Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) Documents
Describes the regulatory framework associated with the proposed Project, including the purpose and need for agency action, major federal permits (including the U.S. DOE Presidential permit), federal consultation requirements, state permitting requirements (including the MN PUC Route Permit), other state and local permits, and a summary of agencies, tribes, and persons consulted.
Chapter 2 — Proposed ProjectPDF, 2.8MBDescribes the project as proposed by the Applicant including proposed routes, structures, objectives, route selection process, estimated costs, and proposed schedule. Chapter 2 also describes the Applicant’s engineering, design, and construction plans, land acquisition processes, and Applicant proposed measures to avoid and minimize environmental impacts.
Chapter 3 — No Action Alternative PDF, 1.2MBDescribes the "No Action alternative,” in which the DOE would not issue a Presidential permit and the proposed Project would not be built. The analysis of the No Action alternative summarizes the impacts of not constructing the project and provides a baseline for analyzing and comparing potential environmental impacts from DOE’s proposed action and alternatives.
Chapter 4 Part 1 — Route and Alignment Alternatives Proposed During Scoping PDF, 7.5MB Chapter 4 Part 2 — Route and Alignment Alternatives Proposed During Scoping PDF, 6.7MB Chapter 4 Part 3 — Route and Alignment Alternatives Proposed During Scoping PDF, 6.2MBDescribes the four border crossing alternatives, 22 route variations, and nine alignment modifications that were proposed by agencies and the public during scoping. Chapter 4 also summarizes the process used by DOE in coordination with the DOC-EERA to jointly determine which border crossings and routes to include in the scope of this EIS. Chapter 4 also describes how the selected routes, route variations, and alignments are analyzed by dividing the 220-mile long project area into the three major sections: the West Section, the Central Section, and the East Section.
Chapter 5 Part 1 — Affected Environment and Potential Impacts PDF, 8.4MBDescribes the affected environment for the proposed Project, including descriptions of each resource, the region of influence (ROI) of the proposed Project on the resource, and impacts expected from the construction, operation, maintenance, and connection of the proposed Project. Chapter 5.0 first describes the impacts of the proposed Project that are common to all geographic sections and do not vary by route or route variation. Chapter 5.0 then describes the resources that do vary by geographic section and for which impacts vary by route and route variation—the impacts and resources are carried forward for detailed analysis and comparison in Chapter 6.0.
Chapter 5 Part 2 — Affected Environment and Potential ImpactsPDF, 5.3MB Chapter 5 Part 3 — Affected Environment and Potential Impacts PDF, 1.9MB Chapter 5 Part 4 — Affected Environment and Potential Impacts PDF, 6.3MB Chapter 6 Part 1 — Comparative Environmental Consequences PDF, 967KBPresents detailed analysis and comparison of the potential human and environmental impacts of the proposed Project and alternative route variations, and describes mitigation measures by geographic section, route, and route variation.
Chapter 6 Part 2 — Comparative Environmental Consequences PDF, 7MB Chapter 6 Part 3 — Comparative Environmental Consequences PDF, 3.8MB Chapter 6 Part 4 — Comparative Environmental Consequences PDF, 1.8MB Chapter 6 Part 5 — Comparative Environmental Consequences PDF, 8MB Chapter 6 Part 6 — Comparative Environmental Consequences PDF, 4.4MB Chapter 6 Part 7 — Comparative Environmental Consequences PDF, 755KB Chapter 6 Part 8 — Comparative Environmental Consequences PDF, 7MB Chapter 6 Part 9 — Comparative Environmental Consequences PDF, 6.2MB Chapter 7 — Cumulative and Other Impacts PDF, 5MBDescribes reasonably foreseeable projects in the proposed Project area and assesses impacts of the proposed Project in the context of these reasonably foreseeable projects along with other past and present projects in the same area. Chapter 7 also describes unavoidable, irretrievable, and other impacts as required by federal and state regulations.
Chapter 8 — List of Preparers PDF, 1.8MB Chapter 9 — References PDF, 1.8MB Chapter 10 — Acronyms PDF, 1.7MB Chapter 11 — Index PDF, 211KBAppendices
Appendix A — Tribal Consultations PDF, 3.8MBProvides documentation of and correspondence for the DOE’s government-to-government consultation under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and in accordance with Executive Order 13175.
Appendix B — Route Permit Generic Template and ExamplePDF, 9.1MBProvides documentation of and correspondence for the DOE’s government-to-government consultation under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and in accordance with Executive Order 13175.
Appendix C — Narrative of the Scoping Summary ReportPDF, 2.8MBProvides the narrative from the EIS Scoping Summary Report summarizing the joint scoping process and associated public and agency comments provided during the public scoping period for the proposed Project.
Appendix D — DOC-EERA Scoping DecisionsPDF, 6.1MBProvides the DOC-EERA scoping decision issued for this EIS on January 8, 2015.
Appendix E — Route Analysis Data Tables PDF, 3.4MBProvides detailed data for the right-of-way (ROW), route, and region-of-interest (ROI) for the proposed routes and variations analyzed in this EIS.
