U.S. Department of State Announces the Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Keystone XL Pipeline Mainline Alternative Route in Nebraska The U.S. Department of State (Department) announces availability of the Draft Environmental Assessment (Draft EA) for the Proposed Keystone XL Pipeline Mainline Alternative Route Project in Nebraska for public review and comment. The Draft EA evaluates the potential environmental impacts of the proposed Keystone XL Mainline Alternative Route –consistent with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969– in support of the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) review of TransCanada Keystone Pipeline, L.P.’s (Keystone) application for a right-of-way. On January 26, 2017, Keystone resubmitted its Presidential permit application for the proposed Keystone XL pipeline. Subsequently, on March 23, 2017, the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs determined that issuance of a Presidential permit to Keystone to construct, connect, operate, and maintain at the border of the United States pipeline facilities to transport crude oil from Canada to the United States would serve the national interest. Accordingly, the Under Secretary issued a Presidential permit to Keystone for the Keystone XL pipeline. Later, on November 20, 2017, the Nebraska Public Service Commission approved the Mainline Alternative Route for that pipeline in the State of Nebraska. Keystone’s application to BLM for a right-of-way remains pending with that agency. The Draft EA will be used to determine if there are potentially significant impacts from the proposed Mainline Alternative Route and to identify any potential mitigation measures to avoid significant adverse effects. Under the Proposed Action, Keystone would construct the portion of the Keystone XL Project in Nebraska along the Mainline Alternative Route. This would include approximately 162 miles of construction, connection, operation and maintenance along the Mainline Alternative Route of the proposed new 36-inch diameter pipeline and related ancillary facilities within Nebraska that were not analyzed within the 2014 Keystone XL Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement. The Department invites members of the public, government agencies, tribal governments, and all other interested parties to comment on the Draft EA for the proposed Keystone XL Mainline Alternative Route during the 30-day public comment period. The public comment period starts with the publication of an announcement in the Federal Register and ends on August 29, 2018. Comments on the Draft EA may be submitted at www.regulations.gov by entering the title of this Notice into the search field and following the prompts. Comments may also be submitted by mail, addressed to: Mr. Marko Velikonja, Office of Environmental Quality and Transboundary Issues (OES/EQT), U.S. Department of State, 2201 C Street NW, Suite 2726, Washington, DC 20520. Comments provided by agencies and organizations should list a designated contact person. Please note that all comments received during the public comment period may be publicized. The Draft EA and project details for the Mainline Alternative Route are available at the following website: https://keystonepipeline-xl.state.gov/. MT — August 01, 2018
