Final supplement to the Montana statewide oil and gas environmental impact statement and proposed amendment of the Powder River and Billings resource management plans

2008·243.7 MB·English

by  United States. Bureau of Land Management. Miles City Field Office

HIM LIBRARY
88064021
VOLUME I
October 2008
Public Lands USA: Use, Share, Appreciate
The Bureau of Land Management is responsible for the stewardship of our
public lands. It is committed to manage, protect, and improve these lands
in a manner to serve the needs of the American people for all times.
Management is based on the principles of multiple use and sustained yield
of our nation’s resources within a framework of environmental
responsibility and scientific technology. These resources include
recreation; rangelands; timber; minerals; watershed; fish and wildlife;
wilderness; air; and scenic, scientific, and cultural values.
BLM Library
Denver Federal Center
Bldg. 50, OC-521
P.O. Box 25047
Denver, CO 80225 i
BLM/MT/PL-08/016
United States Department of the Interior
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
SUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
Montana State Office
5001 Southgate Drive
IN REPLY TO: 1610 Billings, Montana 59101-4669
http://www.blm.gov/mt
October 10, 2008
Dear Reader:
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared the Final Supplement to the Montana Statewide
Oil and Gas Environmental Impact Statement and Proposed Amendment of the Powder River and Billings
Resource Management Plans (FSEIS). This proposed plan amendment is a result of U.S. District Court
issued orders, dated February 25, 2005, and April 5, 2005, requiring BLM to prepare a Supplemental EIS
to evaluate a phased development alternative for coal bed natural gas production. The U.S. District Court
also advised the BLM to include the proposed Tongue River Railroad in the cumulative impact analysis
and analyze the effectiveness of water well mitigation agreements.
The FSEIS is a reissue of the original BLM 2003 Montana Statewide Oil and Gas Environmental
Impact Statement and Amendment of the Powder River and Billings Resource Management Plans
(RMPs) (Statewide Document). With the exception of minor edits, new text supplementing the
Statewide Document is shaded gray for easy identification.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs; Crow Tribe; Department of Energy; Environmental Protection Agency;
Lower Brule Sioux Tribe; Montana Board of Oil and Gas Conservation; Montana Department of
Environmental Quality; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; and Big Horn, Carbon, Golden Valley,
Musselshell, Powder River, Rosebud, Treasure, and Yellowstone counties participated in the
development of the SEIS as Cooperating Agencies.
The FSEIS was developed in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as
amended (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA). It is based on
Alternative H, the preferred alternative in the Draft Supplement to the Montana Statewide Oil and Gas
Environmental Impact Statement and Amendment of the Powder River and Billings Resource
Management Plans (DSEIS), which was released on February 2, 2007; and the DSEIS Supplemental Air
Quality Analysis which was released on December 12, 2007. The proposed land use amendment is
described by Alternative H in the FSEIS. Changes between the DSEIS and FSEIS are indicated in text
boxes inset at the beginning of each chapter. The FSEIS contains the effects of adopting the proposed
land use plan amendment, a summary of written and verbal comments received during the public review
periods on the DSEIS and the supplemented air quality analyses, and a response to comments.
The BLM has initiated activities to coordinate and consult with the Montana Governor on the FSEIS.
Prior to the issuance of a record of decision and approval of the FSEIS, the Governor will be given the
opportunity to identify any inconsistencies between the proposed land use plan amendment and state or
local plans and to provide recommendations in writing during the 60-day consistency review period
required by the BLM land use planning regulations (43 CFR 1610.3-2).
The Assistant Secretary, Land and Minerals Management, in the Department of the Interior is the
responsible official for this proposed land use plan amendment. This proposed amendment is not subject
to administrative review (protest) under the BLM or Departmental regulations (34 CFR 1610.5-2).
ITEM HAS BEEN DIGITIZED
FLPMA and its implementing regulations provide land use planning authority to the Secretary, as
delegated to the Assistant Secretary. Because the Record of Decision is to be signed by the Assistant
Secretary, Land and Minerals Management, it will be the final decision for the Department of the Interior.
As required by NEPA, the Environmental Protection Agency will publish a Notice in the Federal
Register announcing the availability of the FSEIS. Because there is no administrative review of the
decision, the Record of Decision will not be signed until at least 30 days after the Notice of Availability
for the FSEIS appears in the Federal Register (see 40 CFR 1506.10[b]). The Department of the Interior
will wait until the Governor's consistency review has been completed before signing and issuing the
Record of Decision for the land use plan amendment.
There are a limited number of hard-copy books available upon request. If you would like a book, or have
any questions, please contact the BLM Miles City Field Office at [phone].
Sincerely,
Gene R. Terland
State Director, Montana/Dakotas
FINAL SUPPLEMENT
TO THE
MONTANA STATEWIDE OIL & GAS 'd.O&x'
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT
AND
PROPOSED AMENDMENT OF THE
POWDER RIVER AND BILLINGS
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLANS
Bureau of Land Management
October 10, 2008
Recommended
by:
James M. Sparks, Billings Field Manager
Recommended
by:
M. Elaine Raper, Miles City Field Manager
Approved by:
Gene R. Terland, State Director, Montana/Dakotas
ITEM HAS BEEN DIGITIZED

