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Water: 401 Certification |
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62566 |
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Trailblazer C02 Pipeline LLC |
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Merrick, Hamilton, Clay, and Adams counties, NE; Start (41° 7'15.96"N, 97°58'58.98"W) End (40°29'45.02"N, 98°20'8.71"W) |
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Central City, NE; Aurora, NE; Hastings, NE |
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Public Notice Documents |
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All Program Documents
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Individual |
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July 11, 2024 |
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August 10, 2024 |
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Legal Notice Below
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NOTICE OF INTENT TO CERTIFY – Section 401
NEBRASKA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY
PLANNING & AID DIVISION
LINCOLN, NEBRASKA
In accordance with Section 401 of the federal Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. Par. 1251 et seq.), certification that Title 117 – Nebraska Surface Water Quality Standards (Nebraska Administrative Code) will not be violated has been applied for to the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE) by the persons listed below for discharges requiring Federal permits or licenses.
Trailblazer C02 Pipeline, LLC, and Stantec have applied for a Section 404 permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to conduct activities in Waters of the United States. The proposed project requires state Water Quality Certification in accordance with Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 401(a)(1), which states that:
Any applicant for a Federal license or permit to conduct any activity including, but not limited to, the construction or operation of facilities, which may result in any discharge into the navigable waters, shall provide the licensing or permitting agency a certification from the State in which the discharge originates or will originate, or, if appropriate, from the interstate water pollution control agency having jurisdiction over the navigable waters at the point where the discharge originates or will originate, that any such discharge will comply with the applicable provisions of sections 301, 302, 303, 306, and 307 of this title.
Trailblazer CO2 Pipeline, LLC (Trailblazer CO2), a subsidiary of Tallgrass Energy, LP, seeks to construct and operate the proposed TPCO2-04, TPCO2-05, and TPCO2-06 Laterals (project).
TPCO2-04 Lateral
The TPCO2-04 Lateral would be approximately 52.5 miles of eight- to 10-inch-diameter steel pipeline that would transport captured carbon dioxide from an existing agriculture products plant near Central City, Nebraska, to the TPCO2-06 Lateral. The TPCO2-06 Lateral would transport the carbon dioxide to the Trailblazer Pipeline which would then transport the captured carbon dioxide to an underground sequestration hub in southeastern Wyoming. The project would cross portions of Merrick, Hamilton, Clay, and Adams counties, Nebraska.
Approximately 24 miles of the TPCO2-04 Lateral route would travel from the agriculture products plant to Junction 3. At Junction 3, the pipeline size would increase from eight inches to 10 inches to accommodate additional product input from the TPCO2-05 Lateral. The remaining approximately 28 miles of the TPCO2-04 Lateral route, from Junction 3 to the point of termination for the lateral, would be comprised of 10-inch pipeline.
In addition to the pipeline, construction would include several aboveground appurtenances (AGAs) to support its operation. These AGAs would include seven mainline valves (MLVs), three pig launcher/receiver sites, and the aforementioned Junction 3. On average, the MLVs for the lateral would be spaced approximately 15 miles apart, unless their placement is dictated by federal or state regulations such as at waterbody crossings 100 feet or greater in width. The pig launchers/receivers, located at each terminus of the lateral, would be utilized for periodic integrity testing of the pipeline.
TPCO2-05 Lateral
The TPCO2-05 Lateral would be approximately seven miles of six-inch-diameter steel pipeline that would transport captured carbon dioxide from an existing ethanol plant near Aurora, Nebraska, to the TPCO2-04 Lateral. The TPCO2-04 Lateral would transport the carbon dioxide to the TPCO2-06 Lateral and eventually to the existing Trailblazer Pipeline which would then transport the captured carbon dioxide to an underground sequestration hub in southeastern Wyoming. The project would be located entirely within Hamilton County, Nebraska.
In addition to the pipeline, construction would include several AGAs to support its operation. These AGAs would include two MLVs and two pig launcher/receiver sites. The MLVs would be sited at each terminus of the pipeline. The pig launchers/receivers, which are also located at each terminus of the lateral, would be utilized for periodic integrity testing of the pipeline.
TPCO2-06 Lateral
The TPCO2-06 Lateral would be approximately 7.9 miles of 10-inch-diameter steel pipeline that would transport captured carbon dioxide from an existing ethanol plant near Hastings, Nebraska as well as carbon dioxide transported by the TPCO2-04 Lateral and TPCO2-05 Lateral, to the existing Trailblazer Pipeline. The Trailblazer Pipeline would then transport the captured carbon dioxide to an underground sequestration hub in southeastern Wyoming. The project would be located entirely within Adams County.
In addition to the pipeline, construction would include several AGAs to support its operation. These AGAs would include two MLVs, one pig launcher/receiver site, and a letdown station (LDS). The MLVs and pig launcher/receiver would be sited at each terminus of the pipeline. The pig launcher/receiver would be utilized for periodic integrity testing of the lateral. The LDS, which would be located at the tie-in location with the existing Trailblazer Pipeline, would serve to depressurize the carbon dioxide and facilitate its injection into the primary pipeline that transports the carbon dioxide to the sequestration hub in Wyoming.
The project would be located in the Rainwater Basin, and the construction footprint would temporarily impact multiple waters of the United States. The NDEE requires that Trailblazer CO2 review proposed actions and determine whether such actions may affect a wetland or waterbody. Trailblazer CO2 secured Stantec Consulting Services Inc. (Stantec) to conduct an evaluation of the proposed TPCO2-04, TPCO2- 05, and TPCO2-06 Laterals.
In summary, construction of the project would cross two wetlands via Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD), one wetland via conventional bore with temporary workspace, and 11 wetlands via open-cut methods with nine of those wetlands also including temporary workspace or additional temporary workspace. Six wetlands would not cross the centerline but would cross into the construction workspaces. The total temporary impacts to wetlands would be 5.53 acres. Once construction is complete, the 5.53 acres of temporary wetland impacts would be returned to preconstruction contours. The temporary wetland impacts would result from vegetation removal, trenching, and pipeline placement. No permanent impacts to these wetlands, including conversion or other permanent loss, would occur.
Construction of the project would cross eight waterbodies entirely via HDDs, four waterbodies via conventional bores with two of those waterbodies also including temporary workspace, and 17 waterbodies via open-cut methods with 14 of those waterbodies also including temporary workspace and additional temporary workspace. One waterbody would not cross the centerline but would cross into the construction workspace. The total temporary impacts to waterbodies would be 0.91 acre. Once construction is complete, the 0.91 acre of temporary waterbody impacts would be returned to preconstruction contours. No permanent loss of surface waters would occur.
The proposed certification and supporting materials are available for inspection at the office of NDEE, 245 Fallbrook Blvd, STE 100, Lincoln, Nebraska. Persons may comment upon or object to the application, by submitting written comments within 30 days after this publication date of this notice. Comments should be limited to the scope of state Water Quality Certification (WQC) under Section 401 of the CWA. During this period, persons may request a public hearing. A request for a hearing must state the nature of the issues to be raised and all arguments and actual grounds supporting such position. Such comments shall be considered prior to making a final decision regarding the request. Any comments or requests should be submitted to:
CWA Section 401 Coordinator
Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality
245 Fallbrook Blvd, Suite 100
Lincoln, NE 68521
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ndee.401certifications@nebraska.gov
Please notify NDEE in advance if alternate formats of documents are needed. Our switchboard phone number is 402-471-2186. TDD users please call 711 and ask the relay operator to call us at 402-471-2186.
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