FERC staff issue environmental assessment of Rockies Express Colorado gas pipeline project

WASHINGTON, Oct 2 — Staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) have prepared an environmental assessment of Rockies Express Pipeline LLC's proposed Critical Energy Reliability Link Project in Colorado. The assessment concludes that approval would not constitute a major federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment.

According to the commission's notice, Rockies Express Pipeline LLC (REX) is seeking authorization to build natural gas pipeline facilities. They would provide up to 100,000 dekatherms per day (Dth/d) of firm natural gas transportation service and 50,000 Dth/d of no-notice service to Colorado Springs Utilities in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

The project would run through Weld, Adams, Arapahoe, Elbert and El Paso counties. It includes approximately 153.8 miles of new 24-inch-diameter pipeline, known as the Lateral, and a new 6,300-horsepower electric motor-driven compressor station, the LaSalle Compressor Station, the notice said. It also includes two pipeline spurs, interconnect facilities and four meter stations.

REX also proposes to acquire capacity on the Cheyenne Connector Pipeline and in East Cheyenne Gas Storage's facilities through lease agreements. Under those leases, Cheyenne Connector, LLC and East Cheyenne Gas Storage, LLC propose to abandon by lease 250,000 Dth/d of existing unsubscribed transportation capacity and 1,500,000 dekatherms of existing unsubscribed storage capacity to REX.

The notice says the environmental assessment "is not a decision document." It presents the staff's independent analysis of the environmental issues for the commission to consider when addressing the merits of all issues in the proceeding.

Comments on the assessment are due by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Nov 2, 2026, in Docket Nos. CP25-539-000 and CP25-539-001. The deadline for timely intervention requests has passed, according to the notice.