FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 19, 2021
CONTACT: Eric Barendsen, mediarelations@wapa.gov, 303-704-0765
LAKEWOOD, Colo. – Western Area Power Administration has released a final environmental impact statement (PDF), or EIS, for the interconnection of the proposed Rail Tie Wind Project.
WAPA is evaluating an interconnection request submitted by ConnectGen Albany County, LLC, to connect the Rail Tie Wind Project to WAPA’s existing Ault-Craig 345-kilovolt line in Albany County, Wyoming.
Because this project involves an action by the federal government, WAPA prepared an EIS for the interconnection request and proposed wind project in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. The Environmental Protection Agency published the EIS notice of availability [federalregister.gov] in the Federal Register on November 19, 2021. The EIS analyzes the expected environmental impacts of both WAPA’s federal action and ConnectGen’s proposed Rail Tie Wind Project.
Additional Information
In accordance with NEPA, WAPA held a 45-day public comment period on the draft EIS that began on April 2, 2021, when the EPA published the draft EIS notice of availability in the Federal Register, and ended on May 17, 2021.
During the public comment period, the public, interested parties and other agencies were invited to provide comments and ask questions about the draft EIS. All comments were fully considered in the EIS and preserved in the administrative record.
The proposed Rail Tie Wind Project, which would be owned by ConnectGen, would include up to 149 wind turbines with a generating capacity of up to 504 megawatts. The wind project would be located on an approximately 26,000-acre site roughly centered on the town of Tie Siding, Wyoming, and bisected by U.S. Highway 287.
In addition to the turbines, the proposed project would include access roads, collection lines, substations, control buildings, meteorological towers and other related infrastructure. If WAPA decides to approve the interconnection request after the environmental process is complete, WAPA would construct, own, operate and maintain a connection with the existing transmission line and a switchyard to control power flow onto the existing line. More information is available on WAPA’s project website and the ConnectGen website.
Learn more about the NEPA process at the U.S. Department of Energy’s website.
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About WAPA: Western Area Power Administration annually markets and transmits more than 25,000 gigawatt-hours of clean, renewable power from 57 federal hydroelectric powerplants owned and operated by the Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and International Boundary and Water Commission in 15 western and central states. It is part of the Department of Energy. Follow us on Twitter @WesternAreaPowr, or visit the website at www.wapa.gov.
Last modified on December 6th, 2024