IBLA UPHOLDS FONSI, APPROVES SEVEN APDS

摘要

The Colorado Environmental Coalition, the Western Society, and the Western Colorado Congress (together Appellants) appealed a decision of the Colorado Bureau of Land Management (BLM) upholding a decision record and finding of no significant impact (DR/FONSI) related to approval of seven applications for permit to drill (APD) oil and gas wells in the Big Ridge Area of White River Resource Area in Northwestern Colorado. The proposed project would disturb approximately 87 acres of the 59,000 acres in the East Douglas portion of the Piceance-East Douglas Wild Horse Herd Management Area (HMA). In Colorado Environmental Coalition, 169 IBLA 137, GFS(O&G) 5(2006), the Interior Board of Land Appeals (IBLA) affirmed the APD approvals on the basis that the BLM took a hard look at the impact of drilling and determined that no significant impact would occur to the HMA.