[Federal Register: September 9, 2009 (Volume 74, Number = 173)] [Notices] =20 [Page 46458-46459] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr09se09-83] =20 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [LLUTG01100-09-L13100000-EJ0000] =20 Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for=20 the Greater Chapita Wells Natural Gas Infill Project, Uintah County, UT AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior. ACTION: Notice of intent. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Vernal Field Office,=20 Vernal, Utah, intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement=20 (EIS) for the proposed Greater Chapita Wells Natural Gas Infill=20 Project, and by this notice is announcing the beginning of the scoping=20 process and soliciting input on the identification of issues. DATES: A public scoping period will end on October 9, 2009. The BLM=20 will announce public scoping meetings to identify relevant issues=20 through local news media, newsletters, and the BLM Web site http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=3Dl= eavingFR.html&log=3Dlinklog&to=3Dhttp://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/info= /newsroom.2.html at least 15 days prior to=20 each meeting. We will provide additional opportunities for public=20 participation upon publication of the Draft EIS, including a 45-day=20 public comment period. ADDRESSES: Comments on issues related to the Greater Chapita Wells EIS=20 may be submitted through any of the following methods:E-mail: UT_Vernal_Comments@blm.gov= . Fax: (435) 781-4410. Mail: 170 South 500 East, Vernal, Utah 84078. Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the Vernal=20 Field Office. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information and/or to have=20 your name added to the mailing list, contact Stephanie Howard by=20 telephone: (435) 781-4469; or e-mail: Stephanie_Howard@blm.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This document provides notice that the BLM=20 Field Office, Vernal, Utah intends to prepare an EIS for the Greater=20 Chapita Wells project and announces the beginning of the scoping=20 process and seeks public input on issues and planning criteria. The=20 Greater Chapita Wells Natural Gas Infill Project Area (GCWPA) consists=20 of 42,027 acres in a developed gas-producing area, located=20 approximately 30 miles southeast of Vernal and 12 miles east of Ouray,=20 Utah. The GCWPA is located in the Uinta Basin in Uintah County. The=20 GCWPA includes 32,823 acres (78 percent) of Federal lands administered=20 by the BLM; 1,914 acres (five percent) of State lands administered by=20 the State of Utah School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration;=20 6,727 acres (16 percent) of Northern Ute Tribal and allotted lands=20 administered by the Bureau of Indian Affairs; and 563 acres (one=20 percent) of privately owned lands. EOG Resources, Inc. (EOG) plans to drill up to 7,028 new infill=20 natural gas wells to fully develop all currently known productive=20 formations beneath EOG's leased acreage. EOG proposes to drill wells at=20 an average rate of approximately 469 wells per year over a period of 15=20 years, or until the resource base is fully developed. The productive=20 life of each well would be approximately 40 years, and EOG expects all=20 wells to be productive. EOG would use the existing infrastructure to=20 the greatest possible extent by drilling vertical and directional=20 wells. Well pads within the GCWPA would contain from one to six wells,=20 with most well pads [[Page 46459]] containing more than one well. EOG would construct up to approximately=20 700 new well pads and access roads and would expand approximately 979=20 existing or previously authorized well pads. If fully developed, each=20 section would contain 32 well pads such that optimal surface density=20 would be one well pad every 20 acres. EOG would directionally drill=20 wells to produce from bottom hole locations spaced at approximately=20 five to 10 acres. The project would be supported by existing produced water disposal=20 and treatment facilities, produced water pipelines, natural gas=20 pipelines, and gas compression and processing facilities. EOG would=20 construct and install support facilities where needed, including new=20 well pad access roads, new or expanded well pads, new gas-gathering=20 lines, and new produced water-injection wells. Potential issues include impacts to local and regional air quality=20 and air quality related values; surface water and groundwater=20 resources; floodplains; cultural and paleontological resources; soils;=20 special status plant and animal species; range management; recreation;=20 and socioeconomics. Alternatives identified at this time include the=20 proposed action and the no action alternative. Additional alternatives=20 will be developed as a result of issues and concerns identified through=20 the scoping process. The BLM Vernal Field Office Record of Decision and Approved=20 Resource Management Plan (RMP) (October 2008) directs the management of=20 the BLM-administered public lands within the GCWPA. The RMP provides=20 for energy resource exploration and development including a variety of=20 oil and gas operations and geophysical explorations, unless precluded=20 by other program prescriptions and surface-disturbance related=20 stipulations (RMP, pp. 96 and 97). Comments on issues and planning criteria may be submitted in=20 writing to the BLM at any public scoping meeting, or using one of the=20 methods listed in the ADDRESSES section above. To be most helpful,=20 comments should be submitted by the end of the public scoping period=20 (within 30 days from the BLM's publication in the Federal Register).=20 Before including an address, phone number, e-mail address, or other=20 personal identifying information in your comment, be aware that the=20 entire comment--including personal identifying information--may be made=20 publicly available at any time. While a request can be made to withhold=20 personal identifying information from public review, it cannot be=20 guaranteed. Jeff Rawson, Acting State Director. [FR Doc. E9-21661 Filed 9-8-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-DQ-P