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

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