Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement; Enbridge Energy, Limited Partnership (“Alberta Clipper Project”), 74221-74223 [E8-28866]
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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 235 / Friday, December 5, 2008 / Notices
and Heavy Duty Truck Tractors, and
Line Hardware (Insulator Strings)
Manufacturing. The basis for waiver is
that no small business manufacturers
are supplying these classes of products
to the Federal government. The effect of
a waiver would be to allow otherwise
qualified regular dealers to supply the
products of any manufacturer on a
Federal contract set aside for small
businesses, service-disabled veteranowned small businesses or participants
in SBA’s 8(a) Business Development
Program.
DATES: This waiver is effective
December 22, 2008.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Edith G. Butler, Program Analyst, by
telephone at (202) 619–0422; by FAX at
(202) 481–1788; or by e-mail at
Edith.Butler@sba.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section
8(a)(17) of the Small Business Act (Act),
15 U.S.C. 637(a)(17), requires that
recipients of Federal contracts set aside
for small businesses, or SBA’s 8(a)
Business Development Program provide
the product of a small business
manufacturer or processor, if the
recipient is other than the actual
manufacturer or processor of the
product. SBA’s regulations provided the
same for procurements set aside for
service-disabled veteran-owned small
business concerns. This requirement is
commonly referred to as the
Nonmanufacturer Rule. See 13 CFR
121.406(b). Section 8(a)(17)(b)(iv) of the
Act authorizes SBA to waive the
Nonmanufacturer Rule for any ‘‘class of
products’’ for which there are no small
business manufacturers or processors
available to participate in the Federal
market.
In order to be considered available to
participate in the Federal market for a
class of products, a small business
manufacturer must have submitted a
proposal for a contract solicitation or
received a contract from the Federal
government within the last 24 months.
13 CFR 1202(c).
The SBA defines ‘‘class of products’’
based on the Office of Management and
Budget’s North American Industry
Classification System (NAICS).
SBA received a request on September
4, 2008, to waive the Nonmanufacturer
Rule for Control Cable and Conductors,
NAICS 335931, Product Service Code
(PSC) 6145, Trailers and Heavy Duty
Truck Tractors, NAICS 333924, PCS
2330 and Line Hardware (Insulator
Strings) Manufacturing, 335932, PSC
6145.
In response, on October 10, 2008, SBA
published in the Federal Register a
notice of intent to waive the
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Nonmanufacturer Rule for Control Cable
and Conductors, Trailers and Heavy
Duty Truck Tractors, and Line Hardware
(Insulator Strings). SBA explained in the
notice that it was soliciting comments
and sources of small business
manufacturers of this class of products.
No comments were received and SBA
has determined that there are no small
business manufacturers of these classes
of products. Therefore, SBA is granting
the waiver of the Nonmanufacturer Rule
for Control Cable and Conductors,
Trailers and Heavy Duty Truck Tractors,
and Line Hardware (Insulator Strings)
Manufacturing.
Dated: December 1, 2008.
Karen C. Hontz,
Director for Government Contracting.
[FR Doc. E8–28750 Filed 12–4–08; 8:45 am]
74221
exhibitions for which new notices will
be applied.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
further information, including a list of
the exhibit objects, contact Carol B.
Epstein, Attorney-Adviser, Office of the
Legal Adviser, U.S. Department of State
(telephone: 202/453–8048). The address
is U.S. Department of State, SA–44, 301
4th Street, SW., Room 700, Washington,
DC 20547–0001.
Dated: December 1, 2008.
C. Miller Crouch,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for
Educational and Cultural Affairs, Department
of State.
[FR Doc. E8–28878 Filed 12–4–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710–05–P
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
BILLING CODE 8025–01–P
[Public Notice 6443]
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Public Notice; Culturally Significant
Objects Imported for Exhibition
Determinations: ‘‘Leonardo da Vinci’s
Horse and Rider? A Technical
Investigation’’
SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the
following determinations: Pursuant to
the authority vested in me by the Act of
October 19, 1965 (79 Stat. 985; 22 U.S.C.
2459), Executive Order 12047 of March
27, 1978, the Foreign Affairs Reform and
Restructuring Act of 1998 (112 Stat.
