The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or Commission) prepared a final environmental impact statement (EIS) to assess the environmental impacts associated with ANR Pipeline Company’s (ANR) Wisconsin Access Project (Project). ANR proposes to increase the firm capacity of its natural gas pipeline by approximately 50,707 dekatherms per day into Wisconsin. ANR would accomplish this by modifying the original design assumptions and software within ANR’s engineering models. ANR would also modify its existing Coleman, Lena, Meeme, Mosinee, Rhinelander, Suring, and Two Rivers meter stations to provide increased delivery point capabilities.
The final EIS was prepared in compliance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Council on Environmental Quality’s regulations implementing procedural provisions of NEPA in Title 40 Code of Federal Regulations Parts 1500-1508 (40 CFR 1500-1508), and the FERC’s regulations implementing NEPA in 18 CFR 380.
The conclusions and recommendations presented in the final EIS are those of the FERC environmental staff. Construction and operation of the Project would result in limited adverse environmental impacts. With the exception of climate change impacts, we conclude that impacts would be reduced to less-than-significant levels through implementation of our recommendations and ANR’s proposed avoidance, minimization, and mitigation measures. The Project’s annual operation and downstream greenhouse gas emissions would exceed the Commission’s presumptive significance threshold based on 100 percent utilization.
The Commission will take into consideration staff’s recommendations in the final EIS when they make a decision on the Project.