[Federal Register: April 30, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 83)] [Notices] [Page 23349] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr30ap99-114] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [WY-030-1310-00] Continental Divide/Wamsutter II Natural Gas Project AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior. ACTION: Notice of Availability of Draft Environmental Impact Statement. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces the availability of the Continental Divide/Wamsutter II (CD/WII) Natural Gas Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) which analyzes the environmental consequences of the CD/WII proposed natural gas development and production operation. Expansion of natural gas exploration and development is proposed in and adjacent to other oil and gas developments including the Greater Wamsutter Area II, Creston/ Blue Gap, Table Rock field, Hay Reservoir, Patrick Draw, and Mulligan Draw. The 1,061,200 acre CD/WII project area is located within the administrative jurisdictions of the BLM Rawlins and Rock Springs Field Offices, approximately 25 miles west of Rawlins and 40 miles east of Rock Springs along Interstate Highway 80 in Townships 15-23 North, Ranges 91-99 West, Sixth Principal Meridian, Sweetwater and Carbon Counties, Wyoming. Most of the 531,400 acres of Federal land in the project area lie within the ``checkerboard''--a land ownership pattern created when the United States conveyed alternate sections of land to the Union Pacific Railroad along their railroad right-of-way. Currently there are approximately 845 oil and gas wells drilled within the project area and up to 3,000 additional wells could be drilled over the next 20 years. DATES: Written comments on the DEIS will be accepted for 60 days following the date that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) publishes their notice of availability of the DEIS in the Federal Register. The EPA notice is expected to be published April 30, 1999. Two public meetings are scheduled to obtain public comments on the proposed project and the DEIS: May 24, 1999, 7 p.m., at the BLM Rock Springs Field Office conference room, 280 Highway 191 North, Rock Springs, Wyoming; and May 25, 1999, 7 p.m., at the BLM Rawlins Field Office conference room, 1300 North Third Street, Rawlins, Wyoming. Also, the above field offices will hold open houses on the respective public meeting dates from 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. to answer any questions interested parties may have regarding the proposed project. ADDRESSES: Send written comments to: Clare Miller, Team Leader, Rawlins Field Office, Bureau of Land Management, 1300 N. Third Street, P.O. Box 2407, Rawlins, Wyoming 82301, or e-mail to Clare__Miller@blm.gov. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Clare Miller, phone 307-328-4245, or Teresa Deakins, phone 307-352-0211. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Amoco Production Company, Union Pacific Resources, Snyder Oil Corporation, Yates Petroleum Corporation, and other companies (Operators) propose to drill up to 3,000 wells over the next 20 years exploring and developing their existing leases within the CD/WII project area. Well density would range from one well per 640 acres to eight wells per 640 acres. The CD/WII DEIS analyzes the impacts of the Proposed Action--full field development of 3,000 wells, along with access roads, pipelines, and other ancillary facilities (gas processing plant, compressor stations, water disposal sites, etc.). Alternative A is similar to the Proposed Action, but would limit disturbance on Federal lands in Sensitive Resource Areas (SRA)--areas containing high value resources-- to no more than 14 acres of additional disturbance per section. Alternative B also is similar to the Proposed Action, but would limit disturbance to no more than 30 acres of additional disturbance per section on Federal lands within SRAs. The No Action Alternative analyzes the current, ongoing level of development (845 wells) in the CD/WII area and continuation of that activity into the future. The Proposed Action would be denied under the No Action Alternative. Based upon issues and concerns identified during the scoping process, this DEIS focuses on the impacts to air quality, biological and physical resources, transportation, socio-economics, and cumulative effects. The DEIS, in compliance with Section 7(c) of the Endangered Species Act, as amended, includes the Biological Assessment for the purpose of identifying endangered or threatened species which may be affected by the proposed action. Comments, including the names and street addresses of respondents, will be available for public review at the BLM offices listed above during regular business hours (7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), Monday through Friday, except for Federal holidays. Your comments may be published as part of the EIS process. Individual respondents may request confidentiality. If you wish to withhold your name and/or street address from public review or from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, you must state this prominently at the beginning of your written comment. Such requests will be honored to the extent allowed by law. All submissions from organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or businesses, will be made available for public inspections in their entirety. Dated: April 26, 1999. Alan R. Pierson, State Director. [FR Doc. 99-10822 Filed 4-29-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-22-P