2005-2022 News and Events Archive

West-wide Energy Corridor Information Center news, events, and announcements from 2005-2022.

Section 368 Energy Corridors Final Report Released

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) have released the Final Report regarding energy placement on Federal lands across Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. The findings in the Final Report have been identified after a robust and collaborative, multi-year review of the Section 368 energy corridors and in consideration of comments received on the Region 1, Regions 2 and 3, and Regions 4, 5, and 6 reports. The Final Report provides:

• Recommendations for revisions, deletions and additions to Section 368 energy corridors;
• A suggested framework for BLM and USFS planners to use when performing additional analyses of Section 368 energy corridors during future land use planning; and
• Recommendations for revisions, deletions and additions to interagency operating procedures (IOPs) to minimize resource concerns and improve corridor utility.

West-Wide Energy Corridor Guidebook Released

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has released the West-Wide Energy Corridor Guidebook. The Guidebook describes the BLMs policies, requirements, and best practices for authorizing and developing oil, gas, and hydrogen pipelines and electricity transmission and distribution projects within Section 368 energy corridors. The Guidebook serves as a clearinghouse for information about:

• Management requirements of processing right-of-way (ROW) applications within the Section 368 energy corridors;
• Interagency operating procedures (IOPs) that may be revised, deleted, or added through subsequent agency collaboration, environmental review, and decision-making;
• The BLM's process, requirements, and advantages of applying for ROWs and developing energy projects within Section 368 energy corridors.

Regions 4, 5, and 6 Report Released: Feedback Requested

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) have released the Regions 4, 5, and 6 Report and are requesting stakeholder input regarding energy placement on Federal lands across California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming. Please provide your input using this input form. The Agencies request comments be submitted by January 31, 2021. The report, the corridor summaries, and the appendices are available on the Regions 4, 5, and 6 Regional Review page. GIS shapefiles for the Regions 4, 5, and 6 potential revisions, deletions and additions that are presented in the report are available on the Maps and Data page.

Regions 2 and 3 Report Released: Feedback Requested

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) have released the Regions 2 and 3 Report and are requesting stakeholder input regarding energy placement on Federal lands across Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, northern and eastern Arizona, and eastern Nevada. Please provide your input using this input form. Comments must be received prior to September 23, 2019. The report, the corridor summaries, and the appendices are available on the Regions 2 and 3 Regional Review page. GIS shapefiles for the Regions 2 and 3 potential revisions, deletions and additions that are presented in the report are available on the Maps and Data page.

Section 368 Energy Corridors Regional Review – Summary of Regions 4, 5, and 6 Workshops and Recording of Webinar held June 27, 2019

A Section 368 energy corridor regional review status webinar for Regions 4, 5, and 6 was held on June 27, 2019, at 11 am MDT. The webinar focused on the recent stakeholder workshops in Missoula, Montana; Rock Springs, Wyoming; Reno, Nevada; and Redmond, Oregon. A recording of the webinar is available below. The written summary of Regions 4, 5, and 6 workshops and the slides presented during the webinar are also available for download.

 Summary of Regions 4, 5, and 6 Stakeholder Workshops

 June 27, 2019, Webinar Slides

Region 1 Report Released: Feedback Requested

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) have released the Region 1 Report and are requesting stakeholder input regarding energy placement on Federal lands across southern California, southern Nevada, and western Arizona. Please provide your input using this input form. The Agencies are requesting comments be submitted by July 22, 2019. The report and the revised Region 1 abstracts are available on the Region 1 Regional Review page.

Section 368 Energy Corridors Regional Review – Regions 4, 5, and 6 Webinar on June 27, 2019, 11:00 – 11:30am MDT

A Section 368 energy corridor regional review status webinar for Regions 4, 5, and 6 will take place on Thursday, June 27, at 11 am Mountain Daylight Time. The webinar will be a recap on the recent workshops held in Montana, Wyoming, Nevada, and Oregon. Please register for the webinar using the following link.

Registration URL: https://anl.adobeconnect.com/corridors_jun27/event/registration.html
Call-in Number: 1-888-850-4523; Passcode: 242705#

If you experience any difficulties with the registration process, please contact Laura Fox.

