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Central Coast Oil and Gas Facilities Leasing and Development 3.1 Introduction 3. Affected Environment 3.1 Introduction This chapter describes existing conditions for Bureau of Land Management (BLM) resource programs, resource uses, special designations, and the social and economic environment in the Central Coast Field Office (CCFO) Planning Area. The description of the affected environment uses the best and most recent data available. In addition to describing existing conditions, where appropriate, this chapter identifies management chal- lenges for oil and gas development within the Planning Area. The BLM reviewed current management and reviewed the scoping comments to revise the 2007 Hollister Field Office Resource Management Plan for the Southern Diablo Mountain Range and Central Coast of California. By describing existing condi- tions for resource programs in the Planning Area, this chapter serves as the baseline against which Chapter 4 analyzes potential impacts of the alternatives. The CCFO Planning Area encompasses about 6.8 million acres of land throughout San Francisco, Contra Costa, San Mateo, Alameda, San Joaquin, Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, Stanislaus, Monterey, San Benito, Merced, and Fresno Counties. Most of the acres are in private, State, or local ownership. Bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and the San Joaquin Valley to the east, elevations range from sea level to over 5,000 feet. This is a region of diverse topography and landscapes and extraordinary biodiversity. Major landforms include the Diablo Mountain Range, Salinas Valley, and San Joaquin Valley. Public lands are dis- tributed across the Planning Area in numerous small parcels. The BLM CCFO is directly responsible for the management of approximately 284,000 acres of public land (less than 1% of the total) and 793,000 acres of Federal mineral estate (approximately 1.2% of the total). 3.1.1 Resources Not Considered This chapter does not provide detail about environmental components that would not be affected or that are not essential to understanding or resolving planning issues. These include the following resources: Back County Byways. There are no designated Back County Byways in the Planning Area. Cave and Karst Resources. No areas of karst formation or caves are known to occur within the Planning Area. Fire Management. No additional effects to Fire Management would result from the Oil and Gas Man- agement not already addressed in the 2007 HFO RMP1 (BLM, 2006). The risk of fire is addressed in Hazardous Materials and Public Safety. Forest and Woodland Products. Forest and woodland management produces traditional market products such as lumber, plywood, and paper as well as other uses such as poles, greenery, biomass for energy pro- duction, and fuelwood for personal use while concurrently maintaining high-quality wildlife habitat. There are no forests managed for forest products on BLM lands in the Planning Area. Livestock Grazing. The BLM CCFO administers 71 active commercial grazing leases for both sheep and cattle. Forage generally consists of annual grasses and forbs which grow during these wetter months. Rangelands are managed to ensure that enough residual mulch remains after each grazing season. No addi- 1 See Proposed RMP/Final EIS for the Southern Diablo Mountain Range and Central Coast of California Section 3.7 (Fire Management) for the affected environment and 4.7 (Fire Management) for the effects analysis. See Resource Management Plan for the Southern Diablo Mountain Range and Central Coast of California Record of Decision Section 3.7 (Fire Management) for the Resource Management Plan. December 2016 3.1-1 Draft RMPA/EIS Central Coast Oil and Gas Facilities Leasing and Development 3.1 Introduction tional effects to Livestock Grazing would result of the Oil and Gas Management not already addressed in the 2007 HFO RMP,2 the management of livestock would remain the same. Recreation. The diverse landscapes of the CCFO Planning Area provide for a variety of recreational opportunities, including: hiking, mountain biking, and equestrian trails, hunting, and camping. There would be no additional effects to Recreation as a result of the Oil and Gas Management not already addressed in the 2007 HFO RMP.3 Wild Horses and Burros. There are no Wild Horses and Burros Management Areas in the CCFO Planning Area. 2 See Proposed RMP/Final EIS for the Southern Diablo Mountain Range and Central Coast of California Section 3.11 (Livestock Grazing) for the affected environment and 4.11 (Livestock Grazing) for the effects analysis. See Resource Management Plan for the Southern Diablo Mountain Range and Central Coast of California Record of Decision Section 3.11 (Livestock Grazing) for the Resource Management Plan. 3 See Proposed RMP/Final EIS for the Southern Diablo Mountain Range and Central Coast of California Section 3.8 (Recreation) for the affected environment and 4.8 (Recreation) for the effects analysis. See Resource Management Plan for the Southern Diablo Mountain Range and Central Coast of California Record of Decision