[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 153 (Thursday, August 9, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44908-44910]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-3872]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE


Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Proposed TransCanada Keystone Pipeline Project

August 3, 2007.
AGENCY: Department of State.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) for the Proposed TransCanada Keystone Pipeline Project.

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SUMMARY: The staff of the Department of State has prepared a draft 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Proposed TransCanada 
Keystone Pipeline Project. On April 19, 2006, TransCanada Keystone 
Pipeline, LLC (``Keystone'') filed an application for a Presidential 
permit for the construction, operation, and maintenance of pipeline 
facilities at the border of the U.S. and Canada for the transport of 
crude oil across the U.S.-Canada international boundary. According to 
the application, Keystone has requested authorization to construct and 
operate the border crossing facilities at the U.S.-Canadian border at 
Cavalier County, North Dakota, in connection with its proposed 
international pipeline project (the ``Keystone Pipeline Project''), 
which is designed to transport incremental Canadian crude oil 
production from the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin (``WCSB'') to 
existing terminals in Missouri, Illinois, and potentially Oklahoma.
    The Secretary of State is designated and empowered to receive all 
applications for Presidential permits, as referred to in Executive 
Order 13337, as amended, for the construction, connection, operation, 
or maintenance, at the borders of the United States, of facilities for 
the exportation or importation of petroleum, petroleum products, coal, 
or other fuels to or from a foreign country. any person wishing to 
comment on the draft EIS may do so. To ensure consideration prior to a 
Department of State decision on the Keystone proposal, it is important 
that we receive your comments by no later than September 24, 2007.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The draft EIS was prepared to satisfy the 
requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and to 
evaluate the potential environmental impacts of the proposed pipeline 
project. The document also evaluates alternatives to the proposal, 
including system alternatives and pipeline route alternatives.
    The Federal cooperating agencies for the development of this EIS 
are: U.S. Department of Energy; U.S. Army Corp. of Engineers; U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service; U.S. Department of Agriculture--Farm Service 
Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Rural Utility 
Service; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; and the Advisory Council 
of Historic Preservation. Cooperating agencies either have jurisdiction 
by law or special expertise with respect to the environmental impacts 
assessed in connection with the proposal and are involved in the 
Department's analysis of those environmental impacts.

[[Page 44909]]