For more information on the Regional Reviews or questions regarding Section 368 Energy Corridors, contact Jeremy Bluma, Project Manager, at 208-373-3847 or [email protected].

Regions 4, 5, and 6 Revised Abstracts Released

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) have released revised Regions 4, 5, and 6 corridor abstracts, available on the Regions 4, 5, and 6 Regional Review page and through the corridor mapping tool. We encourage your review of the abstracts prior to the stakeholder workshops.

BLM and USFS Announce 'West-wide' Energy Corridor Review Workshops in Four Western States

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM), U.S. Forest Service (USFS), and U.S. Department of Energy will hold public workshops in four western states between May 29 and June 6. All workshops will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. local time. The dates and locations for are as follows:

• May 29, 2019 – Missoula Technology and Development Center, 5785 Hwy 10, Missoula, Montana
• May 31, 2019 – BLM Rock Springs Field Office, 280 US-191, Rock Springs, Wyoming
• June 4, 2019 – Silver Legacy Resort and Casino, 407 N Virginia St, Reno, Nevada
• June 6, 2019 – Eagle Crest Resort, 1522 Cline Falls Rd, Redmond, Oregon

The workshops are being held to get local input on an ongoing review of federally designated energy corridors across BLM and USFS managed lands in northern California, Idaho, Montana, western Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming. We value your input and look forward to your feedback on how we can improve the West-wide energy corridors to better serve the nation's energy transmission needs.

If you plan to participate in any of these meetings, an RSVP is required so that we have enough materials available for participants. Please indicate which meeting(s) you would like to attend and provide an email address as requested on the RSVP form (click here to RSVP).

Revised corridor abstracts will be posted prior to the workshops. When the revised abstracts are available, a notification will be posted to this website and an email will be sent to stakeholders who have subscribed to this website.

For more information on the Regional Reviews or questions regarding Section 368 Energy Corridors, contact Jeremy Bluma, BLM National Project Manager, ([email protected] or 208-373-3847) or Reggie Woodruff, USFS Energy Program Manager ([email protected] or 202-205-1196).

Section 368 Energy Corridors Regional Review – Recording of Regions 4, 5, and 6 Webinar on February 27, 2019

The Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Department of Energy hosted a webinar on February 27th regarding Regions 4, 5, and 6 energy corridor abstracts. A recording of the webinar is available below.

Regions 4, 5, and 6 Corridor Abstracts Released: Input Requested

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), and the Department of Energy (DOE) have released Regions 4, 5, and 6 draft corridor abstracts, available on the Regions 4, 5, and 6 Regional Review page, and are requesting input through April 8, 2019. A public webinar will be held on February 27, 2019. Please register as soon as possible via the following URL.

Regions 4, 5, and 6 Webinar on February 27, from 11:00am – 12:30pm MST

Call-in Number: 1-888-850-4523; Passcode: 242705#
Registration URL: https://anl.adobeconnect.com/corridors_feb27/event/registration.html

Webinar Agenda
Introductory remarks
Energy corridor regional review process overview
Mapper overview
Abstract overview
Questions
Closing remarks

If you experience any difficulties registering for this event, please contact Laura Fox.

Section 368 Energy Corridors Regional Review – Recording of Region 2 and 3 Webinar on July 18, 2018

A Section 368 energy corridor regional review status webinar for Regions 2 and 3 was held on July 18, 2018, at 11 am MDT. The webinar focused on the recent workshops held in New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, and Utah. A recording of the webinar is available below.

REMINDER: Register for the Regions 2 and 3 Reviews Webinar and Summary of Regions 2 and 3 Workshops Available

The summary of Regions 2 and 3 workshops is now available. The summary will be reviewed during the July 18 webinar. Please register for the webinar using the following link.

