# Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Bridger Pipeline Expansion Project, Montana
**AGENCY:**
Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
**ACTION:**
Notice of intent.
**SUMMARY:**
In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), and the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended (MLA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to consider the effects of constructing and operating a 36-inch buried crude oil pipeline and by this notice is announcing the beginning of the scoping process to solicit public comments and identify issues.
**DATES:**
This notice initiates the public-scoping process for the EIS. The BLM requests that the public submit comments concerning the scope of the analysis, potential alternatives, and identification of relevant information and studies by May 1, 2026. To afford the BLM the opportunity to consider comments in the Draft EIS, please ensure your comments are received prior to the close of the 30-day scoping period or 15 days after the last public meeting, whichever is later.
**ADDRESSES:**
You may submit comments related to the Bridger Pipeline Expansion project by any of the following methods:
• *Website:**https://eplanning.blm.gov* .
*Search NEPA number:* DOI-BLM-MT-C020-2026-0054-EIS.
• *Mail:* BLM Miles City Field Office, Bridger Pipeline Expansion Project Comments, 111 Garryowen Rd., Miles City, Montana 59301.
Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined online at the project website noted above and at the BLM Miles City Field Office.
**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:**
Phillip Blundell, Planning and Environmental Coordinator, telephone 406-896-5119; address 111 Garryowen Rd., Miles City, Montana 59301; email *[email protected].* Contact Mr. Blundell to have your name added to our mailing list. Individuals in the United States who are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access telecommunications relay services for contacting Mr. Blundell. Individuals outside the United States should use the relay services offered within their country to make international calls to the point-of-contact in the United States.
**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:**
On January 30, 2026, the BLM—Miles City Field Office received an SF-299 application and Plan of Development from Bridger Pipeline LLC (Bridger) for the Bridger Pipeline Expansion project (Project).
The Project would extend from the United States/Canada border in Phillips County, Montana to an existing crude oil terminal facility near Guernsey in Platte County, Wyoming. The pipeline proposes to traverse private and State lands and Federal lands managed by the BLM, U.S. Forest Service (USFS), and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The Project will seek a Presidential Permit to authorize construction and operation of facilities crossing the U.S./Canada border. The Project would also require the use of temporary and permanent access roads, main line valves, pump stations, and temporary workspaces.
Under the MLA authority, the BLM will serve as the lead for the Federal agencies and the environmental analysis will be undertaken by the BLM and the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) who will be working as Joint Leads. DEQ requires completion of an EIS under the Montana Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) as part of their Major Facilities Siting Act process. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and USFS will be acting as cooperating agencies on the Project. Additional Federal, State, and local government entities may join the Project as cooperating agencies, co-leads, or in some other official capacity in the future.
Bridger is seeking a 30-year renewable right-of-way (ROW) grant for a 36-inch oil pipeline and associated infrastructure (roads, main line values, pump stations). In addition, 3-year temporary use permits would be needed during the construction phase of this Project for equipment staging, material storage and workspaces. The Project is proposed to traverse private, State and/or Federal lands in the following counties: Phillips, Valley, Daniels, Sheridan, Roosevelt, Richland, Wibaux, Fallon and Carter Counties in Montana; and Crook, Weston, Niobrara, Goshen, and Platte Counties in Wyoming.
In Montana, the pipeline would cross 21.5 miles of BLM-administered lands managed by the Malta and Glasgow Field Offices (combined under the HiLine Resource Management Plan) and 31.0 miles managed by the Miles City Field Office. In Wyoming, the pipeline would cross 6.1 miles of BLM-administered lands managed by the Newcastle Field Office and 5.2 miles of the Thunder Basin National Grassland, administered by the USFS.
**Purpose and Need for the Proposed Action**
**BLM Purpose and Need**
The purpose and need for the BLM is to respond to the SF-299 application submitted by Bridger to construct, operate, maintain, and terminate the following elements: pipeline, access roads, main line values, pump stations and temporary workspaces on BLM lands in Montana and Wyoming.
**Applicant Purpose and Need**
The purpose of the Project is to transport crude oil from production areas in Canada to existing infrastructure and downstream markets in the United States. The proposed Project facilitates fulfillment demand for crude oil resources from production areas in Canada to existing infrastructure in Guernsey, Wyoming and other downstream markets. The Project is needed to address critical energy supply challenges facing the United States and increase oil supply into the U.S. for growing refinery production. The Project reflects a significant and meaningful investment in the U.S. energy economy. Executive Order (E.O.) 14156 (“Declaring a National Energy Emergency,” January 20, 2025) directs Federal agencies to expedite the identification, siting, production, transportation, and generation of domestic energy resources, including crude oil, on Federal lands and elsewhere, to ensure national energy security and economic stability, specifically Section 3, Expediting the Delivery of Energy Infrastructure.
