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Alaska Natural Gas Transportation System
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1074813
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Alaska Natural Gas Transportation System
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Norman E. Ross Files
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The original documents are located in Box 3, folder "Alaska Natural Gas
Transportation System" of the Norman Ross Files, 1974-75
at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Norman E. Ross, Jr. donated to the
United States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives
collections. Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in
the public domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are
presumed to remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject
to a valid copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
tory
ALASKA NATURAL GAS
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM
]
Draft Environmental Impact Statement
EXECUTIVE HIGHLIGHTS
ALASKA
CANADA
UNITED
STATES
MEXICO
JUNE 1975
OF THE INTERIOR ERIOR S
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20240
GERALD B.FORD
March
3.
1849
EXECUTIVE HIGHLIGHTS
Alaska Natural Gas Transportation System
Draft Environmental Impact Statement
INTRODUCTION
A major oil find on the North Slope of Alaska was proven in 1968.
A 200 square mile area known as the Prudhoe Bay Field contains an estimated
26 trillion cubic feet of natural gas both in solution in the oil and as
PRUDHOE BAY
free gas. Following confirmation of the oil-gas discovery, the Alyeska
Pipeline Service Company was formed to construct and operate an oil
CANNING RIVER) BAY
CAMDEN BAY
pipeline. Applications for permits and rights-of-way for the oil line
KAKTOVIK an RICHARDS ISLAND
MACKENZIE PARSONS LAKE
were tied up in litigation until the matter was settled in November 1973,
INUVIK
by the passage of amendments to the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, which
FORT McPHERSON
included the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Authorization. Congress authorized
OTRAVAILLANT LAKE
can
as
and directed the Federal Agencies to issue the necessary permits and
NORTHWEST
TERRITORIES
FORT SIMPSON
rights-of-way for the construction of the oil line (TAPS). Actual
pipeline construction began in the Winter of 74-75.
It is estimated that 1/3 of the natural gas is in solution with the
oil and 2/3 is in a gas cap on top of the oil reservoir. Therefore, gas
CANADA
will be produced when the oil wells are put into operation. Natural gas
CAROLINE JCT.
can be reinjected into the oil field, utilized (or marketed), or wasted
by flaring (burning gas in the open atmosphere). Since Alaska State law
OKINGSGATE
MONCHY
prohibits flaring of gas, that option is closed. Natural gas will be
EASTPORT
MORGAN
reinjected as the oil field becomes active until a reservoir analysis
can be made. Significant quantities of gas will be available from the
Prudhoe Bay Field, about one year after the oil operation starts.
DELMONT
A consortium of 27 companies has proposed construction of a 6,280-mile
pipeline for the transportation of this gas from Prudhoe Bay to markets
UNITED
STATES
in the 48 conterminous States. The oil producers have entered into
negotiating agreements with members of the consortium for the gas. These
DELA
oil producers would gather, chill, compress, and deliver available gas
to the consortium. Gas would be delivered to a metering station at the
start of the gas pipeline at a temperature of 25° Fahrenheit and a pressure
of 1,600 p.s.i.g. (pounds per square inch gauge).
The gas pipeline, in terms of dollars, is reported to be the largest
MEXICO
privately financed project in the world. Based on early 1975 estimates
the cost of construction would be $9.6 billion. Terminal points of the
proposed pipeline will be Antioch, California; Cajon, California; and
Delmont, Pennsylvania.
FEDERAL ACTION
Before construction can begin on a gas pipeline, appropriate agencies
of the Federal Government must grant a series of permits, authorizations,
and approvals. Among the agencies with major involvement is the Federal
GENALD FORD
Power Commission which must grant permits for interstate gas sales and for
Following is a brief description of the coverage of each part:
the construction and operation of interstate pipelines. The Department
of the Interior is responsible for granting rights-of-way across Federal
Part I
Overview - The Overview covers the Arctic Gas
lands; some 967 miles of the pipeline are on Federal land. Since these
System proposal in its entirety. It will be
are major Federal actions that will have a significant impact on the
most useful to those readers who want a system
environment, this environmental impact statement has been prepared.
view and a broad concept of anticipated
environmental impacts of the 6,280 mile
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT
pipeline project.
The environmental impact statement is presented in seven parts
Part II
Alaska - This part covers the 195 mile proposal
as follows:
of the Alaskan Gas Arctic Pipeline Company
originating at Prudhoe Bay and terminating
Part I
Overview (1 Volume)
Part V
North Border (3 Volumes
at the Alaska-Yukon Border.
Part II
Alaska (3 Volumes)
Part VI
Alternatives (2 Volumes)
Part III Canada (3 Volumes)
Part VII
Consultation and
Part III Canada - This portion of the environmental
Part IV
West Coast (4 Volumes)
Coordination (1 Volume)
impact statement analyzes the 2,430 mile
pipeline proposal of Canadian Arctic Gas
The first five parts are geographically oriented and are presented
Pipeline, Ltd., beginning at the Yukon-Alaska
in parallel format. The following subject groupings are covered
Border and proceeding generally southward
sequentially in each Part:
to Caroline Junction in Alberta. At this
point, the proposed pipeline forks, one leg
1. Description of the proposal.
entering Idaho, near Kingsgate, British
2. Description of the environment.
Columbia, and the other entering Montana,
3. The environmental impact of the proposed action.
near Monchy, Saskatchewan.
