PUBLIC SCOPING MEETING
Mesaba Energy Project
Environmental Impact Statement
U.S. Department of Energy
National Energy Technology Laboratory
Taconite Community Center
October 25, 2005; 7:00 pm
Hoyt Lakes Arena
October 26, 2005; 7:00 pm
TONIGHT’S AGENDA
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MEETING PURPOSE
DOE’S CLEAN COAL POWER INITIATIVE
PROJECT OVERVIEW
THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL
POLICY ACT AND THE EIS PROCESS
 YOUR COMMENTS!
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Mesaba Energy Project Public Scoping Meeting 10/25/2005
MEETING PURPOSE
 Why have a public scoping meeting?
 Invite input and comment from all interested persons.
 Establish the scope and content of an environmental
analysis to be prepared by DOE.
 What do you need to know about commenting?
 Your comments and concerns are very important.
 All comments will be considered in the preparation of the
environmental analysis.
 We are in the early stages of the analysis process.
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Mesaba Energy Project Public Scoping Meeting 10/25/2005
CLEAN COAL POWER
INITIATIVE
KEN MARKEL
DIRECTOR
OFFICE OF MAJOR DEMONSTRATION
PROJECTS
U.S. DOE/NETL
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Mesaba Energy Project Public Scoping Meeting 10/25/2005
MESABA ENERGY
PROJECT
BOB EVANS
EXCELSIOR ENERGY
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Orlando Gasification Project Public Scoping Meeting 8/30/2005
PROJECT PRESENTATION OVERVIEW
 Introduction of Excelsior
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representatives
Project description
Site selection & ongoing
investigations
Permitting activities
Development schedule
Excelsior outreach
efforts
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Mesaba Energy Project Public Scoping Meeting 10/25/2005
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
 Phase I
 IGCC base load electric power station, nominally rated at 600 MW(net)
 Coal/petroleum coke blends primary fuel; natural gas backup
 Superior environmental performance compared to traditional coal-fueled power
plants
 Two possible sites are proposed
 Water supply pump stations, supply/discharge pipelines
 Rail spur & site access roads
 Transmission line connections between Project and major substation
 Natural gas pipeline interconnection to existing supplier
 Utility connections (i.e., potable water, domestic wastes) to local supplier
 Phase II
 Construct 2nd IGCC power station on-site; identical to Phase I development
 Total generating station capacity nominally rated at 1200 MW(net)
 Use of existing facilities (rail spur, highway, transmission line corridors, pump
stations, water supply pipelines, etc.)
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Mesaba Energy Project Public Scoping Meeting 10/25/2005
ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS
 Excelsior preparing environmental report for DOE and Minnesota
Public Utilities Commission
 Phase I construction: Q3 2007 – Q4 2010
 1,000 construction workers on-site at peak + vehicles
 85 acres of land required for IGCC plant; additional 80 acres required for
equipment laydown plus 5 acres for concrete batch plant
 Phase I operation: Q4 2010 - onward
 100-120 permanent full-time workers
 Resources consumed & by-products generated: Estimated worst case
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Coal: 8,230 tons of coal per day; ~4-5 round-trip unit train trips per week
Water: 6,500 gallons per minute peak; 4,500 gallons per minute annual avg.
