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HomeMy WebLinkAbout3.0 BOCC Memo 02.20.2009MEMORANDUM APPLICANT: Chevron USA, Inc. REPRESENTATIVE: Julie Justus, Chevron USA, Inc. PIPELINE WIDTH & 4.5" Flex -pipe for Water; two (2) 1.5" Fiber Optic Conduits PIPELINE LENGTH: 5.3 miles, both lines within the different trenches STAGING AREA: Well Pad Skinner Ridge (SKR) 598- 35 -BV. DATE: February 20, 2009 Re: Administrative Pipeline Development Plan Permit — #PDP -18808 The application was deemed technically complete on January 30th, 2009 and has been reviewed against the submittal requirements required in Resolution 2005 -53 and §9.07 of the Garfield County Zoning Resolution of 1978, (Old Code) as amended. This letter shall constitute Garfield County's review of the project. .. Injection Well Nd 1 f, N • I .- 1 Injection Well #'2 1 ouar41:: N. Irv( t1011 VVOlialV 7 j..-` Injectic A'ollIr4 TE3C3i.. 7 1 I. GENERAL PROJECT DESCRIPTION The proposed pipeline project generally consists of the construction of 5.3 miles of pipeline and conduit within Garfield County to transport produced water and provide communications for natural gas production facilities within the central Piceance Basin natural gas area, also known as the Skinner Ridge Field. The proposed utility corridor of water pipeline will be up to 4.5- inches in diameter of flexible piping and a parallel optic fiber communication conduit of two (2) 1.5- inches in diameter each. The project also includes a staging area consisting of an EPS Central Facility, which includes well pads, roads, pipelines and construction offices within the project area. The purpose for the proposed water pipeline is to support Chevron's current and future estimated gas production, which would transport produced water from a centralized tank storage area to a previously permitted injection well. The origin of the pipeline corridor would be from a battery of ten frac tanks of 21,000 gallons each, used to store water for hydraulic fracturing operations, and located on Well Pad Skinner Ridge (SKR) 598-35 - BV. The proposed system will allow Chevron to transport produced water without the use of truck traffic transportation up the Clear Creek corridor. The purpose for the proposed optic fiber conduits, installed adjacent to the pipeline, will be to provide the needed communications to monitor future natural gas production facilities located north of Well Pad Skinner Ridge (SKR) 598- 35 -BV. By locating both the produced water pipeline and the fiber optic conduits in one utility corridor, site disturbance and construction costs are minimized. The proposed right -of -way (ROW) will follow the previously constructed 35 -BV access road to Clear Creek Road. The pipeline route would follow Clear Creek and its Willow Creek tributary northwest to the disposal injection well located on Well Pad SKR 598 -08- 1. The proposed pipeline corridor will be 20 to 35 -feet in width and 5.3 miles long. The construction ROW would be limited to 20 -feet or less where practical because the use of flexible pipeline will minimize ROW disturbance. The presumption is that half of the ROW will be 20 -feet wide while the remaining half will be 35 -feet wide, which calculates a disturbance area of approximately 18 acres. Also, seven staging areas have been identified along the pipeline corridor which would disturb an additional 3.3 acres. In total, the amount of disturbed area comes to 21.3 acres. The proposed pipeline will cross approximately 700 -feet of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) property with executed Right -of -Way Grant already in place. The remaining length of approximately 5.2 miles to be constructed in Garfield County and will be placed on Chevron property. The proposed Pipeline is scheduled to be constructed beginning in March 2009, predicated on obtaining proper permits and weather conditions. The pipeline and fiber optic cable installation is expected to take about three months, weather permitting, with the system coming on line and operational by mid-July of 2009. Construction activities will be performed five days a week from 6:30 am to as late as 6:30 pm. The application 2 included the construction of seven staging areas, which will be used to store construction vehicles and equipment required for pipeline installation. The staging areas will be temporary and the land reclaimed in accordance with the Reclamation Plan detailed in the application. II, REVIEW AGENCY COMMENTS: Staff referred the Application to the following referral agencies: A. Garfield County Vegetation Management: Comments were received from Steve Anthony, Garfield County Weed Management on February 18, 2009. His comments are as follows: 1. Noxious Weeds Weed Management The weed management plan is acceptable. It is recommended that the applicant initiate weed treatment on the inventoried tamarisk and Russian olive trees prior to the start of construction if possible. They can be treated this winter by utilizing the cut -stump method with a herbicide application. We recommend that the applicant do this and forward treatment records to this office. It is critical that the applicant implement a weed management program prior to reseeding. Some weedy areas may need to be treated in May or June and again in late August or early September. There should be about a six -week window between the last herbicide treatment and the initial reseeding. Staff would like to have a meeting with the applicant on -site in May or June to assess the weed situation. We would expect to see the tamarisk and Russian olive trees treated by that time. 2. Revegetation Revegetation Plan The revegetation plan is acceptable. All seed tags must be saved and made available to the Vegetation Management Department for verification. Revegetation Security • Pipeline The applicant has quantified the area of disturbance on private land as 21.3 acres. We recommend a $2500 per acre security for disturbances on private land. This would come to $53,250. The security shall be held by Garfield County until vegetation has been successfully reestablished according to the Reclamation Standards in the Garfield County Weed Management Plan. It is the responsibility of the applicant to contact the County, upon successful revegetation establishment, to request an inspection for security release consideration. B. Garfield County Oil & Gas Liaison: No comments received. C. Garfield County Road and Bridge: Garfield County Road & Bridge Department has no objection to this application with the following comments were received from Jake Mall on February 4, 2009: 1 This project is beyond the end of the County portion of County Road. 211 on private property and is exempt from the driveway access standard. 