Registration URL: https://anl.adobeconnect.com/corridorsjuly18/event/event_info.html
Call-in Number: 1-888-850-4523; Passcode: 242705#

Section 368 Energy Corridors Regional Review – Region 2 and 3 Webinar on July 18, 2018

A Section 368 energy corridor regional review status webinar for Regions 2 and 3 will take place on Wednesday, July 18, at 11 am Mountain Daylight Time. The focus of the hour-long webinar will be on the recent workshops held in New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, and Utah. Stay tuned to this website for related announcements.
Please register for the webinar using the following link.

Registration URL: https://anl.adobeconnect.com/corridorsjuly18/event/event_info.html
Call-in Number: 1-888-850-4523; Passcode: 242705#

If you experience any difficulties with the registration process, please contact Laura Fox.

For more information on the Regional Reviews or questions regarding Section 368 Energy Corridors, contact Jeremy Bluma, Project Manager, at 208-373-3847 or [email protected].

Energy Corridor Workshop RSVP Reminder and Document Release Notifications

REMINDER: RSVP for the BLM and USFS Workshops for Regions 2 and 3 Reviews

BLM and Forest Service will be hosting stakeholder workshops related to the review of energy corridors in Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. We encourage your active participation and input and look forward to your feedback on how we can improve the West-wide energy corridors to responsibly plan for and serve the nation's energy transmission needs.

Please RSVP if you plan to attend a workshop so that we have enough materials available for participants. Make sure to indicate which meeting(s) you would like to attend and provide an email address as requested on the form (click here to RSVP).

Workshops will be held on the following dates and locations. All meetings will run from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. local time:

• Thursday, May 31, 2018:
  BIA Southwest Regional Office, 1001 Indian School Rd. NW, Albuquerque, New Mexico
• Monday, June 4, 2018:
  BLM Arizona State Office, 1 N Central Ave. Suite 800 Phoenix, Arizona
• Wednesday, June 6, 2018:
  Nugget Casino Resort, 1100 Nugget Ave., Sparks, Nevada
• Monday, June 11, 2018:
  DoubleTree Hotel, 743 Horizon Dr., Grand Junction, Colorado
• Wednesday, June 13, 2018:
  Sevier County Administrative Building, 250 N Main St., Richfield, Utah

For more information on the Regional Reviews or questions regarding Section 368 Energy Corridors, contact Jeremy Bluma, Project Manager, at 208-373-3847 or [email protected].

Regions 2 and 3 Revised Abstracts Released

The Regions 2 and 3 revised corridor abstracts with stakeholder input and agency responses are now available. We encourage your review of the abstracts prior to the stakeholder workshops. They are available on the Regions 2 and 3 Regional Review webpage and through the corridor mapping tool.

Energy Futures Synthesis for West-wide Section 368 Energy Corridors Released

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) report "Energy Futures Synthesis for West-wide Section 368 Energy Corridors" has been released. The report offers a glimpse of Western U.S. energy transmission needs 10 to 15 years in the future.

BLM and USFS Announce Workshops for Regional Reviews

Stakeholder workshops will be held on the following dates at locations in all 5 of the states with corridors in Regions 2 and 3. All meetings will run from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. local time:

• May 31, 2018: BIA Southwest Regional Office, 1001 Indian School Rd. NW, Albuquerque, New Mexico
• June 4, 2018: BLM Arizona State Office, 1 N Central Ave. Suite 800 Phoenix, Arizona
• June 6, 2018: Nugget Casino Resort, 1100 Nugget Ave., Sparks, Nevada
• June 11, 2018: DoubleTree Hotel, 743 Horizon Dr., Grand Junction, Colorado
• June 13, 2018: Sevier County Administrative Building, 250 N Main St., Richfield, Utah

We value any input you have and look forward to your feedback on how we can improve the West-wide energy corridors to better serve the nation's energy transmission needs.

Please, if you plan to participate in any of these meetings, an RSVP is required so that we have enough materials available for participants. Please indicate which meeting(s) you would like to attend and provide an email address as requested on the form (click here to RSVP).

For more information on the Regional Reviews or questions regarding Section 368 Energy Corridors, contact Jeremy Bluma, Project Manager, at 208-373-3847 or [email protected].

Short Training Video on Submitting Input

This brief video demonstrates how to submit input for the Section 368 Energy Corridor regional reviews, and also how to use the feedback tool in the Corridor Mapping Tool to sketch a location that will be linked to submitted input.

