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<br />other goals and standards established during decision-making at the national, regional, state, and <br />local levels. <br /> <br />~ <br />l- <br />I- <br />N <br /> <br />Activity plans, which traditionally have been more detailed and focused on smaller land <br />units with significant resource pressure, will become much more integrated. The BLM will <br />continue to develop and favor focused interdisciplinary monitoring and assessment methodologies <br />which serve multiple purposes over single purpose techniques and efforts. <br /> <br />Well Plu&&il1& Activities <br /> <br />As the agency responsible for leasing all federally-owned mineral resources, opportunities <br />occur for BLM and cooperating agencies to reduce saline water discharge from oil and gas <br />operations. Production water disposal requirements are outlined in "Notice to Lessees and <br />Operators of Federal and Indian Oil and Gas Operations". BLM has worked closely with the New <br />Mexico Oil Conservation Division to plug several orphan wells having no clear owner, and BLM <br />anticipates many more wells can be plugged under this industry-funded program. <br /> <br />Control of point sources (either flowing wells or springs) by the BLM at various locations <br />has reduced approximately 8,400 tons/year of salt discharge, and non-point source salinity control <br />measures have been completed which control 25,000 tons/year. <br /> <br />Flowing wells and springs continue to be controlled at various locations. It is estimated <br />that another 5,600 tons of salt reduction can be accomplished at known point sources. Combined, <br />all of the BLM salinity control measures (units underway and/or identified as potential, including <br />well plugging and non-point sources) will prevent 88,600 tons of salt from entering the Colorado <br />River system. <br /> <br />The onshore oil and gas program is one of the major mineral leasing programs for the <br />Department of the Interior. At the end of Fiscal-Year 1995, there were 19,000 leases in <br />production status. For Tribal lands, the BLM is also responsible for operational management <br />oversight of 4,200 producing leases, drilling supervision on non-producing leases, and advising <br />the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Tribal officials, and allottees concerning leasing matters. Interest <br />in oil and gas activity in the Colorado River Basin is widespread with the exception of Arizona. <br /> <br />In the San Juan Basin, BLM has continued to assess oil and gas well-plugging opportunities <br />which were identified at the conclusion of the interagency study of Navl\io aquifer salinization <br />(Aneth-Ismay oil field). In the Aneth area, there are several flowing wells for which BLM has <br />mineral responsibility. Each of these wells is high risk because of the past use of dynamite and <br />other temporary measures. Currently, the Fannmgton District has not identified any funds to plug <br />these wells. <br /> <br />During the past three years there have been 15 wells which were abandoned by a failing <br />oil field operator in the San Juan Basin. Two were plugged by the State of New Mexico; five <br />by the BLM; and the remaining eight were plugged by Tenneco who bought the leases following <br />abandonment. The ml\ior concern addressed by these pluggings was underground salt water and <br />oil contaminated fresh water, and discharges to the San Juan River. Neither the hidden salt <br /> <br />4-7 <br />