Section 3.8 (Recreation) for the Resource Management Plan. Draft RMPA/EIS 3.1-2 December 2016 Central Coast Oil and Gas Facilities Leasing and Development 3.2 Energy and Minerals 3.2 Energy and Minerals This section addresses exploration, development, and production for energy and mineral resources. Con- sidering that the RFD Scenario addresses the possibility of drilling up to 37 new exploration and develop- ment oil and gas wells, the principal issue in this section is the potential interference of those operations with new or expanded mineral development. Historically, both oil and gas and mineral development have been low on public lands managed in the CCFO Planning Area (BLM, 2006). More recently, renewable energy has gained interest nationally, and the CCFO Planning Area has the potential to expand existing and new wind and solar energy production capacity on public lands. There is little active mining on or immediately adjacent to BLM-administered land in the CCFO Planning Area. Some mining for building stone, sand and gravel, shale, and limestone has occurred in the past at the Coast Dairies, Fort Ord, and near the Griswold Hills in the Vallecitos Valley. The BLM oversees 793,000 acres of Federal mineral estate. 3.2.1 Introduction Interference between oil well drilling and existing or future mining activities would occur if oil drilling pads, access roads, or oil field facilities overlay the minerals to be developed and thus restricted mining access. Mines and renewable energy projects operate with distinct boundaries, so-called “footprints.” New well sites could be accessed via existing roads with permission to cross granted by the mine or energy operator. If new oil wells must target subsurface petroleum beneath surface mines or renewable energy projects, directional drilling will be required. Conversely, new or future oil well sites could restrict access to underlying mineral deposits. However, in general, a relatively small oil well pad and access road would not completely restrict access to potential surface deposits of sand and gravel, building stone, shale and limestone. Similarly, oil and gas could be compatible with some types of renewable energy. 3.2.2 Regulatory Framework Federal Regulations The BLM manages oil and gas leases under Title 43 CFR, Part 3100, and geophysical exploration is covered under Part 3150. Geothermal leasing is managed under Part 3200, mineral materials under Part 3600, mining claims and related surface disturbance for locatable minerals under Part 3800, and solid leasable minerals, other than coal or oil shale, under Part 3500. The BLM administers three different programs (Mining Law, Mineral Leasing–Solid and Fluid Minerals, and Mineral Materials) in California that allow companies to produce solid minerals from the public land. The programs are based on laws that address how certain types of minerals can be developed. The most significant laws for mineral disposal are: The General Mining Law of 1872, as amended covering all minerals not specifically addressed under the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended; the Materials Act of 1947, as amended, and the Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands of 1947, as amended; The Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended covering coal, phosphate, oil, oil shale or gas, and sodium – on public land; The Materials Act of 1947, as amended covering sand, gravel, and other common materials; and The Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands of 1947, as amended covering soda ash, potash, sodium sulfate, and salt, on public land. December 2016 3.2-1 Draft RMPA/EIS Central Coast Oil and Gas Facilities Leasing and Development 3.2 Energy and Minerals Many significant laws important to solid mineral development have amended the key mineral disposal statutes listed above. Other laws governing the management of the public land and the protection of the environment include: The Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, The Endangered Species Act of 1973, and The Clean Water Act. The 1920 Mineral Leasing Act governs the leasing of oil and gas lands and applies to all federally owned minerals. The Mineral Leasing Act provides that all of these lands are open to oil and gas leasing unless a specific order has been issued to close the area to leasing. BLM holds lease sales of the oil and gas resources in accordance with the Federal Onshore Oil and Gas Leasing Reform Act. Subject to the stipulations outlined in this Plan Amendment, BMPs, standard terms and conditions of the lease, an oil and gas lease gives the lessee the exclusive right to extract the resource and to occupy the appropriate size area necessary for extraction. The lessee may conduct activities neces- sary to develop and produce oil and gas from the lease area, including drilling wells, building roads, and constructing pipelines and related facilities. Although the initial lease term is 10 years, the lease may be extended indefinitely as long as the lessee demonstrates that the lease is capable of producing oil or gas in paying quantities.

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