4. Mitigating measures included in the proposed action.
5. Any adverse effects which cannot be avoided should the
Part IV
West Coast - This part analyzes two pipeline
proposal be implemented.
proposals. One, a 917 mile pipeline, is
6. The relationship between local short-term uses of man's
sponsored by the Pacific Gas Transmission
environment and the maintenance and enhancement of long-term
Company and passes through Idaho, Washington,
productivity.
and Oregon to Antioch, Contra Costa County,
7. Any irreversible and irretrievable commitments of resources
California. The other, a 1,119 mile
which would be involved in the proposed action should it be
pipeline, is proposed by Interstate Trans-
implemented.
mission Associates (Arctic), and passes
8. Alternatives to the proposed action.
through Idaho, Oregon, Nevada, and terminates
9. Consultation and coordination with others.
at Cajon, San Bernardino County, California.
Part VI, Alternatives and Part VII, Consultation and Coordination
Part V
North Border - This part is an analysis of
develop their subjects in a different grouping than the geographic parts.
the 1,619 mile pipeline proposed by the
Northern Border Pipeline Company. It covers
A reader may elect to pursue his particular interest selectively.
the area from the United States-Canada Border
For example, a reader interested only in his area, say Montana, could
crossing in Montana, across North and South
use Part I for the big picture and Part V, North Border for the coverage
Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana,
of his specific area. In the same manner, a reader interested in ways
Ohio, a short distance in West Virginia, and
of transporting natural gas could refer to Part VI, Alternatives and
terminates near Delmont, Pennsylvania.
satisfy his needs.
3
FORD
2
CONCEPT OF THE PIPELINE PROPOSAL
Part VI
Alternatives - This part covers a "no action"
alternative, deregulation, other natural gas
sources, alternative energy sources, modes of
The basic concept of the Arctic Gas Project is construction of a buried
transportation, route alternatives, pipeline
overland natural gas pipeline over a relatively direct route from northern
size alternatives, and a special section on
Alaska and northwestern Canada to market areas across both Canada and the
a major system alternative of crossing Alaska
U.S. It will be built with large capacity, in order to achieve the
by pipeline and then converting gas to a
economies of scale made possible by transporting natural gas from both
liquefied state for transportation to lower
the United States and Canadian Arctic to market areas in both nations,
48 States by sea.
which have a growing need for the gas. The gas will be refrigerated in
the north to protect the integrity of the pipeline and to lessen disruption
Part VII Consultation and Coordination - This part
of the permafrost. In permafrost areas, construction will be in the
describes and discusses the efforts made
winter. Both measures are among the steps which help protect the environment.
by the Department of the Interior to consult
with and coordinate its work in the
The forty-eight inch main line of the Arctic Gas Project will carry
development of this statement. It
approximately 4.5 billion cubic feet of gas per day when full compression
includes the gathering of basic informa-
horsepower is installed. The line can, of course, be expanded by "looping"
tion for analysis, public meetings, and
and adding compression in order to carry additional volumes of gas as
efforts which have and will be made
they become available.
to assure that environmental impacts
are adequately treated.
Present planning calls for startup capacity and throughput of 3.25
billion cubic feet per day, with expansion to 4.5 billion in about three
years, but these levels can be modified to carry the available gas.
Alaskan Arctic Gas Company will own and operate a pipeline from
Prudhoe Bay on the Beaufort Sea coast of northern Alaska to the Alaska-
Yukon border, approximately 195 miles to the East. In the Prudhoe Bay
area, the large quantities of natural gas, as well as oil, which have
been proven lie in the middle of an area of even larger additional
potential reserves of both oil and gas.
From the Alaska-Yukon border, the pipeline passes into the ownership
of Canadian Arctic Gas and runs east and south across the narrow Yukon
neck to a point near Travaillant Lake, in the Northwest Territories, where
it will connect with the pipeline lateral from the Canadian arctic producing
areas in the Mackenzie Delta, which will be transporting Canadian source gas.
From Travaillant Lake, the pipeline carrying both Canadian and U.S.
source gas will run in a generally southern direction up the Mackenzie River
and into the province of Alberta to a point near Caroline.
At Caroline the line will divide, with the western leg running to
Kingsgate on the border between Idaho and British Columbia. The eastern leg
will run to Monchy, Saskatchewan on the Montana border. The existing and
proposed gas pipelines which will connect with Arctic Gas at the Monchy and
Kingsgate points on the U.S.-Canadian border are essential parts of the
Project.
The Canadian gas destined for Canadian pipelines and markets will
leave the eastern leg of the Arctic Gas system at Empress, Alberta, where
VORD
the line connects with that of Trans Canada Pipeline, a member company
4
5
which is the major supplier to Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec. Other
SALIENT IMPACTS
points of connection for supply of Canadian gas to other parts of Canada
will also be provided.
A 6,280 mile linear development plunging south across the North
American continent to both the Pacific and Atlantic Coastal areas of the
To carry Arctic gas to the U.S. Midwest and East, and to the regions
lower United States can be expected to have significant and many environ-
south of there which they serve, six U.S. pipeline companies have created
mental impacts. It does.
