[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 90 (Friday, May 9, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26773-26774]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-10489]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLWYD04000-2013-LL13110000-EJ0000]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
the Bird Canyon Natural Gas Infill Project, Lincoln and Sublette 
Counties, WY

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA) of 1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management 
Act of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Rock 
Springs Field Office (RSFO) intends to prepare an environmental impact 
statement (EIS) for the Bird Canyon Natural Gas Infill Project and by 
this notice announces the opening of the scoping period. The plan of 
development for this project proposes that 348 natural gas wells be 
drilled on public lands in the 17,612 acre Bird Canyon project area.

DATES: Comments must be received by June 9, 2014. The BLM will hold two 
public meetings as part of the public comment period; these will be 
announced through the local news media and the BLM Web site at 
www.blm.gov/wy/st/en/info/NEPA/documents/rsfo/birdcanyon.html at least 
15 days in advance. In order to be included in the analysis, all 
comments must be received prior to the close of the 30-day scoping 
period or 15 days after the last public meeting, whichever is later. 
The BLM will provide additional opportunities for public participation 
as appropriate.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on issues and planning criteria may be 
submitted through any of the following methods:
     Mail or Delivery: BLM Rock Springs Field Office, Attn: 
Spencer Allred, 280 Highway 191 N., Rock Springs, WY 82901.
     EMail: [email protected] with ``Public 
Comment'' in the subject line.
     Fax: 307-352-0329.
    All comments must include a legible full name and address on the 
envelope, letter, fax, postcard or email.
    Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the RSFO, 
280 Highway 191 N., Rock Springs, Wyoming.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Spencer Allred, Natural Resource 
Specialist, at 307-352-0325. Persons who use a telecommunications 
device for the deaf 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: Koch Exploration Company, LLC, and Memorial 
Resource Development, LLC, propose to drill 348 new natural gas wells 
within 17,612 acres of public land in the existing Bird Canyon Field, 
in Lincoln and Sublette counties, Wyoming. Drilling activities would 
occur over the next 10 to 20 years. The life of the project, including 
final reclamation, is projected to be approximately 55 years. The wells 
would be directionally drilled on expansions of existing well pads or 
on newly constructed multiple-well pads. Average well-pad spacing would 
be four pads per 640 acres. It is estimated that well pads would 
initially occupy 3.8 acres, which would then be reclaimed back to 1.1 
acres after production facilities are installed. Total estimated 
initial disturbance for this project, including access roads, well pads 
and pipelines, is 392 acres. Following interim reclamation, including 
reclamation of 64 existing pads, total estimated long-term surface 
disturbance is 20 acres.
    The proposed project is in an area designated as marginal 
nonattainment for ozone within the Upper Green River Basin by the 
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in July 2012.
    Oil and gas development has occurred in the Bird Canyon Field since 
the 1960s. During that time, 90 wells have been drilled within the 
project area. Eighteen of those wells have been plugged or shut-in, 
leaving 72 wells in the field that are actively producing at this time.
    An EIS will be prepared to analyze the impacts of the proposed 
project which the RSFO has preliminarily identified as socioeconomics, 
viewshed qualities, historical and cultural resources, wildlife 
habitat, air quality, water quality and livestock forage. 
Identification of opportunities to apply mitigation hierarchy 
strategies for on-site, regional, and compensatory

[[Page 26774]]

mitigation, and (appropriate to the size of the project) landscape-
level conservation and management actions to achieve resource 
objectives] will be considered.
    A critical part of the EIS process is gathering comments and 
concerns from the public to help the BLM understand the scope of the 
issues associated with this project. The BLM will utilize and 
coordinate the NEPA public comment process to comply with 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 in accordance with BLM policy and sites of religious or 
cultural significance or other tribal concerns 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 project, may request or be requested by the BLM to participate 
in the development of the EIS as a cooperating agency. Additional 
opportunities for public participation will be provided when the Draft 
EIS is published.
    Comments can be submitted in writing to the BLM at any public 
scoping meeting or through one of the methods listed in the ADDRESSES 
section. 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 may 
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.

Larry Claypool,
Acting State Director.
[FR Doc. 2014-10489 Filed 5-8-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-22-P