploration and development would occur in accordance with procedures 
established under an approved Federal oil and gas unit agreement.
    Alternative 3: Implement Forest Plan Leasing Availability Decision, 
Meet Site-Specific Management Goals. The Forest Service would not 
object to the Bureau of Land Management offering for sale leases within 
these specific parcels, with site-specific and management area

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standard lease stipulations required by the Bridger-Teton National 
Forest Land and Resource Management Plan. For example, a combination of 
No Surface Occupancy, Timing Limitation, Controlled Surface Use, 
Conditional No Surface Occupancy, and the Jackson Hole Area Oil and Gas 
Lease stipulations may be used depending upon resource issues. The 
Bureau of Land Management may add additional stipulations in accordance 
with the applicable resource management plan. Future oil and gas 
exploration and development would occur in accordance with procedures 
established under an approved Federal oil and gas unit agreement.
    Alternative 4: Implement Forest Plan Leasing Availability Decision 
with No Surface Occupancy. The Forest Service would not object to the 
Bureau of Land Management offering for sale leases within these 
specific parcels with a No Surface Occupancy stipulation. Future oil 
and gas exploration and development would occur in accordance with 
procedures established under an approved Federal oil and gas unit 
agreement.

Lead and Cooperating Agencies

    The Forest Service is the lead agency. The Bureau of Land 
Management, the State of Wyoming, and Sublette County are cooperating 
agencies.

Responsible Official

    This corrected NOI updates the responsible officials for this 
project. The Forest Service responsible official for this decision [36 
CFR 228.102(d)] is Clinton D. Kyhl, Bridger-Teton National Forest 
Supervisor, Bridger-Teton National Forest, 340 N. Cache (P.O. Box 
1888), Jackson, Wyoming 83001. The Bureau of Land Management 
responsible official for final decision (43 CFR 3101.7) relative to the 
issuance or disposition of the leases and lease parcels is Donald A. 
Simpson, State Director, Bureau of Land Management--Wyoming State 
Office, 5353 Yellowstone (P.O. Box 1828), Cheyenne, Wyoming 82009.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The decision to be made is whether the Forest Service objects or 
does not object to the Bureau of Land Management offering for sale oil 
and gas leases on these specific parcels, and under what terms and 
conditions. This decision will supersede prior Forest Service decisions 
regarding oil and gas leasing on these specific parcels. Based upon the 
Forest Service's decision, the Bureau of Land Management will decide 
which parcels would be offered for lease with appropriate stipulations, 
which parcels will be deferred, which parcels are not available for 
leasing, and which parcels are canceled.

    Dated: March 12, 2014.
Clinton D. Kyhl,
Forest Supervisor, Bridger-Teton National Forest.
[FR Doc. 2014-05891 Filed 3-20-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P