2681, et seq.; 22 U.S.C. 6501 note, et
seq.), Delegation of Authority No. 234 of
October 1, 1999, Delegation of Authority
No. 236 of October 19, 1999, as
amended, and Delegation of Authority
No. 257 of April 15, 2003 [68 FR 19875],
I hereby determine that the objects to be
included in the exhibition ‘‘Leonardo da
Vinci’s Horse and Rider? A Technical
Investigation,’’ imported from abroad for
temporary exhibition within the United
States, are of cultural significance. The
objects are imported pursuant to loan
agreements with the foreign owners or
custodians. I also determine that the
exhibition or display of the exhibit
objects at the National Gallery of Art,
Washington, DC, from on or about May
3, 2009, until on or about September 7,
2009, and at possible additional
exhibitions or venues yet to be
determined, is in the national interest.
Public Notice of these Determinations is
ordered to be published in the Federal
Register. Following the exhibition at the
Gallery, all objects but the principal
statue will be returned to the lenders;
the principal statue will travel to other
U.S. museums to become part of new
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Notice of Availability of the Draft
Environmental Impact Statement;
Enbridge Energy, Limited Partnership
(‘‘Alberta Clipper Project’’)
AGENCY: Department of State.
ACTION: Notice of Availability of the
Draft Environmental Impact Statement;
Enbridge Energy, Limited Partnership
(‘‘Alberta Clipper Project’’).
SUMMARY: The staff of the Department of
State has prepared a Draft
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
for the proposed Enbridge Energy,
Limited Partnership (‘‘Enbridge’’)
Alberta Clipper Pipeline Project.
Enbridge has applied to the Department
of State for a Presidential Permit,
pursuant to Executive Order 13337 of
April 30, 2004, to construct, connect,
operate, and maintain a 36-inch
diameter crude oil and liquid
hydrocarbon pipeline at the U.S.Canadian border near Neche, Pembina
County, North Dakota, for the purpose
of transporting liquid hydrocarbons and
other petroleum products between the
United States and Canada. Enbridge
seeks this authorization in connection
with its Alberta Clipper Pipeline Project
(‘‘Alberta Clipper Project’’), which is
designed to transport Canadian crude
oil from the Western Canadian
Sedimentary Basin (‘‘WCSB’’) to
existing refinery markets primarily in
the Midwest region of the United States.
The Secretary of State is designated
and empowered to receive all
applications for Presidential Permits, as
referred to in Executive Order 13337, as
amended, for the construction,
operation, or maintenance, at the
borders of the United States, of facilities
for the exportation or importation of
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74222
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 235 / Friday, December 5, 2008 / Notices
petroleum, petroleum products, coal, or
other fuels to or from a foreign country.
Any person wishing to comment on
the Draft EIS may do so. To ensure
consideration prior to a Department of
State decision on the Enbridge proposal,
it is important that we receive your
comments by January 30, 2009.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Draft
EIS was prepared to conform to the
requirements of the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and
to evaluate the potential environmental
impacts of the proposed pipeline
project. The document also evaluates
alternatives to the proposal, including
system alternatives and pipeline route
alternatives.
The federal cooperating agencies for
the development of this EIS are: U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers; U.S.
Department of Agriculture—Farm
Service Agency and Natural Resources
Conservation Service; U.S. Department
of Interior—U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service and Bureau of Indian Affairs;
and the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency. In addition, two Indian Bands
are acting as cooperating agencies for
this EIS: The Fond du Lac Band of Lake
Superior Chippewa and the Leech Lake
Band of Ojibwe Indians. Cooperating
agencies either have jurisdiction by law
or special expertise with respect to the
environmental impacts assessed in
connection with the proposal and are
involved in the Department’s analysis of
those environmental impacts.
The Draft EIS addresses the potential
environmental effects of the
construction and operation of the
United States portion of the Alberta
Clipper Project. The proposed Alberta
Clipper Project would be a new pipeline
that would transport crude oil from
Enbridge’s existing facilities in Hardisty,
Alberta, Canada to its existing terminal
in Superior, Wisconsin. From there, the
liquid hydrocarbons would be
transported to Midwestern markets, the
eastern United States and Canada, and
the Midcontinent and U.S. Gulf markets.
Crude oil would be transported to
markets in the Midwest via Enbridge’s
Lakehead System, which is currently
being expanded, and potentially
through pipelines that may be
constructed in the future. The proposed
Project would be designed to transport
an average crude oil volume of
approximately 450,000 bpd.