Recording of Region 2 and 3 Webinar on January 24, 2018

The Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Department of Energy hosted a webinar regarding Region 2 and 3 energy corridor abstracts. The webinar was held on Wednesday, January 24, 2018, from 11 am to noon, MST. A recording of the webinar is available below.

Webinar Contents (Click the time/title to jump to the section)
0:00 – Introductory remarks
7:02 – Energy corridor regional review process overview
13:53 – Mapper overview
18:47 – Abstract overview
46:22 – Questions
1:02:57 – Closing remarks

Region 2 and 3 Webinar on January 24, 2018, at 11 am MST

The Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Department of Energy are hosting a webinar regarding Region 2 and 3 energy corridor abstracts. The webinar will be held on Wednesday, January 24, 2018, from 11 am to noon, MST. Please register as soon as possible via the following URL.

Call-in Number: 1-888-850-4523; Passcode: 242705#
Registration URL: https://anl.adobeconnect.com/corridors_jan24/event/registration.html

Webinar Agenda
Introductory remarks
Energy corridor regional review process overview
Mapper overview
Abstract overview
Questions
Closing remarks

Region 2 and 3 Corridor Abstracts Released: Input Requested

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) have released Region 2 and 3 corridor abstracts, available on the Regions 2 and 3 Regional Review page, and are requesting input through February 25, 2018. A webinar will be held on January 24, 2018 – details will be forthcoming.

January 10 Release of the Region 2 & 3 Corridor Abstracts

The BLM, USFS and DOE are planning to release the Regions 2 and 3 corridor abstracts on January 10, 2018. On that date, we invite stakeholders to begin providing input on the abstracts over a 45-day review period.

To assist your review of the abstracts, we encourage the use of the Section 368 Mapping Tool. It will be an essential tool for abstract review because it depicts corridors, boundaries, resource data, as well as a licensed database of pipelines and electric transmission lines.

Following the release of the abstracts, a webinar will be held on January 24, 2018, to help orient stakeholder abstract review.

Section 368 Energy Corridor Regional Review Update

The Region 1 Report is undergoing review and will be available for a 30-day stakeholder review once released. The Agencies have begun drafting corridor abstracts for Section 368 energy corridors in Regions 2 and 3 (AZ, CO, NM, NV, UT). Draft abstracts are expected to be released in December 2017 for a 45-day stakeholder review.

Section 368 Energy Corridors – Regional Reviews: Region 1 Schedule Update

Thank you to everyone who provided input on the Region 1 corridor abstracts. In order to evaluate stakeholder input and carefully consider recommendations for possible corridor modifications, BLM, USFS, and DOE are taking additional time to prepare the recommendations and abstract updates. The preliminary corridor recommendations including the revised abstracts, should be available for stakeholder review in May, followed by stakeholder outreach events in early June (see timeline). Please note preliminary corridor recommendations are undergoing substantial internal agency review before their release in May.

The agencies will be initiating work on the Region 2 (eastern Arizona, New Mexico and southern Colorado) Review in late spring, and we'll be looking to obtain stakeholder input on the Region 2 corridors in fall 2017.

We look forward to your continued participation and valued input. Additional opportunities for involvement as well as project updates will be posted on this page as they become available.

If you attended one of the Region 1 Meetings or Webinars – we want your feedback!

Thank you for attending! Please let us know your thoughts on the meeting/webinar you participated in and the tools that are available for stakeholder engagement (website, abstracts, mapping tool, web-based input form). We appreciate your participation in the process and want to continue to make improvements. Please select the meeting or webinar you attended and send your feedback to: [email protected]

Webinar Details for September 29, 2016

A webinar will be held on Thursday, September 29, 2016, from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time (PDT).

Webinar dial-in number: 1-888-850-4523; passcode: 242705
Webinar URL: http://anl.adobeconnect.com/corridors/

Region 1 Corridor Abstracts Released: Input Requested

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) have released Region 1 corridor abstracts, available on the Regional Reviews page, and are requesting input through October 24, 2016.

