Environmental Environmental AssessmentAssessment

August 2012 August 2012 Oil & Gas Lease SaleOil & Gas Lease Sale

TimelineTimeline

• April 6: End of Comment Period• May 11: Notice of Lease Sale• May 11: Beginning of Protest Period• June 11: End of Protest Period• August 9: Lease Sale

Decision To Be MadeDecision To Be Made

• BLM can:– Offer all of the nominated parcels for sale– Offer some of the parcels for sale– Offer none of the parcels for sale

Alternatives ConsideredAlternatives Considered

• Proposed Action• Preferred Alternative• No Action/No Leasing Alternative

Comparison of AlternativesComparison of Alternatives

• Proposed Action– 22 parcels– 29,400 acres– 860 acres of

split-estate

• Preferred Alternative– 21 parcels– 24,300 acres– 846 acres of

split-estate

• No Action– 0 parcels– 0 acres– 0 acres of

split-estate

““Area Of Influence”Area Of Influence”

• North Fork Valley– Consists of 381,000 acres – Current oil & gas activity

• 259,000 acres of federal mineral estate• 124,000 acres already leased• 43 active wells • 17 APDs pending

““Area Of Influence”Area Of Influence”

• Future Projected Oil & Gas Activity– 150 wells proposed by SGI on 60 well pads in

Bull Mountain Unit– 20 wells drilled/year on 10 well pads

The EA On AgricultureThe EA On Agriculture

• “There are no prime farmlands that need to be considered or will be affected”

The EA On Hunting/OutfittingThe EA On Hunting/Outfitting

• The EA fails to analyze the impacts to wildlife or wildlife-based recreation that depends on healthy populations of deer and elk

The EA On GrazingThe EA On Grazing

• Oil and gas development could “lead to increased harassment of livestock, grazing strategies foiled due to gates being left open, an increase in noxious weeds, and increases in livestock losses, especially calves, due to increases in diseases”

The EA On The EconomyThe EA On The Economy

• Oil & gas development will “likely affect consumer’s perceptions about the area...serving to negatively impact local agriculture, tourism, and the attraction to retirees. These impacts could result in significant economic costs to the North Fork Valley”

Required Analysis Of ImpactsRequired Analysis Of Impacts

• Air quality• Greenhouse

gases/climate change• Surface & ground

water quality• Wildlife • Endangered &

Threatened Species• Noise

• Dark skies• Recreation• Roads (access &

transportation• Socio-economics• Many other

environmental indicators

Results Of BLM’s Results Of BLM’s Analysis Of ImpactsAnalysis Of Impacts

“…“…the act of leasing would the act of leasing would produce no impacts…”produce no impacts…”

However…However…

“…“…potential future development of potential future development of the parcels may impact (air, water, the parcels may impact (air, water,

wildlife, etc.)”wildlife, etc.)”

Trust Us, Trust Us, We’ll Do Our Job We’ll Do Our Job

Sometime In The FutureSometime In The Future

““Any impacts to (air, water, wildlife, Any impacts to (air, water, wildlife, etc.) would be addressed at the APD etc.) would be addressed at the APD stage and stage and appropriate mitigation appropriate mitigation

would be developedwould be developed.”.”

Cumulative ImpactsCumulative Impacts

• No analysis done• A list of potential impacts provided instead

MitigationMitigation

• Conditions of Approval– Interim & long-term reclamation– Re-seeding– Re-contouring

• Stipulations– Seasonal timing restrictions to protect wildlife– Restrictions on steep slopes– Etc.

Deficiencies Of StipulationsDeficiencies Of Stipulations

• Seasonal timing stipulations apply only to ground-disturbing activities

• Operator can apply for waiver• Operator must be allowed on the leased

property• Must be consistent with rights granted in

lease

Rights Granted Rights Granted In A LeaseIn A Lease

““The right to use so much of the leased lands The right to use so much of the leased lands as is necessary to explore, drill for, mine, as is necessary to explore, drill for, mine,

extract, remove, and dispose of all the leased extract, remove, and dispose of all the leased resource in a leasehold.”resource in a leasehold.”

Once Leased…Once Leased…

The toothpaste won’t go The toothpaste won’t go back into the tube.back into the tube.

ThisThis Is Where We Is Where We Make Our StandMake Our Stand

This EA is the This EA is the onlyonly point in the point in the NEPA process where the parcels NEPA process where the parcels

can be withdrawncan be withdrawn

BLM Needs To Hear BLM Needs To Hear From You Again!From You Again!