Overall, the Alberta Clipper Project
would consist of a new pipeline and
associated facilities in both Canada and
the United States. The Draft EIS focuses
on the portion of the Alberta Clipper
Project in the United States. The
primary components of the U.S. portion
VerDate Aug<31>2005
15:27 Dec 04, 2008
Jkt 217001
of the Project would be the new
pipeline, new mainline valves, and
additional pumping capacity at three
existing pump stations. The pipeline
would extend approximately 331.8
miles from the U.S./Canada border near
Neche, North Dakota through Minnesota
and Wisconsin to the existing Enbridge
terminal in Superior. A total of 32
mainline valves would be installed at
key locations along the alignment.
The Canadian portion of the Alberta
Clipper Project received its final
Canadian National Energy Board
certificate in other approvals by August
2008.
Approximately 82 percent of the
proposed pipeline route in the United
States (about 270 miles) would be
within or adjacent to an existing
Enbridge pipeline corridor. The existing
corridor houses six pipelines between
the U.S./Canada border and Clearbrook,
Minnesota (including the Southern
Lights LSr Project pipeline which began
construction in summer 2008), and four
existing pipelines between Clearbrook
and Superior. The existing pipelines
transport crude oil or petroleum
products. A fifth pipeline has been
proposed for the corridor between
Clearbrook and Superior, and Enbridge
proposes to construct it concurrently
with the Alberta Clipper Project
pipeline.
Three existing Enbridge pump
stations along the corridor would be
upgraded to accommodate the Alberta
Clipper pipeline. The upgrades would
include additional pumps and the
associated electrical equipment
necessary to power the pumps.
If approved, Enbridge proposes to
begin construction of the project in the
spring of 2009, with an in-service date
of early 2010.
As a separate but connected action to
the Alberta Clipper Project, Enbridge is
proposing to construct, operate, and
maintain the Superior Terminal
Expansion Project. This project would
consist of five new 250,000-barrel
storage tanks and associated piping and
facilities at the existing Enbridge
terminal. The Superior Terminal
Expansion Project is not part of the
Presidential Permit Application
submitted to Department of State and
would be permitted separately from the
Alberta Clipper Project.
Construction of the proposed pipeline
would generally require a 140-foot-wide
construction right-of-way to allow
temporary storage of topsoil and spoil
and to accommodate safe operation of
construction equipment. Enbridge
would retain a portion of the
construction right-of-way in order to
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maintain a 75-feet right-of-way from the
current outermost pipeline.
The Alberta Clipper Project would not
require construction of new pump
stations. Mainline valves would be
installed along the pipeline to limit the
volume of a spill if one were to occur.
Enbridge conducted an analysis to
determine the most appropriate
locations for mainline valves in
compliance with the requirements of 49
CFR Part 195. Construction of the
pipeline would require establishment of
rail unloading sites for delivery of pipe
and contractor/pipe storage yards at
locations near the construction right-ofway to temporarily store pipe and the
contractor’s vehicles, equipment, tools,
and other construction-related items.
Rail unloading areas would be located
adjacent to railroad sidings. Enbridge
would need to gain access to the
construction right-of-way during
pipeline installation and the permanent
right-of-way during operation. In
general, Enbridge would use existing
public roads to gain access to the
construction right-of-way as much as
possible. In areas where public roads are
limited, existing privately owned roads
may be used for access, provided that
Enbridge receives permission from the
landowners. If neither public nor
privately owned roads are available,
Enbridge would construct new access
roads that typically would be
approximately 10 to 30 feet wide.
U.S. States and counties that could
possibly be affected by construction of
the proposed pipeline are:
• North Dakota: Pembina;
• Minnesota: Kittson, Marshall,
Pennington, Red Lake, Polk, Clearwater,
Beltrami, Hubbard, Cass, Itasca, Aitkin,
St. Louis, Carlton; and
• Wisconsin: Douglas.
Comment Procedures and Public
Meetings: Any person wishing to
comment on the Draft EIS may do so. To
ensure consideration prior to a
Department of State decision on the
proposal, it is important that we receive
your comments by no later than January
30, 2009.
Options for submitting comments on
the Draft EIS are as follows:
• By mail to: Elizabeth Orlando,
Alberta Clipper Project Manager, U.S.
