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Enterprise is committed to the protection of environment and natural resources during the construction and operation of the project. The approximate 202-mile Mid-America Pipeline (MAPL) Western Expansion Project (WEP) will cross private land, state land, federal and tribal land managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). Because the project crosses federal land, the BLM has taken the lead to ensure the project is conducted in accordance with provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
To comply with NEPA, an Environmental Assessment will be prepared for the project, and public input will be solicited in preparation of the Environmental Assessment through scoping meetings and review of the Environmental Assessment Report. The Environmental Assessment will address many environmental factors including wildlife and sensitive biological habitats, cultural resources, paleontologic resources, air, water, visual resources, recreational resources, and special management areas and designated by the BLM and BIA. The project team is conducting outreach to stakeholders to identify sensitive areas and provide mitigation measures to minimize the impact of the project on the resources. The project will be conducted in compliance with all federal, tribal, state and local environmental regulations.
Wildlife and
Sensitive Biological Habitat Protection
Visual Resources Wildlife and Sensitive Biological Habitat Protection In accordance with the Endangered Species Act and Migratory Bird Act, biological studies are currently being conducted to identify potentially active raptor nests and threatened or endangered plant and animal species habitat along the project. Studies are also underway to identify habitat for species considered sensitive by the BLM or BIA, or state wildlife management agencies. From these habitat mapping efforts and consultation with the BLM and BIA, species-specific surveys may be conducted to verify the presence or absence of threatened and endangered or sensitive species prior to construction. If species are found to be present, there are a variety of mitigation measures that may be used including seasonal construction restrictions, deviating the path of the pipeline to avoid the habitat, and additional surveys.
If sensitive plant species are identified along the project route, mitigation measures will be developed in coordination with the BLM and BIA. Protection measures may include transplanting individual plants or utilizing special seed as designated by the BLM. Restoration of the area disturbed during construction will be conducted in accordance with BLM and BIA requirements, which generally consider species habitat restoration. (Return to top)
Cultural Resources Protections Cultural resources will be protected in accordance with the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), and American Indian Religious Freedom Act (AIRFA). Cultural resources surveys are currently being conducted to confirm the location of known cultural resource sites along the pipeline corridor, and identify any newly exposed or previously unidentified sites. Cultural resource management consultants will work with the BLM and State Historical Preservation Offices (SHPOs) to determine which sites that may be disturbed by project construction are significant and require excavation and documentation. Finally, data collected from the sites are analyzed and a final report prepared. For sites that are unimportant to furthering the understanding of historical or prehistoric cultures, no mitigation may be required.
Cultural resources mitigation measures may include avoiding the site by deviating the route, documenting the site with photographs and maps, and recovering data from the site during excavation. Additional mitigation measures may include a cultural resources monitor during construction, and development of an Unanticipated Discovery Plan for Cultural Resources in the event buried resources are unearthed during trench construction. (Return to top)
Paleontologic Resources Protections Paleontologic (or fossilized) resources are generally protected on federal lands. Some of the geologic formations underlying the pipeline are known to contain fossilized resources. Many of these geologic formations will not be impacted by the pipeline trench, based on the depth of overlying soil.
The BLM will review the project for potential impacts on paleontologic resources. Based on the BLM review, potential mitigation measures to protect these resources may include conducting pedestrian surveys on federal lands and development of an Unanticipated Discovery Plan for Paleotologic Resources. As an additional protection for potentially significant paleontologic resource areas, the BLM may require the trench to be monitored, and significant paleontologic resources excavated, documented or avoided. (Return to top)
Air emissions are regulated under the Clean Air Act and sources are permitted by the states. All existing pump stations with air emissions are currently permitted, and none are currently or projected to be major sources of air emissions, as defined by regulation. MAPL will modify all necessary permits in accordance with requirements. (Return to top)
Water resources are protected by the Clean Water Act and state regulatory standards. Surface water crossings may be made by several different methods, depending on the terrain and flow conditions of the stream. Small irrigation ditches and canals may be crossed by boring under the features. Dry washes, gulleys, and low-flowing streams may be crossed by open cutting. Where steep banks are breached, leaving the possibility of erosion and sedimentation in streams, the banks will be stabilized. Flowing streams will be diverted during installation of the pipeline.
The Blacks Fork River in Wyoming is a tributary to the Green River and has a designated use classification of Class 2AB, meaning that the waters are protected for drinking water, game and non-game fish, fish consumption, other aquatic life, recreation, wildlife, agriculture, industry and scenic value. It is anticipated that the Blacks Fork River will be crossed using directional drilling.
The major drainage basin crossed by the MAPL WEP in New Mexico is the Rio Grande basin. It is expected that the Rio Grande will be crossed using directional drilling and that neither the river nor its riparian vegetation would be impacted by construction of the pipeline segments.
Las Huertas Creek east of Interstate 25 is an intermittent drainage with a large upstream watershed. The existing pipeline parallels the creek in the segment where construction is proposed to take place. The construction project will run next to the existing pipelines crossing a tributary of Las Huertas Creek but will not cross the creek. (Return to top)
Construction-related activities involving fuels and lubricants, such as vehicle refueling and equipment maintenance, will be conducted a minimum of 100 feet from any surface waters to eliminate contamination in case of a spill. Any fuels or lubricants spilled will be cleaned up immediately and in accordance with the Enterprise’s Hazardous Material Spill Contingency Plan, which follows all state and federal regulations regarding the management of hazardous waste. (Return to top)
Visual resources are managed by the BLM and BIA to limit the effect a project has to the visible landscape. Mitigations that can potentially minimize the visual impact of the project include revegetation requirements and above-ground facility paint color requirements that are established by the BLM and BIA. (Return to top)
Recreational resources are managed by the BLM, BIA, states, and special recreation districts. The project will be conducted to minimize temporary impacts to hiking trail or recreation area access. (Return to top)
There are no known
recreation areas that will be directly impacted by the project in Wyoming.
A project pipe segment near Bernalillo crosses an Albuquerque Open Space
Area. This area has numerous hiking trails that are utilized by the local
community of Placitas. Special considerations will be given to the safety
of recreational users during construction in the area. (Return to top) Special Management AreasBLM Field Offices have Special Management Areas that may require consideration. The BLM is currently reviewing project information and may be providing requirements for these Special Management Areas. MAPL may be required to mitigate impacts to these areas. The BLM may communicate the need for mitigation measures in these areas. (Return to top)
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