CASPER, Wyo. — The Bureau of Land Management has published their final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Wyoming Pipeline Corridor Initiative (WPCI).
Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon’s office said on Tuesday, Oct. 27 that the state has worked on plans for the pipeline corridor system “for almost a decade.” The proposed initiative would designate about 1,150 miles of BLM land in Wyoming for “a dedicated pipeline corridor system” that Gordon’s office said would support carbon capture and utilization efforts.
“Designated corridors under the WPCI would enable transportation of C02 from C02 capture units to where it could be sold, used for sequestration, or used in enhanced oil recovery,” Gordon’s office said in the release. “The State of Wyoming’s proposal focuses pipeline development in existing federal energy corridors or adjacent to existing pipeline infrastructure for approximately 95 percent of the corridor network.”
The publication of the final EIS for the proposal is the last step in the planning phase for the federally managed portions of the proposed system, according to Gordon’s office.
“The WPCI is a first-of-its-kind project that incentivizes solutions to one of our nation’s most consequential ways to address environmental and economic challenges,” Gordon said in the release. “The final EIS is another important step for Wyoming as it continues to be a leader in CO2 carbon capture, beneficial utilization, and ultimately storage.”
“Consolidated siting of pipeline projects, as proposed by the State, builds the foundation to minimize resource conflicts by utilizing existing corridors and co-locating infrastructure.”
Gordon’s office says that a 60-day “Governor’s Consistency Review” began with the publication of the final EIS. That review aims to “ensure conformity with state and local plans, policies and programs.”
Further details about the proposal are available from the BLM.