**Preliminary Proposed Action and Alternatives**
The proposed action would consist of constructing a pipeline covering a total of 646.8 miles; 63.8 of those miles could cross Federal land. Of the Federal public land, it is anticipated that 58.6 miles would occur on BLM-managed lands (52.5 miles in Montana and 6.1 in Wyoming) and 5.2 miles on USFS-managed lands in Wyoming. Additionally, Bridger's proposed route would parallel existing Bridger-owned infrastructure for roughly 138 miles in Montana and 100 miles in Wyoming.
The Project involves the construction and operation of a 36-inch diameter steel crude oil transmission pipeline. On Federal lands, construction would occur within a corridor up to 150 feet wide. On USFS-managed lands, the Project would utilize a 100-foot-wide permanent ROW and an additional 50-foot-wide Temporary Use Permit (TUP) construction corridor. Conversely, on BLM-managed lands, the Project would utilize a 50-foot-wide permanent ROW and an additional 100-foot-wide TUP construction corridor. Final permanent ROW and temporary construction corridor widths on BLM and USFS lands would be determined in coordination with, and subject to approval by, the respective land-managing agencies.
On both USFS- and BLM-managed lands, the permanent ROW would generally be centered within the construction corridor. However, terrain constraints, resource avoidance measures, or other site-specific considerations may require the TUP corridor to be shifted partially or entirely to one side of the permanent ROW.
Bridger plans to install eight pump stations along the pipeline route between the U.S./Canada border in Phillips County, Montana, and the existing terminal facility near Guernsey, Wyoming. One pump station would be located on Federal lands near the U.S./Canada border. In addition, the Project will include 72 mainline valve sets (MLVs), all of which would be situated within the permanent ROW. Six MLVs are proposed on Federal lands (five in Montana and one in Wyoming), and 66 MLVs are proposed on non-Federal lands.
MLVs would be spaced at a maximum interval of approximately 15 miles and positioned on both sides of major water crossings to ensure operational safety and environmental protection. Pump stations and valve sets are essential for maintaining optimal pressure and flow rates throughout the transmission system, ensuring the safe and efficient movement of crude oil over long distances. The precise locations of these facilities would be determined based on hydraulic modeling, operational and regulatory requirements, and environmental considerations, with final siting subject to regulatory review and landowner coordination.
The Project would also require temporary staging areas and material storage sites during construction. The locations and layouts of these facilities will be refined as Project planning advances and will consider proximity to construction spreads, access to existing infrastructure, minimization of environmental and cultural impacts, and compliance with local, State, Federal, and Tribal regulations. Pump stations, staging areas, access roads and ancillary facilities would be sited and designed to avoid or minimize impacts to environmental, cultural, and tribally identified resources and may be subject to redesign, relocation, or additional mitigation measures as necessary.
The BLM welcomes comments on the preliminary proposed action as well as suggestions for additional alternatives.
**Summary of Expected Impacts**
Field investigations and environmental surveys are underway to document existing conditions along the Bridger Pipeline Expansion Project corridor and assess potential impacts associated with the Proposed Action. Current efforts include evaluations of wildlife habitat, assessments of federally listed or special-status species, and aerial surveys of wildlife. Comprehensive field investigations and full survey efforts are planned to begin in spring and summer 2026.
These studies will inform evaluations of potential effects on geology, soils, water resources, paleontological resources, vegetation, wildlife, threatened and endangered species, historic properties, cultural landscapes, areas of significance identified by Native American Tribes and communities, recreation, and visual resources. The analysis will incorporate findings related to geologic formations, paleontology, cultural and Tribal resources, soil variability and erosion potential, water crossings including impaired streams and aquifers, and habitat conditions for sensitive species such as whooping cranes, northern long-eared bats, pallid sturgeon, and sage-grouse. The BLM and cooperating agencies will assess these potential impacts for the Proposed Action and will identify avoidance, minimization, and mitigation measures not already built into the Project design.
Potential effects on the built and human environment, including land use, public health and safety, transportation, and infrastructure, will also be considered as part of the Federal, State, and local environmental review processes. The EIS will present the results of these evaluations, providing a transparent comparison of the alternatives and their environmental consequences. Public involvement remains a central component of the review, and input received during scoping will help refine the range of alternatives, identify additional issues for analysis, and ensure that relevant information and studies are incorporated into the EIS.
