The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposes to adopt the Final Environmental Impact Statement prepared for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (FERC) Piceance Basin Expansion Project. Specifically, that portion of the Project that will cross the Wick Wildlife Habitat Management Area (WHMA) and Fort Steele Public Fishing Access Area in Carbon County, Wyoming. Public comment period on this proposal is open for 30 days.
The WHMA and the Fort Steele Public Fishing Access Area were originally purchased by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) with Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act funds and Sport Fish Restoration Act funds, administered by the Service. The grant for the Wick Wildlife Habitat Management Area was purchased to provide winter range for elk. The grant funding the Fort Steele Public Fishing Access Area was purchased to provide public access for fishing.
The WGFD has submitted a grant amendment to the Service for a permanent easement to Entrega Gas Pipeline, Inc. for the placement and operation of an underground natural gas pipeline under 10,976 linear feet of the Wick WHMA and 2,638 linear feet of the Fort Steele site. This is a portion of the larger Project which will extend approximately 327 miles from Meeker, Colorado north to Wamsutter, Wyoming and then south and east to Weld County, Colorado. The decision by the Service whether to approve the grant amendment constitutes a federal action per NEPA regulations.
The Service provided comments concerning the Project to the FERC in response to the Draft EIS which were addressed by FERC in the Final EIS regarding the Service's interest in the WHMA and the public access site, the affected environment at both sites, and mitigation measures that will minimize impacts to the affected resources. Also, the Final EIS assures that the purpose for which the property was bought will not be diminished. As the document adequately addresses the impact of the actions, the Service proposes to adopt the Final EIS.
The Final EIS will be available for review for 30 days at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Regional Office, 134 Union Boulevard, Suite 440, Lakewood, Colorado 80225. The Final EIS may also be reviewed at the following web address: http://www.ferc.gov/industries/gas/enviro/eis/08-12-05.asp.
