[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 62 (Monday, April 1, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Page 19444]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-07488]
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Notices
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
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Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 62 / Monday, April 1, 2013 /
Notices
[[Page 19444]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Pawnee National Grassland, Colorado; Oil and Gas Leasing Analysis
Environmental Impact Statement
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
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SUMMARY: In November of 1997, the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forest
and Pawnee National Grassland Record of Decision (ROD) for the Revision
of the Land and Resource Management Plan (LRMP), which included the Oil
and Gas Leasing Analysis on the Pawnee National Grassland (PNG), was
signed. That decision determined which Lands are administratively
available for leasing [36 CFR 228.102(d)], including conditions (lease
stipulations) under which lands will be available. The oil and gas
decisions contained in the 1997 ROD were based on an April 1995
projection of the reasonably foreseeable oil and gas development for
the Pawnee National Grassland. Much of the PNG's federal mineral estate
made available per the 1997 ROD has already been leased.
Since the analysis was completed 16 years ago, there has been a
change in the manner in which oil and gas development has occurred on
the Pawnee National Grassland. Multiple wells can be drilled from a
single well pad rather than just one, as was most common in the past.
The improvements in horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing
technologies to improve the ability to access and recover oil and gas
located deep underground from horizons previously thought uneconomic
are the primary reasons for these changes in development.
The remaining available lands that are not presently leased have
been nominated for leasing by industry. Before the Forest Service
provides the Bureau of Land Management with consent to offer these
lands for lease, it must verify that the requested lands have been
adequately addressed in a NEPA document and is consistent with the
Forest Land and Resource Management Plan [36 CFR 228.102(e)].
Accordingly, the PNG finds it is necessary to disclose the potential
effects of the changed pattern and level of oil and gas development
from those effects considered in the 1997 FEIS, and determine whether
or not there is a need to change LRMP standards and guidelines (and
possibly leasing stipulations) to minimize the potential impact of oil
and gas development on the Pawnee National Grassland, which may require
a plan amendment.
DATES: Scoping is an early and open process for identifying the issues
and determining the scope of issues to be addressed in the analysis.
The Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National
Grassland are soliciting comments on the proposed action. Comments
should be written to help identify the issues that need to be addressed
in the analysis. The public is welcome to comment at any time
throughout the process; however, comments received prior to 05/14/2013
would be more useful and help keep the time line. The draft
environmental impact statement is expected to be available to the
public for comment in August, 2013 and the final environmental impact
statement is expected in August 2014.
ADDRESSES: USDA Forest Service, Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests
and Pawnee National Grassland, 2150 Centre Avenue, Building E, Fort
Collins, CO 80526.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom Ford, Interdisciplinary Team
Leader, at 2150 Centre Avenue, Building E, Fort Collins, CO 80526, by
email at [email protected] or by phone at 970-295-6610.
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:
Purpose and Need for Action
In light of a changed pattern and level of oil and gas activity
from what was anticipated in the 1997 ROD, there is a need to
reevaluate our 1997 Oil and Gas Leasing Analysis that identified NFS
lands available for federal oil and gas leasing on the PNG. The purpose
of the analysis is to consider and disclose any new circumstances or
information relevant to environmental effects that may not have been
anticipated in the 1997 FEIS to determine if additional management
direction and/or leasing stipulations are necessary to protect National
Forest System lands. The need for this action is to allow the PNG to
verify that specific lands nominated by industry for leasing are
adequately addressed in a NEPA document before providing consent to the
BLM to offer such lands at a lease sale.
Proposed Action
The PNG proposes to validate what lands are available for federal
oil and gas leasing; what constraints are needed (lease stipulations)
to minimize impacts to surface resources; and make any needed changes
to management direction in the LRMP.
Responsible Official
Glenn Casamassa, Forest Supervisor of the Arapaho and Roosevelt
National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
Based on the analysis and information contained in the EIS, the
Forest Supervisor will validate which lands will be available for
lease, which lands will be adminstratively unavailable for lease,
whether or not additional management direction would be incorporated
into the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National
Grassland LRMP, and if that would require a plan amendment.
Dated: March 22, 2013.
Hal Gibbs,
Acting Forest Supervisor of the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests
and the Pawnee National Grassland.
[FR Doc. 2013-07488 Filed 3-29-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P