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Guide to the West-Wide Energy Corridor Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement

Listed below are summaries of each major section of the West-wide Energy Corridor Draft Programmatic EIS with links to the full text of the (PEIS) in Adobe Acrobat PDF format.

If you wish to obtain a CD-ROM version of the Draft Programmatic EIS, use the Draft Programmatic EIS Order Form. The PEIS document is also available at DOE reading rooms and public libraries thoughout the eleven western states.

Volumes

Volume 1: Chapters 1-10
Volume 2: Appendices
Volume 3: Map Atlas

NOTE: All PEIS maps and additional maps products are available under West Wide Energy Corridor Draft PEIS Maps.

Volume I

 
Volume I Front Matter: Cover, Contents, Notation, English/Metric and Metric/English Equivalents

Summary: Frontmatter for Volume I of the Draft Programmatic EIS document, including cover page, letter to readers, table of contents, notation, units of measure, and Executive Summary.

PDF Front Matter (2.1 MB, 68 pages)

 
Executive Summary

Summary: A brief overview of the Draft Programmatic EIS, including discussion of the need and purpose of the PEIS, scope of the PEIS, summaries of the proposed action and alternatives, method employed for siting energy corridors, and potential impacts under the alternatives.

PDF Executive Summary (2 MB, 40 pages)

 
Chapter 1: Why Are Federal Agencies Proposing To Designate Energy Corridors In the West?

Summary: Includes discussion of the need and purpose of the PEIS, existing administrative challenges to federal rights-of-way authorization, summary of the proposed action, expediting the application process, reason for "no effect" determination under the Endangered Species Act, alternatives considered, proposed planning decisions, project outreach, and applicable laws and regulations.

PDF Chapter 1 (4.3 MB, 26 pages)

 
Chapter 2: What Are the Alternatives Evaluated In This PEIS?

Summary: Description of the two alternatives analyzed in detail in the PEIS: (1) No Action: no land would be designated as a Section 368 energy corridor, and (2) Proposed Action: designation of Section 368 energy corridors and amendment of land use plans on federal land. This chapter also details the process taken to site corridors that would be designated under the Proposed Action Alternative. Other alternatives considered but eliminated from detailed study are also described. A summary comparison of the environmental consequences of the analyzed alternatives is presented.

PDF Chapter 2 (26 MB, 56 pages)

 
Chapter 3: What Are the Potential Environmental Consequences of Corridor Designation and Land Use Plan Amendment?

Summary: Description of the nature and condition of potentially affected resources in the 11 western states as well as descriptions of the types of impacts that are typical during the construction, operation, and decommissioning of energy transport projects, regardless of project location. Resource-specific mitigation measures that could be used to minimize, avoid, or compensate for projectspecific impacts are also presented.

PDF Chapter 3 - Part 1 (Sections 3.1 - 3.3.3.2) (11 MB, 50 pages)
PDF Chapter 3 - Part 2 (Sections 3.3.4 - 3.5.4.2) (14 MB, 50 pages)
PDF Chapter 3 - Part 3 (Sections 3.6 - 3.8.1.3) (13 MB, 63 pages)
PDF Chapter 3 - Part 4 (Sections 3.8.1.4 - 3.10.3) (7 MB, 104 pages)
PDF Chapter 3 - Part 5 (Sections 3.10.4 - 3.14.4.3) (11 MB, 65 pages)

 
Chapter 4: How are Cumulative Impacts Evaluated?

Summary: Discussion of the impacts associated with West-wide energy corridor designation and land use plan amendments (the Proposed Action) in a broader context that takes into account the full range of impacts of actions taking place within the 11 western states in the foreseeable future.

PDF Chapter 4 (213 KB, 40 pages)

 
Chapter 5: What Unavoidable Adverse Impacts Might Be Caused By Corridor Designation and Land Use Plan Amendment?

Summary: Discussion of unavoidable adverse impacts to resources that could occur as a result of the development and operation of energy transport projects within the corridors designated under the Proposed Action or within project-specific ROWs under No Action.

