BLM issues final approval for huge Utah oil and gas project

Published: Thursday, July 29 2010 9:43 p.m. MDT

Summary

PRICE — Incorporating what land managers call a historic and unprecedented agreement between environmentalists and an oil and gas production company, the Bureau of Land Management on Thursday released its final environmental impact statement on the West Tavaputs Natural Gas Full Field Development Plan.

The draft environmental statement, opened for comment in February 2008, generated 58,000 comment letters from federal agencies, state and local government, tribes and other groups.

Those comments led to the revisions incorporated in the new environmental statement, which also draws on key tenets of the "Programmatic Agreement" to protect cultural resources. That agreement, announced in December of last year, was signed Jan. 5 and addresses project development issues, including visual and auditory impacts associated with energy development.

The BLM has decided to release both the final environmental impact statement and its "record of decision." A 30-day appeal period will run concurrently.

Electronic copies of both documents are available at www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/price/energy/Oil_Gas.html. A hard copy can be obtained on request from the Price field office.

e-mail: amyjoi@desnews.com

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Not_Scared

Weren't you told Obama had stopped drilling by the same people who told you Obama was going to take your guns?

11:20 a.m. July 29, 2010
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lket

the inportant hting is people are going to work together for all. that the our country should be. this is a clean energy.

11:36 a.m. July 29, 2010
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"Steve Bloch, a staff lawyer for the wilderness group, said the lands were as dramatic as Arizona's Grand Canyon.

"It's a remarkable, awe-inspiring landscape," Bloch said. "The compromise was hard fought, but we're pleased we found a More..

12:21 p.m. July 29, 2010
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