Final Supplement to the Montana Statewide Oil and Gas
Environmental Impact Statement and Proposed
Amendment of the Powder River and Billings Resource
Management Plans
Lead Agency: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
Type of Action: Administrative
Jurisdiction (Planning Area): the planning area is BLM-administered lands and minerals in the Powder River
Resource Management Plan (RMP) (Powder River, Carter, and Treasure counties and portions of Big Horn, Custer
and Rosebud counties) and the Billings RMP (Carbon, Golden Valley, Musselshell, Stillwater, Sweet Grass,
Wheatland, and Yellowstone counties and the remaining portion of Big Horn County). The planning area contains
about 1,506,011 acres of federally managed surface, and 5,009,784 acres of federal mineral estate.
Abstract: As a result of lawsuits filed against the BLM’s Record of Decision (ROD), the U.S. District Court issued
orders, dated February 25, 2005, and April 5, 2005, that required the BLM to prepare a Supplemental Environmental
Impact Statement (SEIS) to evaluate a phased development alternative for coal bed natural gas (CBNG) production.
The U.S. District Court also issued an order, dated February 25, 2005, advising the BLM to include the proposed
Tongue River Railroad in the cumulative impact analysis and analyze the effectiveness of water well mitigation
agreements.
The Final SEIS (FSEIS) is a reissue of the original EIS/Amendment: Montana Statewide Oil and Gas
Environmental Impact Statement and Amendment of the Powder River and Billings Resource Management Plans
(Statewide Document). This SEIS provides additional information and analyses regarding the topics identified by
the U.S. District Court. It is intended to expand on the information presented in the Statewide Document.
The FSEIS analyzes three phased development alternatives (F, G, and H) for managing oil and gas resources in the
planning area. As a result, the BLM selected a new preferred alternative (H). This alternative would amend the
Resource Management Plans and allow coal bed natural gas (CBNG) exploration and development while
minimizing impacts on environmental resources.
ABS-1

