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DESCO Permits and Monitors Several Oil & Gas Exploration and Development Projects within Federally- and State-Managed Areas 

 

DESCO has successfully permitted and/or monitored a multitude of oil and gas exploration and development projects in federally-and state-managed areas, including:

 

National Wildlife Refuges (USFWS):   Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge, TX McFaddin National Wildlife Refuge, TX Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge, TX Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge, TX San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge, TX Lower Rio Grande National Wildlife Refuge, TX  Sabine National Wildlife Refuge, LA Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge, LA Cameron Prairie National Wildlife Refuge, LA Lostwood National Wildlife Refuge, ND	Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Lands:     Cody District, WY Casper District, WY Lander District, WY Rock Springs District, WY Rawlins District, WY Little Snake River District, CO North Dakota Field Office
National Parks, Preserves, and Seashores (NPS):   Padre Island National Seashore, TX Big Thicket National Preserve, TX        Turkey Creek Unit        Big Sandy Creek Unit        Big Sandy Creek Corridor Unit        Hickory Creek Savanna        Lance Rosier Unit        Menard Creek Corridor Unit        Pine Island        Little Pine Island Bayou Corridor Unit        Village Creek Corridor Unit	State Game and Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs):     Justin Hurst WMA, TX Biloxi Marsh WMA, LA Tobacco Garden State Game Management Area, ND Hofflund State Game Management Area, ND White Earth Valley WMA, ND Palermo WMA, ND Pennsylvania State Game Lands     State Forests   Forbes State Forest, PA
National Forests and Grasslands (USFS):   Sabine National Forest, TX Angelina National Forest, TX Sam Houston National Forest, TX Davy Crockett National Forest, TX Kisatchie National Forest, LA Shoshone National Forest, WY Bienville National Forest, MS Homochitto National Forest, MS Little Missouri National Grasslands, ND	Wetland Reserve Program Easements (NRCS):         Brown WRP, TX Daisetta Marsh WRP, TX
USACE lands/waters/wetlands:     Lake Wister, OK Eufaula Lake, OK Lake Sakakawea, ND Lake Benbrook, TX Wetland Permits—Fort Worth, Galveston,        New Orleans, Vicksburg, Tulsa, and         Bismarck Districts	Bureau of Indian Affairs/Tribal Lands   BIA, Eastern Oklahoma Regional Office BIA, Okmulgee Agency, OK Uintah and Ouray Tribal Council Colorado Native American Commission Eastern Shoshone Northern Arapaho Shoshone-Bannock Alabama Coushatta Choctaw Nation Chickasaw Nation

 

We have prepared numerous CEs, EAs, and BEs in accordance with NEPA guidance for the above-listed projects and conducted a variety of field surveys required by the agencies, including but not limited to T&E species surveys, cultural resource surveys, wetland delineations, vegetation assessments, and impact assessments. Additionally, we have conducted compliance monitoring of crews to insure regulatory compliance in the majority of these areas.

 

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DESCO is currently conducting a Phase I Cultural Resources Survey of approximately 80 square miles of US Forest Service Lands (USFS) encompassed by a large-scale geophysical survey.  The purpose of the Phase I survey is to identify cultural resources in the geophysical survey’s area of affect for avoidance and protection.  Prior to DESCO’s survey efforts, there were 119 known sites within the subject project area.  To date, DESCO has discovered more than 50 undocumented sites, and over a third of the project area is still subject to survey.  DESCO expects to find more sites prior to completion of survey efforts.  A final report detailing findings of DESCO’s efforts and recommendations for protection of cultural resources will be submitted to the USFS and THC for concurrence prior to authorization of the proposed geophysical survey.

 

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DESCO is currently monitoring operations on several Waterfowl Production Areas managed by the USFWS in North Dakota to ensure 3D seismic survey crews are in compliance with all permit conditions and stipulations.  Activities in these areas consist of surveying and Vibroseis operations in wetland habitats.  Because operations are being conducted during frozen ground conditions, impacts are expected to minimal.

 

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DESCO has recently obtained permits for three well pad, pipeline, and access road projects in wetlands within the High Island area for a Corpus Christi-based exploration and production company, one of which was within the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge. USACE permit efforts were conducted in cooperation C.H. Fenstermaker and Associates and Berg-Oliver Associates, Inc. DESCO is still working to obtain permits for an additional two wells in the High Island area, one of which is located within the McFaddin National Wildlife Refuge, and another four wells in the Hoskins Mound area. DESCO prepared EAs in accordance with NEPA guidance for the projects within the National Wildlife Refuges.

 

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To fulfill US Forest Service (USFS) permit requirements for 3D seismic surveys, DESCO has conducted cultural resources and threatened, endangered, and sensitive species surveys along source lines and access routes within 90+ square miles of the Kisatchie National Forest, 72 square miles of the Bienville National Forest., 13 square miles of the Sam Houston National Forest, and approximately 2 square miles of the Angelina National Forest. These surveys resulted in the discovery and subsequent protection of several archaeological sites (historic and prehistoric) and threatened, endangered, and sensitive species.

 

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As part of permitting efforts for two separate 3D seismic surveys, DESCO conducted the most comprehensive vegetation assessments to date in both the Big Sandy Creek (BSCU) and Turkey Creek Units (TCU) of the BTNP. Our teams mapped vegetation in these areas according to ICEC Alliance definitions by initially establishing and sampling over 200 vegetation plots in the BSCU and 186 vegetation plots in the TCU prior to 3D seismic operations. The overstory, midstory, shrub, and herbaceous layers were included in the assessment. 

 

DESCO conducted a post-project vegetation assessment and impact analysis in the BSCU during the spring of 2005 and recently conducted a similar analysis in the TCU in the spring/summer of 2009 to assess actual impacts to vegetation as a result of the seismic surveys.

 

 

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DESCO recently conducted wetland delineations, a cultural resource survey, and a threatened and endangered species survey for the expansion of Greenhouse Road to provide necessary permit documentation for the US Army Corps of Engineers.

 

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DESCO was one of eight consulting firms awarded contracts to support the BLM in six states for a total of six years. Work associated with this project is being conducted in Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming. Projects are related to an array of DESCO's familiar fields including:

 

-National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) projects
-Sub-basin Review/Landscape Analysis
-Public Involvement/Project Scoping
-Watershed Assessments
-Writing/Editing
-Natural Resource Studies
-Cultural/Paleontological Resource Protection Strategies and Studies
-Geographic Information Systems
-Timber/Forestry Management
-Social/Economic Studies
-Monitoring
-Engineering Surveys/Assessments/Analyses
-Fuels Management
-Remote Sensing
-Mining Operation Assessments/Analyses
-Noxious Weed Inventories
-Reality Actions including Right of Way and Easement Acquisition

 

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DESCO has completed Environmental Assessments (EAs) for several 3D projects on lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in both Colorado and Wyoming, spanning the Cody, Casper, Lander, Rock Springs, Rawlins, and Little Snake River Districts. Our team has prepared biological evaluations/assessments in association with these projects and conducted surveys for a variety of sensitive species, including mountain plover, sage grouse, raptors, black-footed ferrets, and other species of concern.