Several federal agencies are requesting public comments on a draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement proposing the designation of energy transport corridors in 11 western states, including Oregon.

The proposed energy corridors would encourage energy companies to site oil, gas and hydrogen pipelines and electricity transmission and distribution lines on specifically designated federal lands to address growing energy demand.

The Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management, and the U.S. Departments of Energy, Agriculture, Commerce and Defense spent two years fashioning the proposal, spurred by passage of the Energy Policy Act of 2005.

Combined, the corridors encompass a total of about 6,055 linear miles and 2.95 million acres of federal lands in the 11 western states. About 590 linear miles and 238,200 acres of those lands are in Oregon. About half of the proposed linear miles already have existing utility or transportation rights-of-way.

Corridor designations will not impact projects already in process, said Heather Feeney, a public affairs official with the BLM. So the Pacific Connector Natural Gas Pipeline, which is designed to connect a proposed liquefied natural gas terminal in Coos County to Malin, would not be affected.

And if enacted, the proposal would not inhibit the creation of additional corridors by officials in regional offices.

Rather, it’s intent is to create an incentive for energy companies to build infrastructure in federal lands without damaging the environment.

In the draft, the Energy Information Agency suggests there will be a need for 45 percent more natural gas pipelines in the next decade or two. Similar increases in demand for electricity also is expected.

Rather than develop pipelines and transmission lines haphazardly, the draft evaluated factors that prevent where a network of energy transport corridors could be located – including topographical, environmental and regulatory constraints. The draft proposal avoids major known and designated sensitive resource areas including wilderness areas and national parks, tribal lands, national monuments and national recreation areas. The few locations where the proposed corridors could not avoid sensitive areas are located along existing transmission lines, highways, pipelines or other rights-of-way.

“From the beginning, we were committed to avoiding the many unique areas and sensitive resources found on Western public lands, wherever possible.” said Assistant Secretary of the Interior C. Stephen Allred in a press release. “Designating these corridors will minimize the dispersal of rights-of-way for energy transport projects across Western landscapes.”

If passed, the proposal would create a streamlined application process, so energy companies would only have to work with one federal agency. Applicants would still be subject to the same environmental reviews that currently exist.

The federal agencies are now soliciting comments during a 90-day public comment period on the draft statement. Several public meetings have been scheduled, including one Jan. 8 in Portland.

To submit comments and to review the draft proposal and related documents, including detailed maps, those interested can visit the project Web site at http://www.corridoreis.anl.gov.  Review copies also are available at libraries and agency regional and field offices.