| Contacts: | David Boyd, Public Affairs Specialist, (970) 876-9008 |
BLM seeks public comment on natural gas well development proposal south of Rifle
SILT, Colo. – The Bureau of Land Management is seeking public comments on a natural gas well development proposal approximately nine miles south of Rifle, Colo.
Laramie Energy II is proposing to develop up to 95 wells on three new and two existing well pads during the next five or six years, beginning this summer. All five well pads would be located on private land, with up to 71 of the proposed wells being drilled directionally into federally owned minerals.
Primary access for the development activities would be Garfield County Road 319 and Forest Service Road 818. In addition, approximately 0.06 mile of new access road would be constructed on private land.
Operators submit Master Development Plans so that BLM can complete a broad evaluation of plans and identify environmental impacts and appropriate measures to mitigate these impacts. BLM does not have jurisdiction over the private surface and private minerals, but it includes them for a more complete analysis.
BLM will prepare an Environmental Assessment on this master plan. Before it completes the EA, BLM wants to hear any specific issues, concerns and comments the public would like to see addressed through the assessment. Comments will be most helpful if received by Feb. 20, 2010.
Written comments and questions should be directed to the Glenwood Springs Field Office at 2300 River Frontage Road, Silt, Colo., 81652. Electronic comments may be submitted to gsfomail@co.blm.gov. Copies of the Master Development Plan further detailing the proposed oil and gas development are available at http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/gsfo/GSFO_MasterPlansOfDevelopment.html
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.
2300 River Frontage Road Silt, CO 81652