TransCanada Pathfinder/Bison Pipeline – Project duration June 2008- September 2010
Various counties in Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota, and Minnesota

SCI provided natural resource consulting services on approximately 250 miles of pipeline corridor across Colorado and Montana. Our services included conducting on-site wetland and waterbody delineations, along with associated documentation, navigation, and feature mapping. We used a Global Positioning System (GPS) to document potential habitat for threatened and endangered species, as well as noxious weed species concerns.  Our services were part of a multi-team delineation along over 600 miles of the proposed pipeline route that will cross five states including Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota and Minnesota.

SCI also performed nest check surveys for bird species regulated under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) prior to project construction. Surveys were conducted throughout the pipeline corridor for active nests of migratory species. Once found, nests were monitored, documented, and photo-documented. Nests were checked until they became inactive and all the nestlings had fledged. Nests were then flagged, creating nest buffers by a third party.

The $2.1 billion TransCanada project will traverse more than 600 miles from a natural gas hub in Meeker, Colorado to the Wamsutter, Wyoming natural gas hub. The line then continues from Wamsutter to an interconnection with the Northern Border Pipeline Company pipeline system in Morton County, North Dakota. Future expansion will consist of 271 miles of pipeline from the Northern Board Pipeline Company pipeline system in North Dakota to the Great Lakes Gas Transmission’s Emerson Compressor Station near Noyes, Minnesota.

SCI follows a strict safety plan in an effort to minimize reportable incidents and coordinates with land agents regarding right-of-way access issues.  SCI did not incur lost time due to illness or injury for the duration of the project.