BLM hosts public meetings for Moneta Divide oil and gas project
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LANDER, Wyo. – The Bureau of Land Management will host public meetings to discuss its initial environmental analysis of the Moneta Divide Oil and Gas Development Project in central Wyoming. The meetings will be held on June 18 in Riverton and June 19 in Casper.
In support of the Department of the Interior’s goals to sustainably develop the nation’s natural resources, the BLM released its draft environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Moneta Divide project on April 18, beginning a 90-day public comment period. The draft EIS identifies a range of alternatives for how the project may move forward, including a potential modification to the Casper Resource Management Plan.
The public meeting in Riverton will be held from 4-6 p.m. on June 18 at the Riverton Branch Library Community Room at 1330 West Park Avenue. The public meeting in Casper will be held from 4-6 p.m. on June 19 at the WCA Regional Training Center Big Four Room at 2220 Bryan Stock Trail.
The proposed Moneta Divide project, submitted by Aethon Energy and Burlington Resources, is projected to recover approximately 18.16 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and 254 million barrels of oil over the 65-year life of the project. The project could generate approximately $71 million per year in Federal royalties, $57.6 million per year in severance taxes for the State of Wyoming, and $70 million per year in County Ad Valorem taxes.
The project area includes approximately 327,645 acres of public, state and private lands. Approximately 67 percent of the project area is on BLM managed public lands, 10 percent is on State of Wyoming and State Park land, and 23 percent is on private surface. The proponents plan to drill up to 4,250 new vertical, directional and horizontal wells from single and multi-well pads over a 15-year development period. In addition to the proposed action, the BLM analyzed two other development alternatives and a no action alternative for the project.
The draft EIS is available for review and comment through July 18, 2019, at https://go.usa.gov/xnU9z. Submittal of electronic comments is encouraged. Comments may also be mailed to Moneta Divide Project Manager, BLM Lander Field Office, 1335 Main Street, Lander, WY 82520.
Please note that any identifying information you include with your comment, such as mailing address, phone number or email address, may be made public if your comment is published. While you may ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to contact the individual below during normal business hours. The FRS is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave a message or question with the below individual. You will receive a reply during normal business hours.
For more information, please contact BLM Project Manager Ben Kniola at 307-332-8400 or email BLM_WY_LD_Moneta_Divide_EIS@blm.gov.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.