United States Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management ________________________________________________ Environmental Assessment UT-010-2008-050 April 2009 OIL AND GAS LEASING IN THE FILLMORE FIELD OFFICE Location: Fillmore Field Office Juab and Millard Counties, Utah Applicant/Address: U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Utah State Office 440 West 200 South, Suite 500 Salt Lake City, Utah 84101 ________________________________________________ Fillmore Field Office 35 East 500 North Fillmore, Utah 84631 Phone: (435) 743-3100 Fax: (435) 743-3155 Fillmore Oil and Gas Leasing EA UT-010-2008-050 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................. 4 1.1 Purpose and Need .............................................................................................................4 1.2 Conformance with Applicable Land Use Plan and Implementation EA Decisions .........6 1.3 Relationship to Statutes, Regulations, or Other Plans ......................................................6 1.4 Identification of Issues ......................................................................................................8 2 DESCRIPTION OF ALTERNATIVES, INCLUDING PROPOSED ACTION .................................................................................................................... 8 2.1 Alternatives Considered but Not Carried Forward for Analysis ......................................9 2.2 No Action Alternative – Offer Leases Consistent with Existing Land Use Plan (HRRA and WSRA RMPs) ............................................................................................................8 2.3 Proposed Action Alternative – Offer Leases with Additional Resource Protective Measures Consistent with Existing Lease Categories ....................................................14 2.4 No Leasing Alternative ...................................................................................................15 3. DESCRIPTION OF AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT ................................... 16 3.1 General Setting................................................................................................................16 3.2 Elements of the Human Environment and Other Resources Brought Forward for Analysis...........................................................................................................................16 3.2.1 Areas of Critical Environmental Concern .............................................................. … 17 3.2.2 Cultural Resources .............................................................................................................. 17 3.2.3 Native American Religious Concerns .......................................................................... 22 3.2.4 Floodplains ............................................................................................................... 22 3.2.5 Threatened, Endangered or Candidate Animal Species ................................................. 22 3.2.6 Fish and Wildlife, Including Special Status Species other than FWS Candidate or Listed Species (e.g., Migratory Birds) ................................................................................... 25 3.2.7 Vegetation including Special Status Plant Species other than FWS candidate or listed species ...................................................................................................................... 40 3.2.8 Invasive, Non-native Species ...................................................................................... 40 3.2.9 Water Quality ............................................................................................................ 41 3.2.10 Wetlands/Riparian Zones ........................................................................................... 41 3.2.11 Reserved ................................................................................................................... 41 3.2.12 Rangeland Health Standards and Guidelines ................................................................ 44 3.2.13 Livestock and Grazing ............................................................................................... 44 3.2.14 Visual Resources ....................................................................................................... 44 3.2.15 Recreation ................................................................................................................. 44 3.2.16 Geology and Mineral Resources ................................................................................. 46 3.2.17 Lands/Access ............................................................................................................ 46 3.2.18 Wilderness Characteristics ......................................................................................... 47 4 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES...................................................... 50 4.1 Analysis Assumptions and Guidelines............................................................................50 4.2 Issues Carried Forward for Analysis ...............................................................................53 4.2.1 Areas of Critical Environmental Concern .................................................................... 53 i Fillmore Oil and Gas Leasing EA UT-010-2008-050 4.2.2 Cultural Resources..................................................................................................... 55 4.2.3 Native American Religious Concerns .......................................................................... 57 4.2.4 Floodplains ............................................................................................................... 57 4.2.5 Threatened, Endangered, or Candidate Animal Species ................................................ 58 4.2.6 Fish and Wildlife, including Special Status Species other than FWS candidate or listed species (e.g., migratory birds) ..................................................................................... 60 4.2.7 Vegetation including Special Status Plant Species other than FWS candidate or listed species ...................................................................................................................... 65 4.2.8 Invasive, Non-Native Species ..................................................................................... 66 4.2.9 Water Quality ............................................................................................................ 67 4.2.10 Wetlands/Riparian Zones ........................................................................................... 68 4.2.11 Reserved ................................................................................................................... 68 4.2.12 Rangeland Health Standards and Guidelines ................................................................ 68 4.2.13 Livestock Grazing ..................................................................................................... 69 4.2.14 Visual Resources ....................................................................................................... 69 4.2.15 Recreation ................................................................................................................. 70 4.2.16 Geology and Mineral Resources ................................................................................. 71 4.2.17 Lands/Access ............................................................................................................ 72 4.2.18 Wilderness Characteristics ......................................................................................... 72 4.3 Cumulative Impacts Analysis .........................................................................................73 4.4 Irreversible or Irretrievable Commitments of Resources ................................................73 5 CONSULTATION/COORDINATION .......................................................... 74 5.1 Agency and Tribal Consultation .....................................................................................74 5.2 Public Involvement… .....................................................................................................75 5.3 List of Preparers ..............................................................................................................76 5.4 Modifications Based on Public Comment and Internal Review………………….…...76 5.5 Response to Comments………………………………………………………………...81 REFERENCES ....................................................................................................... 84 APPENDICES ...................................................................................................... 898 A: Interdisciplinary Team Analysis Record Checklist ................................................................. 89 B: Recommended Resource Protective Measures for Oil and Gas Leasing in the FFO ............... 95 C: BLM Form 3100-11, Offer to Lease and Lease for Oil and Gas ........................................... 103 D: Oil and Gas Leasing Implementation Environmental Assessments ...................................... 108 E: Native American Consultation Letter ..................................................................................... 124 F: Class I Cultural Resources Inventory ..................................................................................... 126 G: Big Game Maps from the House Range and Warm Springs RMPs .....................................