    The draft EIS addresses the potential environmental effects of the 
construction and operation of the United States portion of the Keystone 
Pipeline Project. The Keystone Project initially would have nominal 
transport capacity of 435,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil from 
the oil supply hub near Hardisty, Alberta to an existing terminal and 
refinery at Wood River, Illinois, and on to an existing terminal at 
Patoka, Illinois. According to Keystone, additional pumping capacity 
could be added to increase the average throughput to 591,000 bpd, if 
warranted by future shipper demand and market conditions.
    Two pipeline extensions are proposed by Keystone and would be 
built, if deemed feasible by Keystone, based on shipper demand. The 
extensions would provide for transporting crude oil from terminals in 
Ft. Saskatchewan, Alberta to existing facilities in Cushing, Oklahoma. 
With these extensions, the pipeline would interconnect with existing 
crude oil pipelines that supply U.S. Gulf Coast refinery markets. 
TransCanada announced on July 3, 2007, that the proposed Keystone Oil 
Pipeline project had secured 155,000 bpd of additional firm shipper 
contracts from Hardisty, Alberta, to Cushing, Oklahoma, with a contract 
duration averaging 16 years. These commitments were obtained through 
the successful completion of a binding Open Season held to support an 
expansion of the proposed pipeline to 590,000 bpd and an extension of 
the proposed pipeline to Cushing, Oklahoma. According to TransCanada, 
it has now secured long term contracts for the Keystone project for a 
total of 495,000 bpd with average contract duration of 18 years.
    In total, the Keystone Project would consist of the Mainline 
Project (approximately 1,845 miles of pipeline, including about 767 
miles in Canada and 1,078 miles in the United States) and the Cushing 
Extension (293.5 miles of pipeline in the United States). Including the 
Cushing Extension, the total length of pipeline in the United States 
would be 1,371.5 miles.
    In Canada, the Keystone Project would involve the purchase of an 
existing 537-mile, 34-inch-diameter pipeline currently owned by 
TransCanada Limited, a related TransCanada entity, and conversion of 
that pipeline to crude oil service; construction of a new 230-mile 
pipeline extension from Hardisty to the existing 537-mile pipeline, and 
construction of a pipeline extension from the existing pipeline to the 
U.S./Canada border. On February 12, 2007, the Canadian National Energy 
Board (NEB) approved the transfer at net book value of a portion of 
TransCanada's Canadian Mainline natural gas transmission facilities to 
TransCanada Keystone Pipeline GP Ltd. Appropriate regulatory 
authorities in Canada are conducting an independent environmental 
review process for the proposed Canadian facilities. The Canadian NEB 
began public hearings addressing the Canadian portion of the Keystone 
Pipeline in June 2007.
    In the United States, the Mainline Project would comprise a 1,023-
mile segment of 30-inch-diameter pipe from the Canadian border to Wood 
River, Illinois and an approximately 56-mile segment of 24-inch-
diameter pipe between Wood River and Patoka, Illinois. The Cushing 
Extension would consist of 293.5 miles of 36-inch-diameter pipe 
extending from Steele City, Nebraska, to Cushing, Oklahoma. Keystone 
has advised the Department of State that construction of the Cushing 
Extension could occur, if warranted by future shipper demand and market 
conditions. The draft EIS prepared by the Department of State describes 
and evaluates the U.S. portion of the proposed Keystone Project, 
including both the Mainline Project and Cushing Extension, and the 
additional facilities required to increase throughput capacity to 
591,000 bpd.
    Keystone intends to construct the 30- and 36-inch-diameter 
pipelines within a 110-foot-wide corridor, consisting of a temporary 
60-foot-wide construction right-of-way (ROW) and a 50-foot-wide 
permanent ROW. In Illinois, the 24-inch-diameter pipeline segment would 
be constructed within a 95-foot-wide corridor, consisting of a 
temporary 45-foot-wide construction ROW and a 50-foot-wide permanent 
ROW.
    The Keystone Project would require construction of pump stations, 
pigging (cleaning) facilities, delivery facilities, and densitometer 
sites (for detection of crude oil batch interfaces). Mainline valves 
(MLVs) would be placed along the pipeline at locations necessary to 
maintain adequate flow through the pipeline. Keystone has advised the 
State Department that valves would be installed and located as dictated 
by the hydraulic characteristics of the pipeline and as required by 
federal regulations, with the intent to provide for public safety and 
environmental protection as part of pipeline integrity management 
practices.
    Densitometer sites for detection of crude oil batch interfaces 
would be located at Steele City (at the junction of the Mainline 
Project and Cushing Extension), as well as at Wood River and Patoka, 
Illinois, and Ponca City and Cushing, Oklahoma, where delivery metering 
and power facilities also would be located. According to Keystone, 
electrical transmission lines and associated substation upgrades 
required for Keystone Project would be constructed by local providers, 
who would be responsible for obtaining any necessary Federal, State, 
and local approvals or authorizations. Construction and operation of 
these facilities are considered connected actions under NEPA and 
therefore are evaluated within this draft EIS.
    U.S. States and counties that could possibly be affected by 
construction of the proposed pipeline, including the proposed Cushing 
extension, are:
     North Dakota: Pembina, Cavalier, Walsh, Nelson, Steele, 
Barnes, Ransom, Dickey, and Sargent;
     South Dakota: Marshall, Brown, Day, Clark, Beadle, 
Kingsbury, Miner, Hanson, McCook, Hutchinson, and Yankton;
     Nebraska: Cedar, Wayne, Stanton, Platte, Colfax, Butler, 
Seward, Saline, Jefferson, and Gage;
     Kansas: Marshall, Nemaha, Brown, Washington, Clay, 
Dickinson, Marion, Butler, Cowley, and Doniphan;
     Missouri: Buchanan, Clinton, Caldwell, Carroll, Chariton, 
Randolph, Audrain, Montgomery, Lincoln, and St. Charles;
     Illinois: Madison, Bond, Fayette, Marion, and Clinton; and
     Oklahoma (under a possible future extension): Kay, Noble, 
and Payne.
    Comment Procedures and Public Meetings: Any person wishing to 
comment on the draft EIS may do so. To ensure consideration prior to a 
Department of State decision on the proposal, it is important that we 
receive your comments by no later than September 24, 2007.
    Options for submitting comments on the Draft EIS are as follows:
     By mail to: Elizabeth Orlando, Keystone Project Manager, 
U.S. Department of State, OES/ENV Room 2657, Washington, DC 20520. 
Please note that Department of State mail can be delayed due to 
security screening.
     Fax to: (202) 647-5947, attention Betsy Orlando.
     E-mail to: [email protected].
     Comment over the internet via the Keystone EIS Web site: 
http://www.keystonepipeline.state.gov.
    Comments received will be included in the public docket without 
change and may be made available on-line at http://www.keystonepipeline.state.gov, including any personal information 
provided, unless the commenter indicates that the comment includes 
information claimed to be Confidential