Department of State, OES/ENV Room
2657, Washington, DC 20520. Please
note that Department of State mail can
be delayed due to security screening.
• Fax to: (202) 647–5947, attention
Elizabeth Orlando.
• E-mail to:
AlbertaClipperEIS@state.gov.
• Comment over the internet via the
Alberta Clipper EIS Web site:
mailto:www.albertaclipper.state.gov.
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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 235 / Friday, December 5, 2008 / Notices
Comments received will be included
in the public docket without change and
may be made available on-line at
https://www.albertaclipper.state.gov,
including any personal information
provided, unless the commenter
indicates that the comment includes
information claimed to be Confidential
Business Information (CBI) or other
information whose disclosure is
restricted by statute. Do not submit
information that you consider to be CBI,
or otherwise protected, through e-mail.
If you send a comment by e-mail, your
e-mail address will be automatically
captured and included as part of the
comment that is placed in the public
docket and made available on the
Internet. If you want to submit an
electronic comment, we recommend
that you include your name and other
contact information in the body of your
comment and with any disk or CD-ROM
you submit. If we cannot read your
comment because of technical
difficulties and cannot contact you for
clarification, we may not be able to
consider your comment. Electronic
comments should avoid the use of any
special characters, any form of
encryption, and be free of any defects or
viruses.
In addition to or in lieu of sending
written comments, the Department of
State invites you to attend the public
meetings in the project area to receive
comments on the Draft EIS. A court
reporter will be present and will accept
comments for the record. Dates and
locations for the public meetings are:
• Monday, December 15, 2008, 6 to 9
p.m., Thief River Falls, Minnesota, Best
Western, 1060 Highway 32 South, Thief
River Falls.
• Tuesday, December 16, 2008, 11
a.m. to 2 p.m., Cass Lake, Minnesota,
Cass Lake Palace Casino, 6280 Upper
Cass Lake Frontage Road, NW., Cass
Lake.
• Tuesday, December 16, 2008, 6 p.m.
to 9 p.m., Bemidji, Minnesota, Holiday
Inn Express Conference Center, 2422
Ridgeway Avenue, NW., Bemidji.
• Wednesday, December 17, 2008,
6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Grand Rapids,
Minnesota, Wendego Conference Center,
20108 Golf Crest Road, Grand Rapids.
• Thursday, December 18, 2008,
11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Carlton, Minnesota,
Black Bear Hotel—Lake Hall Room,
1785 Highway 210, Carlton.
• Thursday, December 18, 2008,
6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Superior, Wisconsin,
Barkers Island Inn, 300 Marina Drive,
Superior.
After comments are reviewed, any
significant new issues are investigated,
and modifications are made to the Draft
EIS, a final EIS will be published and
VerDate Aug<31>2005
15:27 Dec 04, 2008
Jkt 217001
distributed by the Department of State.
The final EIS will contain the
Department’s response to timely
comments received on the Draft EIS.
Copies of the Draft EIS have been
mailed to interested federal, tribal, state
and local agencies; public interest
groups; individuals and affected
landowners who requested a copy of the
Draft EIS or provided comments during
the scoping process; libraries; and other
stakeholders.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The
Enbridge application for a Presidential
Permit, including associated maps, the
Draft EIS; a list of libraries where the
Draft EIS may be reviewed; and other
project information is available for
viewing and download at the project
Web site: https://
www.albertaclipper.state.gov.
For information on the proposed
project or the Draft EIS contact Elizabeth
Orlando, OES/ENV Room 2657, U.S.
Department of State, Washington, DC,
20520, or by telephone (202) 647–4284,
or by fax at (202) 647–5947.
Issued in Washington, DC on December 5,
2008.
Daniel Fantozzi,
Director, Bureau of Oceans and International
Environmental and Scientific Affairs/Office
of Environmental Policy, Department of State.
[FR Doc. E8–28866 Filed 12–4–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710–07–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Office of the Secretary
[Docket Number—[Docket No. DOT–OST–
2008–0371]
Agency Information Collection
Activities; Proposals, Submissions,
and Approvals
AGENCY: Department of Transportation
(DOT), Office of the Secretary (OST).
ACTION: Notice and request for
comments; Request OMB Clearance for
extension of a currently approved
information collection, Foreign Air
Carrier Application for Statement of
Authorization.
