Fortification Creek Area RMP Amendment

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The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Buffalo Field Office released the Decision Record (DR) and Approved Resource Management Plan Amendment (RMPA) for the Fortification Creek Planning Area (FCPA) on August 5, 2011.

The Fortification Creek Planning Area is located in Campbell, Johnson, and Sheridan counties, Wyo. encompassing 100,655 acres. Fortification Creek is an area described as requiring special management in the Powder River Basin Oil and Gas Project Environmental Impact Statement (PRB EIS). It is home to a resident elk herd, a Wilderness Study Area (WSA), a citizen-proposed expansion to the WSA, a citizen-proposed Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC), and has large areas of steep slopes and sensitive soils. Stipulations on many oil and gas leases in this area require the lessee to develop a plan to protect sensitive surface resources.

BFO released the proposed RMPA on March 18, 2011. One protest was received from the Powder River Basin Resource Council and a coalition of conservation organizations. BLM resolved the protest with no changes recommended to the amendment decision.

The DR approves Alternative III. CBNG development would be phased based on performance standards established to protect elk and their habitat and to protect highly erodible soils. An ACEC would not be established. Overhead power could extend across BLM surface along road corridors. Operators would be responsible for achieving elk and reclamation performance standards in order for BLM to process applications for permit to drill (APDs).

The decision of the BLM Director is the final decision of the Department of the Interior and exhausts internal appeal opportunities.

Copies of the DR and approved RMPA will be available online, at the Buffalo Field Office, and local libraries.

For more information, contact Thomas Bills at (307) 684-1133 or tbills@blm.gov.