[Federal Register: June 20, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 119)]
[Notices]
[Page 37019-37020]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr20jn03-114]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[ES-020-1310-EI]
Notice of Intent To Prepare a Planning Analysis/Environmental
Assessment
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare a Planning Analysis/Environmental
Assessment (PA/EA).
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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management, Eastern States, Jackson Field
Office, announces its intent to prepare a PA/EA in cooperation with the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE), Louisville, Kentucky, to consider
leasing Federal mineral estate for oil and gas exploration and
development. The PA/EA is being prepared in response to an expression
of interest (EOI) from the public. The EOI requests leasing without the
right of surface occupancy. The lands, managed by the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers, are within the Nolin Lake Project in Edmonson, Grayson,
and Hart Counties, Kentucky. This notice is issued pursuant to title 40
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 1501.7 and Title 43 CFR 1610.2 (c).
The planning effort will follow the procedures set forth in Title 43
CFR part 1600. The public is invited to participate in this planning
process, beginning with the identification of planning issues and
criteria.
DATES: Comments relating to the identification of planning issues and
criteria will be accepted for thirty days from the date of this
publication. 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 comments. Such requests
will be honored to the extent allowed by law. All submissions from
organizations and businesses, and from the individuals identifying
themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or
businesses, will be available for public inspection in their entirety.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Bureau of Land Management (ATTN:
Sid Vogelpohl), Jackson Field Office;
[[Page 37020]]
411 Briarwood Dr., Suite 404; Jackson, MS 39206. Submit electronic
comments to Sid_Vogelpohl@blm.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sid Vogelpohl at (601) 977-5402.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM has responsibility to consider EOIs
to lease Federal mineral estate for oil and gas exploration and
development. Directional wells may be drilled into the Nolin Lake
property at depth (4,000 feet) from privately owned property adjoining
tracts managed by the COE. No surface equipment or drilling locations
would be on COE-managed property. Subject to completion of the PA/EA,
the COE has consented to leasing without the right for surface
occupancy.
The area being addressed, along with acreage, is identified below.
Legal Description: Acquired Lands within Segments 7 through 17 and
Segments 22 through 28 within the Nolin Lake Project. Total acreage is
6,731 acres.
An interdisciplinary team will prepare the PA/EA. Preliminary
issues, subject to change as a result of public input, are as follows:
(1) Potential impacts of oil and gas exploration and development on the
surface resources and uses by the COE; and (2) consideration of
restrictions on lease rights to protect surface resources and uses by
the COE.
Preliminary planning criteria developed to guide the preparation of
this PA are listed below. These criteria may be refined by public
input.
1. Land use planning and environmental analysis will be conducted
in accordance with laws, regulations, executive orders and manuals.
Planning will be conducted for the oil and gas mineral estate
(leaseable mineral estates, such as, oil and gas; are under the
administration of the BLM).
2. A reasonable foreseeable development scenario will be prepared
for the exploration and development of oil and gas resources (if any)
under the identified land. The surface estate is managed by the COE.
3. Resource data needed to evaluate the impacts of foreseeable oil
and gas exploration and development will be collected.
4. The planning team will work cooperatively with (a) federal,
state, county and local governments and agencies, (b) tribal
governments, (c) groups and organizations and (d) individuals.
Comments relating to the preliminary issues and planning criteria
(listed above) should be submitted in writing to the address provided
above. Due to the limited scope of this PA/EA process, public meetings
are not scheduled.
Dated: May 8, 2003.
Bruce E. Dawson,
Field Manager, Jackson Field Office.
[FR Doc. 03-15606 Filed 6-19-03; 8:45 am]