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1.0 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Background and Overview ........................................................................................................ 1 1.2 Purpose and Need for the Project ............................................................................................. 5 1.3 Federal Approval Process and Authorizing Actions .................................................................. 5 1.4 Permits and Relationship to Non-federal Policies, Plans, and Programs ................................. 6 1.5 Public Participation .................................................................................................................... 8
2.2 No Action Alternative ............................................................................................................... 30 2.3 Nebraska Route Alternatives ................................................................................................... 30
2.3.1 Northern Alternative .................................................................................................... 31 2.3.2 Clarks Alternative ....................................................................................................... 37 2.3.3 Western Alternative .................................................................................................... 37
3.0 Affected Environment of Nebraska Reroute ...................................................................... 43 3.1 Climate and Air Quality ............................................................................................................ 43
3.5 Water Resources ..................................................................................................................... 54 3.5.1 Surface Water ............................................................................................................. 54 3.5.2 Water Quality .............................................................................................................. 56 3.5.3 Groundwater ............................................................................................................... 56 3.5.4 Water Supplies and Wells .......................................................................................... 61 3.5.5 Floodplains ................................................................................................................. 65 3.5.6 Wetlands and Riparian Areas ..................................................................................... 66
3.6 Terrestrial Vegetation .............................................................................................................. 67 3.6.1 Vegetative Types ........................................................................................................ 67 3.6.2 Biologically Unique Landscapes or Ecoregions ......................................................... 70 3.6.3 Sensitive, Rare, Threatened, and Endangered Plant Species ................................... 72 3.6.4 Noxious and Invasive Weeds ..................................................................................... 73
TransCanada Keystone XL Pipeline Project SER for the Nebraska Reroute
September 5, 2012
iv
3.7 Wildlife and Fisheries .............................................................................................................. 73 3.7.1 Terrestrial Wildlife Species ......................................................................................... 73 3.7.2 Big Game Species ...................................................................................................... 73 3.7.3 Small Game Species .................................................................................................. 74 3.7.4 Nongame Species ...................................................................................................... 74 3.7.5 Federal and State Protected Species ......................................................................... 74 3.7.6 Migratory Birds ........................................................................................................... 75 3.7.7 Aquatic Resources ..................................................................................................... 78 3.7.8 Sensitive Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Species ..................................................... 80
3.8 Land Use ................................................................................................................................. 81 3.8.1 Land Ownership and Use ........................................................................................... 81 3.8.2 Developed Land/Residential/Commercial Areas ........................................................ 83 3.8.3 Grassland/Rangeland/Agriculture .............................................................................. 83 3.8.4 Wetlands and Waterbodies ........................................................................................ 83 3.8.5 Recreation and Special Interest Areas ....................................................................... 83 3.8.6 Noise ......................................................................................................................... 85 3.8.7 Visual Resources ........................................................................................................ 86
3.9 Cultural Resources .................................................................................................................. 86 3.10 Social and Economic Conditions ............................................................................................. 89
3.10.1 Socioeconomics ......................................................................................................... 89 3.10.2 Population and Employment....................................................................................... 89 3.10.3 Income ........................................................................................................................ 90 3.10.4 Infrastructure .............................................................................................................. 90 3.10.5 Public Services and Facilities ..................................................................................... 91 3.10.6 Fiscal Relationships .................................................................................................... 92
3.11 Public Safety ............................................................................................................................ 93 3.11.1 Operations and Maintenance ..................................................................................... 94 3.11.2 Emergency Response ................................................................................................ 96
