Final Environmental Impact Statement Released for Coalbed Methane Development

After five years of analysis, the San Juan Public Lands Center will issue the Final Northern San Juan Basin Coal Bed Methane Project Environmental Impact Statement (Final EIS) on August 4, 2006, in conjunction with the Notice of Availability being published in the Federal Register. The Final EIS studies a proposal brought to the U.S. Forest Service and BLM in 2001 by energy companies holding existing federal gas-development leases in the Northern San Juan Basin of La Plata and Archuleta counties north of the Southern Ute Reservation.

The Final EIS studies the companies' proposal and other alternatives. Preferred Alternative 7 seeks to balance lease rights with environmental concerns by requiring industry to gather data on drilling impacts in less sensitive areas along the Fruitland Outcrop before development is allowed in more sensitive areas, and by identifying areas in the HD Mountains Roadless Area that are not suitable for development using currently proposed techniques.

The Final EIS responds to public comments received during a six-month public comment period, which included nine public meetings on the project. Tribal briefings were held with the Hopi and Southern Ute Indian Tribes, in addition to consultation with 20 other tribes. Resolutions were received from the City of Durango, towns of Ignacio and Bayfield, and counties of La Plata and Archuleta. Public comments were organized by the USFS Content Analysis Team, which received about 68,000 responses.

The Final EIS responds to public concerns by:
Requiring monitoring for early detection of impacts to surface and ground water, offering water well agreements, and encouraging establishment of a mitigation fund.
Analyzing alternative drilling methods, and including lease information, which could be used by parties interested in exchanges and buy-backs.
Requiring industry to gather data on drilling in less sensitive areas along the Fruitland Outcrop before development is allowed in more sensitive areas.
Requiring additional bonding above minimum requirements in sensitive areas.
Addressing noxious weed control (which is also required under conditions of approval, and included in reclamation bonding).
Requiring a Cultural Resource Management Plan to address archeological resource concerns on a landscape level to define the appropriate size of intensive survey areas.
Identifying sensitive areas in the HD Roadless Area as inaccessible under currently proposed operating procedures.

The Final EIS will be available to the public for at least 30 days before final decisions are made, which will be recorded in a Record of Decision. Hard copies are available for onsite review at the San Juan Public Lands Center, 15 Burnett Court, Durango, Colorado 81301; Columbine Ranger District and Field Office, 367 Pearl Street, Bayfield Colorado 81122; and the Pagosa Ranger District and Field Office, 2nd and Pagosa Street, Pagosa Springs, 81147. Hard copies are also available for onsite review at public libraries in Durango, Pagosa Springs, and Bayfield, Colorado; and Farmington, New Mexico. CD copies may be ordered by calling Walt Brown at 970 385-1372.

The FEIS is also available on-line at http://www.nsjb-eis.net, or http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/sanjuan/projects/projects.shtml.

-BLM-

Attn Media: Digital maps of the Project Analysis Area and/or the Preferred Alternative are available upon request from abond@fs.fed.us

FEIS Q&As: www.co.blm.gov/news/2006/documents/NSJBFEISQAs.pdf