Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Bridger Pipeline Expansion Project, Montana
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The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has announced its intent to prepare a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed Bridger Pipeline Expansion Project in Montana. This action is taken in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920 (MLA), which govern federal review of infrastructure projects on or affecting federal lands. The project under review involves the construction and operation of a 36-inch diameter buried crude oil pipeline. This is a significant infrastructure undertaking that would require rigorous assessment of potential environmental consequences before federal permits or rights-of-way can be granted. As part of this EIS process, the BLM is initiating a public scoping period. During this phase, the agency solicits comments from the public, tribal governments, local jurisdictions, and other stakeholders to identify key issues, concerns, and alternatives that should be addressed in the environmental review. No final decision has been made on the project. The EIS is the formal mechanism through which environmental effects — including impacts to land, water, wildlife, air quality, and communities — will be evaluated prior to any project approval.
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Key Changes
- BLM formally initiates EIS process under NEPA (1969) and MLA (1920) for a new crude oil pipeline in Montana
- Proposed pipeline is 36 inches in diameter and will be buried underground
- Public scoping period begins with this notice — stakeholders may submit comments to identify key environmental issues
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Obligations
What this law requires
Prepare a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Bridger Pipeline Expansion Project in compliance with NEPA before granting federal permits or rights-of-way
Initiate and conduct a public scoping period to solicit comments from the public, tribal governments, local jurisdictions, and other stakeholders
Identify key issues, concerns, and alternatives for inclusion in the environmental review based on scoping period input
Evaluate environmental effects including impacts to land, water, wildlife, air quality, and communities in the EIS
Defer any final decision on project approval until completion of the EIS process