Department of Energy January 5, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

DOE announces its decision to implement the Proposed Action alternative, identified as DOE's preferred alternative in the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Bangor Hydro-Electric Company Northeast Reliability Interconnect (DOE/EIS-0372). This alternative is to amend Presidential Permit PP-89 to authorize Bangor Hydro-Electric Company (BHE) to construct, operate, maintain, and connect a single- circuit, 345,000-volt (345-kV) electric transmission line that would originate at BHE's existing Orrington Substation, near Orrington, Maine, extend eastward approximately 85 miles, cross the United States (U.S.)-Canada border near Baileyville, Maine, and continue into New Brunswick, Canada. The proposed transmission line, referred to as the Northeast Reliability Interconnect (NRI), would be constructed along a route identified as the Modified Consolidated Corridors Route in the EIS. In reaching this decision, DOE considered the low environmental impacts in the U.S. from constructing, operating, and maintaining the NRI, the lack of adverse impacts to the reliability of the U.S. electric power supply system, and the lack of major issues of concern to the public. This ROD and Floodplain Statement of Findings have been prepared in accordance with the regulations of the Council on Environmental Quality (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508) for implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), DOE's NEPA Implementing Procedures (10 CFR Part 1021), and DOE's Compliance with Floodplain and Wetland Environmental Review Requirements (10 CFR part 1022).