This document is made available electronically by the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library as part of an ongoing digital archiving project. http://www.leg.state.mn.us/lrl/lrl.asp Sandpiper Pipeline: Comparison of Environmental Effects of Reasonable Alternatives In the Matter of the Application of North Dakota Pipeline Company LLC for a Certificate of Need for the Sandpiper Pipeline Project in Minnesota Minnesota Public Utilities Commission Docket CN-13-473 Minnesota Department of Commerce Energy Environmental Review and Analysis | December 2014 Sandpiper Pipeline: Comparison of Environmental Effects of Reasonable Alternatives Abstract North Dakota Pipeline Company LLC (NDPC) is proposing to construct the Sandpiper Project, a 565 to 608-mile long pipeline and associated facilities from the Tioga, North Dakota, through Minnesota to Superior, Wisconsin. On November 8, 2013, NDPC filed two applications with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (Commission): the first for a Certificate of Need (CN) and the second for a pipeline route permit for the project. The CN rules at Minn. R. 7853.0130 require, in determining if a certificate of need should be granted, that consideration be paid to the “natural and socioeconomic environments compared to the effects of reasonable alternatives,” and “the effect of the proposed facility, or a suitable modification of it, upon the natural and socioeconomic environments compared to the effect of not building the facility.” For the Sandpiper Project, the Commission concluded that an environmental analysis of six system alternatives, which were identified in the Route Permit docket, and six alternatives to the proposed project identified by NDPC in its CN application would provide it with valuable information to be weighed along with other information while making its need decision. This document is intended to provide that analysis. It is intended for the use of any party who chooses to advocate for or against consideration of an alternative in the certificate of need docket. This document, and all other documents related to the Sandpiper Project CN proceeding, is available on the Commission’s website at: http://mn.gov/puc/; select Search eDockets and enter the year (13) and docket number (473). The document is also available on Department of Commerce website at: http://mn.gov/commerce/energyfacilities/Docket.html?Id=33599. Contributors to this document include: Department of Commerce, Energy Environmental Review and Analysis staff: Deborah Pile, Larry Hartman, Jamie MacAlister and Rich Davis HDR, Inc. 1 Sandpiper Pipeline: Comparison of Environmental Effects of Reasonable Alternatives SANDPIPER PIPELINE: COMPARISON OF ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF REASONABLE ALTERNATIVES TABLE OF CONTENTS Section Title Page No. 1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................ 12 2 CERTIFICATE OF NEED APPLICATION ALTERNATIVES – DESCRIPTION AND POTENTIAL IMPACTS ............................... 16 3 SYSTEM ALTERNATIVES – DESCRIPTIONS ....................................................................................................... 41 4 SYSTEM ALTERNATIVES – ENVIRONMENTAL OVERVIEW AND ANALYSIS .............................................................. 47 4.1 Resource Background Information and Methodologies ............................................................ 48 4.1.1 Geology/Soils/Groundwater (Maps A-3, 4, 5 and 6) ..................................................... 48 4.1.2 Ecoregions (Map A-7) .................................................................................................... 52 4.1.3 Land Cover (Maps A-8 and 9) ........................................................................................ 56 4.1.4 Water Resources (Maps A-10, 11 and 12) .................................................................... 57 4.1.5 Special Species and Critical Habitat (Map A-13, Appendix E) ....................................... 58 4.1.6 Public Resource and Recreational Lands (Map A-14 and 15) ....................................... 59 4.1.7 Cities and Population (Maps A-16 and 17) .................................................................... 60 4.1.8 Community Features (Map A-18) .................................................................................. 60 4.1.9 Cultural Resources (Map A-19 and 20) ......................................................................... 61 4.1.10 Contaminated Areas (Map A-21 and 22) ...................................................................... 62 4.1.11 Air Emissions ................................................................................................................. 63 4.1.12 High Consequence Areas and Natural Disaster Hazard Areas (Maps A-23-27) ............ 64 4.2 SA-Applicant .............................................................................................................................. 65 4.2.1 Geology/Soils/Groundwater ......................................................................................... 65 4.2.2 Ecoregions ..................................................................................................................... 70 4.2.3 Land Cover..................................................................................................................... 71 4.2.4 Water Resources ........................................................................................................... 72 4.2.5 Special Species and Critical Habitat .............................................................................. 73 4.2.6 Public Resource and Recreational Lands ...................................................................... 76 4.2.7 Cities and Population Density ....................................................................................... 78 4.2.8 Community Features ..................................................................................................... 79 4.2.9 Cultural Resources ........................................................................................................ 80 4.2.10 Contaminated Areas ..................................................................................................... 81 4.2.11 Air Emissions ................................................................................................................. 81 4.2.12 High Consequence Areas and Natural Disaster Hazard Areas ...................................... 82 4.3 SA-03 ......................................................................................................................................... 83 4.3.1 Geology/Soils/Groundwater ......................................................................................... 83 2 Sandpiper Pipeline: Comparison of Environmental Effects of Reasonable Alternatives 4.3.2 Ecoregions ..................................................................................................................... 87 4.3.3 Land Cover..................................................................................................................... 88 4.3.4 Water Resources ........................................................................................................... 90 4.3.5 Special Species and Critical Habitat .............................................................................. 91 4.3.6 Public Resource and Recreational Lands ...................................................................... 95 4.3.7 Cities and Population Density ....................................................................................... 97 4.3.8 Community Features ..................................................................................................... 98 4.3.9 Cultural Resources ........................................................................................................ 99 4.3.10 Contaminated Areas ................................................................................................... 100 4.3.11 Air Emissions ............................................................................................................... 101 4.3.12 High Consequence Areas and Natural Disaster Hazard Areas .................................... 102 4.4 SA-04 ....................................................................................................................................... 102 4.4.1 Geology/Soils/Groundwater ....................................................................................... 103 4.4.2 Ecoregions ................................................................................................................... 108 4.4.3 Land Cover................................................................................................................... 109 4.4.4 Water Resources ......................................................................................................... 110 4.4.5 Special Species and Critical Habitat ............................................................................ 112 4.4.6 Public Resource and Recreational Lands .................................................................... 117 4.4.7 Cities and Population Density ..................................................................................... 119 4.4.8 Community Features ................................................................................................... 121 4.4.9 Cultural Resources .....................................................................................................