SUMMARY
SUMMARY
Introduction This summary discusses the following information:
• The planning area analyzed in the SEIS.
In 2003, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and
• The federal agencies responsible for preparing
the State of Montana jointly prepared the Montana
the SEIS.
Final Statewide Oil and Gas Environmental Impact
Statement and Proposed Amendment of the Powder • A brief explanation of what CBNG is and why it
River and Billings Resource Management Plans occurs in coal beds.
(Statewide Document). For the BLM, the Statewide
• A summary of the purpose of and need for the
Document analyzed the environmental impacts
SEIS.
associated with the exploration and development of
oil and gas resources, including coal bed natural gas
• An explanation of how the SEIS conforms with
(CBNG) in the Powder River and Billings Resource
the Powder River and Billings RMPs.
Management Plan (RMP) areas. The BLM Record of
Decision (ROD) for the Statewide Document, • A description of the environmental issues
approved on April 30, 2003, amended the Powder discussed in Chapters 3, 4, and 5 of the SEIS.
River and Billings RMPs to change existing land use
The Planning Area
decisions regarding the development of oil and gas
resources, including CBNG exploration and
The planning area for the SEIS encompasses the
development.
BLM-administered lands and minerals in the Powder
As a result of lawsuits filed against the BLM’s ROD, River and Billings RMP areas (Map 1-1). The
the U.S. District Court issued orders, dated February planning area excludes those lands administered by
25, 2005, and April 5, 2005, that required the BLM to other agencies such as the Forest Service; and
1) prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact sovereign tribal governments, such as the Crow Tribe
statement (SEIS) to evaluate a phased development of Indians, and the Northern Cheyenne Tribe. Indian
alternative for CBNG production, 2) include the allotted lands are also excluded from the planning
proposed Tongue River Railroad in the cumulative area. The BLM will make oil and gas decisions based
impact analysis and to 3) analyze the effectiveness of on the Statewide Document and this SEIS for the oil
water well mitigation agreements. and gas estate it administers within the Powder River
and Billings RMP areas. See the location map on the
The Final SEIS (FSEIS) provides additional
next page.
information and analyses regarding the topics
identified by the U.S. District Court. It is intended to
Preparers of the SEIS
expand on the information presented in the Statewide
Document, not replace it. The FSEIS has been
The BLM is the lead agency responsible for
prepared according to the National Environmental
preparing the SEIS. The information and proposed
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, and the
decisions discussed in the plan are not final until the
Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976,
BLM signs a ROD. The ROD will be signed no
as amended. It considers the three topics identified
sooner than 30 days after the FSEIS is published. The
above at a programmatic planning level.
BLM will take any protests into account before
Additionally, the FSEIS updates the Statewide signing the ROD.
Document with new information and reflects any
changes in policies, regulations, or activities since What does the Summary Include?
that document was approved. Summaries of
monitoring data and the results of studies completed The sections in this summary are the same as the five major
since the Statewide Document was finalized have chapters within the FSEIS. In most cases, second-level
been incorporated to update the public. These headings in the summary cover the same information as the
additions can be found in Chapter 3 under the same headings in the Draft SEIS (DSEIS). Readers of this
individual resource topics as well as in appropriate summary with questions should go to the parallel chapter or
appendices. section in the FSEIS.
SUM-1
SUMMARY
Chapter 1:
The following cooperating agencies and tribes
assisted the BLM in the preparation of the DSEIS:
Purpose and Need
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• Department of Energy (DOE)
The BLM and the State of Montana were co-leads for
• Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
preparation of the Statewide Document. The BLM is
• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)
responsible for managing federally owned oil and gas
• Montana Department of Environmental Quality resources. For the BLM, the purpose of the Statewide
(MDEQ) Document was to analyze impacts from oil and gas
• Montana Board of Oil and Gas Conservation activity, including CBNG exploration, production,
(MBOGC) development, and reclamation in the Powder River
• Lower Brule Sioux Tribe and Billings RMP areas. The EIS was used to analyze
• Crow Tribe of Indians options for the BLM to change its planning decision
• Commissioners from the following counties: Big by considering oil and gas management options,
Horn, Carbon, Golden Valley, Musselshell, including mitigating measures that will help address
Powder River, Rosebud, Treasure, and the environmental and social impacts related to
Yellowstone. CBNG activities.
The Northern Cheyenne Tribe has also commented The analysis in the Statewide Document focused on
on the development of the SEIS. oil and gas development issues not covered in the
The cooperators’ assistance included the submission 1994 and previous RMPs, such as water management
of technical information and frequent consultation from CBNG production. The alternatives provided a
meetings with the BLM to discuss issues and range of management options for amending the
concerns along with possible mitigation measures. RMPs. The preferred alternative (Alternative E) was
The cooperators may use or reference the SEIS for BLM’s proposed and selected RMP amendment.
their future actions.
For the State of Montana, the purpose of the
Coal Bed Natural Gas Statewide Document was to support the state’s
development of a program to address CBNG
exploration, development, production, and
CBNG is a natural hydrocarbon gas, primarily
reclamation in Montana. The Statewide Document, in
methane (CH4) that occurs in beds of coal. Coal beds
part, responded to the stipulation and settlement
developed when dead plant material collected in
agreement, dated June 19, 2000, resulting from a
ancient swamps and bogs. Once preserved and
lawsuit brought by the Northern Plains Resource
covered by soil and rocks, the plant material began to
Council challenging the MBOGC in the Montana
decay and to lose water, becoming more compact and
First Judicial District Court, Lewis and Clark County.
dense, and its temperature began to increase. Over
thousands of years, these natural processes ultimately The BLM published the original Notice of Intent for
produced various types of coal. Methane is usually the Statewide Document in the Federal Register on
found in sub-bituminous and bituminous coals. December 19, 2000. The BLM published the Notice
of Availability in the Federal Register on January 17,
CBNG exploratory wells are drilled in an attempt to
2003. Immediately following approval of the ROD
find viable commercial quantities of trapped
on April 30, 2003, several lawsuits were filed against
methane. If the CBNG exploratory wells are
the BLM’s decision in the U.S. District Court. The
successful, additional wells are drilled to produce the
U.S. District Court issued orders, dated February 25,
methane by bringing it to the surface where it is
2005, and April 5, 2005, that required the BLM to
processed and transported through pipelines to
prepare an SEIS to evaluate a phased development
markets. Currently, the only methane production in
alternative for CBNG production. The U.S. District
Montana is from approximately 555 wells at the CX
Court also advised the BLM to include the proposed
Field and a few other fields near Decker, Montana.
Tongue River Railroad in the cumulative impact
analysis and to analyze the effectiveness of water
well mitigation agreements.
SUM-2