How We Plan Pipeline & Routes

Spectra Energy conducts extensive environmental and archeological studies as part of the pipeline design process. This includes coordination with local, state and federal agencies to identify sensitive areas, such as wetlands and historical and cultural sites. Our environmentalists walk the entire pipeline corridor to get the input of local residents so that the final pipeline route will avoid such sensitive sites.

We use the following process to determine an environmentally friendly route for the pipeline:

Map Review Level

Natural Resources, Minimize:

  • Length of crossing of large wetland complexes
  • Number of waterbody crossings
  • Length of crossing of designated wildlife habitats (Wildlife Management Areas; designated rare, endangered and threatened species habitats)

Designated Land Uses, Avoid:

  • Population centers
  • Abandoned mines
  • Historic landmarks
  • Cemeteries
  • Documented cultural sites
  • Superfund hazardous waste sites
  • Landfills

Select Optimal Crossing Location:

  • National Forest Service land
  • Parkways
  • Parks or trails (state, town, local)
  • Residential subdivisions/mobile home communities
  • Commercial/retail areas
  • Planned highway, housing, commercial/industrial developments

Construction Considerations to Reduce Environmental Impact:

  • Avoid rock outcrops
  • Avoid severe terrain (e.g. cliffs)
  • Minimize overall length
  • Minimize side slope crossings

Routing Opportunities:

  • Existing pipeline corridors
  • Existing electric power transmission line corridors
  • Existing roads or railroads

Field Review Level

Natural Resources:

  • Reduce wetland crossing lengths
  • Reduce waterbody crossings
  • Plan perpendicular stream crossings
  • Maintain vegetative buffers at parallel streams

Designated Land Uses:

  • Minimize physical and aesthetic impacts on parks, trails
  • Maintain at least 50 feet between pipeline construction work areas and residences
  • Minimize impacts (visual, crossing length, etc.) to other designated land uses

Construction Considerations to Reduce Environmental Impact:

  • Minimize crossings of side slopes