[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 37 (Monday, February 26, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Page 8363]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-3178]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Notice of Cancellation of Programmatic Environmental Impact 
Statement for Implementation of the Carbon Sequestration Program

AGENCY: National Energy Technology Laboratory, Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of cancellation of Environmental Impact Statement 
Process.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE) has decided to cancel the 
preparation of a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) for 
the assessment of potential environmental impacts from DOE's Carbon 
Sequestration Program, as described in a Notice of Intent published in 
the Federal Register on April 21, 2004 (69 FR 21514). DOE had intended 
to prepare the PEIS, pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA), to address the potential environmental impacts of carbon 
sequestration technologies and potential future demonstration 
activities under the Carbon Sequestration Program, which is being 
implemented by the DOE Office of Fossil Energy through its National 
Energy Technology Laboratory. DOE conducted public scoping meetings in 
May and June 2004 in eight cities, and began preparation of the PEIS.
    However, upon further consideration, DOE has determined that the 
continuation of the PEIS did not warrant its effort and expense since 
the research from the Regional Partnerships and other Program 
activities in carbon sequestration are enhancing our understanding of 
the area and the PEIS would not direct any programmatic decisions at 
this time. DOE will continue to perform project-specific NEPA reviews 
of its carbon sequestration research, development and demonstration 
activities.
    In order to facilitate future project-specific NEPA reviews, DOE 
will make available to the public a Carbon Sequestration Reference 
Document, based on the data and analyses developed in conjunction with 
the PEIS preparation effort. DOE believes this approach would best 
enable the Department to meet its Carbon Sequestration Program 
objectives and continue to provide pertinent environmental data and 
analyses for future project- and site-specific NEPA reviews under the 
Program.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Heino Beckert, National Energy 
Technology Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, P.O. Box 880, 
Morgantown, WV 26507-0880, by telephone (304) 285-4132, or electronic 
mail at [email protected].

    Issued in Pittsburgh, PA, on this 9th day of February, 2007.
Carl O. Bauer,
Director, National Energy Technology Laboratory.
 [FR Doc. E7-3178 Filed 2-23-07; 8:45 am]
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