The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) has determined that a proposed land exchange between the Colorado Division of Wildlife and Shell Frontier Oil and Gas, Inc. will not have a significant impact on the human environment and will not require the preparation of an environmental impact statement pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA).
The Service previously released a Draft Environmental Assessment (DEA) entitled "Piceance Property Exchange involving Lands and Water Rights owned by the Colorado Division of Wildlife and Shell Frontier Oil and Gas, Inc.? to allow public comment on the proposal. The DEA detailed the exchange and analyzed potential impacts and effects on affected resources. It was released for a 30-day public commenting period which expired on April 1, 2007. No comments were received by the Service.
The Colorado Division of Wildlife (CDOW) will exchange lands at the Piceance State Wildlife Area with Shell Frontier Oil and Gas, Inc. for two parcels of land (Shell Parcels) which adjoin the Oak Ridge State Wildlife Area (SWA) in Rio Blanco County. Acquisition of the Shell Parcels will allow the CDOW to address in-holding issues and to more effectively manage for big game habitat and public access to hunting at Oak Ridge SWA. The exchange will also allow the CDOW to divest itself of properties and water rights at the Piceance SWA that no longer provide the habitat and recreation benefits that they provided when the properties were acquired.
Both the Piceance SWA and Oak Ridge SWA were acquired by the Colorado Division of Wildlife with federal funding through the Pittman-Robertson Federal Assistance in Wildlife Restoration Act (PR), which is administered by the Service. Federal regulations require the State to receive the approval of the Service's Regional Director prior to the disposal or exchange of lands acquired through PR funding. Service approval of the land exchange constitutes a federal action which required preparation of the environmental assessment pursuant to the NEPA.
A copy of the "Finding of No Significant Impact? and the final Environmental Assessment are available online at http://