Corridor Mapping Tool Released

BLM and USFS have released the Section 368 Energy Corridor Mapping Tool, which is an interactive application for displaying and querying Section 368 Corridor spatial data in your Web browser.

Webinar Details for September 7, 2016

A webinar will be held on Wednesday, September 7, 2016, from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time (PDT).

Webinar dial-in number: 1-888-850-4523; passcode: 242705
Webinar URL: http://anl.adobeconnect.com/corridors/

Invitation to Participate in Regional Reviews

Stakeholders are invited to participate in the Section 368 energy corridor regional reviews via a series of webinars and meetings that will begin in September.

 Invitation for Stakeholder Participation (614 KB)

Corridor Study Released

On May 20, 2016, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the Department of Energy (DOE), and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) released the Section 368 Corridor Study. The BLM has issued a Press Release briefly summarizing the history and purpose of the corridor study. The study provides a foundation for additional periodic reviews of the Section 368 corridors to assess the need for future corridor modifications.

 Section 368 Corridor Study (19.7 MB)

Regional Reviews Initiated

Stakeholder engagement opportunities and background information for the Regional Reviews of the Section 368 Corridors will be forthcoming. To receive updates and announcements, subscribe below.

 Map of Regions for Review of Section 368 Energy Corridors (866 MB)

 Map of Energy Corridors in Region One (851 KB)

2013 Annual Report

The 368 Working Group has released its 2013 annual report for the section 368 corridors per the Settlement Agreement in Wilderness Society v. United States Department of the Interior. No. 3:09-cv-03048-JW (N.D. Cal.). The Memorandum of Understanding executed under the settlement agreement states: “The Workgroup will provide a brief annual report to each agency and their principal contacts.” The annual report is a compilation of quarterly reports.

 2013 Annual Report (2.2 MB)

Memorandum of Understanding

In fulfillment of the Settlement Agreement, BLM, USFS, and DOE executed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on July 8, 2013. The MOU includes a Work Plan for the Regional Periodic Reviews as Attachment A. The Agencies also approved a Work Plan for the Corridor Study with the execution of the MOU.

 Memorandum of Understanding: Memorandum of Understanding Among the United States Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management, United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service, and United States Department of Energy Regarding Regional Periodic Reviews, Including Review of Interagency Operating Procedures, For Section 368 Corridors (863 KB)

 Work Plan: United States Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management and United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Final Work Plan for Section 368 Corridor Study (427 KB)

West-Wide Energy Corridor Litigation and Approved Settlement Agreement

On July 7, 2009 multiple organizations (Plaintiffs) filed a Complaint in the Wilderness Society, et al. v. United States Department of the Interior, et al., No. 3:09-cv-03048-JW (N.D. Cal.). The Plaintiffs raised a variety of challenges in response to the Agencies' Records of Decision.

The BLM, United States Forest Service (USFS), Department of Energy (DOE), and the Department of Justice worked collaboratively with the Plaintiffs to develop a settlement with specific actions to mutually resolve the challenges in the Complaint. The Agencies and Plaintiffs agreed to settle these matters without any adjudication or admission of fact or law by any party and to avoid protracted and costly litigation as well as preserve judicial resources.

The four principal components of the July 3, 2012 Settlement Agreement require the Agencies to:

1. Complete an interagency Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) addressing periodic corridor reviews;
2. Update agency guidance;
3. Update agency training; and
4. Complete a corridor study.

 Settlement Agreement: Wilderness Society, et al. v. United States Department of the Interior, et al., No. 3:09-cv-03048-JW (N.D. Cal.) (238 KB)

Corrected Federal Register Notice for USDA Forest Service Record of Decision Now Available

A corrected version of the Federal Register Notice of Availability Record of Decision: USDA Forest Service Designation of Section 368 Energy Corridors on National Forest System Land in 10 Western States is now available for downloading or browsing online.

The Forest Service published a Notice of Availability Record of Decision in the Federal Register of March 24, 2009. The document contained an incorrect Internet address. The correct Internet address is shown in the corrected NOA.

