Nick Snow
OGJ Washington Editor
WASHINGTON, DC, Sept. 1 -- A proposed 302-mile natural gas pipeline from a site near Gillette, Wyo., to an interconnection in Morton County, ND, would have some adverse environmental impacts that could be reduced with appropriate measures, said the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in a draft environmental impact statement.
The Bison Pipeline Project would include a 30-in. line from the Dead Horse Region near Gillette across southeastern Montana and southwestern North Dakota where it would connect with Northern Border Pipeline Co.’s system near Northern Border’s Compressor Station No. 6, according to project sponsor Bison Pipeline LLC.
It said the line would have a 477 MMcfd design capacity, which could be expanded to 1 bcfd. Bison Pipeline added that it hopes to have the line operating by Nov. 15, 2010. Bison Pipeline, which is based in Omaha, is part of a TransCanada Corp. subsidiary. TransCanada also is a partner and operator of Northern Border.
FERC noted that the proposed project also would include a 4,700-hp compressor station in Hettinger County, ND. It pointed out that its draft EIS contains conclusions and recommendations from the commission’s staff, which considered input from the US Bureau of Land Management as a cooperating agency.
BLM will present its own conclusions and recommendations in a separate record of decision and adopt FERC’s final EIS if, after independently reviewing it, the US Department of the Interior agency concludes that its permitting requirements have been satisfied, FERC continued.
‘Less than significant’
In its draft EIS, FERC said the proposed line would result in some adverse impacts if it is approved with Bison’s proposed minimization and mitigation measures and FERC’s recommended mitigation measures. “However, these impacts would be reduced to less than significant levels with the implementation of Bison’s proposed mitigation and the additional measures we recommend in the EIS,” it said.
It indicated that the proposed line would use existing rights-of-way for 53.1 miles, or 17.6% of its route. “The proposed route has been significantly influenced by agency recommendations to avoid sensitive wildlife habitats and vegetation types. Bison has been responsive to landowner requests for minor route modifications and has adopted many of these into the route evaluated in this EIS,” FERC said.
Bison also would reduce adverse impacts to more acceptable levels if it used dry-crossing methods on fisheries of special concern based on its own proposal and FERC’s recommendation, the draft EIS said. It also recommended that the company complete all necessary surveys for sensitive species and cultural resources, and the appropriate consultations before beginning construction.
FERC said it would accept comments on the draft EIS through Oct. 12. It said that commissioners would consider staff recommendations and a final EIS before making a final decision on the proposed project.
Contact Nick Snow at [email protected].
Map from Canada Energy Regulator.
