[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 62 (Monday, March 31, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16920-16921]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-6565]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 6161]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and 
Notice of Floodplain and Wetland Involvement; Enbridge Energy, Limited 
Partnership (``Alberta Clipper Project'')

AGENCY: Department of State.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
and Notice of Floodplain and Wetland Involvement; Enbridge Energy, 
Limited Partnership (``Alberta Clipper Project'').

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    Enbridge Energy, Limited Partnership (``EELP'') has applied to the 
Department of State for a Presidential Permit, pursuant to Executive 
Order 13337 of April 30, 2004, to construct, connect, operate, and 
maintain a 36-inch diameter crude oil and liquid hydrocarbon pipeline 
at the U.S.-Canadian border near Neche, Pembina County, North Dakota, 
for the purpose of transporting liquid hydrocarbons and other petroleum 
products between the United States and Canada. EELP seeks this 
authorization in connection with its Alberta Clipper Pipeline Project 
(``Alberta Clipper Project''), which is designed to transport Canadian 
crude oil from the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin (``WCSB'') to 
existing refinery markets in the Midwest region of the United States.
    On July 27, 2007, the Department of State published notice of 
intent to prepare an environmental assessment and to conduct scoping 
hearings for the Alberta Clipper Project (72 FR 41381). Based on public 
comments received during twelve public hearings conducted along the 
proposed pipeline route in August 2007, comments received by the 
Department during the 45-day public comment period, and on 
consultations with other federal agencies, the Department of State has 
concluded that the issuance of the Presidential Permit to EELP for the 
Alberta Clipper Project would constitute a major federal action that 
may have a significant impact upon the environment within the meaning 
of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). For this reason, the 
Department of State intends to prepare an environmental impact 
statement (EIS) to address reasonably foreseeable impacts from the 
proposed action and alternatives to the proposed action. The Department 
will comply with section 106 of the Historic Preservation Act and 
section 7 of the Endangered Species Act.
    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) is a cooperating agency in 
the preparation of the EIS by the Department. The Corps is also 
independently reviewing the Albert Clipper proposal in connection with 
its own decision on EELP's application for a Department of the Army 
section 404 Clean Water Act and section 10 Rivers and Harbors Act 
permit. Any questions or concerns regarding the aquatic environment 
along the proposed pipeline route can be forwarded to: U.S. Army Corps 
of Engineers, St. Paul District, CE MVP-OP-R, Attn: Leo Grabowski, 
Brainerd Field Office, 10867 East Gull Lake Drive NW., Brainerd, MN 
56401-9051.
    The purpose of this Notice of Intent is to inform the public about 
the proposed action. As the proposed project may involve an action in a 
floodplain or wetland, the EIS will include a floodplain and wetlands 
assessment and floodplain statement of findings.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the proposed 
project or to receive a copy of the Draft Alberta Clipper EIS when it 
is issued, contact Elizabeth Orlando at OES/ENV Room

[[Page 16921]]

2657, U.S. Department of State, Washington, DC 20520, or by telephone 
(202) 647-4284, or by fax at (202) 647-5947, or by e-mail at: 
[email protected]. More information on the EELP Alberta Clipper 
Project, including associated maps and drawings, is available in its 
entirety from an Enbridge-hosted project Web site: http://www.enbridgeUS.com/publicinfo. This Web site will NOT accept public 
comments for the record. All public documents related to EELP's permit 
application, including EELP's permit application and the draft EIS when 
produced, can be viewed and downloaded at: http://albertaclipper.state.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In the U.S., the Alberta Clipper Project 
would consist of approximately 326 miles of new 36-inch-diameter 
pipeline from the United States-Canada border near Neche, North Dakota 
to the existing EELP tank farm in Superior, Wisconsin. EELP proposes to 
construct the pipeline generally along its existing pipeline right-of-
way. EELP proposes to begin construction of the project in November 
2008. Construction would occur over approximately 14 months, with an 
in-service date on or before December 31, 2009. U.S. counties that 
could possibly be affected by construction of the proposed pipeline 
are:
    North Dakota: Pembina.
    Minnesota: Kittson, Marshall, Pennington, Red Lake, Polk, 
Clearwater, Beltrami, Hubbard, Cass, Itasca, Aitkin, St. Louis, 
Carlton.
    Wisconsin: Douglas.
    Construction of the proposed pipeline would generally require a 
140-foot-wide construction right-of-way to allow temporary storage of 
topsoil and spoil and to accommodate safe operation of construction 
equipment. EELP would retain a portion of the construction right-of-way 
in order to maintain a 75-feet right-of-way from the current outermost 
pipeline.

    Issued in Washington, DC on March 25, 2008.
Stephen J. Gallogly,
Director, International Energy and Commodity Policy, Department of 
State.
[FR Doc. E8-6565 Filed 3-28-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-07-P