PROJECT SUMMARY
WHAT:
LINN Energy Lesser Prairie Chicken Evaluation and Mitigation
WHO:
Keith Nichols
WHERE:
Kansas and Oklahoma
WHEN:
2013-2014
BACKGROUND
K began in late 2013 developing positions through LINN and American Petroleum Institute (API) to avoid the lesser-prairie chicken (LPC) Service listing. As part of the strategy, LINN enrolled into the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA) LPC Range Wide Plan (RWP) in 2014, prior to the listing. CK was selected to manage and negotiate all aspects of the enrollment and mitigation cost for Kansas and Oklahoma assets for existing and proposed pads.
FINDINGS
s part of this process, CK assisted WAFWA in refining LPC aerial and ground survey methodologies/clarifications. CK worked jointly with LINN on developing aerial surveys for future pads within Kansas and Oklahoma to expedite the drilling schedules. The aerial surveys followed strict documentation, methodologies and GIS requirements for reporting of counts and defined leks that are currently on the public WAFWA GIS system. The RWP program required upfront mitigation cost for pad development. Once a number of pads were developed CK conducted ground confirmations for the actual disturbances, which allowed LINN to receive mitigation account credit since the disturbances were not as great as projected under the proposed development.
RESOLUTION
his project offered many unique attributes that began with understanding the LPC life history, behavior science, state and federal positions on T&E, regulatory frame work of the WAFWA RWP, 4(d) Rule, mitigations tools, strong GIS mapping program coordination between CK and WAFWA, and obtaining T&E permit through the Service. Additionally, since this program required significant operational understanding of BMPs, CK conducted several regional training sessions to present new protocols and address questions. CK currently manages the WAFWA program for LINN even though the LPC has been delisted.
PROJECT SUMMARY
WHAT:
WHO:
WHERE:
WHEN:
BACKGROUND
K began in late 2013 developing positions through LINN and American Petroleum Institute (API) to avoid the lesser-prairie chicken (LPC) Service listing. As part of the strategy, LINN enrolled into the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA) LPC Range Wide Plan (RWP) in 2014, prior to the listing. CK was selected to manage and negotiate all aspects of the enrollment and mitigation cost for Kansas and Oklahoma assets for existing and proposed pads. As part of this process, CK assisted WAFWA in refining LPC aerial and ground survey methodologies/clarifications. CK worked jointly with LINN on developing aerial surveys for future pads within Kansas and Oklahoma to expedite the drilling schedules. The aerial surveys followed strict documentation, methodologies and GIS requirements for reporting of counts and defined leks that are currently on the public WAFWA GIS system. The RWP program required upfront mitigation cost for pad development. Once a number of pads were developed CK conducted groundconfirmations for the actual disturbances, which allowed LINN to receive mitigation account credit since the disturbances were not as great as projected under the proposed development. This project offered many unique attributes that began with understanding the LPC life history, behavior science, state and federal positions on T&E, regulatory frame work of the WAFWA RWP, 4(d) Rule, mitigations tools, strong GIS mapping program coordination between CK and WAFWA, and obtaining T&E permit through the Service. Additionally, since this program required significant operational understanding of BMPs, CK conducted several regional training sessions to present new protocols and address questions. CK currently manages the WAFWA program for LINN even though the LPC has been delisted.