Overview:
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires that federal agencies, such as the Department of Energy (DOE), prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for federal actions that may cause significant environmental effects to the quality of the human environment. After due consideration of the nature and extent of the New England Clean Power Link Project (NECPL), the DOE has determined that the appropriate level of NEPA review for this project is an EIS. An EIS includes the following:
- A description of the project;
- The purpose and need for the project;
- A proposed action;
- An analysis of the existing human and natural environments;
- An analysis of possible alternatives and their potential effects, including those that were eliminated from further analysis; and
- The identification of a preferred alternative.
The proposed Federal action is the granting of the Presidential Permit for the international border crossing. The proposed construction, operation, maintenance, and connection of the portion of the transmission line within the United States is a connected action to DOE’s proposed action. DOE will analyze potential environmental impacts from the proposed federal action and the connected action in the EIS. The EIS will be prepared in accordance with NEPA as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) NEPA regulations (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), and the DOE NEPA implementing procedures (10 CFR Part 1021). Because the proposed project may involve actions in floodplains and wetlands, in accordance with 10 CFR Part 1022, Compliance with Floodplain and Wetland Environmental Review Requirements, the EIS will include a floodplain and wetland assessment.
Public Comment Periods:
Throughout the NEPA process, there are periods during which you may submit official public comments, including during the scoping process and following the issuance of the Draft EIS. Within this website, you may submit a comment through the Comment Form.
The Draft Environmental Impact Statement is available on the “Documents page”. DOE invites public and agency input on the Draft EIS. Copies of the Draft EIS can also be obtained from Mr. Brian Mills at the contact information given below, or are available for review at South Hero Free Library, the Fletcher Free Library in Burlington, the Winooski Public Library, the Middlebury Library, the Rutland Free Library, the West Rutland Library, the Shrewsbury Library, the Gilbert Hart Library in Wallingford, the Fair Haven Public Library, the Mount Holly Town Library in Belmont, and the Bailey Memorial Library in North Clarendon. DOE will conduct public hearings commencing at the times identified below to receive comments on the Draft EIS analysis at the following locations:
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Burlington, VT: Sheraton Burlington Hotel and Conference Center, 870 Williston Road, Burlington, VT 05403, Wednesday, July 15, 2015, starting at 6:00 p.m.
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Rutland, VT: Holiday Inn Rutland-Killington Area, 476 Holiday Drive, Rutland, VT 05701, Thursday, July 16, 2015, starting at 6:00 p.m.