USDA Forest Service Record of Decision Now Available

The Record of Decision: USDA Forest Service Designation of Section 368 Energy Corridors on National Forest System Land in 10 Western States is now available for downloading or browsing online. See the Agency Press Release for additional information.

Bureau of Land Management Record of Decision Now Available

The Approved Resource Management Plan Amendments/Record of Decision (ROD) for Designation of Energy Corridors on Bureau of Land Management-Administered Lands in the 11 Western States is now available for downloading or browsing online. See the Agency Press Release for additional information.

Final Programmatic EIS and Corridor Maps Available

The West-Wide Energy Corridor Final Programmatic EIS is now available for downloading and browsing online. Final PEIS maps of proposed Section 368 energy corridors and associated data are also available for browsing/downloading. For more information, see the Agencies' press release.

Map Data for Interactive Map Viewer

Figure 2.1-1 in the Draft Programmatic EIS (Chapter 2, page 2-3) shows proposed energy corridors received during and after the public scoping comment period for the PEIS. Map and supporting data for Figure 2.1-1 have been added to the West Wide Energy Corridor Draft PEIS Interactive Map in ArcReader format.

If you have questions or need more information, contact the Energy Corridor PEIS webmaster at [email protected]

Additional Public Meeting in Elko NV Feb. 5, 2008

The U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Department of Interior Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, and the U.S. Department of Defense (the Agencies) will hold an additional public meeting to obtain comments on the Draft PEIS on Tuesday, February 5, 2008, in Elko NV from 6-8PM.

The meeting will begin at 6:00 PM at the following location:

BLM Elko Field Office
3900 E. Idaho St.
Elko NV
(775) 753-0200

Please see the Public Meetings page for additional important information concerning this meeting.

Draft PEIS Comment Period Open, Public Meetings Scheduled

The public comment period for the West-Wide Energy Corridor Draft Programmatic EIS is now open, and will remain open until Friday, Feb. 14, 2008. Members of the public are encouraged to participate in the West-Wide Energy Corridor Programmatic EIS process by submitting comments on the Draft Programmatic EIS.

How to Provide Comments

Members of the public may submit their comments via the Public Comment Form on this Web site, by mail; or by fax. To learn more, visit the "Getting Involved" page.

The agencies will accept written comments on the Draft Programmatic EIS postmarked by Thursday, Feb. 14, 2008 and electronic or faxed comments received by Thursday, Feb. 14, 2008. Comments received or postmarked after that date will be considered to the extent practicable.

Public meetings to obtain comments for the Draft Programmatic EIS will be held in the eleven Western states in January-February 2008. Specific locations for the public meetings, as well as other important information about the meetings are available under Public Meetings.

See Getting Involved for more information on public participation in the EIS process.

Notice of Availability Published in Federal Register

Draft Programmatic EIS and Draft Corridor Maps Available

The West-Wide Energy Corridor Draft Programmatic EIS is now available for downloading and browsing online. Draft PEIS maps of proposed Section 368 energy corridors are also available for browsing/downloading.

Agencies Issue Press Release on Additional Consideration of Comments

DOE and BLM have issued a press release announcing their decision that additional time will be needed to consider public comments as the agencies conduct an environmental review of proposed corridor locations.

Preliminary Draft Energy Corridor Map Comments Available

Public comments received in response to publication of the preliminary draft corridor maps, including individual letters, facsimiles, and comments received electronically are now available for downloading/browsing.

Individual State Preliminary Draft Energy Corridor Maps Available Online

The four Federal agencies preparing to designate energy corridors on Federal lands in 11 Western states for electricity transmission and oil, natural gas and hydrogen pipelines today released individual state maps showing preliminary corridors on Federal lands. The informational maps were developed using comments received during a public scoping period in the Fall of 2005, and offer an update on progress in the identification of potential corridors and an opportunity for public comment on work to-date. Posting of these individual state maps follows posting of a West-wide map of preliminary draft corridors released June 9, 2006.

The preliminary draft state maps of potential energy corridors are now available for downloading or browsing online.

