Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Wolf Lake Area Natural Gas Project

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Wolf Lake

Area Natural Gas Project

AGENCY: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability.

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SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that the Draft Environmental

Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Wolf Lake Area Natural Gas Project is

available for public review. During the 60-day review and comment

period, there will be two public hearings on the DEIS as described

below. The DEIS evaluates the potential environmental impacts of

constructing a natural gas pipeline, related production facilities, and

additional anticipated natural gas development in the Wolf Lake area of

the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, Kenai Peninsula, Alaska. This

notice is being furnished pursuant to Section 102(2)(C) of the National

Environmental Policy Act of 1969.

DATES: The public hearing dates are:

1. November 30, 1999, 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., Washington, DC.

2. December 15, 1999, 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Soldotna, Alaska.

Written comments must be received by January 19, 2000.

ADDRESSES: The public hearing locations are:

1. Washington, DC--Main Interior Building, 1849 C Street, NW,

Washington, DC.

2. Soldotna--Soldotna Senior Center, 197 W. Park Avenue, Soldotna,

Alaska.

Comments should be addressed to: Regional Director, Region 7, U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service, 1011 E. Tudor Road, Anchorage, Alaska 99503.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brian L. Anderson (907) 786-3379.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Marathon Oil Company has applied to the U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) for a right-of-way grant to construct

a natural gas pipeline and associated production facilities upon lands

of the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, a Conservation System Unit

established by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act

(ANILCA) (Sec. 303, Pub. L. 96-487, 16 U.S.C. 668dd). The right-of-way

application is being evaluated under regulations (43 CFR 36)

implementing Title XI of ANILCA: Transportation and Utility Systems in

and Across, and Access into, Conservation System Units in Alaska.

The proposed project would be located in the northwest section of

the Kenai Peninsula, generally between Beaver Lake and the Swanson

River Road (T7N, R10W and T7N, R9W, Seward Meridian, Alaska). The

surface estate within the project area is owned by the United States

and is managed by the USFWS. The subsurface oil, gas and coal mineral

estate is owned by Cook Inlet Region Incorporated (CIRI), an Alaska

Corporation established under the provisions of the Alaska Native

Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) (Sec 7, Pub. L. 92-203, 43 U.S.C. 1601 et

seq.). Under Title XI, CIRI is entitled to adequate and feasible access

to their valid inholding for economic and other purposes, subject to

reasonable regulations necessary to protect the natural and other

values of the refuge.

As an operator under lease to CIRI, Marathon Oil Company proposes

to develop natural gas production from two or more well sites including

the existing Wolf Lake #2 well site, and Galena well site. Development

would include construction of a gas gathering pipeline connecting the

well sites to existing production facilities at Marathon's Beaver Creek

gas field. The applicant's proposed pipeline right-of-way is

approximately 5.5 miles long, and would include primary and secondary

products pipelines, a water disposal pipeline, and communications and

electric power lines, all of which would be buried. Pipeline

construction would take place during the 2000/2001 winter season and is

anticipated to take 30 to 40 days. No maintained roads would be

constructed within the pipeline right-of-way, and the area will be

allowed to revegetate naturally. Existing roads would be used for

access to the well sites. Several small gas conditioning units and

process/control buildings would be located at each well site. The DEIS

also addresses the potential impacts of anticipated future gas well

development in the vicinity that would utilize the proposed pipeline.

The environmental review is being conducted in accordance with the

requirements of NEPA (Public Law 91-190, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 4371 et

seq.) as implemented by the Council on Environmental Quality

regulations at 40 CFR 1500-1508, and the pertinent regulations of the

USFWS. Concurrently, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is evaluating the

proposed project under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C.

1344), the public

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notice of which is included as an appendix to the DEIS.

David B. Allen,

Regional Director.

[FR Doc. 99-30650 Filed 11-23-99; 8:45 am]

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