Department of Energy April 30, 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The United States (U.S.) Department of Energy (DOE) intends to modify the scope of the Champlain Hudson Power Express Transmission Line Project Environmental Impact Statement (CHPE EIS; DOE/EIS-0447) and to conduct additional public scoping. As described in the original Notice of Intent (NOI) (75 FR 34720; June 18, 2010), in January 2010, Transmission Developers Inc. (TDI) submitted, on behalf of Champlain Hudson Power Express, Inc. (Applicant), an application to DOE for a Presidential permit for the Champlain Hudson Power Express (Champlain Hudson) project. As explained in the NOI, DOE will assess the potential environmental impacts associated with the construction, operation, maintenance, and connection of the proposed new electric transmission line across the U.S.-Canada border in northeastern New York State. Public scoping originally closed on August 2, 2010. On February 28, 2012, TDI submitted an amendment to the application for a Presidential permit to DOE that reflects proposed changes to the route of the Champlain Hudson project, and DOE now intends to revise the scope of the EIS to address these proposed changes. The proposed changes are the result of settlement negotiations among New York (NY) State agencies, Champlain Hudson Power Express, Inc., CHPE Properties, Inc. and other stakeholders as part of the project review under Article VII of the New York State Public Service Law, and are reflected in a February 24, 2012, ``Joint Proposal'' submitted to the New York Public Service Commission. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, New York Field Office (USFWS Region 5), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA Region 2), the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), and the New York State Department of Public Service (NYSDPS) are cooperating agencies in the preparation of the EIS.