[Federal Register: May 14, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 93)]
[Notices]               
[Page 26436-26437]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr14my99-90]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management
[WY-070-1310-00]

 
Notice of Availability of Draft Environmental Impact Statement 
for the Wyodak Coalbed Methane Project

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and 
implementing regulations, and other applicable statutes, the Bureau of 
Land Management (BLM) announces the availability of the Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) analyzing the potential impacts 
and cumulative effects of proposed coalbed methane (CBM) development on 
Federal lands and minerals for areas north and south of the city of 
Gillette, Campbell County, Wyoming. BLM anticipates that an additional 
3,000 CBM wells may be drilled and developed by numerous lessees and 
operators on Federal and non-Federal lands north and south of Gillette 
by the year 2007 if development success continues. This Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS) will also serve as a planning analysis to 
evaluate the reasonably foreseeable development scenario in the Buffalo 
Resource Management Plan (RMP).

DATES: Written comments on the DEIS will be accepted for 45 days 
following the date that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 
publishes their notice of availability of the DEIS in the Federal 
Register. We expect EPA will publish that notice on May 14, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Richard Zander, Bureau of Land 
Management, Buffalo Field Office, 1425 Fort Street, Buffalo, WY 82834.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard Zander, phone 307-684-1161.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Information from five prior environmental 
analyses of coalbed methane development in the project area--four 
Environmental Assessments (EA) (Pistol Point, Marquiss, Lighthouse, and 
North Gillette) and one EIS (Gillette South)--was used to develop the 
proposed action and alternatives in this DEIS. When preparation of the 
Gillette South CBM EIS began in June of 1996, the BLM had developed a 
proposed action to analyze a total of 640 CBM wells. That proposed 
action was based on the best available information BLM had from 
industry at that time. It took into account potential development based 
on depth to coal and what industry knew at that time about the 
potential to produce methane from the coal. The proposed action also 
included the prior Marquiss and Lighthouse CBM projects to address 
developmental changes which had occurred since these two projects had 
been analyzed in EAs. When the Gillette South CBM EIS was completed in 
October of 1997, the apparent success of the coalbed methane play was 
drawing additional operators into the basin.
    BLM held a meeting with CBM companies on November 19, 1997, to 
discuss the implications of the recently signed Record of Decision for 
the Gillette South EIS. This meeting covered the mitigation steps that 
would be required of those operators developing Federal minerals. 
Specifically covered were monitoring requirements, use of the Water 
Well Agreement, and the formation of a groundwater monitoring group 
similar to the coal industry's Gillette Area Groundwater Monitoring 
Organization (GAGMO) Group. CBM companies indicated that an additional 
2,600 to 3,000 CBM wells north and south of Gillette could be developed 
by the year 2007 if development success continues as it has been. With 
this information and the results of a public scoping meeting held on 
February 5, 1998, in Gillette, Wyoming, BLM

[[Page 26437]]

decided a new EIS would be necessary to address this additional 
interest.
    Project issues include: loss of hydraulic head of groundwater 
associated with the coal seam; lowering of water levels and increased 
pumping costs; effects of coalbed methane development on air quality; 
possible hazardous emissions and pollutants from compressors; erosion 
and weed infestations from disposal of produced water; royalties on 
past venting of methane; water table drawdown and other potential 
hydrologic impacts; cumulative impacts of CBM development; potential 
impacts to threatened and endangered species, raptors, and fisheries; 
and potential impacts to ranching and agriculture.
    Comments, including names and street addresses of respondents, will 
be available for public review at the Bureau of Land Management, 
Buffalo Field Office, 1425 Fort Street, Buffalo, Wyoming, during 
regular business hours (8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), Monday through Friday, 
except holidays, and may be published as part of the final EIS. 
Individual respondents may request confidentiality. If you wish to 
withhold your name 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 of officials of organizations or 
businesses, will be made available for public inspection in their 
entirety.

    Dated: May 7, 1999.
Alan L. Kesterke,
Associate State Director.
[FR Doc. 99-12211 Filed 5-13-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-22-P