Dixie National Forest Oil & Gas Leasing EIS

JBR Environmental Consultants, Inc. (JBR) prepared an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Dixie National Forest for forest-wide planning, to determine which lands with federal oil and gas rights to make administratively available for oil and gas leasing and under what conditions.

The impact analysis was based upon a Reasonably Foreseeable Development Scenario prepared by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the US Forest Service (USFS), and the US Geological Service. Seven alternatives were developed in order to address public concerns regarding the project and the management direction of the Dixie National Forest, and to consider the impacts of opening the Forest to leasing.

The Dixie National Forest is the largest national forest in Utah, covering approximately 1,710,677 acres. The EIS analysis area included all National Forest System lands within the entire Dixie National Forest with the exception of lands with a non-federal mineral estate and designated wilderness areas. JBR specialists prepared technical reports for those resources that could be affected by oil and gas leasing, including Visual Resources; Roadless, Unroaded, and Undeveloped Areas; Recreation; Fish and Wildlife; Threatened, Endangered, Proposed, Candidate, Forest Sensitive, and Management Indicator Species; Water and Watershed Resources; Soils and Geologic Hazards; Vegetation; Transportation Systems; Socioeconomics; and Air Resources.
JBR's NEPA specialists also prepared a Biological Assessment (BA) and a Biological Evaluation (BE) to analyze the effect of the selected alternative on Threatened, Endangered, and Candidate species; and on Forest Sensitive Species, respectively. A BA is required under the Endangered Species Act.

Overall, JBR prepared scoping material; planned and attended open houses; prepared specialist reports; conducted all GIS analysis; conducted cumulative impact analysis; prepared maps; conducted complex air quality modeling; assisted in alternative development (seven alternatives); maintained and submitted the project record to the Dixie National Forest (digital and hard copies and an index); prepared and distributed a Draft EIS; performed content analysis on over 10,000 pieces of correspondence (279 original) received during the public comment period; and prepared and distributed a Final EIS that incorporated comments received as well as all new information and direction received since the Draft.

The Record of Decision (ROD) for the project was signed and released by the USFS in August of 2011. The ROD was appealed, but was affirmed by the Dixie National Forest as having complied with applicable laws, regulation, and policy.

• Eric Holt - Division Manager -