SUMMARY: In compliance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995,
Public Law 104–13, the Department of
Transportation, Office of the Secretary
invites the general public, industry and
other governmental parties to comment
on the Foreign Air Carrier Application
for Statement of Authorization. The preexisting information collection request
previously approved by the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) expires
on January 31, 2009.
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74223
DATES: Written comments should be
submitted by February 3, 2009.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
George Wellington, (202) 366–2391,
Office of International Aviation, U.S.
Department of Transportation, 1200
New Jersey Avenue, SE., Room W86–
125, Washington, DC 20590. Office
hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, except Federal
holidays.
ADDRESSES: You may submit a comment
to Docket No. DOT–OST–2008–0371
through one of the following methods:
Web site: https://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the instructions for submitting
comments on the FDMS electronic
docket site.
Fax: 1–202–493–2251.
Mail: Docket Management Facility;
U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200
New Jersey Avenue, SE., West Building,
Room W12–140, Washington, DC 20590.
Hand Delivery: Room W12–140 on the
ground level of the West Building, 1200
New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington,
DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday
through Friday, except Wednesday and
Federal holidays.
Instructions: All comments must
include the agency name and FDMS
Docket No. DOT–OST–2008–0371. Note
that all comments received will be
posted without change to https://
www.regulations.gov, including any
personal information provided. You
should know that anyone is able to
search the electronic form of all
comments received into any of our
dockets by the name of the individual
submitting the comment (or signing the
comment, if submitted on behalf of an
association, business, labor union, etc.)
You may review DOT’s complete
Privacy Act Statement in the Federal
Register published on February 3, 2006
(71 FR 5780), or you may visit https://
www.regulations.gov.
Docket: For access to the docket to
read background documents or
comments, go to https://
www.regulations.gov at any time or to
Room W12–140 on the ground level of
the West Building, 1200 New Jersey
Avenue, SE., Washington, DC, between
9 a.m. and 5 a.m., Monday through
Friday, except Wednesday and Federal
holidays.
If you wish to receive confirmation of
receipt of your written comments,
please include a self-addressed,
stamped postcard with the following
statement: ‘‘Comments on Docket No.
DOT–OST–2008–0371.’’ The Docket
Clerk will date stamp the postcard prior
to returning it to you via the U.S. mail.
Please note that due to delays in the
delivery of U.S. mail to Federal offices
E:\FR\FM\05DEN1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 235 (Friday, December 5, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 74221-74223]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-28866]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
[Public Notice 6443]
Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact
Statement; Enbridge Energy, Limited Partnership (``Alberta Clipper
Project'')
AGENCY: Department of State.
ACTION: Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact
Statement; Enbridge Energy, Limited Partnership (``Alberta Clipper
Project'').
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The staff of the Department of State has prepared a Draft
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed Enbridge Energy,
Limited Partnership (``Enbridge'') Alberta Clipper Pipeline Project.
Enbridge has applied to the Department of State for a Presidential
Permit, pursuant to Executive Order 13337 of April 30, 2004, to
construct, connect, operate, and maintain a 36-inch diameter crude oil
and liquid hydrocarbon pipeline at the U.S.-Canadian border near Neche,
Pembina County, North Dakota, for the purpose of transporting liquid
hydrocarbons and other petroleum products between the United States and
Canada. Enbridge seeks this authorization in connection with its
Alberta Clipper Pipeline Project (``Alberta Clipper Project''), which
is designed to transport Canadian crude oil from the Western Canadian
Sedimentary Basin (``WCSB'') to existing refinery markets primarily in
the Midwest region of the United States.
The Secretary of State is designated and empowered to receive all
applications for Presidential Permits, as referred to in Executive
Order 13337, as amended, for the construction, operation, or
maintenance, at the borders of the United States, of facilities for the
exportation or importation of
[[Page 74222]]
petroleum, petroleum products, coal, or other fuels to or from a
foreign country.
Any person wishing to comment on the Draft EIS may do so. To ensure
consideration prior to a Department of State decision on the Enbridge
proposal, it is important that we receive your comments by January 30,
2009.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Draft EIS was prepared to conform to the
requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and to
evaluate the potential environmental impacts of the proposed pipeline
project. The document also evaluates alternatives to the proposal,
including system alternatives and pipeline route alternatives.