Northern Border Pipeline Company. This company will be a carrier of gas
and will construct a pipeline from the Montana border point, past the
The EIS addresses the following environmental factors:
coal fields of Montana and the Dakotas, through Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois,
Climate
Socio-Economic
Indiana, Ohio and on to its terminus in western Pennsylvania. Along the
Topography
Land Use
way it will have connection points at which gas can be delivered to most
Geology
History-Archeology
of the companies which serve the area east of the Rocky Mountains.
Soils
Paleontology
Water Resources
Recreation-Aesthetics
To serve areas of the United States west of the Rocky Mountains
Vegetation
Air Quality
two pipelines are included. One line will terminate near San Francisco;
Wildlife
Noise
this line is essentially an expansion of an already existing system. The
Ecology
Other Special Items
other line terminates near Los Angeles and is a new pipeline to interconnect
and serve markets in the Pacific Southwestern area near Los Angeles.
The environmental factors listed above impact the pipeline proposal
in a definitive manner. Likewise, the environmental factors are impacted
by the construction, operation, and maintenance of the pipeline facilities.
To illustrate, climate, one of the environmental factors, is on the
receiving end of little or no significant modification resulting from the
pipeline; localized micrometeorological impacts - yes but no regional
climatic changes. On the other hand, the harsh extreme temperatures,
strong winds, blowing snow, and winter darkness all interact to make
construction activities hazardous in the Arctic environment.
EIS coverage is from both view points, but in this executive high-
light emphasis is placed upon the environmental impacts of the pipeline.
Following are concise highlights of some of the more prominent
impacts that are identified:
Climate
o
Compressor station turbine exhaust emissions of some
7,200 gallons of 600°F water vapor per hour would
affect the climate immediately adjacent to each
compressor station in the arctic areas of Alaska
and the Yukon.
o
The pipelines to San Francisco and Los Angeles, carrying
gas at about 100°F, would be considerably warmer than
the surrounding soil and would influence the duration
of snow cover over the lines.
FORD
6
7
GERALD
Topography
An estimated 300 miles of the Northern Border route
could be left with relatively sterile subsoils or
Construction of the proposed pipeline system would change
parent materials on the surface.
the character of the terrain in many local instances,
o
modifying its contours and dimensions.
Wind erosion of exposed soils along the ditch would be
a major impact where detached fine silt and clay
Wind erosion of disturbed soils, and gully erosion
particles are exposed. An estimated 17,000 tons per
following construction will change the topography and
year could be lost by wind erosion on the Los Angeles
also cause secondary impacts by transporting the soil
route between Spokane and the Oregon border.
to other locations.
Wind erosion hazard would also be high along the 650
In open tundra and grassland landscapes, the pipeline
miles of the Northern Border route across the spring
ditch berm, gravel road and airfield embankments, the
wheat region of Montana and North Dakota where losses
the various buildings and towers will create new
could be as high as 53 tons of soil per acre per year.
elevations and a new horizon alien to the natural
Losses exceeding 5 tons per acre per year from wind
topography.
erosion would cause severe seedling damage and make
revegetation of the right-of-way very difficult.
Geology
Water erosion would form gullies and increase sediment
The proposed pipeline system would have no significant
yield from the disturbed soil on all routes. Erosion
impact on the bedrock along the route.
hazard is greater on certain soils.
The installation of the pipeline and its associated
The Northern Border route would also cross three
airfields, roads, and communications network would
irrigation project areas in Montana and North Dakota.
stimulate prospecting and development of additional
The ditch and gas pipeline would interfere with
oil and gas reserves and mineral deposits in the
subsurface irrigation drains. Construction equipment
Arctic.
and compaction would disturb the soil density and
slope and interfere with gravity flow irrigation.
The proposed pipeline will be buried in permafrost and
the construction will disturb the active layer, with
From North Dakota east to Pennsylvania the proposed gas
resulting secondary impacts on vegetation, soils,
pipeline would transect thousands of miles of farm
and water quality.
drainage systems. Pipeline ditching would cut these
drains, introduce sediments, and possibly pollute the
Soils
receiving streams. Without functioning drainage systems,
farming would be very difficult.
Disturbance and mixing of the soil profile will alter
its structural characteristics, microbiological activity,
Water Resources
and the soil-climate relationships. This mixing of subsoil
on the surface of the backfilled ditch will prevent the
Construction and operation of the proposed natural gas
full restoration of the site and cause a permanent loss
pipeline system would present potential water resource
of soil productivity.
impacts at each stream crossing from erosion and
sedimentation, and from introduction of industrial
Crop growth and grazing capacity would also be reduced
chemicals and pollutants.
on the routes, with the impacts depending on the soil
type. In all cases the pipeline excavation will be 7 to
10 feet deep. Topsoil horizons vary from a few inches
to 2 feet along the various routes.
