Final Impact Statement (EIS) on Power Line

Date: August 31, 2012

BUSHKILL, PA - The National Park Service announced today that the Susquehanna to Roseland Transmission Line Right-of-Way and Special Use Permit Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is now available. The Final EIS reviews the proposal of PPL Electric Utilities and Public Service Electric and Gas to construct a new 500 kV transmission line, replacing an existing 230 kV line.

In December of 2011, the National Park Service issued the Draft EIS to evaluate the impacts of the transmission line project on National Park Service lands, including the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, and Middle Delaware National Scenic and Recreational River in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. In March of 2012, the NPS identified a preferred alternative to be evaluated in the Final EIS, based on public comments and public meetings, that the proposed Susquehanna-Roseland power line expansion project would follow the route of the existing transmission line.

The Record of Decision, signed by the Regional Director of the Northeast Region, will be executed by the NPS no sooner than 30 days from the date of publication of the Notice of Availability (NOA) of the Final EIS in the Federal Register by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Electronic copies of the Final EIS are available for public review online at: http://parkplanning.nps.gov/dewa.

Hard copies or compact disks (CDs) of the Final EIS are being mailed to those who have previously requested them. Hardcopies are also available at local libraries. A limited number of CDs and hard copies of the Final EIS are available at the DEWA headquarters, 1978 River Road, Bushkill, Pennsylvania 18324