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Home  News Latest DEQ extends comment period for MATL line
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DEQ extends comment period for MATL line |
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Wednesday, 11 April 2007 |
The Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has extended the time for the public to comment on the Draft environmental Impact Statement for the Montana-Alberta Tie Ltd. Transmission line until April 30.
The original comment period deadline had been April 9, however, due to the request of members of the public, an extension has been granted.
MATL submitted a Montana Major Facility Siting Act application to the DEQ to construct an electric transmission line.
The company proposes to construct, operate and maintain a 230kV transmission line between Lethbridge, Alberta and Great Falls with a major portion passing through Pondera County.
As proposed, the 130-mile line would extend from the Montana-Alberta border northeast to Cut Bank to an existing substation just north of Rainbow Dam near Great Falls.
The proposed H-frame line would cross mostly private land. Some Montana school trust land and Bureau of Land Management land would also be crossed.
The current Draft looks at the proposed alignment, two major routing alternatives and a single-pole design alternative.
The draft EIS can be viewed on-line at www.deq.mt.gov. A copy of the inch-and-a-half thick phone book size document may be obtained by contacting Greg Hallsten, Montana Department of Environmental Quality, Box 200901, Helena 59620.
Comments should be mailed to the same address or e-mailed to
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by April 30.
In a related matter, the MATL has received the first in a number of regulatory approvals.
The National Energy Board in Canada, which is the same as U.S. Department of Energy, has issued a permit for construction and operation of the line in Alberta. This is one of two that are needed in Canada.
Still needed are permits from the DEQ in Montana the DOE in the U.S. The DOE ruling is needed because the line crosses an international border.
A Canadian utility board, close to what the DEQ is in Montana also has to make a ruling on the location of the line in Canada.
Approximately 48 miles of the proposed line would pass through Pondera County. If approved, depending on the alternative plan chosen, the property tax benefit estimates range from a low of $1,038,970 to a high of $1,182,684 for Pondera County.
The company would like to begin construction this summer.
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