Great Northern Transmission Line EIS
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Draft Environmental Impact Statement
The Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Great Northern Transmission Line Project is now
available for public review. Please see the Public Notice for information on public document viewing
locations, upcoming public meetings, and how to submit your comments on the DEIS.
This joint federal/state EIS analyzes the environmental impacts of the proposed Project, a range of
reasonable action alternatives, and the No Action alternative. The EIS is organized into the following
11 chapters, followed by appendices.
Table of Contents, Cover Sheet, Abstract, Summary (.PDF, 5.7 MB)
Summary (.PDF, 6.0 MB)
Chapter 1 – Regulatory Framework (PDF, 2.5 MB):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 Project (PDF, 2.8 MB): Describes 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, 1.2 MB): Describes 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 – Route and Alignment Alternatives Proposed during Scoping (PDF, 19 MB):
Describes 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 – Affected Environment and Potential Impacts (PDF, 32 MB): Describes 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 6 – Comparative Environmental Consequences (PDF, 65 MB): Presents 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 7 – Cumulative and Other Impacts (PDF, 4.8 MB): Describes 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, 1.7 MB): Provides a list of the preparers of this EIS.
Chapter 9 – References (PDF, 1.8 MB): Provides references for resources used in development of
this EIS.
Chapter 10 – Acronyms and Abbreviations (PDF, 1.7 MB): Lists of the acronyms and
abbreviations used in this EIS.
Chapter 11 – Index (PDF, 1.4 MB): Provides an index of terms used in this EIS.
Appendices – Provides information to support the analysis in this EIS:
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Appendix A – Tribal Consultations (.PDF, 3.75 MB): Provides 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 Example (.PDF, 8.9 MB): Provides MN
PUC’s generic Route Permit template and an example of a Route Permit recently issued by the
MN PUC, which include a permitted route and anticipated alignment, as well as standard and
special conditions specifying construction and operation standards.
Appendix C – Narrative of the Scoping Summary Report (.PDF, 2.8 MB): Provides 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 Decision (.PDF, 5.98 MB): Provides the DOC-EERA
scoping decision issued for this EIS on January 8, 2015.
Appendix E – Route Analysis Data Tables (.PDF, 3.32 MB): Provides 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, 1.5 MB): Provides 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, 566 kb): Provides 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.
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Appendix H – Noise Supplement (.PDF, 231 kb): Provides terminology and regulations for
noise and project-specific noise information.
Appendix I – Applicant’s Audible Noise and EMF Calculations (.PDF, 2.3 MB): Provides
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, 179 kb): Provides information and
literature regarding the effect of transmission lines on property values.
Appendix K – EMF Supplement (.PDF, 167 kb): Provides information regarding EMFs.
Appendix L – Stray Voltage Supplement (.PDF, 32 MB): Provides information regarding
stray voltage.
Appendix M – MPCA What’s In My Neighborhood Sites (.PDF, 592 kb): Provides 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 – Photo Simulations (.PDF, 343 MB): Provides photo simulations developed for
sensitive viewsheds identified in public comments during the public scoping period for the
proposed Project.
Appendix O – Agricultural Impact Mitigation Plan (AIMP) Example (.PDF, 2.26 MB):
Provides an example of a AIMP prepared for a high-voltage transmission line project.
Appendix P – Cultural Resources Report (.PDF, 5.2 MB): Provides the Phase IA cultural
resources survey report for the proposed Project.
Appendix Q – USFWS and DOE Section 7 Consultation (.PDF, 529 kb): Provides 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 Assessment (.PDF, 129 kb) : Provides 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 – Detailed Map Books (.PDF, 116 MB): Provides maps with detailed information
for the ROWs and routes for the proposed routes and variations discussed in this EIS.
Appendix T – NEPA Disclosure Statements (.PDF, 1.11 MB): Provides signed copies of the
NEPA Disclosure Statements.
© 2015 U.S. Department of Energy