BLM United States Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Environmental Assessment DOI-BLM-UT-W010-2019-0001-EA March 2019 Competitive Oil and Gas Lease Sale Salt Lake Field Office Area Parcels Location: Townships 7-10 North, Ranges 11-13 West, multiple sections, Salt Lake Meridian, Box Elder County, Utah. Applicant/Address: Not Applicable. Utah State Office and Salt Lake Field Office Field Lake Salt and Office Utah State November 2018 Utah State Office 440 West 200 South, Ste. 500 Salt Lake City, UT 84101 Phone: (801) 539-4001 Fax: (801) 539-4237 Prepared By: Salt Lake Field Office 2370 South Decker Lake Boulevard West Valley City, Utah 84119 Phone: (801) 977-4300 Fax: (801) 977-4397 Table of Contents Chapter 1 Purpose & Need ........................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Executive Summary ......................................................................................................... 1 1.3 Purpose and Need ............................................................................................................. 3 1.3.1 Decision to be Made ................................................................................................. 3 1.4 Conformance with BLM Land Use Plan(s)...................................................................... 3 1.5 Relationship to Statutes, Regulations, or Other Plans ...................................................... 4 1.6 Identification of Issues ..................................................................................................... 5 1.6.1 Air Quality ................................................................................................................ 5 1.6.2 Climate Change/Greenhouse Gases .......................................................................... 5 1.6.3 Central Pacific Railroad Grade ................................................................................. 5 1.6.4 Geology/Mineral Resources/Energy Production ...................................................... 6 1.6.5 Special Status Animal Species .................................................................................. 6 1.6.6 Wildlife Excluding Special Status Species ............................................................... 6 Chapter 2 Description of Alternatives ....................................................................................... 7 2.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 7 2.2 Analysis Assumptions ...................................................................................................... 7 2.2.1 Reasonably Foreseeable Development Scenario ...................................................... 7 2.2.2 Well Drilling and Completion Operations ................................................................ 9 2.2.3 Production Operations ............................................................................................ 10 2.2.4 Produced Water Handling ....................................................................................... 11 2.2.5 Maintenance Operations ......................................................................................... 11 2.2.6 Plugging and Abandonment .................................................................................... 12 2.3 Alternative A – Proposed Action ................................................................................... 12 2.4 Alternative B – No Action ............................................................................................. 13 2.5 Alternatives Considered ................................................................................................. 13 Chapter 3 Affected Environment ............................................................................................. 14 3.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 14 3.2 General Setting ............................................................................................................... 14 3.3 Resources/Issues Brought Forward for Analysis ........................................................... 15 3.3.1 Air Quality .............................................................................................................. 15 3.3.2 Climate Change/Greenhouse Gases ........................................................................ 16 i 3.3.3 Central Pacific Railroad Grade ............................................................................... 16 3.3.4 Geology/Mineral Resources/ Energy Production ................................................... 19 3.3.5 Wildlife ................................................................................................................... 21 3.3.5.1 Big Game ......................................................................................................... 21 3.3.5.2 Migratory Birds ............................................................................................... 25 3.3.5.3 Special Status Animal Species ........................................................................ 27 3.3.5.4 BLM Sensitive Species .................................................................................... 27 3.3.5.5 Greater Sage-Grouse ........................................................................................ 28 Chapter 4 Environmental Impacts ........................................................................................... 30 4.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 30 4.2 Direct Impacts ................................................................................................................ 30 4.3 Indirect Impacts from Potential Development ............................................................... 30 4.3.1 Alternative A – Proposed Action ............................................................................ 30 4.3.1.1 Air Quality ....................................................................................................... 30 4.3.1.2 Climate Change/Greenhouse Gases ................................................................. 33 4.3.1.3 Central Pacific Railroad Grade ........................................................................ 35 4.3.1.4 Geology/Mineral Resources/Energy Production ............................................. 38 4.3.1.5 Wildlife ............................................................................................................ 38 Big Game ..................................................................................................................................... 38 Migratory Birds ........................................................................................................................... 39 Special Status Animal Species ..................................................................................................... 40 BLM Sensitive Species ................................................................................................................. 40 Greater Sage-Grouse ................................................................................................................... 41 4.3.2 Alternative B – No Action ...................................................................................... 42 4.3.2.1 Air Quality ....................................................................................................... 43 4.3.2.2 Climate Change/Greenhouse Gases ................................................................. 43 4.3.2.3 Central Pacific Railroad Grade ........................................................................ 43 4.3.2.4 Geology/Mineral Resources/Energy Production ............................................. 43 4.3.2.5 Special Status Animal Species ........................................................................ 43 4.3.2.6 Wildlife ............................................................................................................ 43 4.4 Cumulative Impacts........................................................................................................ 43 4.4.1 Air Quality .............................................................................................................. 44 4.4.2 Climate Change/Greenhouse Gases ........................................................................ 45 ii 4.4.3 Central Pacific Railroad Grade ............................................................................... 46 4.4.4 Geology/Mineral Resources/Energy Production .................................................... 48 4.4.5 Wildlife ................................................................................................................... 48 4.4.5.1 Big Game ......................................................................................................... 48 4.4.5.2 Migratory Birds ............................................................................................... 49 4.4.5.3 BLM Sensitive Species .................................................................................... 49 4.4.5.4 Greater Sage-Grouse .......................................................................................