The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is proposing to make natural gas available to facilities on the Central Plateau of the Hanford Site near Richland, Washington and has issued a Notice of Intent to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Acquisition of a Natural Gas Pipeline and Natural Gas Utility Service.  DOE is inviting public comments from January 23 through February 22, 2012 on the scope of the EIS, which is being prepared to evaluate the potential impacts of constructing, operating, and maintaining an approximately 30-mile pipeline from an existing gas transmission line near the Pasco, Washington airport to the 200 East Area on the Hanford Site.

The Notice of Intent and information about the 30-day public scoping period can be found on the Hanford website at  www.hanford.gov/page.cfm/EnvironmentalImpactStatements

A public scoping meeting will be held February 9, 2012, at the Red Lion Hotel and Conference Center in Pasco from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., with an open house before the meeting at 6 p.m. Public comments will be accepted until February 22, 2012.  

DOE will consider all comments received or postmarked after the ending date to the extent practicable.  Comments can be submitted at the scoping meeting, by email to naturalgaseis@rl.gov, and/or by mail to: Douglas Chapin, NEPA Document Manager, U.S. Dept. of Energy, P.O. Box 550, MSIN  A5-11, Richland, WA 99352.

Notice of Intent