DOI-BLM-CO-N040-2017-0093-EA.Jb
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United States Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Colorado River Valley Field Office 2300 River Frontage Road Silt, Colorado 81652 970-876-9000 Environmental Assessment DOI-BLM-CO-N040-2017-0093-EA Proposed Balzac Gulch – Phase 1 Oil and Gas Master Development Plan Project Terra Energy Partners Rocky Mountain LLC Federal Oil and Gas Lease COC27868 Federal Oil and Gas Lease COC62160 Federal Oil and Gas Lease COC62161 Federal Oil and Gas Lease COC73094 September 2017 It is the mission of the Bureau of Land Management to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. 66 Federal Wells, Balzac Gulch - Phase 1 MDP DOI-BLM-CO-N040-2017-0093-EA TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................... 1 1.1. Project Location ............................................................................................................................ 1 1.2. Issues and Concerns Identified during Public Scoping ................................................................ 3 2. EXISTING DEVELOPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE ........................................................... 3 2.1. Purpose and Need for the Action .................................................................................................. 4 2.2. Summary of Lease Stipulations .................................................................................................... 4 2.3. Plan Conformance Review ........................................................................................................... 5 2.4. Scoping ......................................................................................................................................... 5 2.5. Decision to be Made ..................................................................................................................... 5 3. PROPOSED ACTION AND ALTERNATIVES .............................................................................. 6 3.1. Proposed Action ........................................................................................................................... 6 3.2. No Action Alternative ................................................................................................................ 25 4. AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES ...................... 25 4.1. Access and Transportation .......................................................................................................... 26 4.2. Air Quality .................................................................................................................................. 28 4.3. Fossil Resources ......................................................................................................................... 55 4.4. Geology and Minerals ................................................................................................................ 57 4.5. Invasive Nonnative Plants .......................................................................................................... 58 4.6. Lands with Wilderness Characteristics ....................................................................................... 61 4.7. Native American Religious Concerns ........................................................................................ 62 4.8. Noise ........................................................................................................................................... 63 4.9. Realty Authorizations ................................................................................................................. 66 4.10. Socioeconomics .......................................................................................................................... 68 4.11. Soils ............................................................................................................................................ 71 4.12. Special Status Species ................................................................................................................ 74 4.13. Vegetation ................................................................................................................................... 82 4.14. Visual Resources ........................................................................................................................ 84 4.15. Wastes, Hazardous or Solid ........................................................................................................ 85 4.16. Water Resources – Surface Water and Groundwater ................................................................. 87 4.17. Wildlife –Aquatic and Terrestrial ............................................................................................... 98 5. CUMULATIVE IMPACTS ........................................................................................................... 103 5.1. Air Resources ........................................................................................................................... 103 5.2. Existing Oil and Gas Developments ......................................................................................... 111 5.3. Summary of Cumulative Impacts ............................................................................................. 112 6. PERSONS AND AGENCIES CONSULTED ............................................................................... 114 7. INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEW ............................................................................................... 114 8. REFERENCES CITED .................................................................................................................. 114 APPENDIX Surface-Use Conditions of Approval .................................................................................................. COA-1 Downhole Conditions of Approval ................................................................................................... COA-11 Right-of-Way Amendment Stipulations ........................................................................ ROW Stipulations-1 i 66 Federal Wells, Balzac Gulch - Phase 1 MDP DOI-BLM-CO-N040-2017-0093-EA FIGURES Figure 1. Balzac Gulch- Phase 1 Master Development Plan Overview Map .............................................. 2 Figure 2. Plan of Development for PA 22-25 Pad ..................................................................................... 11 Figure 3. Plan of Development for PA 23-25 Frac Pad ............................................................................. 12 Figure 4. Plan of Development for PA 23-26 Pad ..................................................................................... 13 Figure 5. Plan of Development for PA 23-26 Tank Pad ............................................................................ 14 Figure 6. Plan of Development for Cuttings Storage at DOE 1-W-26 Pad ............................................... 15 Figure 7. Plan of Development for RWF 13-19 Pad .................................................................................. 17 Figure 8. Plan of Development for RWF 23-19 Pad .................................................................................. 18 Figure 9. Wind Rose, Rifle, Colorado, 2012 to 2016 ................................................................................ 30 Figure 10. Nearby PSD Class I and Sensitive Class II Areas .................................................................... 35 Figure 11. Predicted Ozone Concentrations of the CARMMS 2021 Low Development Scenario ......... 105 Figure 12. Fourth Highest Daily Maximum 8-hour Ozone Concentrations ............................................ 106 TABLES Table 1. Existing Development within the Balzac Gulch - Phase 1 MDP Project Area .............................. 3 Table 2. Project Components and Applicable Lease Stipulations ............................................................... 4 Table 3. Surface and Bottomhole Locations of Proposed Federal Wells ..................................................... 6 Table 4. Proposed Balzac Gulch Developments and Drilling Schedule ...................................................... 8 Table 5. Proposed BLM Rights-of-Way for Balzac Gulch - Phase 1 MDP Project Area............................ 9 Table 6. Proposed Disturbance for Project Components ........................................................................... 20 Table 7. Traffic Associated with Directional Drilling and Completion Activities .................................... 27 Table 8. Mean Monthly Temperature Ranges and Total Precipitation ...................................................... 29 Table 9. Wind Direction Frequency Distribution, Rifle, Colorado, 2012 to 2016 ..................................... 29 Table 10. Wind Speed Distribution, Rifle, Colorado, 2012 to 2016 .......................................................... 30 Table 11. Ambient Air Quality Standards ................................................................................................. 32 Table 12. Acute (1-Hour Exposure) RELs ................................................................................................. 33 Table 13. Non-Carcinogenic Air Toxics Annual Average RfCs ............................................................... 33 Table 14. PSD Class I and Class II Increments ........................................................................................