2 All vehicles hauling equipment and materials for this project shall abide by Garfield County's oversize /overweight permit system. Any vehicles requiring oversize /overweight permits shall apply for them at Garfield County Road & Bridge Department. Any vehicles applying for oversize /overweight permits shall have a letter or e -mail on file with Garfield County Road & Bridge Department from Chevron stating that these vehicles can obtain oversize /overweight permits under Chevron's road bond on file with Garfield County Road & Bridge Department prior to any permits being issued. 3 All vehicles shall abide by all construction and speed limits signs on County Road 204. This could include reduced speed limits, bypasses and traffic stops. This construction could continue for up to one year. D. DeBeque Fire Protection District: No comments received. E. Bureau of Land Management: No comments received. III. CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL Upon substantive review of the documents submitted against the required standards and criteria in Section 9.07.06, Staff has made a determination of approval of the Garfield County Pipeline Development Permit — Utility Corridor for Produced Water Disposal Pipeline and Fiber Optic Conduits for Chevron USA, Inc. with the following conditions: 4 1) Any equipment used in construction or operation of a pipeline must comply with the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission Rules and Regulations, Section 802, Noise Abatement. Additionally, all power sources used in pipeline operations shall have electric motors or muffled internal combustion engines; 2) Pipeline operations shall be located in a manner to minimize their visual impact and disturbance of the land surface. The location of the right -of -way shall be away from prominent natural features and identified natural resources. Facilities shall be painted in a uniform, non- contrasting, non - reflective color, to blend with the adjacent landscape. Right -of -way shall be located in existing disturbed areas unless safety or visual concerns or other adverse surface impacts clearly dictate otherwise; 3) All access and oversized or overweight vehicle permits shall be obtained from the County Road & Bridge Department prior to beginning operation. Existing roads shall be used to minimize land disturbances unless traffic safety, visual or noise concerns or other adverse surface impacts clearly dictate otherwise; 4) The Applicant shall provide the County with a digital alignment of the pipeline once constructed in a format readable to the County Geographic Information System (GIS) analyst; 5) In no case shall an operator engage in activities which impact Federal or State threatened and endangered species; 6) Air contaminant emissions shall be in compliance with the applicable permit and control provisions of the Colorado Air Quality Control Program, Title 25, Resolution 7, C.R.S; 7) All operations shall comply with all applicable Federal and State Public Health and Environment, Noise, and Air and Water Quality Control standards; 8) Any proposed waste disposal or treatment facilities shall comply with all requirements of the County Individual Sewage Disposal System Regulations; 9) The proposed reclamation plan shall provide for a reasonable reclamation schedule in light of the specific surface use and surrounding land uses, and may require re- contouring and revegetation of the surface to pre - disturbance conditions. 10) Should any abandoned pipeline be removed, it will be subject to the original revegetation and weed management requirements in the original application; 11) There will be no entrances to any County roads for the project and the only impact to the County road system will be during the construction of the pipeline project; 5 12) The Applicant shall provide revegetation security in the amount of $53,250 prior to the issuance of the Administrative Pipeline Permit; 13) The Applicant shall provide a copy of the Stormwater Management Plan for Garfield County Records; 14) The Applicant shall provide Garfield County Vegetation Management seed tags upon completion of the revegetation process; 15) Once the construction contractor selection is finalized, Chevron shall provide a detailed, project - specific Emergency Response plan to the County and the construction contractor representatives will meet with representatives from Garfield County Emergency Management and DeBeque Fire Protection District prior to any construction of the proposed pipeline; 16) The proposed contractor's office and storage areas shall only be utilized in conjunction with the construction of the proposed Chevron pipeline. immediately following the completion of the Chevron pipeline project, the proposed staging area shall be reclaimed and reseeded; 17) Any straw or hay bales used in erosion control shall be certified weed free. This determination has been sent to the Board of County Commissioners to determine if they will to call up the matter. Staff will let you know if this matter is called up by March 6, 2009. (Note no activity can be done on the project until all conditions have been met.) Please do not hesitate to contact this office if you have any questions. Best regards, Scott Hall Senior Planner (970) 945 -8212 extension 1530 cc: Fred Jarman, B &P Director 6