Document Type

Report

Publication Date

1995

Abstract

This final Environmental Impact Statement assesses the environmental consequences of a proposed natural gas development project in southwestern Carbon and eastern Sweetwater Counties, approximately 45 miles southwest of Rawlins, Wyoming. Public scoping commenced on December 13, 1993. All issues raised during scoping and interdisciplinary team preparation of the analysis were addressed in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). This document should be used in conjunction with the DEIS. Copies of the DEIS are available from the Great Divide Resource Area at the address given on the bottom of this page. The DEIS was made available to the EPA and the public on January 23, 1995 and a notice of availability was published in the Federal Register. A public meeting was held on February 23, 1995 and the comment period closed on March 25, 1995. The Executive Summary from the DEIS, modified as appropriate in response to the public comments, is presented herein. The changes from the DEIS are presented for all other material by corresponding section in this document. Comments on the DEIS that were received from the public and agencies are reproduced in this document and the responses from the BLM are presented. The proposed project entails the drilling, completion testing, operation, abandonment, and reclamation of natural gas production operations by Union Pacific Resources Company, Amoco Production Company, and other Operators. The proposed project would use standard procedures as currently employed by other State and regional gas field developments. Under the Proposed Action, a maximum of 750 wells at 300 locations and associated ancillary facilities, roads, and pipelines would result in the initial disturbance of approximately 2,416 acres within the 334,191-acre project area. The BLM has identified the Proposed Action as the Agency Preferred Action. Numerous standard, project-specific, and site-specific mitigation measures would be employed to assure that project impacts are minimized on all important resources. Impacts to most resources would be negligible to moderate during the life of the project. Potentially significant impacts resulting from the project include the changes to visual resources, wetlands, soils, reclamation, and reduction in wildlife habitat. The proposed project would have beneficial impacts associated with increased revenues generated by taxes, royalties, and the use of local goods and services.

Comments

SuDocs call # I 1.98:G 79/5/FINAL

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