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Gas - Environment - Environmental Impact Statements (EISs)
Final EIS recommends approval of proposed Piceance Expansion Pipeline Project in Wyoming and Colorado (CP05-54-000)
Issued: August 12, 2005
Piceance Expansion Natural Gas Pipeline
Staff's final environmental impact statement recommended approval of the proposed 141 mile Piceance Pipeline. Staff's conclusions and recommendations were developed with input from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), a cooperating agency. The project would transport 341 million cubic feet per day of natural gas from supply basins in the central Rocky Mountains to Wyoming. From these points, other interstate transporters would be able to ship the gas to markets in the western and central United States.
Staff believes that the proposed project with its additional mitigation would have limited adverse environmental impacts because:
- 82 percent of the proposed pipeline would be located adjacent to existing pipeline, utility, and road
right of ways.
- The proposed pipeline would parallel existing pipelines and generally be installed
at a 40-foot offset from the nearest pipeline centerline;
- The project would be consistent with or in conformance with federal resource management plans;
- The applicant would implement a number of resource- or activity-specific plans, procedures, and agreements to protect natural resources, avoid or limit environmental impact, and promote restoration of all disturbed areas during construction and operation of the project;
- The use of the horizontal directional drill method would avoid disturbances to the beds and banks of the Little Snake, White, and Yampa Rivers; and
- The BLM will use the final EIS in its Record of Decision for the Piceance Project.
FERC Commissioners will take into consideration staff's recommendations and the FEIS when they make a decision on the project.
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