**Anticipated Permits and Authorizations**
• Right-of-way Grant: BLM;
• Special Use Permit: USFS;
• Temporary Use Permit: BLM and USFS;
• Presidential Permit: U.S. Department of State;
• Section 404 of Clean Water Act: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers;
• Section 10 of Rivers and Harbors Act: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers;
• Endangered Species Act: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service;
• Major Facility Siting Act Certificate: Montana Department of Environmental Quality;
• Section 401 Permit: Montana Department of Environmental Quality and Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality;
• Air Quality Permits: Montana Department of Environmental Quality and Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality;
• General MPDES Permit: Montana Department of Environmental Quality;
• General WYPDES Permit: Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality;
• U.S. and State Highway Utility Encroachment Permit: Montana Department of Transportation and Wyoming Department of Transportation;
• Interstate Permitting: Montana Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration;
• Greater Sage-grouse Approval Letters: Montana Sage-grouse Oversight Team; and
• All other State and County required permits (road use, load, zoning, conditional use, crossing/encroachment, noxious weed management, etc.)
**Schedule for the Decision-Making Process**
The BLM may provide additional opportunities for public participation consistent with the NEPA and DEQ MEPA processes, including a 30-day comment period on the Draft EIS. If required, the Draft EIS is anticipated to be available for public review August 2026 and the Final EIS is anticipated to be released in Spring 2027, with a Record of Decision to follow.
If approved, any right-of-way grant and temporary use permit pursuant to section 28 of the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended (30 U.S.C. 185) would be issued by BLM for all Federal lands crossed by the proposed pipeline or associated infrastructure.
**Public Scoping Process**
This notice of intent initiates the scoping period.
The BLM will be holding four public scoping meetings in the following locations: Glasgow, Montana, Miles City, Montana and Newcastle, Wyoming. Additionally, the BLM will host one virtual public scoping meeting. The specific dates and locations of these scoping meetings will be announced in advance through local newspapers, the ePlanning project page (see *ADDRESSES* above), and the BLM website ( *https://www.blm.gov/office/montanadakotas-state-office* ).
**Responsible Official**
The State Director of the BLM Montana/Dakotas state office will be the deciding official for the Project. The District Manager for the Eastern Montana/Dakotas District has been delegated authority from the State Director with the exception of signing any NEPA decision documents, including the Notice of Intent (NOI), Notice of Availability (NOA), and Record of Decision (ROD), Cost Recovery Agreement, and Right-of-Way grant which will remain with the Montana/Dakotas State Director. Duties may be delegated from the District Manager to the Field Manager of the Glasgow, Malta, Miles City, and Newcastle Field Offices, as appropriate.
**Nature of Decision To Be Made**
**BLM's Decision To Be Made**
The BLM will decide whether to issue the Right-of-Way Grant and Temporary Use Permits on Federal land, and if so, under what terms and conditions.
**Additional Information**
The BLM will utilize and coordinate the NEPA process to help support compliance with applicable procedural requirements under the Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1536) and section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (54 U.S.C. 306108) as provided in 36 CFR 800.2(d)(3), section 2 of the American Indian Religious Freedom Act (42 U.S.C. 1996); E.O. 13175, “Consultation and Coordination With Indian Tribal Governments;” section 101(d)(6) (54 U.S.C. 302706) ; and the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (43 CFR part 10.4(b)) including public involvement requirements of section 106 and other applicable heritage resource requirements within Montana and Wyoming statutes. The information about historic, Tribal and cultural resources and threatened and endangered species within the area potentially affected by the proposed Project will assist the BLM in identifying and evaluating impacts to such resources.
The BLM will consult with Indian Tribal Nations on a government-to-government basis in accordance with E.O. 13175, BLM Manual Section 1780, and other Departmental policies. Tribal concerns, including impacts on Indian trust assets and potential impacts to cultural resources or areas of Tribal concern, will be given due consideration. Federal, State, and local agencies, along with Indian Tribal Nations and other stakeholders that may be interested in or affected by the proposed Project that the BLM is evaluating, are invited to participate in the scoping process and, if eligible, may request or be requested by the BLM to participate in the development of the environmental analysis as a cooperating agency.
Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment—including your personal identifying information—may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
(Authority: 43 CFR 2884.20)
Scott Haight,
Acting State Director BLM Montana/Dakotas.