9
8
DENALD
Hydrostatic testing of the completed pipe will require
Invasion by weedy plant species is expected to occur in
huge volumes of water, and the indiscriminate use of
the denuded areas, particularly on land managed for
surface waters for test fluids may reduce local flows
wildland or forest.
and quality. Test-water discharges may be colored and
have high iron oxide or other metal content which would
The incidence of fire will probably increase during the
lower quality of receiving waters and may form a
construction and operation of the pipeline, but so should
reservoir of metals toxic to aquatic organisms.
the ability to detect and control fire.
Disposal of water from purification columns at Prudhoe
Where the pipeline crosses forests or woodlands, there
Bay, if a wet adsorption process is used to remove
will be a permanent change in vegetation, because in
carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide from the gas,
no case will forest or woodland be allowed to grow
must be provided.
directly over the line. Cropland production loss will
be considerable while construction is underway, but
Water supply is a significant problem in the Arctic
will be back to near normal within a few years.
where most surface water will be frozen during the
construction season. Indiscriminate withdrawal of
Wildlife
water from springs and lakes will have severe adverse
effects on overwintering fish and invertebrates.
Areas of critical mammalian habitat that would be
affected, for examples, caribou calving grounds in
Release of large volumes of test water into dry
Alaska and Indiana bat caves. Areas will be affected by
stream channels on the western routes would cause
clearing vegetation for rights-of-way and project-related
streambed scour, erosion, and increased sediment yields.
facilities, by pollutant spills, and by continued
suppression of trees and brush during the operation
Erosion from construction sites would cause a temporary
phase.
reduction in downstream water quality, as would the use
of large volumes of domestic water and discharge of
If project disturbance forces the animal from a critical
sewage at each construction camp. The Los Angeles route
portion of its range or changes its habits, populations
passes close to a municipal water well in California,
could be reduced. Disturbance factors include noise
that could contaminate the supplies of two towns.
from construction, maintenance and operation machinery;
aircraft used in line inspection; and increased numbers
Fuel and lubricant spills from construction machinery,
of people in the area.
compressor stations, camps, etc., would pollute surface
water and ground water supplies. Huge volumes of fuels
Disturbance will be the main factor affecting birds.
will be stored and used at each camp and some spills
Project caused disturbance will drive birds from their
are inevitable.
nesting and resting areas and in the case of waterfowl
will affect the molting and fall staging periods so that
Vegetation
population numbers will drop.
Vegetation and terrain surface integrity will be totally
Habitat destruction from water quality degradation,
destroyed along the pipeline ditch, at camp and landing
vegetative change or destruction, changing drainage
sites, towers, permanent roads, and other permanent
patterns, and drainage of water courses will all
facilities.
adversely affect bird populations.
Vegetation will be partially destroyed and changed
Increased sedimentation from upstream erosion and
by winter roads; alteration of drainage; forest, grass
stream crossing activities will be the major cause
and tundra fires; fuel and methanol spillage; sulfur
of fish losses.
dioxide emissions; and off-road vehicle use for pipeline
emergency repairs.
FORD
11
10
o
o
Property taxes on the pipeline, compressor stations
Pollutants in and on the water, blasting near fish
and improvements will be the primary tax benefits
spawning areas when eggs are present, and increased or
decreased water temperatures because of vegetative
to the governments through whose jurisdiction the
pipeline passes. New housing and business expansions
changes or pipeline operation will also adversely affect
fish populations.
resulting from the needs of new permanent employees
would add to the local property tax base.
Ecology
o
Alaska would have an additional benefit from the sale
Disturbance of the organic cover protecting soils from
of its royalty interest (12.5%) of the natural gas
produced there.
erosion, and the mixing of topsoils with subsurface
materials will adversely affect the functioning of all
o
Adverse impacts would come about because of short-term
terrestrial ecosystems and result in reduced productivity.
surges of demand for housing; demand for Federal, State,
and community services; cultural upheaval; and increased
The prairie pothole region contains a very special
ecosystem which provides the cover and nutrition
competition for recreation, education, transportation,
and entertainment.
required by many waterfowl and shorebirds at critical
periods in their life history. Pipeline system intrusion
o
on this ecosystem, already decimated by agricultural
Impacts will be felt more intensely in small communities
drainage, will affect migratory bird populations
and counties with small populations.
covered by international treaties with Canada and Mexico.
Land Use
Turbidity and sedimentation created at stream crossings
o
will result in a reduction in primary productivity of
The pipeline right-of-way will impact the agricultural
the affected streams which should last only one season
use during the construction period. Those lands required
unless erosion of the disturbed areas continue to
for use of compressor and pumping stations, new roads,
contribute silt to the stream.
and other permanent facilities needed for the operation
phase of the project will be lost to agricultural use
Pipeline construction will cause locally significant
for long periods of time.
losses in net annual productivity, but in relation
o
to the size of most ecosystems affected, the losses
In those parts of the country where irrigation is used
will be minor.
in conjunction with agriculture, a new set of impacts
are found such as the problem of interference with
Socio-economic
irrigation and drainage ditches.
