The proposed Alliance Pipeline, with the adoption of certainmitigation measures, would have “limited adverse environmentalimpact and would be an environmentally acceptable action,”according to a final environmental impact statement (FEIS) on theproject that was issued Monday.

The finding put the proposed British Columbia-to-Chicagopipeline, which would transport up to 1.3 Bcf/d of western Canadiangas, one step closer to reality at the Commission. FERC said thatneither the Northern Border Pipeline Project nor the VikingVoyageur Gas Transmission Project, whose application has since beenwithdrawn, were found to be environmentally preferable as systemalternatives and able to meet Alliance’s objectives. FERC, however,did recommend that the 890-mile Alliance adopt two routevariations. These would be in addition to the three routevariations that the proposed pipeline incorporated following theEIS.

FERC said it gave the project a passing environmental gradebecause:

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