The federal cooperating agencies for the development of this EIS
are: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; U.S. Department of Agriculture--Farm
Service Agency and Natural Resources Conservation Service; U.S.
Department of Interior--U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Bureau of
Indian Affairs; and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In
addition, two Indian Bands are acting as cooperating agencies for this
EIS: The Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and the Leech Lake
Band of Ojibwe Indians. Cooperating agencies either have jurisdiction
by law or special expertise with respect to the environmental impacts
assessed in connection with the proposal and are involved in the
Department's analysis of those environmental impacts.
The Draft EIS addresses the potential environmental effects of the
construction and operation of the United States portion of the Alberta
Clipper Project. The proposed Alberta Clipper Project would be a new
pipeline that would transport crude oil from Enbridge's existing
facilities in Hardisty, Alberta, Canada to its existing terminal in
Superior, Wisconsin. From there, the liquid hydrocarbons would be
transported to Midwestern markets, the eastern United States and
Canada, and the Midcontinent and U.S. Gulf markets. Crude oil would be
transported to markets in the Midwest via Enbridge's Lakehead System,
which is currently being expanded, and potentially through pipelines
that may be constructed in the future. The proposed Project would be
designed to transport an average crude oil volume of approximately
450,000 bpd.
Overall, the Alberta Clipper Project would consist of a new
pipeline and associated facilities in both Canada and the United
States. The Draft EIS focuses on the portion of the Alberta Clipper
Project in the United States. The primary components of the U.S.
portion of the Project would be the new pipeline, new mainline valves,
and additional pumping capacity at three existing pump stations. The
pipeline would extend approximately 331.8 miles from the U.S./Canada
border near Neche, North Dakota through Minnesota and Wisconsin to the
existing Enbridge terminal in Superior. A total of 32 mainline valves
would be installed at key locations along the alignment.
The Canadian portion of the Alberta Clipper Project received its
final Canadian National Energy Board certificate in other approvals by
August 2008.
Approximately 82 percent of the proposed pipeline route in the
United States (about 270 miles) would be within or adjacent to an
existing Enbridge pipeline corridor. The existing corridor houses six
pipelines between the U.S./Canada border and Clearbrook, Minnesota
(including the Southern Lights LSr Project pipeline which began
construction in summer 2008), and four existing pipelines between
Clearbrook and Superior. The existing pipelines transport crude oil or
petroleum products. A fifth pipeline has been proposed for the corridor
between Clearbrook and Superior, and Enbridge proposes to construct it
concurrently with the Alberta Clipper Project pipeline.
Three existing Enbridge pump stations along the corridor would be
upgraded to accommodate the Alberta Clipper pipeline. The upgrades
would include additional pumps and the associated electrical equipment
necessary to power the pumps.
If approved, Enbridge proposes to begin construction of the project
in the spring of 2009, with an in-service date of early 2010.
As a separate but connected action to the Alberta Clipper Project,
Enbridge is proposing to construct, operate, and maintain the Superior
Terminal Expansion Project. This project would consist of five new
250,000-barrel storage tanks and associated piping and facilities at
the existing Enbridge terminal. The Superior Terminal Expansion Project
is not part of the Presidential Permit Application submitted to
Department of State and would be permitted separately from the Alberta
Clipper Project.
Construction of the proposed pipeline would generally require a
140-foot-wide construction right-of-way to allow temporary storage of
topsoil and spoil and to accommodate safe operation of construction
equipment. Enbridge would retain a portion of the construction right-
of-way in order to maintain a 75-feet right-of-way from the current
outermost pipeline.
The Alberta Clipper Project would not require construction of new
pump stations. Mainline valves would be installed along the pipeline to
limit the volume of a spill if one were to occur. Enbridge conducted an
analysis to determine the most appropriate locations for mainline
valves in compliance with the requirements of 49 CFR Part 195.
Construction of the pipeline would require establishment of rail
unloading sites for delivery of pipe and contractor/pipe storage yards
at locations near the construction right-of-way to temporarily store
pipe and the contractor's vehicles, equipment, tools, and other
construction-related items. Rail unloading areas would be located
adjacent to railroad sidings. Enbridge would need to gain access to the
construction right-of-way during pipeline installation and the
permanent right-of-way during operation. In general, Enbridge would use
existing public roads to gain access to the construction right-of-way
as much as possible. In areas where public roads are limited, existing
privately owned roads may be used for access, provided that Enbridge
receives permission from the landowners. If neither public nor
privately owned roads are available, Enbridge would construct new
access roads that typically would be approximately 10 to 30 feet wide.
