Stephen M. Tomasik
DEC ‐ Division of Environmental Permits 625 Broadway, 4th Floor
Albany, NY 12233‐1750 February 25, 2015
Application ID: 0‐9999‐00181/00009 ‐ Water Quality Certification Application ID: 0‐9999‐00181/00010 ‐ Freshwater Wetlands Application ID: 0‐9999‐00181/00011 ‐ Water Withdrawal Application ID: 0‐9999‐00181/00012 ‐ Excavation and Fill in Navigable Waters
Application ID: 0‐9999‐00181/00013 ‐ Stream Disturbance
Dear Mr. Tomasik,
The issuance of the Final Environmental Impact Statement(FEIS) by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission(FERC) for the Constitution Pipeline was based on the following Major Conclusions:
We determined that construction and operation of the projects would result in limited adverse environmental impacts. This determination is based on a review of the information provided by Constitution and Iroquois and further developed from environmental information requests; field reconnaissance; scoping; literature research; alternatives analysis; and contacts with federal, state, and local agencies, and other stakeholders. We conclude that the approval of the projects would have some adverse environmental impacts, but these impacts would be reduced to less‐than‐significant levels.
Although many factors were considered in this determination, the principal reasons are:
Constitution would minimize impacts on natural and cultural resources during construction and operation of its project by implementing its Plan and Procedures;
Our oversight of an environmental inspection and mitigation monitoring program that would ensure compliance with all mitigation measures that become conditions of the FERC authorizations and other approvals.
The conclusions in the EIS are based on our analysis of the environmental impact and the following assumptions:
- the Applicants would comply with all applicable laws and regulations;
- the proposed facilities would be constructed as described in section 0 of the EIS; and
- the Applicants would implement the mitigation measures included in their applications and supplemental submittals to the FERC and cooperating agencies, and in other applicable permits and (1)
These conclusions are similar to conclusions of all of FERC approved pipeline projects in that they have the following things in common:
- There