HomeMy WebLinkAbout3.0 CorrespondenceENCANIA-
En0ana Oil & Gas (USA) lnc.
EnCana Oil& Gas (USA) lnc.
2717 County Road 215
Suite 100
Parachute, CO 81535
tel: (97O) 285-2667
fax: (970) 285-2691
preston. nelson@encana.com
www.encana.mm
December 19,2007
Fred Jarman
Director
Garfield County Building and Planning Department
108 8th Street, Suite 401
Glenwood Springs, CO 81601
Re: Special Use Permit for Processing and Material Handling of Natural Resources for the North
Parachute Ranch Cuttings Disposal Facility, Resolution 2005-74
Fred:
On Monday, August 15, 2005, the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) approved the request for a
Special Use Permit for Processing and Material Handling of Natural Resources for the North Parachute
Ranch Cuttings Disposal Facility based on compliance with certain conditions. EnCana Oil & Gas (USA)
lnc. (EnCana) is providing this letter and attached documentation as proof of compliance. For your
reference, the BOCC conditions appear in itaticized font and the EnCana response occurs in normal font.
1. That atl representations of the Applicant, either within the application or stated at the hearing before
the Board of County Commissioners, shall be considered conditions of approvalunless explicitly
altered by the Board.
EnCana has and will comply with all representations within the application and stated at the hearing
before the Board of County Commissioners.
2. That the operation of the facility be done in accordance with all applicable federal, state, and local
regulations governing the operation of this type of facility.
EnCana will operate the facility in accordance with all applicable federal, state, and local regulations
governing the operation of cuttings disposal facilities.
3. Shoutd the need arise, the County reseryes the right to retain outside expeftise, at the expense of
the applicant/operator of the facility, in order to conduct fests or analyses of the physical nature,
water chemistry or groundwater propefties on or away from the site.
EnCana will be responsible for the expense of any outside expertise the County retains in order to
conduct tests or analyses of the physical nature, water chemistry, or groundwater properties on or
away from the site.
JAN 1 0 2008
4. That this facility is for the so/e use of the Applicant. lf any other entities are to be added as users,
then they wouid be subject to an additionat SIJP as weltas rules and regulations as administered by
the Depaftment of Mineral and Geology.
The cutting disposal facility is for the sole use of EnCana. lf other entities are added as users,
EnCana will submit a new SUP.
5. The Applicant shatt submit a Noxious Weed inventory and maintenance plan.
Refer to Attachment 1 for a copy of the lntegrated Vegetation and Noxious Weed Management Plan
prepared for the cuttings facility in August 2005.
6. The Applicant shall comply with the standards as sef forth in 5.03.08 "lndustrial Performance
Standards" of the Garfield County Zoning Resolution of 1978 as amended.
EnCana will comply with all the standards as set forth in 5.03.08 "lndustrial Performance Standards"
of the Garfield County Zoning Resolution of 1978 as amended.
lf you are satisfled that EnCana has met the conditions of approval, please issue the Special Use Permit
for this facility. lf you need additional information or have any questions, please contact me.
Sincerely,
-{"GF*4Li-
Preston Nelson
Permit and ROW Coordinator, Piceance Basin
Attachment 1 - lntegrated Vegetation and Noxious Weed Management Plan
Attachment I
Drill Cuttings Disposal Cell
Integrated Vegetation and Noxious Weed Management Plan
Garfield County Special Use Permit Condition
EnCana Oil & Gas (USA) Inc.
INTRODUCTION: This plan, although limited to the Drill Cuttings Disposal Cell at this time,
is an interim step in developing an Integrated Vegetation and Noxious Weed Management Plan
for EnCana Oil & Gas (USA) Inc.'s entire North Parachute Ranch (NPR). As part of their over
all land management program, EnCana is controlling noxious weeds on the NPR. The site is on
a dry bench well above the floodplain of the E. Fork of Parachute Creek. It is a reclaimed oil
shale tailings disposal site. Prior reclamation was highly successful and the site is well
vegetated with native and introduced species of grasses, forbs and shrubs.
NAME OF SPECIAL USE PERMIT FACILITY: DrillCuttings DisposalCell (DCDC).
PHYSICAL ADDRESS OF PROPERTY: North Parachute Ranch, EASI FOrK PATAChUIC
Creek, NWl/4NW1/4, Sec. 28, T.5S., R.96W., 6th P.M., Garfield County, CO. (see map, Figure
l.).
AMOUNT OF INFESTED LAND TO BE MANAGED: Area currently has no infestation.
TARGETED WEEDS: Although not currently found in the DCDC site, Table I lists weeds
most likely to be subject of future control efforts within the site. The strategies summarized in
Table2 for annuals and biennials and in Table 3 for perennials are those found to be most
effective depending on the growth habits of each species, i.e., annual, biennial, or perennial.
This information is contained herein to emphasize the importance of knowing for certain the
species of weeds present in order to effectively manage for the pests present.
Table l. Weeds observed near the DCDC site.