Marketable byproducts: 500-800 tons/day slag; 30-160 tons/day elemental sulfur
Materials for disposal: 2,200 tons/yr ZLD salts; 60 tons/year activated carbon
Very low emissions of air pollutants (see boards), including mercury (19-39
pounds/year)
 No discharge of process waters used to clean syngas before combustion
 West Range site flood control: Canisteo & Hill Annex mine pits used as source
waters for evaporative cooling
 Water used for evaporative cooling discharged to Holman Lake (West Range)
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Mesaba Energy Project Public Scoping Meeting 10/25/2005
ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS (CONT’D)
 Phase II
 Construction of Phase II IGCC power station overlaps
construction of Phase I station
 Resource requirements, emissions, effluents, and
byproducts double in most instances
 160-180 permanent, full-time staff (Phase I+II)
 Increased water demands
 Sufficient water supply must be demonstrated
 Use of additional water sources likely
 Commercial in-service planned for 2013
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Mesaba Energy Project Public Scoping Meeting 10/25/2005
SITE SELECTION & INVESTIGATIONS
 Four year search effort
 Criteria utilized to narrow list of potential sites
 Licensability
 Community support
 Sufficient water supply for Phase I & II developments
 Access to infrastructure sufficient to meet project needs
 Optional rail providers
 Existing corridors to reach major electric substation(s)
 Site control
 Lake Superior Basin watershed
 Ongoing investigations
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Mesaba Energy Project Public Scoping Meeting 10/25/2005
PERMITTING ACTIVITIES
 Minnesota Public Utilities Commission
 Environmental Impact Statement (“EIS”)
 Large Electric Generating Plant Site Permit
 High-Voltage Transmission Line Route Permit
 Pipeline Route Permit
 Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
 Part 70 / New Source Review Construction Authorization
permit (air emissions permit)
 National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System/State
Disposal System permit (wastewater discharge permit)
 Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
 Water appropriation permit
 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
 Dredge & fill pre-construction permit establishing measures to
be taken to mitigate impacts on certain wetlands
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Mesaba Energy Project Public Scoping Meeting 10/25/2005
TARGETED SUBMISSION DATES
 Joint Permit Application: December 2005
 Site Permit
 HVTL Route Permit
 Natural Gas Pipeline Route Permit
 Environmental Information Volume
 Air permit: December 2005
 Wastewater discharge permit: January 2006
 Water appropriation permit: January 2006
 Wetland permits: January 2006
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Mesaba Energy Project Public Scoping Meeting 10/25/2005
PUBLIC OUTREACH
 Excelsior representatives will be available after
scoping meeting to address questions
 Excelsior will continue to meet with interest
groups and individuals as process moves forward
 Assembling contact list
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Mesaba Energy Project Public Scoping Meeting 10/25/2005
OVERVIEW OF NEPA PROCESS
 NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT
 U. S. Federal Law – effective January 1970
 Applies to all Federal agencies.
 National charter for protection of the
environment
 Mandate
 Environmental information must be available to
public officials and citizens before Federal decisions
are made and before Federal actions are taken.
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Mesaba Energy Project Public Scoping Meeting 10/25/2005
NEPA OBJECTIVES
 Make decisions based on an understanding of
environmental consequences.
 Take actions that protect, restore, and
enhance the environment.
 Focus on truly significant issues.
 Promote better environmental planning and
better decision-making.
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Mesaba Energy Project Public Scoping Meeting 10/25/2005
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT
Required Contents 40CFR1502.10
 Cover sheet, summary and table of contents
 Statement of purpose and need for Agency
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action
Examination of reasonable alternatives
Characteristics of the affected environment
Environmental consequences of the proposed
action and alternatives
List of agencies, organizations, persons to
whom the document is sent
List of preparers and an index
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Mesaba Energy Project Public Scoping Meeting 10/25/2005
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT
Topics Typically Addressed
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Air quality
Noise
Water resources and water quality
Infrastructure and land use
Solid/hazardous waste management
Visual effects
Floodplains/wetlands
Ecological resources
Historic/archaeological/cultural resources
Safety and health
Community impacts and environmental justice
Socioeconomic impacts
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Mesaba Energy Project Public Scoping Meeting 10/25/2005
FEDERAL EIS PROCESS
Notice of
Intent for
EIS
Comment
Period
Prepare
Draft EIS
(Minimum
30 Days)
Notice of
Availability for
Draft EIS
Comment
Period
PUBLIC
SCOPING
MEETINGS
(Minimum
45 Days)
Prepare
Final EIS
Notice of
Availability for
Final EIS
Waiting
Period
PUBLIC
HEARINGS
(Minimum
30 Days)
DOE
Record of
Decision
(ROD)
Opportunities for Public Involvement
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Mesaba Energy Project Public Scoping Meeting 10/25/2005
STATE EIS PROCESS
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Mesaba Energy Project Public Scoping Meeting 10/25/2005
LOGISTICS FOR ORAL COMMENTS
 5 minutes per speaker, please!
 An additional opportunity to speak at the end,
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if time allows.
Pre-registered speakers first.
Transcript will be prepared.
Please state your name
Comment cards available, if you prefer
 due by 11/14/2005
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Mesaba Energy Project Public Scoping Meeting 10/25/2005
DUE DATE FOR COMMENTS
NOVEMBER 14TH
SEND COMMENTS TO:
Richard Hargis
U.S. DOE/NETL
PO BOX 10940
Pittsburgh, PA 15236
[email protected]
1-888-322-7436, x6065
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Mesaba Energy Project Public Scoping Meeting 10/25/2005
ADJOURN
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Mesaba Energy Project Public Scoping Meeting 10/25/2005