Appendix F — Rare Species Data Tables PDF, 1.5MBProvides detailed MnDNR Natural Heritage Information System rare species data for the ROW, route, and region-of-interests (ROIs) for the proposed routes and variations analyzed in this EIS.
Appendix G — Rare Communities Data Tables PDF, 567KBProvides detailed Minnesota Biological Survey native plant community rare communities data for the ROW, route, and region-of-interests (ROIs) for the proposed routes and variations analyzed in this EIS.
Appendix H — Noise Supplement PDF, 231KBProvides terminology and regulations for noise and project-specific noise information.
Appendix I — Applicant's Audible Noise and EMF Calculations PDF, 2.4MBProvides the Applicant’s modelling results for audible noise, electric and magnetic field (EMF), and corona effects from the proposed Project.
Appendix J — Property Values Supplement PDF, 179KBProvides information and literature regarding the effect of transmission lines on property values.
Appendix K — EMF Supplement PDF, 167KB>rovides information regarding EMF.
Appendix L Part 1 — Stray Voltage Supplement PDF, 10.2MBProvides information regarding stray voltage.
Appendix L Part 2 — Stray Voltage Supplement PDF, 10.1MB Appendix L Part 2 — Stray Voltage Supplement PDF, 9.8MB Appendix L Part 2 — Stray Voltage Supplement PDF, 2.9MB Appendix M — MPCA What's In My Neighborhood Sites PDF, 592KBProvides a list of sites in the proposed Project area identified by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) program – What’s In My Neighborhood” – that may have environmental permits or registrations, or are potentially contaminated sites.
Appendix N Part 1 — Photo SimulationsPDF, 9.5MBProvides photo simulations developed for sensitive viewsheds identified in public comments during the public scoping period for the proposed Project.
Appendix N Part 2 — Photo SimulationsPDF, 7.7MB Appendix N Part 3 — Photo SimulationsPDF, 7.7MB Appendix N Part 4 — Photo SimulationsPDF, 7.1MB Appendix N Part 5 — Photo SimulationsPDF, 7.1MB Appendix N Part 6 — Photo SimulationsPDF, 7.1MB Appendix N Part 7 — Photo SimulationsPDF, 7MB Appendix N Part 8 — Photo SimulationsPDF, 7MB Appendix N Part 9 — Photo SimulationsPDF, 7MB Appendix N Part 10 — Photo SimulationsPDF, 10MB Appendix N Part 11 — Photo SimulationsPDF, 10MB Appendix N Part 12 — Photo SimulationsPDF, 10MB Appendix N Part 13 — Photo SimulationsPDF, 6.5MB Appendix N Part 14 — Photo SimulationsPDF, 6.7MB Appendix N Part 15 — Photo SimulationsPDF, 6.7MB Appendix N Part 16 — Photo SimulationsPDF, 6.7MB Appendix N Part 17 — Photo SimulationsPDF, 9.7MB Appendix N Part 18 — Photo SimulationsPDF, 8.1MB Appendix N Part 19 — Photo SimulationsPDF, 8.5MB Appendix O — Agricultural Impact Mitigation Plan Example PDF, 2.3MBProvides an example of a AIMP prepared for a high-voltage transmission line project.
Appendix P — Cultural Resources ReportPDF, 5.3MBProvides the Phase IA cultural resources survey report for the proposed Project.
Appendix Q — USFWS and DOE Section 7 Consultation PDF, 529KBProvides the USFWS letter initiating informal consultation with the DOE under Section 7(a)(2) of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) for the proposed Project.
Appendix R — Biological AssessmentPDF, 129KBProvides the report which reviews the proposed Project in sufficient detail to determine if the proposed action may affect any federally threatened or endangered species and/or critical habitat.
Appendix S Part 1 — Detailed Map Books PDF, 10MBProvides maps with detailed information for the ROWs and routes for the proposed routes and variations discussed in this EIS.
Appendix S Part 2 — Detailed Map Books PDF, 9.6MB Appendix S Part 3 — Detailed Map Books PDF, 9.4MB Appendix S Part 4 — Detailed Map Books PDF, 10MB Appendix S Part 5 — Detailed Map Books PDF, 9.7MB Appendix S Part 6 — Detailed Map Books PDF, 9.9MB Appendix S Part 7 — Detailed Map Books PDF, 9.4MB Appendix S Part 8 — Detailed Map Books PDF, 9.4MB Appendix S Part 9 — Detailed Map Books PDF, 9.3MB Appendix S Part 10 — Detailed Map Books PDF, 9.3MB Appendix S Part 11 — Detailed Map Books PDF, 10MB Appendix S Part 12 — Detailed Map Books PDF, 9.4MB Appendix S Part 13 — Detailed Map Books PDF, 9.6MB Appendix S Part 14 — Detailed Map Books PDF, 1.4MB Appendix T — NEPA Disclosure Statements PDF, 1.1MBProvides signed copies of the NEPA Disclosure Statements.
