Nevada State Office
| Contacts: | Leona Rodreick | , 775-753-0386 (Elko) | ||
| Lisa Ross | , 775-623-1541 (Winnemucca) | |||
| JoLynn Worley | , 775-861-6515 (Reno) |
Ruby Pipeline Project Draft EIS Available for Public Review
Reno, Nevada – Federal agencies are seeking public comments on the draft environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Ruby Pipeline Project, a proposed natural gas pipeline that would stretch from Wyoming through Utah and Nevada to Oregon. A Notice of Availability of the draft document was published in the Federal Register on June 19. The comment period ends Aug. 10, 2009.
Two public meetings will be held in Nevada during July. Both meetings begin at 7 p.m.
- Thurs., July 23: Convention Center, 50 W. Winnemucca Blvd., Winnemucca
- Tue., July 28: Hilton Garden Inn, 3650 East Idaho St., Elko
The public is invited to provide specific comments or concerns about the Ruby Pipeline Project. Comments should focus on the potential environmental effects, reasonable alternatives, and measures to avoid or lessen environmental impacts. The more specific the comments, the more useful they will be. Comments on the draft EIS will be included in the final EIS.
The draft EIS was prepared to satisfy the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). The draft EIS evaluates, analyzes, and discloses to the public the direct, indirect, and cumulative environmental impacts of Ruby’s proposed project.
Multiple Federal and state agencies are participating with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in the preparation of the EIS, including the U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Bureau of Reclamation, and Fish and Wildlife Service; the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service and Natural Resources Conservation Service; the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; the State of Utah Public Lands Policy Coordination Office; and the Lincoln County, Wyoming Board of County Commissioners. Cooperating agencies have jurisdiction by law or special expertise with respect to resources potentially affected by the proposal, and participate in the NEPA analysis.
The BLM is responsible for issuance of right-of-way for federally managed lands under the authority of the Mineral Leasing Act. The BLM field offices involved in the proposal are: Kemmerer Field Office, Wyoming; Salt Lake Field Office, Utah; Elko and Winnemucca field offices, Nevada; Lakeview Resource Area and Klamath Falls Field Office, Oregon; and Surprise Field Office, California.
The public may submit comments electronically, by mail or in person at the public meetings. To submit comments electronically, go to the FERC website at http://www.ferc.gov, or efiling@ferc.gov. Submit comments by mail to: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First St. NE; Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426. Please include an original and two copies of comments sent by mail. Reference Docket No. CP09-54-000 and label one copy to the attention of the Gas Branch 1, PJ-11.1.
After the comments are reviewed, any significant new issues are investigated, and modifications are made to the draft EIS, a final EIS will be published and distributed. The final EIS will contain responses to timely comments received on the draft EIS.
Copies of the draft EIS are available at BLM and Forest Service offices where the project is proposed to be located. The draft EIS is also available online at the FERC website: www.ferc.gov.
For further information, contact the National Project Manager Mark Mackiewicz at 435-636-3616, or 125 South 600 West, Price, UT 84501.
The BLM manages more land - 253 million acres - than any other Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The Bureau, with a budget of about $1 billion, also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.
Nevada State Office 1340 Financial Blvd, Reno NV 89502