[[Page 44910]]

Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is 
restricted by statute. Do not submit information that you consider to 
be CBI, or otherwise protected, through e-mail. If you send by e-mail, 
your e-mail address will be automatically captured and included as part 
of the comment that is placed in the public docket and made available 
on the Internet. If you submit an electronic comment, we recommend that 
you include your name and other contact information in the body of your 
comment and with any disk or CD-ROM you submit. If we cannot read your 
comment because of technical difficulties and cannot contact you for 
clarification, we may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic 
comments should avoid the use of any special characters, any form of 
encryption, and be free of any defects or viruses.
    In addition to or in lieu of sending written comments, the 
Department of State invites you to attend the public meetings in the 
project area to receive comments on the draft EIS. The public meetings 
will be conducted in a workshop style. A court reporter will be present 
and will accept comments for the record. Dates and locations for the 
public meetings are:
     Tuesday, September 4, 2007, 7 to 9 p.m., Carrolton, 
Missouri, Rupe community Building (Behind Fire Station, park on north 
side of building, do not block fire station), 710 Harvest Hills Road, 
Carrollton.
     Wednesday, September 5, 2007, 7 to 9 p.m., St. Charles, 
Missouri, Days Inn Meeting Room, 2781 Veterans Memorial Parkway (off I-
70 South Service Road), St. Charles.
     Thursday, September 6, 2007, 7 to 9 p.m., Collinsville, 
Illinois, Gateway Center Marquette Room, One Gateway Drive (Highway 157 
& Eastport Plaza Drive), Collinsville.
     Tuesday, September 11, 2007, 7 to 9 p.m., Yankton, South 
Dakota, Minerva Convention Centre at the Best Western Kelly Inn, 1607 
East Highway 50, Yankton.
     Tuesday, September 11, 2007, 7 to 9 p.m., Michigan, North 
Dakota, Michigan Civic Center, 113 Broadway N., Michigan.
     Wednesday, September 12, 2007, 7 to 9 p.m., Stanton, 
Nebraska, VFW Meeting Hall, 1106 Veteran's Avenue, Stanton.
     Wednesday, September 12, 2007, 7 to 9 p.m., Lisbon, North 
Dakota, Commons Room, Lisbon High School, 502 Ash Street, Lisbon.
     Thursday, September 13, 7 to 9 p.m., Seward, Nebraska, 
Seward Civic Center Auditorium, 616 Bradford Street, Seward.
     Thursday, September 13, 2007, 7 to 9 p.m., Clark, South 
Dakota, Clark Community Center, 120 N. Commercial Street, Clark.
     Monday, September 17, 2007, 7 to 9 p.m., Seneca, Kansas, 
Nemaha Community Center, 1500 Community Drive, Seneca.
     Tuesday, September 18, 2007, 7 to 9 p.m., Senior Citizens 
Center, Abilene, Kansas, 100 N. Elm, Abilene.
     Wednesday, September 19, 2007, 7 to 9 p.m., El Dorado, 
Kansas, El Dorado Civic Center Main Meeting Room, 201 E. Central, El 
Dorado.
     Thursday, September 20, 2007, 7 to 9 p.m., Ponca City, 
Oklahoma, Econo Lodge Meeting Room, 212 S. 14th Street, Ponca City.
    After 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 by the Department of State. The final 
EIS will contain the Department's response to timely comments received 
on the draft EIS.
    Copies of the draft EIS have been mailed to interested Federal, 
State and local agencies; public interest groups; individuals and 
affected landowners who requested a copy of the draft EIS or who 
provided comments during the scoping process; libraries; newspapers; 
and other stakeholders.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The TransCanada Keystone Pipeline 
application for a Presidential Permit, including associated maps and 
drawings; the draft EIS; a list of libraries where the draft EIS may be 
viewed; and other project information is available for viewing and 
download at the project Web site: http//www.keystonepipeline.state.gov.
    For information on the proposed project or the draft EIS, contact 
Elizabeth Orlando, OES/ENV Room 2657, U.S. Department of State, 
Washington, DC 20520, or by telephone (202) 647-4284, or by fax at 
(202) 647-5947.

David Brown,
Director, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and 
Scientific Affairs/Office of Environmental Policy, U.S. Department of 
State.
[FR Doc. 07-3872 Filed 8-8-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-07-M