The US Department of Energy has released its final environmental impact statement (EIS) for the proposed Plains & Eastern Clean Line transmission project, which will deliver 3.5GW of renewable energy from the Oklahoma Panhandle region to customers in Arkansas, Tennessee and other states in the Mid-South and Southeast.
The final EIS presents a thorough analysis and comparison of the potential environmental impacts of the proposed 700-mile overhead DC transmission project.
It “did not identify widespread significant impacts as a result of construction or operations and maintenance of the Project.”
DOE also concluded that implementation of the environmental protection measures that Clean Line included as an integral part of the project would avoid or minimize the potential for significant environmental effects.
The final EIS responds to public comments DOE received regarding the Draft EIS, and identifies DOE’s participation in the project through Southwestern Power Administration (Southwestern) as its preferred alternative.
DOE identified a preferred route for the direct current transmission line and its preferred locations for a delivery converter station in Arkansas, as well as a converter station and associated project facilities in Oklahoma.
DOE’s participation in the project would be limited to states in which Southwestern operates. Southwestern does not operate in the state of Tennessee, therefore, there is no preference for the location of the DC transmission line or the converter station in that state.
Clean Line Energy president Michael Skelly said: “The release of the Final EIS marks the culmination of more than five years of work and the consideration of thousands of stakeholder comments.
“We are pleased to have reached this important project milestone and appreciate DOE’s careful environmental review and analysis of the Plains & Eastern project. We look forward to DOE’s Record of Decision.”
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