08-11-06

Three related Rocky Mountain natural gas pipeline projects would be environmentally acceptable with appropriate mitigation measures, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's staff concluded in a draft environmental impact statement.
Known as the Rockies West Phase Project, the three proposed pipelines would transport 1.5 bn cfpd of gas, FERC said Nov. 3. The three are the REX-West Project, proposed by Rockies Express Pipeline; the Blanco to Meeker Project, proposed by TransColorado Gas Transmission, and the Wamsutter Expansion Project, proposed by Questar Overthrust Pipeline.

FERC said that its staff concluded that the projects would be environmentally acceptable because:
-- More than 99 % of the REX-West facilities would be on existing rights-of-way while the Wamsutter Expansion Project would parallel existing rights-of-way for its entire length.
-- The overall project would be consistent with or conform to federal resource management plans.
-- The three pipelines' sponsors would use 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 the pipelines' construction and operation.
-- Horizontally drilling would not disturb beds and banks of the Missouri River on the Kansas-Missouri state line and of Big Creek in Missouri along the REX-West main line, and of Ten Mile Creek in Wyoming along the Wamsutter Expansion mainline.
-- Appropriate consultations with the US Bureau of Land Management, US Fish and Wildlife Service and states' historic preservation offices, as well as resulting compliance actions, would be completed before construction would be allowed to commence on each of the three projects.
-- An environmental inspection and monitoring program would be implemented to ensure compliance with all mitigation measures, certificate conditions, requirements in the BLM's development plan, and other stipulations included in permits from authorizing federal, state, and local agencies.

FERC said that its commissioners would consider staff recommendations and the final EIS when they issue final decisions on the projects.