Buffalo Field Office
| Contacts: | Lesley A. Collins | |||
| 307-261-7603 |
ROD Released for Bison Pipeline Project
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has released the record of decision (ROD) for the Bison Pipeline Project. Bison Pipeline, Limited Liability Corporation (LLC) an indirect subsidiary of TransCanada Northern Border Incorporated, acting as agent for TransCanada Pipeline USA Ltd., has proposed to construct and operate approximately 302 miles of natural gas pipeline and ancillary facilities beginning near Dead Horse, Wyo. The pipeline will pass through southern Montana and North Dakota, and interconnect with TransCanada Northern Border’s existing pipeline in North Dakota.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is the agency responsible for authorizing interstate natural gas transmission facilities under the Natural Gas Act, and is the lead agency for the preparation of the final environmental impact statement (EIS) in compliance with the requirements of National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
The BLM signed the pipeline Right of Way (ROW) on July 19. The right-of-way across an estimated 24.9 miles of BLM-administered lands including 3.04 miles of BLM-administered lands in Wyoming, 17.10 miles of BLM-administered lands in Montana, 4.71 miles of BLM-administered lands in North Dakota, and approximately 2.13 miles of pipeline collocated on BLM land.
The EIS analyzed and disclosed the direct, indirect, and cumulative environmental impacts of Bison’s proposed pipeline route under the No Action and Proposed Action alternatives, along with five major route alternatives.
The ROD, issued on July 15, evaluated the potential environmental impacts of Bison’s proposed pipeline route along with a No Action and Postponed Action alternative, and 5 major route alternatives.
The ROD is available online at www.blm.gov/wy/st/en/info/NEPA/bfodocs/bisonpipeline.html.
The ROD is also available at the following offices:
- BLM, Buffalo Field Office, 1425 Fort Street, Buffalo WY
- BLM, Miles City Field Office, 111 Garryowen Road, Miles City, MT
- BLM, North Dakota Field Office, 99 23rd Avenue West, Dickinson, ND.
Questions may be directed to Amber Haverlock, Project Manager, at the BLM’s Buffalo Field Office, 1425 Fort Street, Buffalo, WY 82834 or by calling her at (307) 684-1170.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, recreational and other activities on BLM-managed land contributed more than $130 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 600,000 American jobs. The Bureau is also one of a handful of agencies that collects more revenue than it spends. In FY 2012, nearly $5.7 billion will be generated on lands managed by the BLM, which operates on a $1.1 billion budget. 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.
Buffalo Field Office 1425 Fort Street Buffalo, WY 82834