Forest releases oil and gas leasing proposal for Wyoming Range
The Bridger-Teton National Forest has identified four alternatives for oil and gas leasing in the Wyoming Range.
The draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement addresses 30 parcels across 39,490 acres of National Forest Land. The Forest withdrew its decision against leasing on the parcels in 2011.
The Forest Service identified a need to supplement its air quality and wildife analysis, as well as consider new information on a variety of other issues including protection of threatened animals, impacts on local air quality, other energy projects already underway in the area, and public comments.
The four alternatives are:
• Alternative 1 – No Action/No Leasing – Forest Service would withdraw consent to lease on the 30 parcels
• Alternative 2 –Allow leasing on all 30 parcels using current Forest Plan standards. The expected development is for 24 wells with direct development of pads and roads on 107 acres over a landscape of 10,405 acres
• Alternative 3 – Allow leasing on all 30 parcels, using current Forest Plan standards as well as additional stipulations that respond to enhanced resource protection, primarily for big game and aquatic habitat.. This alternative incorporates Wyoming Game and Fish Department recommendations. The expected development is for 13 wells because of No Surface Occupancy(NSO) on some parcels with direct development of pads and roads on 58 acres over a landscape of 5324 acres
• Alternative 4 – Allow leasing on all 30 parcels with NSO at all. The expected development is for less than 10 wells with very minimal direct development on lands adjacent to the project parcels.
Forest Supervisor Tricia O’Connor has identified the first alternative as preferred alternative. It would uphold a previous decision and withdraw consent to lease in the affected area.
“I will be considering all the alternatives and the environmental impacts associated with each to determine the best course of action,” said O’Connor. “No single factor will lead me to any decision. I am confident that by allowing the process to work, I will better be able to weigh the combination of the sensitivity and values of the area, the value of the project to communities, the magnitude of other activities currently underway or planned with potentially cumulative impacts, and the concerns of citizens, organizations and other agencies before making the final decision.”
The Draft SEIS can be found here.
The forest will accept public comments on the document until May 23, 2016.