During the construction phase, tax benefits to State
The pipeline will traverse large areas of forested lands,
and local governments along the pipeline corridor will
both commercial and non-commercial. In the commercial
come primarily from sales and motor fuel taxes. Personal
forested areas there will be a long-term loss of timber
and corporate income taxes will also generate revenues to
production.
the States. Additional revenues to local government will
be generated by State and local sales and income taxes
Residential, commercial, and industrial land uses would
where they apply.
be precluded from the pipeline right-of-way and from sites
of related facilities.
o
Existence of a transportation system would stimulate an
increase in further exploration and possible development
of potential oil and gas basins in northern Alaska and
Canada as well as the coal field in Montana and other
parts of the United States. The impacts from this aspect
can be major and of national significance.
FORD
12
13
GERALD
Impacts on the existing land use plans would vary from
Recreation and Aesthetics
major, as with the Arctic National Wildlife Range,
to slight.
The Arctic Slope of Alaska and the Yukon Territory is
largely wilderness at this time and the proposed pipeline
The proposed project would impact a wide variety of
with its associated transportation and communications
existing transportation and communication facilities.
facilities would introduce not only machinery and noise,
Major highways, secondary roads, railroads, navigable
but also more people to the area.
rivers, canals, power transmission lines and other
pipelines would all be crossed or closely paralleled
Pipeline system buildings, radio towers, airfields and
in places along the prime route.
other facilities will continue to alter the aesthetic
quality of the Arctic Slope during the life of the
Archeology-Paleontology-History
pipeline.
The nature of the proposed construction is such that any
Vapor plumes from the compressor stations will stand
cultural resource sites in the path of the pipeline,
out on the level arctic terrain and be visible for miles.
access roads, compressor stations or other facilities
could be damaged or destroyed.
The cleared and disturbed pipeline right-of-way will be
a discordant element in the tundra and boreal forest
In most cases the damage would be a direct consequence
vegetation for many years and will show up as a long,
of site disruption and excavation by man and machine
straight line with a color and texture different from
without knowledge of the paleontological or archaeological
the surrounding landscape.
values, but in other cases the impact will come as a
consequence of increased access and vandalism to
The loss of old trees, straight-line cuts through mature
unprotected historic sites.
forests, and pipelines ascending steep bluffs and cliffs
will all constitute aesthetic impacts of long duration.
There are now enough sites of known historical and
archaeological value along the various proposed pipeline
Pipeline construction access roads will provide public
routes to practically guarantee that additional sites will
vehicular access in previously inaccessible areas.
be encountered.
Air Quality
Very little is known about the pre-history occupation of
the Arctic Coastal Plain by man, but the coast and
The only continuous long-term impacts on air quality
several of the rivers appear to have been trade routes
would be from the operation of the many compressor
where archaeological sites might be found. If the
stations along the gas pipeline system.
pipeline is constructed as proposed during the cold
and dark arctic winter, discovery, protection and
Sulfur dioxide emissions, while low enough to preclude
recovery of sites will be very difficult.
adverse effects on human health, would be present in
sufficient concentrations to kill lichens which are
Sites discovered and properly investigated prior to
very sensitive to sulfur oxides. Loss of lichens would
construction would add to the knowledge of our heritage.
have adverse impacts on caribou dependent on those plants
Some sites might be located during construction that
in Alaska and Canada.
could have enough interest and significance to warrant
permanent protection and become points of interest
o
Concentrations of construction equipment at some sites
and public attraction.
would cause nitrogen dioxide concentrations that exceed
National Ambient Air Standards under certain meteorolog-
ical conditions.
14
15
o
Dust from constrution activities would also create
o
The propane used as a refrigerant is also flammable and,
short-term adverse impacts on air quality and visibility.
being denser than air, poses an even greater threat
of fire than natural gas.
Noise
Damage by outside forces, a construction defect, or a
Ambient noise levels along much of the proposed 6,280 mile
material failure could all cause a failure in the
pipeline system are now very low and any pipe hauling,
pipeline system resulting in a loss of gas and requiring
pipeline construction, or operating noises will be
emergency repair.
noticeable. Federal regulations are inadequate to reduce
the noise from diesel trucks hauling pipe to construction
o
Repair activities in some locations, and at some
sites.
seasons, may cause damage to the environment more
severe than that resulting from the initial construction.
Where the pipeline passes near towns and farms, construction
This is particularly true in the areas of continuous
equipment noise will be loud enough to be highly annoying
permafrost in Alaska and Canada, but because of the large
to thousands of people.
investment involved and the large number of people dependent
upon delivery of the gas, it is not reasonable to assume
Compressor station operating noises will be long-term.
that major repairs will be postponed until ideal
Compressors will be audible for 6,000 to 7,000 feet and
conditions prevail.
the degree to which the noise annoys people will depend
on location with respect to human habitation.
Periodic venting of high pressure gas from the pipeline
and compressor stations would cause temporary but
severe increases in sound level. These maintenance
check or emergency blowdowns would occur about once a
year and last for 45 minutes on the pipeline and 5
minutes at a compressor. They would be audible for
15 miles.
o
The operational noise from compressor stations with
built-in silencers will be 66 to 71 db(A) at the
compressor station boundary, and will range between 56
to 61 (A) at approximately 800 feet from the boundary.
o
Operating noises would have greater impacts on wildlife
behavior than on human health over the northern portions
of the pipeline system.
Other Special Items
There are fire and health hazards involved in the gas
processing operation which will occur at Prudhoe Bay.
