BLM to host public open house meetings on Hiawatha EIS

ROCK SPRINGS, Wyo. -- The Rock Springs, Wyo., and Little Snake, Colo., Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Field Offices are hosting public open house scoping meetings later this month on the Hiawatha Regional Energy Development proposal for southwestern Wyoming and northern Moffat County, Colo.

BLM is asking the public to help identify issues or concerns and provide general input on the proposal during a 45-day scoping period which began on Sept. 6, 2006. The first meeting is scheduled from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 27 in the BLM Little Snake Field Office, 455 Emerson St., in Craig, Colo.

The second Open House is set for 4 p.m. – 7 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 28 in the BLM Rock Springs Field Office, 280 Highway 191 North, in Rock Springs, Wyo.

Both open houses will have two informal presentations from 4:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. and again from 6 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., to describe the project proposal and resources and uses within the project area. “BLM resource specialists will be available to answer your questions,” said Susan Davis, Hiawatha project manager for the BLM.

The Hiawatha energy development proposal includes drilling exploratory and development wells on existing natural gas fields in southern Sweetwater County, Wyoming and northern Moffat County, Colorado. The project area of approximately 157,335 acres is generally located within Townships 11-14 North, Ranges 99-102 West, about 55 miles south of Rock Springs.

The proponents, Questar Exploration and Production Company and Wexpro Company, propose to drill 4,207 new wells mainly within the boundaries of the existing Hiawatha, Canyon Creek, and Trail Field areas of southwest Wyoming and northeast Colorado. It is estimated that about 66 percent (roughly 2,819) of the proposed wells will be in Wyoming with the remainder (approximately 1,388 wells) in Colorado. The wells are anticipated to be drilled during an estimated 30-year period after project approval with as many as 200 wells possibly drilled each year. The total number of wells drilled is based on production success, drainage area, technology, economics, commodity prices and environmental restrictions.

EIS issues tentatively identified include wildlife winter range, air quality, raptor nesting, soil erosion, reclamation, grazing conflicts, Colorado River salinity control, historic trails, and road maintenance. The Scoping Notice is available on the Wyoming BLM NEPA web site at: http://www.blm.gov/wy/st/en/info/NEPA/rsfodocs/hiawatha.html.

For more information, contact the BLM project manager, Susan Davis at (307) 352-0346, or to submit public comment, e-mail Hiawatha_EIS_Wymail@blm.gov.

-- BLM --