Common Name Scientific Name Typ"'Control Methods
Houndstongue iynoglossum
fficinale
B Re-seed with aggressive grasses, removal at
flowering or early seed, herbicides at prebud or
rosette stage
Iamarisk (salt
cedar)
Tamarix
,amosissima and
T. parviflora
P 3.epeated flooding, hand pull seedling, herbicides
rn stems of young plants, cut mature plants and
rerbicide treat stumps within 30 minutes, shade
intolerant, promote growth of native riparian
;hrubs and trees.
Ihistle, Canada lrstum arvense P Re-seed with aggressive grasses, mow every 2-3
weeks over 3 growing seasons followed by fall
herbicide application, beetles, herbicides in late
rummer or fall
Ihistle, Musk Carduus nutans B Iillage or hand grubbing in the rosette stage,
nowing at bolting or early flowering, seed head &
:osette weevils, leaf feeding beetles, herbicides in
:osette stage
Whitetop ardaria draba P Herbicides dur
:he most effect
ng bud stage or early flowering is
ve control method.
A is Annual, B is biennial, P is perennial
Table 2. Treatment st for annuals and biennials.
1ANNUALS & BIENNIALS Target: prevent seed production
Iltl Uand grubbing (pulling), hoeing, tillage, cultivation in rosette stage and before flowering or
seed maturity.
l+) tr,low biennials after bolting stage and before seed set; mowing annuals may not prevent the
Table 3. Treatment strategies for perennials
;PERENNIALS lTarget: deplete nutrient reserves in root system, prevent seed
, production
lij atto* plants to expend as much energy from root system as possible; do not treat when first
emerging in spring but allow to grow to bud/bloom stage.
t2) Herbicide treatment at bud to bloom stage or in the fall. In the fall plants draw nutrients into
1he roots for winter storage. Herbicides will be drawn down to the roots more efficiently at this
rtime. If the weed patch has been there a long time, another season of seed production is not as
:important as getting the herbicide into the root system. Spraying in the fall will kill the
,fottorvllq vear'; shogjs, rvhd "1I i"tlg flle! gy the r9,o,t1at this,l-.:_ -
:3) Mowing usually is not recommended because the plants will flower anyway; seed production
:may be reduced, however. Many studies have shown that mowing perennials and spraying the
:regrowth is not as effective as spraying without mowing. Effect of mowing is species
Current amount of infested land to be managed: -0- at this time in DCDC permit area.
Describe the area to be treated: The area to be monitored and treated as necessary is
approximately 2.0 acres (Figure l. Drill Cuttings Disposal Site.). It is on a dry bench created by
oil shale reclamation that preceded the current activities. Native and introduced grasses and
forbs are found along with four-wing saltbush, Atriplex canescens, and big sagebrush, Atremesia
tridentata spp.
Methods of Treatment:
Re-vegetation.
Minimize disturbed ground during the construction process.
Disturbed areas will be re-seeded as soon as practical with the following seed mix:
Table 4. Recommended Seed Mix for Drill Cuttines Disposal Cell
Scientific Name Common Name
Application
Rate
Lbs
PLS/acre
Pascopyrum smithii Western wheatgrass 4
E lymus lance o latus lanc e o I atus Thickspike wheatgrass J
P s e udoroe pneri a sp icat a sp icat a Bluebunch wheatgrass 2
Atriolex canescans Fourwins saltbrush 1.5
Purshia tridentata Antelope bitterbrush 0.5
C ercocarpus le difol ius Curl-leaf mountain mahogany 0.2
Astragalus cicer Cicer milkvetch I
Onobrychis viciaefoli Sainfoin 0.2
To :al 12.1
Monitoring.
Monitoring for targeted weeds should be performed on a weekly basis beginning at spring green
up and continuing through the growing season.
Disturbed areas will be re-seeded. No noxious weeds were detected in the Special Use Permit
area during the August 25,2005.
Monitoring by qualified personnel will be conducted using Table 5 as a general guide to best
control periods.
Mechanical.
Observed weeds will be controlled first by mechanical means, primarily hand grubbing or
pulling.
Internal cell banks are covered by a liner that physically prevents weed establishment within the
lined area.
Control of listed species in nearby disturb areas is recommended to reduce the risk and rate of
infestation.
Chemical.
Spot treating has been undertaken in areas immediately adjacent to the DCDC site for the
purpose of reducing risk of infestation.
If necessary, spot treatment will be conducted on the DCDC site as well as the surrounding areas
as is currently taking place on the nearby pipeline corridor.
Chemicals recommended include synthetic auxin growth regulators (e.g.,2,4D; tordon, banvel,
and garlon), EPSP synthase inhibitors (e.g., glyphosate) or a mix of these. For whitetop an ALS
inhibitor such as metsulfuron methyl has been found to be most effective.
In all cases, the certified applicator shall determine which chemical(s) and at what
concentration(s) shall be used at the time of application. However, it is anticipated the
aforementioned classes of chemicals will be first choice of most certified operators or qualified
supervisors.
Private Company:Andv Julius. Certified Apolicator's License No. 11210, Julius Ae,2169l-
70 West Frontage Road. Debeque. CO 81630.970-379-6917.
Additional Information: As mentioned in the introduction, an Integrated Weed Management
Plan is being considered for the entire North Parachute Ranch. Table 5 is a guide to timing of
key biological processes and the best time to control the subject species on an annual basis.
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