Natural gas is easily flammable, becomes explosive
when confined, and when purified is odorless and can
act as an asphyxiant.
16
17
NEUTRALIZING IMPACTS
o
Design normally is done in phases that can be defined
as conceptual design, preliminary design and final design.
Many environmental impacts stemming from the proposed
The applications submitted for analysis were considered
pipeline are capable of being eliminated or mitigated
to be in the conceptual design phase.
in some manner to accomplish neutralization. Some
neutralization measures are overwhelmingly logical
o
The Applicants have basically addressed environmental
from any view point and thus will be adopted, but
concerns, environmental effects and mitigating measures
others are trade-off items that may or may not be
related to a pipeline system. All of the problems of
elected for adoption. This latter type, when important
construction and operation created by the geologic
environmentally, must be mandated by some device such as
occurrences are within the realm of engineering
conditions to permits or stipulations and restric-
feasibility. The major part of the system does not
tions to rights-of-way. There are many varieties
go beyond the current state of the art in engineering,
and combinations that can be adopted. Pre-construc-
except in the Arctic and subarctic reaches through
tion planning is one of the key steps that can
Alaska and Canada where the proposed burial of a
be taken. This involves site location and align-
chilled pipeline has never been done. The chilled
ment of the pipeline, as well as anticipatory
pipeline concept, while achieving the purpose of
design. Construction procedures carefully laid
maintaining permafrost conditions, creates problems
out and then followed contribute significantly to
such as frost heave and interference with stream
lessening or limiting environmental impacts.
flow, thereby disturbing the river regime and
interfering with surface and subsurface water flow
Some of the above steps are already contemplated
by developing an ice bulb around the pipeline.
and committed by the applicant. Other additional
Design criteria for the arctic and subarctic
steps will be taken in planning by the applicant.
conditions are not considered adequate; therefore
These may well be mandated by the Department of
further efforts are needed to prevent pipeline
the Interior in its grants of rights-of-way, as
failure in order to mitigate adverse environmental
well as other Federal Agencies also conditioning
impacts.
their actions.
Some of the design concepts not considered to be adequately
Final Pipeline Alignment
addressed by the applicants are identified as follows:
o
Minor alignment changes, not to be confused with
Pipeline Safety Factors
Emergency Plans
alternative routes, are changes in the proposed
Fracture Toughness
Seismic Monitoring
alignment to circumvent unstable areas, recreation
Seasonal Maintenance
Unrealistic Schedules
areas, potholes and wetlands, woody areas, rivers
Frost Heave
Controlled Gas Chillers
and stream crossings in order to avoid interference
Mass Wasting
Automatic Control Features
with fish spawning areas, and to minimize the number
River Crossing Integrity
Cathodic Protection
of river, highway, and railroad crossings. Applicants
Leak Detection
Properties of Gas
have proposed judicious route selection as a positive
Effects of Leaking Gas
Operating Plans
mitigation measure but this has not yet been
Subsurface Soil Information
Gas Pressure/Temperature
accomplished. As stated by the Applicants, mitiga-
tion will be accomplished during the final design
Construction Procedures
phase through final route selection to avoid the
conditions indicated above.
o
The Applicants plan to use conventional equipment and
construction procedures to build the pipeline, system
Pipeline Design
in the temperate zone. Construction procedures have
been modified to accommodate arctic and subarctic
o
The proposed pipeline system passes through the arctic,
conditions by scheduling construction activities
subarctic, and temperate zones in the United States
during the wintertime from snow/ice roads. Equipment
and Canada. It crosses many geographic features,
and materials will be moved to stockpile areas during
including major river crossings, seismic zones of
the summer months by rail, barge, highway and aircraft
varying magnitude measuring from 2 to 8.3 on the
then delivered to jobsite during winter. Approximately
Richter scale, continuous permafrost, discontinuous
2,000 miles of this pipeline system occurs in the
FORD
permafrost, steep slopes, and floodplains.
arctic and subarctic zones.
18
19
Conventional construction procedures in the temperate
zone such as survey, grading, stringing, bending,
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED
ditching, welding, coating and wrapping, lowering in
o
and backfilling are well established and known, and
The proposed action and its objectives have various
generally are in areas where a road network can be
alternatives; some are available to the Secretary of
utilized to transport equipment and material on a
the Interior, some to the applicants, and some would
year around schedule. Arctic and subarctic areas
involve such complex policy matters that their
where roads do not exist create special logistic
implementation would require Government-wide actions.
problems which the Applicant proposes to accommodate
o
with the proposed snow/ice roads. The snow/ice
The Secretary of the Interior has three obvious
roads have to be constructed each winter and are
alternatives: grant the right-of-way permits sought,
usable from 3 to 5 months dependent on climatic
deny them, or defer the decision. The latter course
conditions and maintenance. Ditching in frozen
would ultimately lead to one of the other two.
areas requires special techniques.
Denial of permits would mean that the gas could not
Temperate zone construction procedures and schedules
be transported by the proposed pipelines to market
can be mitigated to protect the environment through
areas in southern Oregon, California, and a 29-state
standard procedures, such as rescheduling work to
area of the north central and northeastern United
mitigate interference with animals or birds.
