Historic, Archive Document Do not assume content reflects current scientific knowledge, policies, or practices. Y I I I ) -V. \ V aTD195 .P4F56 FINAL 2004 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT For The EQUITY OIL COMPANY FEDERAL & 32-4 23-21 OIL & GAS WELLS United States Department of Agriculture 1 I f y i National Agricultural Library United States Department of Agriculture USDA N # Forest Service February 2004 Final Environmental Impact Statement For The Company Equity Oil Federal 32-4 and 23-21 Oil and Gas Wells Dakota Prairie Grasslands Medora Ranger District Golden Valley County, North Dakota NOTES TO REVIEWERS Equal Employment Opportunity Act. - The U.S. Department ofAgriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis ofrace, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs). Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication ofprogram information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Centerat (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office ofCivil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Data Accuracy - The Forest Service uses the most current and complete data available. GIS data and product accuracy may vary. They may be developed from sources ofdiffering accuracy, accurate only at certain scales, based on modeling or interpretation, incomplete while being created or revised, etc. Using GIS products for purposes otherthan those for which they were created may yield inaccurate or misleading results. The Forest Service reserves the rightto correct, update, modify, or replace GIS products without notification. For more information, contact: Dakota Prairie Grasslands, 240 W. Century Ave, Bismarck, ND 58503; (701) 250-4443. Equity Oil Company Federal 32-4 and 23-21 Oil and Gas Wells Surface Use Plan of Operations Final Environmental Impact Statement Dakota Prairie Grasslands Medora Ranger District Golden Valley County North Dakota Lead Agency: USDA Forest Service Cooperating Agency: Bureau ofLand Management Responsible Official: Ronald W. Jablonski, Jr., District Ranger Medora Ranger District Dakota Prairie Grasslands 161 2D‘ St. West ND Dickinson, 58601 For Information and to Send Comments, Contact: JeffAdams, Project Team Leader Medora Ranger District Dakota Prairie Grasslands 161 2L‘ St. West ND Dickinson, 58601 Electronic Appeals must be submitted to: appeals-northern-regional- [email protected] The acceptable electronic format is MS Word, Word Perfect, or RTF. Abstract: The Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) summarizes the analysis performed and resulting effects ofthe proposed implementation ofthe Surface Use Plan ofOperations (SUPO) forthe Equity Oil Company’s Federal 32-4 and 23-21 oil and gas wells. The FEIS also considers a requested waiver ofNo Surface Occupancy (NSO) stipulations forone ofthe two leases associated with this proposal. Both ofthe proposed well sites are located in the Bell Lake Inventoried Roadless Area (IRA). The SUPO identifies how the lessee proposes to utilize National Forest System (NFS) lands to access and develop their minerals. The Forest Service is required to respond to the submitted SUPOs and determine ifthey are: consistent with Federal mineral lease stipulations and laws; consistent with the Dakota Prairie Grassland Land and Resource Management Plan; and meet or exceed the surface use requirements of36 CFR 228.108(a) thru (j). These requirements cover such things as surface resource protection, reclamation, safety measures, containment and treatment ofwastes, and watershed protection. A Proposed Action to meet these needs was developed as well as aNo Action alternative. Key issues that influenced the development ofalternatives were impacts to the Bell Lake Inventoried Roadless Area, and noxious weeds. Equity32-4and23-21 OilandGas Weils TableofContents TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Purpose and Need 1-1 EIS Organization 1-1 Overview 1-1 Relationship to Grasslands Plan Direction 1-1 Federal Oil and Gas Leases 1-3 LeaseRights 1-3 Lease Components 1-3 Exercisinga Lease 1-4 Purpose and Need ofAction 1-5 Proposed Action 1-5 Project Development 1-9 Scope ofthe Analysis 1-11 Types ofActionAnalyzed 1-11 Types ofImpacts Issued 1-11 Alternatives 1-13 Decisions to be Made 1-13 Tiered and Referenced Documents 1-13 2. Alternatives Process Used to Formulate Alternatives 2-1 Public Involvement 2-2 Determine Issues 2-2 Key Issues 2-3 Other Issues 2-3 Issues Dropped From Analysis 2-3 Alternatives 2-37 Alternative ConsideredButDropped 2-37 Alternatives Consideredin Detail 2-40 Comparison ofAlternatives 2-43 3. Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences. 3-1 Analysis Area 3-1 Affect Environment - General Setting 3-1 Actions Used for Cumulative Effects Analysis 3-3 Key Issues 3-4 Roadless Characteristics 3-4 Noxious Weeds 3-16 4. Consultation and Coordination 4-1 FinalEnvironmentalImpactStatement i Equity32-4and23-21 OilandGas Weils TableofContents APPENDICES Appendix A Figures Appendix B Acronyms Appendix C Glossary Appendix D Conditions ofApproval Appendix E Response to Comments LIST OF TABLES Table 1.1 Summary ofProposed Pipelines, Electric, and Communication Lines 1-7 Table 1.2 Summary ofActions Specific to the Proposed Action 1-9 Table 2.1 Existing Road Mileage and Road Densities in the Analysis Area 2-29 Table 2.2 Summary ofHow the Proposed Alternative Respond to the Purpose 2-43 and Need Table 2.3 Summary ofHow the alternatives respond to the Key Issues 2-44 Table 3.1 Summary ofDirect and Direct ofthe Proposed Action on Roadless 3-12 Characteristics Table 3.2 Noxious and Non-Native Grasses and forbs located in the Project Areas 3-17 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1.1 Typical Oil and Gas Well Pad and Production Facilities 1-7 Figure 1 Vicinity Map A-1 Figure 2 Analysis and Project Areas A-3 Figure 3 Existing Roads and Oil Wells A-5 Figure 4 Alternative One (Proposed Action) A-7 Figure 5 Reasonably Foreseeable Oil and Gas Development (RFD) A-9 Scenario 1 Figure 6 Viewshed from Existing Oil and Gas Wells A-11 Figure 7 Viewshed from Proposed Equity 32-4 Well Site A-13 Figure 8 Viewshed from Proposed Equity 23-21 Well Site A-15 Figure 9 Viewshed for RFD Scenario 1 A-17 Figure 10 Existing Oil and Gas Leases in the Bell Lake IRA A-19 Figure 11 Beaver Creek Watershed (HUC 101102040206) A-21 Figure 12 Cherry Stem Areas Associated with the Proposed Equity 32-4 A-23 and 23-21 Wells FinalEnvironmentalImpactStatement a