| Contacts: | Erin Curtis, Public Affairs Specialist, (970) 244-3097 |
BLM Seeks Input on Natural Gas Development Proposal Near Whitewater
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The Bureau of Land Management Grand Junction and Uncompahgre field offices are seeking public input on a proposal to develop oil and natural gas resources near Whitewater. Fram Operating, LLC has submitted the proposed Whitewater Unit Master Development Plan for oil and gas development in the Whitewater Unit.
A proposed Master Development Plan was submitted in 2008 by Aspen Operating but not approved, since the leases were sold to Fram. Since then, Fram has revised the Master Development Plan.
The BLM is seeking public comment as it begins an environmental assessment of the proposal.
The Whitewater Unit consists of approximately 90,400 acres 15 miles southeast of Grand Junction and eight miles northwest of Delta, in Mesa and Delta counties. It includes nearly 65,000 acres of BLM-managed public land, nearly 20,000 acres of private land, and about 6,000 acres of split estate (private surface with federally owned minerals underneath).
The Master Development Plan proposes up to 492 wells on 46 proposed and nine existing well pads beginning in 2011. Included is construction of up to 15 miles of new roads, upgrading of up to 48 miles of existing two-track roads, and maintenance of about 23 miles of existing roads. About 90 miles of gas gathering pipelines and water lines would be installed along the roads. The proposal also includes construction of up to one additional compressor site in addition to the two existing compressor stations. Directional drilling technology would be used to drill the majority of the wells, minimizing surface disturbance from new roads and pads.
To best facilitate BLM’s review and use of comments during the EA process, comments should be provided by May 5, 2010.
Written comments and questions should be directed to the Grand Junction Field Office at 2815 H Road, Grand Junction, CO 81506. Comments may also be submitted via email at gjfo_webmail@blm.gov.
Copies of Fram’s Master Development Plan are available for review at the BLM Grand Junction Field Office, 2815 H Road, in Grand Junction and the BLM Uncompahgre Field Office, 2465 S. Townsend Avenue, in Montrose. Digital copies of Fram’s proposal and a project map are available at http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/gjfo.html and http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/ufo.html. For more information, contact Julia Christiansen at 970-244-3093.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, recreational and other activities on BLM-managed land contributed more than $130 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 600,000 American jobs. The Bureau is also one of a handful of agencies that collects more revenue than it spends. In FY 2012, nearly $5.7 billion will be generated on lands managed by the BLM, which operates on a $1.1 billion budget. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.
2815 H Road Grand Junction, CO 81506