4.3.1 Air Quality ................................................................................................................. 100 4.3.2 Geology, Minerals, and Paleontology ....................................................................... 100 4.3.3 Soils ....................................................................................................................... 101 4.3.4 Water Resources ...................................................................................................... 103 4.3.5 Vegetation ................................................................................................................ 104 4.3.6 Wildlife, Aquatic Resources, and Sensitive Species ................................................ 105 4.3.7 Land Use and Aesthetics.......................................................................................... 106 4.3.8 Cultural Resources ................................................................................................... 107 4.3.9 Socioeconomics ....................................................................................................... 108 4.3.10 Public Health and Safety .......................................................................................... 109
Table 2.1-6 Waterbodies Crossed Using the Horizontal Directional Drilling Method .................. 26
Table 2.1-7 Nebraska Construction Spreads ............................................................................ 30
Table 2.3-1 Nebraska Preferred Alternative Route Changes Between April and August 2012 ......................................................................................................... 32
Table 2.3-2 Comparison of Significant Alternative Routes ........................................................ 34
Table 3.3-1 Soil Characteristics of Concern for Potentially Affected by Project Construction and Operation (Miles) ....................................................................... 46
Table 3.3-2 Soil Characteristics of Concern Potentially Affected by Project Construction and Operation (Acres) ...................................................................... 47
Table 3.4-1 Physiographic Provinces in Nebraska ................................................................... 51
Table 3.4-2 Nebraska Landslide Incidence and Susceptibility along the Proposed Project .................................................................................................................. 52
Table 3.4-3 Geologic Units with Moderate to Very High Paleontological Sensitivity within the Project Area in Montana, South Dakota, and Nebraska ......................... 53
Table 3.5-1 Locations with Shallow Groundwater along the Preferred Alternative Route .................................................................................................................... 60
Table 3.5-2 Identified Private Wells within 100 Feet of the Preferred Alternative Route Centerline ............................................................................................................. 62
Table 3.5-3 Wellhead protection areas within 1 mile of the Preferred Alternative Route Centerline ............................................................................................................. 64
Table 3.5-4 Areas with High Risk of Flooding Crossed by the Project ...................................... 66
Table 3.5-5 Wetlands Crossed by the Preferred Alternative Route ........................................... 67
Table 3.6-1 Miles of Vegetative Communities Crossed by the Project ROW ............................ 68
Table 3.6-2 Estimated Impacts on Vegetation Communities of Conservation Concern Occurring along the Proposed Project Route ........................................................ 68
Table 3.6-3 Native Grassland Type and Quality in Nebraska ................................................... 72
Table 3.6-4 Noxious Weeds Found Along the FEIS Portion of the Preferred Alternative Route .................................................................................................. 73
Table 3.7-1 Keystone XL Pipeline – Nebraska Threatened and Endangered Species Range ................................................................................................................... 76
Table 3.7-2 Game Fishery Classification along Route .............................................................. 78
Table 3.7-3 Surface Water Classification for Nebraska ............................................................ 80
Table 3.8-1 Surface Ownership Crossed by the Proposed Project ........................................... 82
Table 3.8-2 Land Use Crossed ................................................................................................ 82
Table 3.8-3 Land Use Impacts (Acres) ..................................................................................... 83
TransCanada Keystone XL Pipeline Project SER for the Nebraska Reroute
September 5, 2012
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Table 3.8-4 Recreation and Special Interest Areas Crossed by the Project .............................. 84
Table 3.10-1 Potentially Affected Communities along the Project - Nebraska .......................... 89
Table 3.10-2 Socioeconomic Conditions in Affected Counties .................................................. 90
Table 3.10-3 Housing Assessment for Counties along the Preferred Route ............................. 91
Table 3.10-4 Existing Public Services and Facilities along Preferred Alternative Route ........... 92
Table 3.10-5 Estimated Property Taxes from Keystone XL Construction ................................. 92
Table 3.11-1 Physicochemical Properties of Various Crude Oils .............................................. 95
TransCanada Keystone XL Pipeline Project SER for the Nebraska Reroute
September 5, 2012
ES-4
Pipeline Safety
The US Department of Transportation (DOT) is mandated to regulate pipeline safety under
federal law (Title 49, USC Chapter 601) and does so through the Pipeline and Hazardous
Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). PHMSA is responsible for protecting the American
public and the environment by ensuring the safe and secure movement of hazardous materials
to industry and consumers by all transportation modes, including the nation‘s pipelines. Through
PHMSA, the DOT develops and enforces regulations for the safe, reliable, and environmentally
sound operation of the nation‘s 2.3-million-mile pipeline transportation system and the nearly 1
million daily shipments of hazardous materials by land, sea, and air. PHMSA administers the
national regulatory program to ensure the safe transportation of hazardous liquids, including
crude oil, by pipeline. PHMSA develops regulations that address safety in the design,
construction, testing, operation, maintenance, and emergency response for hazardous liquid
pipelines and related facilities. PHMSA is responsible for regulations that require safe
operations of hazardous liquid pipelines to protect human health and the environment from
unplanned pipeline incidents.
