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Plug and Reclaim 11 Abandoned Wells at BISO
Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area » Plug and Reclaim 11 Abandoned Wells at BISO » Document List
NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY of an ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
Environmental Assessment - Plug and Reclaim Eleven Abandoned Wells at Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area
Summary: Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area (BISO) plans to plug eleven abandoned oil and gas wells and carry out the necessary surface reclamation to restore the sites to natural conditions and processes in this multi-year project. The National Park Service (NPS) identified wells in this project as priorities because of high environmental risks, public safety threats in a park with heavy visitation, and a lack of a non-Federal responsible party. Primary threats are resource damage from release of contaminants as deteriorating pressure control equipment fails, contamination of groundwater resources, personal injury, and property damage from spontaneous release of pressurized and highly flammable well fluids, and continued disturbance to natural resources from unreclaimed oil and natural gas (gas) development. The environmental and human health and safety risks and the costs to address these risks will increase with time. This project would remove these ongoing impacts and threats.
NPS personnel or contractors would clear vegetation and make minor, necessary improvements to access roads to transport plugging equipment to the wellsites. Well plugging would be performed to meet both NPS and State of Tennessee standards and would be implemented through a cooperative agreement with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Division of Water Pollution Control (TDEC, WPC). Upon completion of well plugging, the wellsites would be reclaimed by NPS personnel or contractors to re-establish natural conditions and processes. Wellsites would be monitored by NPS staff to ensure success of this re-establishment. This environmental assessment (EA) evaluates two alternatives. Alternative A - "No Action", evaluates baseline conditions in which the wells would not be plugged or maintained. Alternative B - "Plug Eleven Wells and Reclaim Park Resources", evaluates the plugging and reclamation of eleven wells in the park. Alternative B is both the Environmentally Preferred Alternative and the NPS Preferred Alternative.
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PUBLIC COMMENTS
The Environmental Assessment - Plug and Reclaim Eleven Abandoned Wells at Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area (EA) is available for a 30-day public review and comment period.
You can access the EA and/or transmit comments via the Public Planning, Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) website:
http://parkplanning.nps.gov/parkHome.cfm?parkId=354
Paper copies of the EA are available by writing to:
Superintendent
National Park Service
Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area
4564 Leatherwood Road
Oneida, TN 37841
If you wish to mail comments on this EA please send them to the address above.
Reading copies will be available for review at Park Headquarters at the address noted above, at the park's Bandy Creek Visitor Center, the NPS Kentucky Visitor Center in Stearns at the Stearns Depot, the Fentress County Library, the McCreary County Library, and the Scott County Library - Oneida Branch.
The deadline for receipt of comments is: Friday, August 1, 2008.
Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, and/or other personal identifying information in your comments, you should be aware that your entire comment - including your personal identifying information - may be made publicly available at any time. While you can 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.
- Superintendent
Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area
National Park Service
Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area
4564 Leatherwood Road
Oneida, TN 37841
Telephone: 423.569.9778
Environmental Assessment - Plug and Reclaim Eleven Abandoned Wells at Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area
Summary: Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area (BISO) plans to plug eleven abandoned oil and gas wells and carry out the necessary surface reclamation to restore the sites to natural conditions and processes in this multi-year project. The National Park Service (NPS) identified wells in this project as priorities because of high environmental risks, public safety threats in a park with heavy visitation, and a lack of a non-Federal responsible party. Primary threats are resource damage from release of contaminants as deteriorating pressure control equipment fails, contamination of groundwater resources, personal injury, and property damage from spontaneous release of pressurized and highly flammable well fluids, and continued disturbance to natural resources from unreclaimed oil and natural gas (gas) development. The environmental and human health and safety risks and the costs to address these risks will increase with time. This project would remove these ongoing impacts and threats.
NPS personnel or contractors would clear vegetation and make minor, necessary improvements to access roads to transport plugging equipment to the wellsites. Well plugging would be performed to meet both NPS and State of Tennessee standards and would be implemented through a cooperative agreement with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Division of Water Pollution Control (TDEC, WPC). Upon completion of well plugging, the wellsites would be reclaimed by NPS personnel or contractors to re-establish natural conditions and processes. Wellsites would be monitored by NPS staff to ensure success of this re-establishment. This environmental assessment (EA) evaluates two alternatives. Alternative A - "No Action", evaluates baseline conditions in which the wells would not be plugged or maintained. Alternative B - "Plug Eleven Wells and Reclaim Park Resources", evaluates the plugging and reclamation of eleven wells in the park. Alternative B is both the Environmentally Preferred Alternative and the NPS Preferred Alternative.
.................................................
PUBLIC COMMENTS
The Environmental Assessment - Plug and Reclaim Eleven Abandoned Wells at Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area (EA) is available for a 30-day public review and comment period.
You can access the EA and/or transmit comments via the Public Planning, Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) website:
http://parkplanning.nps.gov/parkHome.cfm?parkId=354
Paper copies of the EA are available by writing to:
Superintendent
National Park Service
Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area
4564 Leatherwood Road
Oneida, TN 37841
If you wish to mail comments on this EA please send them to the address above.
Reading copies will be available for review at Park Headquarters at the address noted above, at the park's Bandy Creek Visitor Center, the NPS Kentucky Visitor Center in Stearns at the Stearns Depot, the Fentress County Library, the McCreary County Library, and the Scott County Library - Oneida Branch.
The deadline for receipt of comments is: Friday, August 1, 2008.
Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, and/or other personal identifying information in your comments, you should be aware that your entire comment - including your personal identifying information - may be made publicly available at any time. While you can 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.
- Superintendent
Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area
Contact Information
Phyllis Trabold - Community PlannerNational Park Service
Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area
4564 Leatherwood Road
Oneida, TN 37841
Telephone: 423.569.9778