26528 Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 103 / Tuesday, May 28, 1996 / Notices

impacts such as water drawdown and

water production is proceeding at a rate

greater than that predicted in the EAs.

DATES: Comments to be considered in

the draft EIS should be submitted by

June 28, 1996. The draft EIS should be

available for public review by mid

September of 1996.

ADDRESSES: Questions or concerns

should be addressed to Richard Zander

in the Buffalo Resource Area Office, 189

North Cedar, Buffalo, Wyoming 82834.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Richard Zander, phone: 1–800–301–

3483.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Shortly

after the Lighthouse decision was issued

in June of 1995, several companies came

forward with proposals for

approximately 200 additional wells. In

addition to the new well proposals

impacts were progressing at a faster rate

than those predicted in the EAs.

Marquiss was modeled at 6 gpm and

Lighthouse was modeled at 11 gpm

initially declining to an average of 7

gpm. New technological developments

such as underreaming the open hole

completion in the coal and fracing the

coal have led to increased gas

production and increased water

production. We are seeing 15 to 25 gpm

which is a doubling or tripling of the

water production in both project areas,

with no indication of any decline in

water production. This is substantially

greater than what was modeled for the

NEPA analysis. In Marquiss, because of

increased pump rates, static water level

drawdowns have occurred in 3 years

rather than the 10 years predicted in the

NEPA analysis. We do not know if they

will go lower. Model assumptions that

water production would decline after 1

year are apparently not correct. Torch

Operating believes 2 to 3 years may be

more realistic. Since water production

began in early 1993, we currently have

3 years of production. Torch Operating

has stated they are at the point of

balancing their production for optimum

gas production and water production

rates have declined from 25 gpm to 20

gpm.

Monitoring data from one of the

shallow wells in the Marquiss project

area is possibly showing a decline in the

static water level in a sandstone aquifer

above the coal. We have talked with the

State Engineers Office about this and

feel it is too early to determine if there

is communication occurring between

the two zones. We are closely watching

this activity within the aquifers. This

type of occurrence makes it imperative

that we continue forward with the

monitoring program laid out in the

Lighthouse EA.

Lighthouse was modeled as a 5-year

progressive project. Proposals by

Western Gas Resources, Petrox, Inc.,

DCD, Inc., would possibly shorten the

development timeframe. Western Gas

has assumed responsibility for the

southern two thirds of the project area

from American Oil and Gas. They are

currently drilling stratigraphic tests on

the Durham Buffalo Ranch in Township

45 North, Range 71 and 72 West. We

will not do any additional computer

groundwater modeling on the areas

south of Gillette. It is not feasible to

credibly or accurately model as large an

area we are talking about with the data

available. As variables increase,

accuracy decreases. We propose to

extrapolate what we have modeled and

what we have monitored to make a

prediction on expected impacts.

We support the landowner/industry

group working on a Water Well

Mitigation Agreement that is designed

to address the question of potential

impacts to water wells, so significant

impacts do not occur and we intend to

utilized this agreement in the

development of the proposed action for

the EIS. However, static water level

declines are not the only issue we need

to deal with. The increased rate of

development, increased rates of

production, increased surface water

discharges, and increased area of

disturbance are also questions that need

to be addressed. We must evaluate the

potential for cumulative impacts as a

result of coal and coalbed methane

development in the same general area at

a time when development areas and

production levels for both are

increasing.

Dated: May 21, 1996.

Alan R. Pierson,

State Director.

[FR Doc. 96–13272 Filed 5–24–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–01–P

[NV–050–1020–001]

Mojave-Southern Great Basin

Resource Advisory Council—Notice of

Meeting Locations and Times

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management,

Interior.

ACTION: Resource Advisory Council

meeting locations and times.

SUMMARY: In accordance with the

Federal Land Policy and Management

Act and the Federal Advisory

Committee Act of 1972 (FACA), 5

U.S.C., the Department of the Interior,

Bureau of Land Management (BLM),

council meeting of the Mojave-Southern

Great Basin Resource Advisory Council

will be held as indicated below. The

agenda includes a public comment

period, discussion of laws and

regulations that pertain to grazing, and

an update of standards and guidelines.

