Subproject: Site Preparation (SP-5) 



Disturbing Activity: Clearing, grading, paving 



Onshore pumping, storage and, if applicable, partial processing 

 facilities, can be located either at a waterfront site or several miles 

 inland. Development impacts will depend on site location, size of 

 facilities, and site characteristics. A typical site for a storage tank 

 farm will be entirely cleared, graded and leveled with specific areas 

 worked for retention dikes, access roads and parking area. During the 

 construction phase, storm water runoff may have significant environmental 

 effects since it may contain contaminants (including metals from the 

 welding, riveting and other metal fabrication required). Extensive 

 earthwork construction may take place to provide dikes around the 

 storage tanks to protect against spills. Each tank is individually 

 surrounded with a dike of sufficient size to hold all liquids within it. 

 Then the whole tank farm complex is surrounded by another dike to contain 

 fluids if spilled. Large volumes of dredged or trucked fill material may 

 be required to construct the dikes, to fill low spots or for general 

 filling to raise the land above the 100-year flood level. Buffer areas 

 for visual, noise, and runoff filtration purposes are normally used along 

 the perimeter of the work areas and especially along water courses to 

 protect ecologically vital areas. 



Subproject: Overland Transmission Systems (SP-11) 



Disturbing Activity: Line construction 



A new marine terminal requires the construction of an onshore pipeline 

 to link the loading/unloading facilities with the storage tanks. If it is 

 a receiving terminal, an onshore pipeline is required to link the terminal 

 with a processing plant, which normally is located within 50 miles. 

 (Offshore pipelines are discussed in Section 3.2.) 



Onshore pipeline systems usually are the most efficient, economical 

 and safe method of transporting oil and gas inland from the coast. All 

 pipeline systems require an initial pressure source and often intermediate 

 pumping stations along the line. Whether intermediate pumping stations 

 are needed is determined by the length of pipe, the diameter of pipe, the 

 quality and type of fluid or gas being transported, and physical char- 

 acteristics of the pipeline route (such as hills). Onshore pipeline 

 installation is similar in many respects to installation of a sewer line 

 or water main. 



A pipeline corridor from the landfall to the storage and pumping 

 facility and then perhaps to a distant processing facility can cause 

 significant disturbance if routed through endangered species habitats or 

 other vital areas. Pipeline installation activities— such as trenching, 

 disposal of excavated material and backfill ing--may have to conform to 



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