DOE/EA-1787: Final Environmental Assessment

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is proposing to authorize the expenditure of federal cost share funding to Myriant Lake Providence, LLC (Myriant) to support the final design, construction, and start-up of the proposed Myriant Succinic Acid Biorefinery to be located on a 55-acre industrial site leased from the Lake Providence Port Commission in Lake Providence, Louisiana. The Myriant Succinic Acid Biorefinery will hereafter be referred to as “MySAB” or “the biorefinery.” The biorefinery and all related infrastructure and utilities will be referred to as “the proposed project.” This EA analyzes the potential environmental and socioeconomic impacts that would result from implementation of the Proposed Action (with DOE funding) and the No Action Alternative (without DOE funding), and evaluates the potential individual and cumulative effects of the Proposed Action. While it is possible the project could be implemented without DOE financial assistance, that scenario would not provide for a meaningful No Action Alternative analysis, as it would be identical to the Proposed Action. For purposes of this assessment, the EA therefore evaluates, as the No Action Alternative, the potential impacts that would occur if the project were not built and operated. No other action alternatives are analyzed.