Pipelines that carry gasoline, diesel fuel, crude oil or other hazardous liquids must implement
additional safety measures if they cross a particularly sensitive area such as the WHPA for a
municipal drinking water supply. (More information is available in the FEIS, Section 3.13.1.1.)
According to the FEIS, the incorporation of the 57 additional safety measures to which Keystone
has committed “would result in a Project that would have a degree of safety over any other
typically constructed domestic oil pipeline system under current code and a degree of safety
along the entire length of the pipeline system similar to that which is required in High
Consequence Areas (HCAs) as defined in 49 CFR 195.450.” (FEIS, Sec. 3.13.1, page 3.13-4.)
PHMSA has the legal authority to inspect and enforce any items contained in a pipeline
operator‘s procedural manual for operations, maintenance, and emergencies, and would
therefore have the legal authority to inspect and enforce the 57 Special Conditions if the Project
is approved.
According to Nebraska law, “[t]he Legislature acknowledges and respects the exclusive federal
authority over safety issues established by the federal law, the Pipeline Safety Act of 1994, 49
U.S.C. 60101 et seq., and the express preemption provision stated in that act.” (Neb. Rev. Stat.
57-1402(2)).
Other Changes
The Keystone XL Pipeline Project passes through areas with very low density population and a
low availability of commercial, temporary housing facilities. In Montana and South Dakota,
Keystone has planned to use temporary camps to house workers and minimize adverse impacts
of a temporary population increase. In northern Nebraska, conditions are similar, though to a
lesser degree. Consequently, Keystone is investigating the possibility of building a temporary
Contractor’s Camp in northern Nebraska that would alleviate the lack of short term housing
during construction.
TransCanada Keystone XL Pipeline Project SER for the Nebraska Reroute
September 5, 2012
ES-5
In Conclusion
This SER is consistent with Keystone’s commitment to reroute the project in Nebraska to avoid
the Sandhills. In addition, it is responsive to feedback received from the public and from the
NDEQ. The analysis presented in this SER supports NDEQ’s review and approval of a preferred
route in Nebraska.
Although the pipeline can be built and operated safely on routes that have already been studied
and in many cases for which landowner agreement has already been achieved and easements
purchased, Keystone has again agreed to modify its route to accommodate the considerations
raised in the State Feedback Report.
Nebraska
Kansas
South Dakota
Iowa
Dakota
Antelope
Furnas Thayer
Wayne
Knox
Nance
Lancaster
KeyaPaha
Cherry
Pierce
Colfax
Merrick
WheelerLoup
Buffalo
Rock
Madison
Nuckolls
Dodge
Seward
Otoe
Holt
Sherman
Dawson
Saunders
Garfield
Platte
Blaine
Boone
Cass
Fillmore
Cedar
Burt
Frontier Adams
Boyd
PolkHoward
Valley
Phelps
Stanton
Gage
Clay SalineGosper
Harlan Jefferson
Hamilton
Dixon
Cuming
Kearney
Greeley
Butler
Custer
Thurston
Webster
Brown
Hall York
Franklin
LEGENDVICINITY MAP
0 30 6015 Miles
KEYSTONE XL PROJECTFIGURE ES-1
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY(NEBRASKA)
Energy Services Inc.PREPARED BYexp
ÁRE-ROUTE PORTION OF THE PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE ROUTE IN NEBRASKAFEIS PORTION OF PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE ROUTE IN NEBRASKAAPRIL 2012 CORRIDORORIGINAL FEIS ROUTESTATE BOUNDARYCOUNTY BOUNDARY