Date: March 5, 2004

CONTACT: Diane Hendry at (775) 623-1500

BLM SEEKS PUBLIC COMMENT ON OIL & GAS ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT

The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Winnemucca Field Office is seeking public input on an Oil & Gas Programmatic Environmental Assessment (EA). This EA is being developed to evaluate certain lands in Pershing County, Nevada, for future competitive Oil and Gas lease sales. In addition, the BLM is addressing three geothermal lease applications: Kyle Hot Springs, and Trego Hot Springs, in Pershing County and Wildhorse Pass in Churchill County, for a total area comprised of approximately 181,000 acres of public land. The EA will be prepared to address impacts under the proposed actions.

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Council on Environmental Quality regulations on implementing NEPA, the Winnemucca Field Office is preparing an EA that would describe and evaluate the probable impacts of the proposed action and alternatives. The EA would provide sufficient evidence and analysis for determining whether to prepare an environmental impact statement or a Finding of No Significant Impact. The EA would also provide the public and decision-makers with sufficient information to understand the environmental consequences of the proposal and to identify and develop appropriate mitigation measures to minimize environmental impacts.

The BLM Winnemucca Field Office is seeking public input as it begins the process of preparing this EA. Two public information meetings will be held on the proposed actions. The purposes of the meetings are to provide the public with information on the proposal and solicit public comments. The BLM requests your participation in the project planning process to identify potential environmental impacts, issues, and concerns.

Public meetings are scheduled for:

Project information on this EA includes the following:

• No surface disturbing activities would occur under this proposal. The EA would be used to determine the necessary stipulations, lease notices, special conditions, or restrictions that would be made a part of the actual leases at the time of issuance.
• The project would be located primarily in Pershing County, with a small portion located in Churchill County. Project maps will be available at the public meetings.
• The proposed oil and gas competitive sale area is primarily in the eastern half of Pershing County. If this EA is approved, typical subsequent operations would include the construction of drill pads, access roads, production facilities; including treatment and storage, pipeline construction, power lines, and ancillary facilities.
• Trego Hot Springs and Kyle Hot Springs were addressed previously in the “Geothermal Resources Leasing Programmatic Environmental Assessment, dated September 2002”, prepared by the BLM, but were deferred from geothermal leasing based on having high potential for significant direct or indirect environmental impacts. The Wildhorse Pass has not been previously addressed. If this EA is approved, typical subsequent geothermal developments may include construction of power plants, greenhouses, dehydration facilities, road and pipeline construction, power lines, and ancillary facilities. 
• A scoping notice is being prepared to solicit comments and will be available at the public meetings. A copy of the scoping notice may be obtained from the BLM Winnemucca Field Office, 5100 E. Winnemucca Blvd., Winnemucca, NV 98445. For further information, please contact, Delores Cates, Project Lead, or Lynn Harrison, Environmental Coordinator, at (775) 623-1500 or by visiting the Winnemucca Field Office 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
  

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