U.S. States and counties that could possibly be affected by
construction of the proposed pipeline are:
North Dakota: Pembina;
Minnesota: Kittson, Marshall, Pennington, Red Lake, Polk,
Clearwater, Beltrami, Hubbard, Cass, Itasca, Aitkin, St. Louis,
Carlton; and
Wisconsin: Douglas.
Comment Procedures and Public Meetings: Any person wishing to
comment on the Draft EIS may do so. To ensure consideration prior to a
Department of State decision on the proposal, it is important that we
receive your comments by no later than January 30, 2009.
Options for submitting comments on the Draft EIS are as follows:
By mail to: Elizabeth Orlando, Alberta Clipper Project
Manager, U.S. Department of State, OES/ENV Room 2657, Washington, DC
20520. Please note that Department of State mail can be delayed due to
security screening.
Fax to: (202) 647-5947, attention Elizabeth Orlando.
E-mail to: AlbertaClipperEIS@state.gov.
Comment over the internet via the Alberta Clipper EIS Web
site: mailto:www.albertaclipper.state.gov.
[[Page 74223]]
Comments received will be included in the public docket without
change and may be made available on-line at https://
www.albertaclipper.state.gov, including any personal information
provided, unless the commenter indicates that the comment includes
information claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or
other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Do not
submit information that you consider to be CBI, or otherwise protected,
through e-mail. If you send a comment by e-mail, your e-mail address
will be automatically captured and included as part of the comment that
is placed in the public docket and made available on the Internet. If
you want to submit an electronic comment, we recommend that you include
your name and other contact information in the body of your comment and
with any disk or CD-ROM you submit. If we cannot read your comment
because of technical difficulties and cannot contact you for
clarification, we may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic
comments should avoid the use of any special characters, any form of
encryption, and be free of any defects or viruses.
In addition to or in lieu of sending written comments, the
Department of State invites you to attend the public meetings in the
project area to receive comments on the Draft EIS. A court reporter
will be present and will accept comments for the record. Dates and
locations for the public meetings are:
Monday, December 15, 2008, 6 to 9 p.m., Thief River Falls,
Minnesota, Best Western, 1060 Highway 32 South, Thief River Falls.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Cass Lake,
Minnesota, Cass Lake Palace Casino, 6280 Upper Cass Lake Frontage Road,
NW., Cass Lake.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Bemidji,
Minnesota, Holiday Inn Express Conference Center, 2422 Ridgeway Avenue,
NW., Bemidji.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Grand
Rapids, Minnesota, Wendego Conference Center, 20108 Golf Crest Road,
Grand Rapids.
Thursday, December 18, 2008, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Carlton,
Minnesota, Black Bear Hotel--Lake Hall Room, 1785 Highway 210, Carlton.
Thursday, December 18, 2008, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Superior,
Wisconsin, Barkers Island Inn, 300 Marina Drive, Superior.
After comments are reviewed, any significant new issues are
investigated, and modifications are made to the Draft EIS, a final EIS
will be published and distributed by the Department of State. The final
EIS will contain the Department's response to timely comments received
on the Draft EIS.
Copies of the Draft EIS have been mailed to interested federal,
tribal, state and local agencies; public interest groups; individuals
and affected landowners who requested a copy of the Draft EIS or
provided comments during the scoping process; libraries; and other
stakeholders.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Enbridge application for a
Presidential Permit, including associated maps, the Draft EIS; a list
of libraries where the Draft EIS may be reviewed; and other project
information is available for viewing and download at the project Web
site: https://www.albertaclipper.state.gov.
For information on the proposed project or the Draft EIS contact
Elizabeth Orlando, OES/ENV Room 2657, U.S. Department of State,
Washington, DC, 20520, or by telephone (202) 647-4284, or by fax at
(202) 647-5947.
Issued in Washington, DC on December 5, 2008.
Daniel Fantozzi,
Director, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and
Scientific Affairs/Office of Environmental Policy, Department of State.
[FR Doc. E8-28866 Filed 12-4-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-07-P