PDF Chapter 5 (31 KB, 4 pages)

 
Chapter 6: The Relationship between Local Short-Term Uses of the Environment and Long-Term Productivity

Summary: Discussion of the relationship within each alternative between the short-term use of the environment and the maintenance and enhancement of long-term productivity.

PDF Chapter 6 (15KB, 2 pages)

 
Chapter 7: What Irreversible and Irretrievable Commitment of Resources Would Be Involved with Implementation of the Alternatives?

Summary: Discussion of irreversible and irretrievable commitments of resources could be incurred as a result of the designation of energy corridors under the Proposed Action Alternative, and also with implementation of specific energy transport projects within the designated corridors.

PDF Chapter 7 (15 KB, 2 pages)

 
Chapter 8: List of Preparers

Summary: List of individuals who participated in the preparation of the Draft PEIS, including a summary of their expertise, experience, professional discipline, and contribution to the Draft PEIS.

PDF Chapter 8 (559 KB, 6 pages)

 
Chapter 9: References

Summary: A list of references cited in Chapters 1 through 7.

PDF Chapter 9 (145 KB, 26 pages)

 
Chapter 10: Glossary

Summary: Definitions of scientific and technical terms used in the Draft PEIS.

PDF Chapter 10 (86 KB, 14 pages)

Volume II: Appendixes

 
Volume II Front Matter: Cover, Contents, Notation, English/Metric and Metric/English Equivalents

Summary: Frontmatter for Volume II of the Draft Programmatic EIS document, including cover page, table of contents, notation, and units of measure.

PDF Front Matter (69 KB, 18 pages)

 
Appendix A: Proposed Land Use Amendments

Summary: Table listing proposed land use plan amendments for designating EPAct Section 368 energy corridors.

PDF Appendix A (69 KB, 20 pages)

 
Appendix B: Summary of Public Scoping Comments For The Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement, Designation of Energy Corridors on Federal Land In The 11 Western States (DOE/FS-0386)

Summary: A summary of the public scoping process for the PEIS, incuding summaries of public scoping comments received.

PDF Appendix B (7 MB, 18 pages)

 
Appendix C: Tribal Consultation

Summary: A discussion of relevant statutes and orders requiring consultation, a description of the consultation process for this project, a summary of consultation that has occurred, lists of the Native American Tribes contacted, and copies of the materials provided to the Tribes.

PDF Appendix C (29 MB, 60 pages)

 
Appendix D: Federal and State Regulatory Requirements Potentially Applicable When Designating Energy Corridors

Summary: Tables listing the major federal and state laws and Executive Orders that establish requirements, permits, approvals, or consultations that may apply to the designation of energy corridors in the 11 western states that are the subject of this PEIS.

PDF Appendix D (79 KB, 24 pages)

 
Appendix E: Energy Transport Technologies and Hypothetical Energy Transport Projects

Summary: Detailed physical descriptions and discussion of energy transport technologies and hypothetical energy transport projects.

PDF Appendix E (5 MB, 30 pages)

 
Appendix F: Section 368 Corridor Parameters

Summary: Table listing lengths, widths, and compatible energy uses for Section 368 corridors on federal lands under the Proposed Action.

PDF Appendix F (33 KB, 8 pages)

 
Appendix G: Sensitive Resource Areas That Would Be Intersected by Proposed West-wide Energy Corridors

Summary: Table listing sensitive resource areas that would be intersected by proposed Section 368 corridors, including feature name, feature type, corridor segment ID, corresponding map identifier, and description of the nature of the intersection.

PDF Appendix G (67 KB, 12 pages)

 
Appendix H: Geographic Information System Data

Summary: Description of geographic information system data used for the PEIS, including data types, sources, scales, and quality.

PDF Appendix H (27 KB, 8 pages)

 
Appendix I: Summary of WWEC PEIS Webcasts for Corridor Review and Revision, 6/19/06 TO 4/24/07

Summary: Table listing webcasts held for corridor review and revision, listing states, dates, and participanting agencies.

