Final EIS released for Ruby Pipeline Project
by Bureau of Land Management
January 8, 2010
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and Cooperating Agencies, including the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and US Forest Service (USFS), have released the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Ruby Pipeline Project. Ruby Pipeline, LLC proposes to construct and operate approximately 678 miles of natural gas pipeline and ancillary facilities beginning near Opal, Wyoming, passing through northern Utah and Nevada andterminating near the California-Oregon state line in Klamath County, Oregon. The Federal agencies are seeking public review and comment on thefinal EIS and will accept comments during a 30-day period until Feb. 8, 2010.
The FERC is the federal agency responsible for authorizing interstate natural gas transmission facilities under the Natural Gas Act, and is the lead federal agency for the preparation of this EIS in compliance with the requirements of National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The BLM will use the FEIS to consider Ruby’s application for a right-of-way grant across an estimated 280 miles of BLM (259 miles), National Forest (18 miles) and Bureau of Reclamation (3 miles) federal lands crossed by this project. The USFS is also evaluating proposed land use plan amendments to the Fremont-Winema and Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forests, which would be required if the pipeline project were approved. These and other federal and state agencies with authority to review and authorize the Ruby project with a permit or other form of approval must issue their final decisions by April 8, 2010.
The Draft EIS, issued on June 19, 2009, evaluated the potentialenvironmental impacts of Ruby’s proposed pipeline route along with a No Action and Postponed Action alternative, and 15 major route alternatives. Three of the route alternatives were recommended by FERC for incorporation into Ruby’s final proposal. Public and agency comments on the Draft EIS were included and addressed in the Final EIS which concludes that the construction and operation of the Ruby Pipeline Project would result in some adverse environmental impacts. Most of these adverse impacts would be reduced to less-than-significant levels through the implementation of mitigation measures and agency agreements.
A copy of the Final EIS has been sent to affected federal, state and local government agencies and interested parties. It is also available on the Internet at http://www.ferc.gov and at the following federal agency offices:
• BLM, Kemmerer Field Office, 312 Hwy 189 N, Kemmerer WY
• BLM, Salt Lake Field Office, 2370 South 2300 West, Salt Lake City, UT
• BLM, Elko Field Office, 3900 E. Idaho Street, Elko, NV
• BLM, Winnemucca Field Office, 5100 E. Winnemucca Blvd, Winnemucca NV
• BLM, Lakeview Resource Area, 1301 S. G St., Lakeview, OR
• BLM, Klamath Falls Field Office, 2795 Anderson Ave., Ste. 25, Klamath Falls, OR
• BLM, Surprise Field Office, 602 Cressler St., Cedarville, CA
• Fremont-Winema National Forests, 1301 S. G St., Lakeview, OR
• Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, 324 25th St., Ogden, UT
• Bureau of Reclamation, Klamath Basin Area Office, 6600 Washburn Way, Klamath Falls, OR
You may submit written comments on the Final EIS to the BLM until Feb. 8, 2010. Comments may be sent to the BLM web site:
http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/info/nepa/ruby_pipeline_project.html, by
e-mail: blmruby@blm.gov, or by mail to: Mark Mackiewicz, BLM National Project Manager, c/o125 South 600 West, Price, UT 84501.
Questions concerning the BLM may be directed to Mark Mackiewicz at the above address or by phone: 435-636-3616. Questions about the proposed National Forest land use plan amendments should be directed to Catherine Callaghan at the Fremont-Winema National Forests: 541-947-2151 or to David Ream at the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest: 801-236-3400.
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