University of Colorado at Boulder
BMP of Oil and Gas Development

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Citation Label: WY024
Publication Name: Record of Decision Desolation Flats Natural Gas Field Development Project
Publication Type: Project NEPA Document
Section Name:
Author Name: Bureau of Land Management
Other Authors:
Contractor Name:
Publication Year: 2004
Publication No.:
External Link:

http://www.blm.gov/pgdata/etc/medialib/blm/wy/information/NEPA/rfodocs/desflats.Par.77883.File.dat/00rod.pdf

Local Source File: WY024-DesolationFlatsROD.pdf
Annotation: This document is a Record of Decision from the Bureau of Land Management on the Desolation Flats Natural Gas Field Development Project Area (DFPA). The Great Divide Resource Management Plan (RMP) (1990) and the Green River RMP (1997) provide the general guidance for the Desolation Flats area. Under the Green River RMP, the Adobe Town Wilderness Study Area (WSA) was delineated and described as having wilderness characteristics. The key issues were identified as air quality; impacts to the Adobe Town Wilderness Study Area; and impacts from gas development and activities on wildlife habitat. The proposal was modified to focus on exploration and drilling in the most economically and technically feasible portions of the DPFA. Appendix E includes wildlife protection measures.
Required vs.
Recommended:
Recommended -- Appendix A: "The following criteria are provided as guidance..."; Required -- Appendix B: This appendix has standard measures. The appendix lists criteria for waivers which suggests that the measure itself is required. Required -- Appendix C: "Because of the large geographic area covered by the project and the lack of site-specific locations of project facilities, these measures are presented in a general, non-specific manner. Final selection of the measures to be applied at any given location, and modifications of these measures, will be identified by the BLM in coordination the Operators. This reclamation plan outlines measures that will be taken to effectively reclaim areas disturbed during construction of the DFPA Natural Gas Production Project. These measures will be followed unless exceptions are granted or actions are modified by agreement between the BLM and the Operators. " Recommended -- Appendix D: It is not clear from the text whether this plan has requirements or only recommendations. Recommended -- Appendix E: "The wildlife protection measures proposed herein have been developed from past measures identified for oil and gas developments in Wyoming (USDI-BLM 2000). Additional measures may be included and/or existing measures may be modified in any given year as allowable and as deemed appropriate by BLM in consultation with Operators and other interested parties, and these measures will be specified in annual reports. It is assumed that as the wildlife issues within the DFPA are further described and impacts identified, some protection measures will be removed, whereas others may be added. Protection measures will be implemented by Operators with assistance from and/or in consultation with the BLM. In addition, these measures may be modified on a site-specific basis as deemed appropriate by the BLM after completion of APD and ROW application field reviews." Page E-16
Ownership: Federal -- The BLM has jurisdiction over federal lands in the project area.