States. If permits are denied, projected natural
Applicants have proposed to do this as necessary.
gas supplies would fall short of anticipated demand
in the areas that would be supplied by the Arctic
o
Arctic and subarctic construction must be completed
Gas System. This would lead to: 1. Use of other
as scheduled in order to use the proposed snow/ice
gas supplies; 2. Substitution for the energy by
roads for access. Consequently, mitigation measures
utilizing alternative energy sources; 3. Considera-
as proposed preclude interference with the environment
tion of other routes or systems to transport
and will reduce impacts. In this case mitigation is
the Alaskan gas to markets in the conterminous
not fully effective and therefore impacts cannot be
United States; and 4. Curtailment of gas supplies.
avoided. All environmental mitigation measures will
be secondary to construction schedules.
Alternative Energy Sources
Alternative sources of natural gas include both
domestic and imported supplies.
In the past, natural gas consumed in the United
States has been produced by conventional onshore
and offshore oil and gas wells in the United States
or supplies by overland pipeline imports from
Mexico and Canada. The future United States gas
supply will include liquefied natural gas (LNG)
from regions that have large gas reserves but
limited internal markets and substitute natural gas.
o
For several years these sources have not been able
to meet the rapidly growing demand.
21
20
GERALS
Deregulation of new natural gas at the wellhead is
Several energy sources offer a variety of potential
one measure that could change the natural gas supply-
advantages over the longer term. These include tar
demand imbalance.
sands, biological energy, solar energy, tidal power,
and wind power. While each of these could contribute
Energy from sources other than natural gas can be
to some degree to the Nation's total energy supply
considered as an alternative to transporting Alaskan
in the future, they have not been developed to a
gas. Interfuel substitution and energy conservation
point of economic feasibility to be realistic
are also possible ways to alleviate the projected
alternatives to Arctic Gas within the timeframe
shortfall in gas supplies.
of the project.
The total potential United States energy supply exceeds
Technology is currently under development for several
probable demand through the year 1990 and beyond
methods of increasing the efficiency of converting
subject to the important qualification that the hydro-
energy to work. These conversion techniques include
carbon portion of the domestic energy resource base
fuel cells, magnetohydrodynamics, thermoelectric,
is heavily weighted by coal. Uranium supply could be
and thermionic. As in the case of the long-term
limited under present nuclear reactor technology, but
energy sources, research on these techniques is
may be extended almost indefinitely if breeder reactor
proceeding slowly, and they have not been developed
technology is successful. Other key domestic energy
to a point of feasibility at the present time that
resources, particularly natural gas and petroleum,
would make them realistic alternatives to the
are not as abundant and are not physically distributed
Arctic Gas System.
within the regions that are the major consumers of
these resources.
Alternative Transportation Modes
Virtually all of the major energy resources currently
Alternative modes of transportation for the Arctic
in use are substitutable in a variety of uses in the
Gas include densephase and methanol pipelines, rail-
energy markets. The factors affecting the use of
way, monorail, ice-breaking tankers, submarines,
a particular energy source are economics, availability,
airplanes, helifloats, and dirigibles. The gas
technology, environmental considerations, other
could also be converted to electricity and transmitted
social influences including preference, and administered
via high voltage lines or transported by a combination
restrictions or constraints. Considerable interfuel
of transportation modes. The system considered the
substitution is anticipated in projections of energy
most likely alternative would be a combination pipe-
components to 1990 to make up for the anticipated
line LNG tanker system.
shortfall in natural gas supply relative to require-
ments during that period.
Alternative Routes
A possible alternative to the delivery of Alaskan
0
Routes covered in the EIS include:
gas is the conservation of equivalent amounts of
energy in the United States through administered,
4 in combination Alaska-Canada
regulated, or voluntary programs.
2 in Alaska only
0 in Canada only
Conservation of scarce energy supplies can also
4 in combination Canada-North Border
be accomplished through interfuel substitution of
4 in North Border only
more abundant or low cost energy resources such
4 in West Coast only
as coal.
Alternative Pipe Size
o
Alternative sources of energy covered in the EIS are:
An alternative system variation by pipe size is a
Coal
Hydroelectric Power
smaller diameter pipe at the source (42-inch contrasted
Petroleum
Geothermal
to 48-inch in the applicant's current proposal).
6. FOND
Oil Shale
Nuclear
Corresponding reduced sizes are covered in the Alaska,
Synthetic Gas and Oil
North Border, and West Coast segments considering
Prudhoe Bay gas only.
22
23
COORDINATION EFFORTS
A consolidated outline served as the primary mechanism
for achieving an integration of the source materials
The proposals presently pending before the Department
and field drafts of the environmental impact statement.
of the Interior and Federal Power Commission were
It was structured so that each section and subsection
developed exclusively by the Applicant companies and
of the draft environmental impact statement could be
without the direct involvement of the Federal Government.
assembled in a format which facilitated a "systems"
The information submitted by the Applicants to the
analysis of the proposals or one which highlighted
Interior Department does indicate, however, that
geo-political analysis.
during the development of their applications and
énvironmental reports, the Applicants did consult
The Memorandum of Understanding to prepare an environ-
with some Federal agencies and bureaus which would
mental impact statement was predicted upon then existing
have to issue permits and licenses were the proposals
applications of the Arctic Gas System, and anticipated
to be approved.
future applications of the E1 Paso Alaska Company (El Paso)
for right-of-way permits and a Certificate to construct
Both the Federal Power Commission and the Department
and operate a pipeline for a competing trans-Alaska
of the Interior determined that granting of the
water-based route. The Company, however, did not follow
necessary permits and certificates would constitute
through with its announced intentions. The Memorandum
a "major Federal action significantly affecting the
of Understanding for a joint environmental impact state-
quality of the human environment" and therefore
ment was subsequently abrogated February 20, 1975, by
would require an environmental impact statement.
the Secretary of the Interior.
