JIO reviews first round of project applications
Jonah Interagency Mitigation and Reclamation Office (JIO)
by Bureau of Land Management
July 10, 2006
The Jonah Interagency Mitigation and Reclamation Office (JIO) will begin the first round of approving project applications to mitigate impacts to habitat from the Jonah Infill Drilling Project. A decision on funding for project applications received before the June 30, 2006 deadline for the first round of project applications is expected by the end of August.
The JIO was created by the Jonah Infill Drilling Project Record of Decision (ROD) to provide overall management of field monitoring and mitigation activities, both on- and off-site. To perform these functions, the JIO manages a $24.5 million monitoring and mitigation fund donated by EnCana Oil & Gas (USA), Inc.
“This is the first of two opportunities each year that we will consider project applications,” said Mike Stiewig, JIO project coordinator. The second round will take place in six months.
The JIO will review and rank projects based on the criteria outlined in the ROD. Decisions on funding projects will be made by the four JIO Charter Members, which include the agency heads of the BLM Wyoming; Wyoming Department of Agriculture, Wyoming Game & Fish Department and Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality.
The ROD represents an innovative approach to encouraging industry to minimize the footprint of development, maximize recovery of natural gas and speed up the reclamation process. The JIO provides a crucial mechanism to further mitigate project impacts by funding and implementing both on- and off-site monitoring and mitigation projects.
"The JIO has a two-fold mission: To manage on-site monitoring and off-site mitigation. In a nutshell, that’s the essence of our existence," said Stiewig.
"We want to keep the public informed on what we are doing, and will do so by meeting regularly with local government and the public. Our staff will also be spending much of its time in the field, monitoring the Jonah Field and mitigation projects funded by the JIO."
The JIO office is 107½ Pine St., in Pinedale (located behind High Mountain Real Estate, entering from Fremont St.). For more information on the JIO, visit their website at: http://www.wy.blm.gov/jonah_office.
If you have questions, contact Mike Stiewig at 307-367-5363 or the JIO office at 307-67-3991.
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