Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement: U.S. Lake Erie Natural Gas Resource Development in Offshore Waters of New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio

摘要

This report contains a detailed analysis of the environmental impacts associated with development of natural gas resources beneath U.S. waters of Lake Erie bordering the states of New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. A reference program was developed that sets forth realistic assumptions concerning operational procedures and constraints, Federal and State program administration, level of industry involvement and gas production, and the impacts of this program on air and water quality, ecology, noise, land use, safety, economics, recreation, water supplies, erosion, navigation, etc. are examined. The document sets forth guidelines for environmental protection which represent minimum standards acceptable to the Federal government if gas development in principle is ultimately approved for U.S. Lake Erie.