GIS Tools and Techniques for Environmental Assessment of Pipeline Construction

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate GIS and GPS tools for the assessment and mapping of environmental features for natural gas pipeline construction projects. Environmental permitting of pipeline projects typically involve the integration of construction design drawings, GPS-delineated field data, and various Federal, State, or local GIS data layers. Accelerated project schedules and frequent changes to routes and construction footprints emphasize the need for efficient geoprocessing tools and procedures. A standard protocol for GPS field data collection of environmental features ensures consistency and facilitates analysis of the data. Geoprocessing tools such as linear referencing allow for rapid analysis of proximity and potential impacts. Interoperability tools in ArcGIS™ software facilitates integration of AutoCAD® or Microstation™ files provided by pipeline engineers and allow environmental layers to be converted for inclusion on alignment sheets. Cartographic tools and capabilities in ArcGIS provide an efficient means for generating maps and figures for reports.