Ruby Pipeline project decision released

BLM NEWS RELEASE

The U. S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) on December 10 signed a Decision amend the Right-of-Way Grant (ROW) and the Plan of Development (POD) for the Ruby Pipeline Project, a 678 mile, 42-inch interstate natural gas pipeline that crosses 368 miles of Federal land beginning near Opal, Wyoming, through northern Utah and northern Nevada, and terminating near Malin, Oregon.

The Ruby Project was approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission April 5, 2010 and the Right of Way Grant and Plan of Development were approved by a Record of Decision (ROD) issued by the BLM on July 12, 2010.  Potential effects were analyzed in an Environmental Impact Statement, released in January 2010.

After consideration of agency and tribal comments the BLM has decided to make changes to the ROW Grant and the Plan of Development for the project. This Decision includes incorporation of the Summit Lake Route Variation, developed to avoid sensitive resources that were identified in consultation with agencies and affected tribes. The BLM, with concurrence from Reclamation, United States Forest Service, and United States Fish and Wildlife Service Reclamation, has also decided to accept an amendment to the Plan of Development to include a Winter Construction Plan, developed to reduce construction impacts to resources during winter weather conditions.

Copies of the Decision, as well as the original ROD, are available at the locations listed below and on the on the Internet at: http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/info/nepa/ruby_pipeline_project.html.

• BLM Kemmerer Field Office, 312 Hwy 189 N, Kemmerer, WY
• BLM Salt Lake Field Office, 2370 South 2300 West, Salt Lake City, UT
• BLM Elko Field Office, 3900 E. Idaho Street, Elko, NV
• BLM Winnemucca Field Office, 5100 E. Winnemucca Blvd, Winnemucca, NV
• BLM Lakeview Resource Area, 1301 S. G St., Lakeview, OR
• BLM Klamath Falls Field Office, 2795 Anderson Ave., Ste. 25, Klamath Falls, OR
• BLM Surprise Field Office, 602 Cressler St., Cedarville, CA
• Fremont-Winema National Forest, 1301 S. G St., Lakeview, OR
• Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, 324 25th St., Ogden, UT
• Bureau of Reclamation, Klamath Basin Area Office, 6600 Washburn Way, Klamath Falls, OR