PDF Appendix I (27 KB, 6 pages)

 
Appendix J: Proposed Energy Corridors That Would Require Consultation With The Department Of Defense during Project Planning

Summary: 11-state map showing proposed Section 368 corridors that intersect or occur near military training routes (MTRs) and special use areas (SUAs) where low-altitude military aircraft flights may regularly occur, or that intersect DOD facilities.

PDF Appendix J (3 MB, 4 pages)

 
Appendix K: Sites Owned By Federal Agencies and Federally Recognized Tribes by State

Summary: Table listing sites owned by federal agencies (includes site name, state, administrative unit, and length or area) and Federally Recognized Tribes by state

PDF Appendix K (377 KB, 36 pages)

 
Appendix L: Potential Fossil Yield Classifications (PFYC) For Geologic Formations Intersecting Proposed Corridors Under The Proposed Action by State

Summary: Table listing the PFYC classes and general locations of geologic units intersecting the proposed corridors under the Proposed Action as identified on state geologic maps.

PDF Appendix L (117 KB, 28 pages)

 
Appendix M: Water Resources

Summary: Tables listing Wild and Scenic Rivers by state, designation classification and administration authority for Wild and Scenic Rivers in the 11 Western States, and length of rivers crossing Section 368 corridors under the Proposed Action and their associated HLRs.

PDF Appendix M (99 KB, 20 pages)

 
Appendix N: Floodplain/Wetland Assessment of the Effects of Energy Corridor Designation in the 11 Western States

Summary: Evaluation of potential impacts to floodplains and wetlands from the designation of Section 368 energy corridors in the 11-state area.

PDF Appendix N (5 MB, 10 pages)

 
Appendix O: Ecoregion Descriptions

Summary: Brief descriptions of Level III ecoregions for 34 ecoregions covering the 11-state area.

PDF Appendix O (30 MB, 24 pages)

 
Appendix P: Selected Potentially Sensitive Visual Resource Areas Intersected by or in Close Proximity to Proposed West-wide Energy Corridors Designated under the Proposed Action

Summary: Tables listing intersections and proximity events of West-wide Energy Corridors with selected sensitive visual resource areas under the Proposed Action, including feature name, feature type, corridor segment ID, and corresponding map identifier.

PDF Appendix P (64 KB, 14 pages)

 
Appendix Q: Archaeological, Historic, and Ethnographic Context

Summary: Regional archaeological, historic, and ethnographic overviews for the Great Basin, Southwest, Plains, Plateau, California, and Northwest Coast cultural areas.

PDF Appendix Q (3 MB, 46 pages)

 
Appendix R: Cultural Resources Data Request

Summary: Description of process for information collection on cultural resources within the proposed corridors. Includes status and results of the collection.

PDF Appendix R (17 KB, 4 pages)

 
Appendix S: Socioeconomic Methods and Impacts

Summary: Discussion of socioeconomic analysis of project developments and assessment of impacts at the state level for each of the 11 western states.

PDF Appendix S (71 KB, 14 pages)

Volume III: Map Atlas

NOTE: All PEIS maps and additional maps products are available under West Wide Energy Corridor Draft PEIS Maps.

 
Volume III Front Matter: Cover, Contents, Notation, English/Metric and Metric/English Equivalents

Summary: Frontmatter for Volume III of the Draft Programmatic EIS document, including cover page, and document contents.

PDF Front Matter (8 MB, 8 pages)

PDF

Summary: 47 detailed maps showing proposed corridors and supporting information.


PDF

Summary: 11 state maps that show proposed corridors and supporting information.


PDF

Summary: 43 detailed maps showing proposed corridors in relation to selected sensitive resource areas.


PDF

Summary: 11 state maps that show where proposed corridors follow existing transportation and utility right of ways.


PDF

Summary: 11 state maps that show proposed Section 368 corridors within BLM field offices and Forest Service regions.