Preliminary Draft Energy Corridor Map Available Online

The four Federal agencies preparing to designate energy corridors on Federal lands in 11 Western States for electricity transmission and oil, natural gas and hydrogen pipelines today released a map showing preliminary corridors. The informational map was developed using comments received during a public scoping period in the Fall of 2005, and offers an update on progress in the identification of potential corridors and an opportunity for public comment on work to-date.

The preliminary draft map of potential energy corridors is now available for downloading or browsing online.

The agencies' press release announcing publication of the map is also available.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Cooperating Agency Comments Available Online

Comments received on January 12, 2006 from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as a cooperating agency in preparation of the Programmatic EIS are now available for downloading or browsing online.

Correction for Portland Oregon Tribal Meeting

The meeting in Portland, Oregon, will be held on TUESDAY, May 9, 2006. This is a correction to the information provided in the letter sent to the Western Tribal groups on April 14, 2006, which indicated the wrong day of the week.

We apologize for any inconvenience this error may have caused.

Final Scoping Summary Report Available Online

Public Scoping Comments Available Online

Public scoping comments received during the West-wide Energy Corridor Programmatic EIS scoping comment period are now available for downloading and browsing. Transcripts of the public scoping meetings are also available.

Report to Congress: Corridors and Rights-of-Way on Federal Lands Added

This report was prepared by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Department of Energy, and the Council on Environmental Quality in response to Section 1221(b), Reports to Congress on Corridors and Rights of Way on Federal Lands, of Section 1221, Siting of Interstate Electric Transmission Facilities, in Title XII of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, Public Law 109-58. Congress requested that the Secretaries of Agriculture, Energy, and Interior and the Chairman of the Council on Environmental Quality prepare a report identifying the following:

• All existing designated transmission and distribution corridors on federal land;
• The status of work related to proposed transmission and distribution corridor designations under Title V of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA) and any impediments to completing the work;
• The number of pending applications to locate transmission facilities on federal land; and
• The number of existing transmission and distribution rights-of-way (ROWs) on federal land that will come up for renewal within the next 5-, 10-, and 15-year periods and how those renewals will be managed.

Scoping Comment Period Ends Nov. 28, 2005

The public scoping comment period for the West-Wide Energy Corridor Programmatic EIS remains open until Nov. 28, 2005. Members of the public are encouraged to participate in the West-Wide Energy Corridor Programmatic EIS process by submitting information and comments on specific issues they believe should be addressed in the Programmatic EIS.

How to Provide Comments

The agencies will accept written comments on the scope of the Programmatic EIS postmarked by November 28, 2005, and electronic or faxed comments received by November 28, 2005. Comments received or postmarked after that date will be considered to the extent practicable.

West-wide Energy Corridor Programmatic EIS Public Scoping Meetings in October and November

Public scoping meetings to obtain scoping comments for the Programmatic EIS will be held at the following locations on the dates specified below.

Dates for the public scoping meetings are:

1. October 25, 2005, Denver Colorado
2. October 26, 2005, Albuquerque, New Mexico
3. October 26, 2005, Salt Lake City, Utah
4. October 27, 2005, Cheyenne, Wyoming
5. October 27, 2005, Helena, Montana
6. November 1, 2005, Boise, Idaho
7. November 1, 2005, Sacramento, California
8. November 2, 2005, Las Vegas, Nevada
9. November 2, 2005, Portland Oregon
10. November 3, 2005, Phoenix, Arizona
11. November 3, 2005, Seattle, Washington

The actual locations of the public meetings in each city, as well as other important information about the meetings is available under Public Meetings.

See Getting Involved for information on public participation in the EIS process.

West-wide Energy Corridor Programmatic EIS Public Information Center Web Site Launched

The West-wide Energy Corridor Programmatic EIS Public Information Center Web site was launched September 27, 2005. This Web site is the online center for public information and involvement in the West-wide Energy Corridor Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (Energy Corridor PEIS).

The United States Department of Energy, the United States Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, and the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service (the Agencies) will prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) to evaluate issues associated with designation of energy corridors on federal lands in eleven Western states. This Web site is the online center for public information and involvement in the PEIS process.

Notice of Intent Published in Federal Register