U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management July 2019 September 2019 Competitive Oil and Gas Lease Sale Monticello Field Office DOI-BLM-UT-0000-2019-0003-OTHER NEPA -MtFO-EA Monticello Field Office 365 North Main PO Box 7 Monticello, UT 84535 DOI-BLM-UT-0000-2019-0003_Other NEPA-MtFO-EA July 2019 Table of Contents Chapter 1 Purpose & Need .................................................................................................................... 4 1.1 Project Location and Legal Description ........................................................................................ 4 1.2 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 4 1.3 Background ................................................................................................................................... 4 1.4 Purpose and Need ......................................................................................................................... 6 1.5 Decision to be Made ..................................................................................................................... 6 1.6 Plan Conformance Review............................................................................................................ 6 1.7 Relationship to Statutes, Regulations, Policies or Other Plans ..................................................... 9 1.8 Issues Identified .......................................................................................................................... 10 1.9 Issue Statement Rationale for Not Further Discussing in Detail in the EA ................................ 11 1.10 Public Comment Period .............................................................................................................. 18 Chapter 2 Description of Alternatives ................................................................................................. 19 2.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 19 2.2 Analysis Assumptions ................................................................................................................. 19 2.2.1 Reasonably Foreseeable Development Scenario ................................................................ 19 2.3 Alternative A – Proposed Action ................................................................................................ 20 2.4 Alternative B – No Action .......................................................................................................... 21 2.5 Other Alternatives Considered but Not Analyzed in Detail ........................................................ 21 2.5.1 No Leasing Alternative (Designating the Parcels as Closed to Leasing) ............................ 21 2.5.2 Deferring Specific Parcels from the Sale ............................................................................ 21 2.5.3 Adding Stipulations Beyond those Required by the Management Plan ............................. 22 Chapter 3 Affected Environment ......................................................................................................... 23 3.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 23 3.2 General Setting ............................................................................................................................ 23 3.3 Resources/Issues Brought Forward for Analysis ........................................................................ 25 3.3.1 Issue 1: What are the Potential Impacts to Air Quality ....................................................... 25 3.3.1.1 Affected Environment ..................................................................................................... 25 3.3.1.2 Environmental Consequences ......................................................................................... 28 Impacts of the Proposed Action ..................................................................................................... 28 Impacts of the No Alternative Action ............................................................................................ 30 3.3.1.3 Required Design Features ............................................................................................... 30 3.3.1.4 Cumulative Impacts ........................................................................................................ 31 3.3.2 Issue 2: What are the Potential Impacts of Oil and Gas Leasing to Climate Change/Greenhouse Gases? ............................................................................................................... 34 1 DOI-BLM-UT-0000-2019-0003_Other NEPA-MtFO-EA July 2019 3.3.2.1 Affected Environment ..................................................................................................... 34 3.3.2.2 Environmental Consequences ......................................................................................... 36 Impacts of the Proposed Action ..................................................................................................... 36 Impacts of the No Alternative Action ............................................................................................ 38 3.3.2.3 Required Design Features/Mitigation Measures ............................................................. 38 3.3.2.4 Cumulative Impacts ........................................................................................................ 39 Chapter 4 Consultation and Coordination ........................................................................................... 45 4.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 45 4.2 Persons, Groups, and Agencies Contacted/Consulted ................................................................ 45 4.2.1 Endangered Species Act of 1973 ........................................................................................ 45 4.2.2 National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966.......................................................... 45 4.3 Public Participation ..................................................................................................................... 50 4.3.1 Modifications Based on Public Comment and Internal Review ......................................... 50 4.4 Preparers ..................................................................................................................................... 51 Chapter 5 Appendices .......................................................................................................................... 52 Appendix A – Parcel List with Stipulations and Notices ................................................................... 53 Appendix B – Stipulations and Notices ............................................................................................. 70 Stipulation Summary Table ........................................................................................................... 70 Notice Summary Table .................................................................................................................. 81 Threatened and Endangered Species Notices ................................................................................ 89 Appendix C – Figures/Maps .............................................................................................................. 97 Appendix D – Interdisciplinary Parcel Review Team Checklist ...................................................... 100 Appendix E – References ................................................................................................................. 113 Appendix F – Acronyms/Abbreviations........................................................................................... 117 Appendix G – Reasonable Foreseeable Development of Leases Scenario ...................................... 119 5.1.1 Well Drilling and Completion Operations ........................................................................ 119 5.1.2 Production Operations ....................................................................................................... 121 5.1.3 Produced Water Handling ................................................................................................. 121 5.1.4 Maintenance Operations ................................................................................................... 122 5.1.5 Plugging and Abandonment .............................................................................................. 122 Appendix H – Comments and Responses ........................................................................................ 123 2 DOI-BLM-UT-0000-2019-0003_Other NEPA-MtFO-EA July 2019 List of Tables Table 1. Issues Identified for Detailed Analysis ......................................................................................... 10 Table 2. Issues not included in Further Detail in the Environmental Assessment ...................................... 12 Table 3. Leasing Category Acreages for Monticello Field Office. ............................................................. 24 Table 4. Leasing Category Acreages by Parcel. ......................................................................................... 24 Table 5. AQI Index