Why is the Upper Great Plains Wind Programmatic EIS Needed?
The PEIS is being prepared to support Western Area Power Administration’s (Western’s) proposed comprehensive region-wide environmental program for wind-energy project interconnections. The PEIS will analyze environmental impacts resulting from development of wind energy projects, and the effectiveness of mitigation measures, standard construction practices, and best management practices in reducing potential impacts. Impacts and mitigation would be analyzed for each environmental resource, and all aspects of wind energy projects would be addressed, including construction and installation of: • turbines; • transformers; • collector lines; • access roads; and • substations; as well as operation and maintenance of these facilities. Specifically, the PEIS and program would: • Define areas with a high potential for wind-energy development near UGP Region’s transmission system in anticipation of future wind-generation interconnection requests. • Define natural and human environment resources