Both agencies determined, from the start, that a
sound and comprehensive environmental analysis on
The Interagency Task Force and field teams were organized
the various proposals, when completed, would be
so that each would be able to conduct a multidisciplinary
useful and beneficial to the other Federal agencies
analysis of the companies' applications.
and bureaus which would have to issue additional
permits.
In addition to the Interagency Task Force's consultation
with the Washington office of the Federal agencies, repre-
It was believed, therefore, that the applications
sentatives of the Task Force addressed the Federal Regional
pending before the Federal Power Commission and
Councils. These councils represent all of the sections of
the Department of the Interior could be adequately
the country which would be impacted by the proposals to
discussed in one environmental impact statement.
transport natural gas from Alaska.
A Memorandum of Understanding was executed by the
Federal Power Commission and the Department of the
The regulations (36 CFR 800) of the Advisory Council on
Interior to prepare jointly a single environmental
Historic Preservation require that the Council be informed
impact statement on the proposals for natural gas
as early as possible when a Federal undertaking will impact
transmission facilities.
on any cultural resources, especially those eligible for
inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places. The
In order to implement the terms of the Memorandum
Task Force formally alerted the Advisory Council to the
of Understanding, the Interagency Task Force
preparation of the draft environmental impact statement.
established four subject-oriented work groups
and four multidisciplinary support teams to gather
Even though the Canadian segment of the proposal lies
and analyze information in the field and in
within the territory of another sovereign nation, it
defined geographic areas.
was considered necessary for the U.S. Government to
analyze the environmental impacts of the Canadian
o
In developing the environmental impact statement,
segment in order to understand the full range of impacts
the field teams drew upon the following sources of
which would be created were the United States to give its
information: the applications submitted by the
companies; supplemental information filed by the
companies in response to questions by the Task Force;
field data provided by various agencies; work contracted
to firms with special, technical expertise; and the
original research, analysis and writing completed by.
25
the field team members.
24
approval to the proposals to transport natural gas
o
About sixty days after the release of the statement,
from Alaska to market areas in the lower United States.
public hearings will be held in various locations
In order to develop a working relationship with the
to receive comments on the draft environmental
Canadian government, a series of meetings were held
impact statement.
in the Spring of 1974 between Department of the Interior's
Executive Director of the Interagency Task Force and the
o
Hearings will be held in:
Canadian Deputy Minister for External Affairs. In the
course of these meetings it was agreed that the Interagency
Anchorage, Alaska
Sacramento, California
Task Force would not undertake independent studies beyond
Juneau, Alaska
Reno, Nevada
those performed by or on behalf of the Canadian government
Fairbanks, Alaska
Billings, Montana
as identified by the Pipeline Application Assessment Group
Portland, Oregon
Bismarck, North Dakota
or other duly constituted Canadian authorities nor would
Spokane, Washington
Chicago, Illinois
it request the Canadians to perform additional studies.
Washington, D.C.
The working draft of the Canadian segment of the environ-
mental impact statement was sent to the Canadian Embassy
o
The times and locations of the above meetings and
for review and comment before the draft was filed with the
any additional hearings which may be scheduled will
Council on Environmental Quality.
be published in the Federal Register at least 30
days before the first hearing.
In order to give persons and organizations the opportunity
to comment in advance on what they believed the environ-
o
Subsequent to the hearings, an additional period
mental impacts of the proposed actions would be, the Task
of time will be allowed for individuals and organi-
Force, in January, 1975, held information gathering
zations to file written comments with the Department
meetings at eleven locations throughout the country. These
of the Interior. In accordance with the Council
meetings not only alerted the writing teams to the general
on Environmental Quality Guidelines, comments on
concerns regarding the proposed gas transmission facilities,
the draft statement will be included in the final
but also generated a large amount of information which
environmental impact statement.
centered on localized, specific environmental impacts.
Each meeting had a morning, afternoon, and evening session
so that the largest number of people could take part. Three
hundred and eighty (380) people attended the eleven (11)
public meetings at which a total of thirty-six (36) written
statements were given and thirty-eight (38) oral statements
were made. The oral statements and comments were either
tape recorded or transcribed by a court reporter. Both the
oral and written comments have been made a part of the
public file. Approximately 130 written comments were received
by the Task Force following the meetings.
The draft environmental impact statement is being filed with
the Council of Environmental Quality and widely circulated
simultaneously to interested persons, organizations, and
governmental jurisdictions. A 90-day review period will
allow the draft statement to be reviewed widely and compre-
hensively.
GERALD
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GPO 890-651