All meetings are open to the public.

The public may present written

comments to the council. Each formal

council meeting will have a time

allocated for hearing public comments.

The public comment period for the

council meeting is listed below.

Depending of the number of persons

wishing to comment, and time available,

the time for individual oral comments

may be limited. Individuals who plan to

attend and need further information

about the meetings, or need special

assistance such as sign language

interpretation or other reasonable

accommodations, should contact

Michael Dwyer at the Las Vegas District

Office, 4765 Vegas Dr., Las Vegas, NV

89108, telephone, (702) 647–5000.

DATES, TIMES: Dates are June 10 and 11,

1996, from 8 a.m. to approximately 4:30

p.m. The council will meet at the Desert

Research Institute, located at 755 E.

Flamingo, Las Vegas, NV 89119. The

public comment period will be on June

10 from 10 a.m. to noon.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

purpose of the council is to advise the

Secretary of the Interior, through the

BLM, on a variety of planning and

management issues associated with the

management of the public lands. The

council will vote on recommendations

for Standards and Guidelines that will

be presented to the State Director,

Nevada on June 11.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Lorraine Buck, Public Affairs Specialist,

Las Vegas District, telephone: (702) 647–

5000.

Dated: May 15, 1996.

Gary L. Ryan,

Associate District Manager.

[FR Doc. 96–13289 Filed 5–24–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–HC–M

[AZ-046–1430–01; AZA 23060]

Public Land Order No. 7197;

Withdrawal of Public Lands for the

Waterman Mountains Area of Critical

Environmental Concern; Arizona

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management,

Interior.

ACTION: Public land order.

SUMMARY: This order withdraws public

lands from surface entry and mining for

a period of 50 years for the Bureau of

Land Management to protect the

endangered Nichol Turk’s Head Cactus
Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 103 / Tuesday, May 28, 1996 / Notices 26529

within the Waterman Mountains Area of

Critical Environmental Concern. The

lands have been and will remain open

to mineral leasing.

EFFECTIVE DATE: May 28, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Tony Herrell, BLM Tucson Resource

Area, 12661 East Broadway, Tucson,

Arizona 85748, 520–722–4289.

By virtue of the authority vested in

the Secretary of the Interior by Section

204 of the Federal Land Policy and

Management Act of 1976, 43 U.S.C.

1714 (1988), it is ordered as follows:

1. Subject to valid existing rights, the

following described public lands are

hereby withdrawn from settlement, sale,

location, or entry under the general land

laws, including the United States

mining laws (30 U.S.C. Ch. 2 (1988)),

but not from leasing under the mineral

leasing laws, to protect the Bureau of

Land Management’s Waterman

Mountains Area of Critical

Environmental Concern:

Gila and Salt River Meridian

T. 12 S., R. 9 E.,

Sec. 29, lots 3 and 4, S1⁄2NW1⁄4, N1⁄2SW1⁄4,

N1⁄2SW1⁄4SW1⁄4, SE1⁄4SW1⁄4, and SE1⁄4;

Sec. 30, lots 1 to 5, inclusive, lot 9, that

portion of lot 10 lying outside of Mineral

Patent No. 02–79–0008, lot 11, S1⁄2NE1⁄4,

SE1⁄4NW1⁄4, E1⁄2NE1⁄4SW1⁄4,

N1⁄2N1⁄2SE1⁄4, SE1⁄4NE1⁄4SE1⁄4,

SW1⁄4NW1⁄4SE1⁄4, and SW1⁄4SE1⁄4SE1⁄4;

Sec. 31, lots 3 and 4, those portions of lots

5 and 8 lying outside of Mineral Patent

No. 02–79–0008, NW1⁄4NE1⁄4NE1⁄4,

SE1⁄4NE1⁄4NE1⁄4, N1⁄2NW1⁄4NE1⁄4,

SW1⁄4NW1⁄4NE1⁄4, NW1⁄4SW1⁄4NE1⁄4,

S1⁄2S1⁄2NE1⁄4, NE1⁄4SE1⁄4NE1⁄4,

SE1⁄4NW1⁄4, E1⁄2SW1⁄4, and SE1⁄4;

Sec. 32, Mineral Survey No. 3885;

Sec. 33, N1⁄2NW1⁄4, N1⁄2SW1⁄4NW1⁄4,

SE1⁄4NW1⁄4, N1⁄2NE1⁄4SW1⁄4,

S1⁄2S1⁄2SW1⁄4, and W1⁄2W1⁄2SE1⁄4.

T. 13 S., R. 9 E.,

Sec. 5, W1⁄2SW1⁄4SW1⁄4;

Sec. 6, lots 1 to 7, inclusive, S1⁄2NE1⁄4,

SE1⁄4NW1⁄4, E1⁄2SW1⁄4, and SE1⁄4.

The areas described aggregate 2,335.21

acres in Pima County.

2. The withdrawal made by this order

does not alter the applicability of those

public land laws governing the use of

the lands under lease, license, or permit,

or governing the disposal of their

mineral or vegetative resources other

than under the mining laws.

3. This withdrawal will expire 50

years from the effective date of this

order unless, as a result of a review

conducted before the expiration date

pursuant to Section 204(f) of the Federal

Land Policy and Management Act of

1976, 43 U.S.C. 1714(f) (1988), the

Secretary determines that the

withdrawal shall be extended.

Dated: May 20, 1996.

Bob Armstrong,

Assistant Secretary of the Interior.

[FR Doc. 96–13200 Filed 5–24–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–32–P

Fish and Wildlife Service

Issuance of Permit for Incidental Take

of Threatened Species

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service,

Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

On July 14, 1995, a notice was

published in the Federal Register (60

FR 36305) that an application had been

filed with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service (Service) by Washington

County, Utah, for a permit to

incidentally take, pursuant to Section

10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species

Act (Act) of 1973, as amended (16

U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), threatened desert

tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) in

conjunction with otherwise legal

activities including building

construction, in portions of Washington

County pursuant to the Implementation

Agreement that implements the

Washington County Habitat

Conservation Plan.

Notice is hereby given that on

February 23, 1996, as authorized by the

provisions of the Act, the Service issued

an incidental take permit PRT–811471

to the above-named party subject to

certain conditions set forth therein. The

permit was granted only after it was

determined that it was applied for in

good faith, that by granting the permit

it will not be to the disadvantage of the

threatened species, and that it will be

consistent with the purposes and

policies set forth in the Act, as

amended.

Additional information on this permit

action may be obtained by contacting

the Assistant Field Supervisor, U.S. Fish

and Wildlife Service, Utah Field Office,

145 East 1300 South Street, Suite 404,

Salt Lake City, Utah 84115, telephone

(801) 524–5001, between the hours of

7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. weekdays.

Dated: May 20, 1996.

Terry Terrell,

Deputy Regional Director Denver, Colorado,

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

[FR Doc. 96–13290 Filed 5–24–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–55–M

D’Arbonne National Wildlife Refuge,

Union Parish, LA; Right-of-Way

Pipeline Application

Notice is hereby given as required

under Section 28 of the Mineral Leasing

Act of 1920 (41 Stat. 449; 30 U.S.C. 185)

as amended by Public Law 93–153, that

NorAm Gas Transmission Company has

applied for a right-of-way for a 20-inch

pipeline to be located on lands of the

D’Arbonne National Wildlife Refuge in

Union Parish, Louisiana, described as

follows: (See Exhibits A through G

Attached)

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service,

Interior.

ACTION: The Fish and Wildlife Service is

in the process of issuing a right-of-way

permit across the D’Arbonne National

Wildlife Refuge in Union Parish,

Louisiana.

SUMMARY: The notice advises the public

that the Fish and Wildlife Service plans

to issue a permit to NorAm Gas

Transmission Company, for a 20-inch

pipeline on a portion of the D’Arbonne

National Wildlife Refuge.

EFFECTIVE DATE: June 27, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mr. Craig McBroome, Realty Specialist,

Division of Realty, Arkansas Field

Office, c/o Cache River National

Wildlife Refuge, Route 2, Box 126–T,

Augusta, Arkansas 72006, Telephone

(501) 347–5947.

Dated: May 13, 1996.

Noreen K. Clough,

Regional Director.

BILLING CODE 4310–55–M