A proposal to build a $300 million pipeline that would carry gasoline and diesel more than 400 miles from northern Utah to Las Vegas is before the Bureau of Land Management for public comment.

The 12-inch pipeline would originate in Woods Cross at a refinery operated jointly by Holly Corporation, a Texas-based company that processes crude oils, and Sinclair Oil. It is expected to generally follow the existing Kern River pipeline corridor that crosses Salt Lake, Tooele, Juab, Millard, Beaver, Iron and Washington counties.

A proposed $20 million terminal located on 30 acres in the industrial areas of Cedar City would hold up to 175,000 barrels and receive gasoline or diesel from the refineries in Woods Cross. Gasoline would also be transported from the Cedar City terminal to outlets in southern Utah, taking the place of semitrailer trucks that traditionally carry liquid petroleum, said Jim Townsend, vice president of special operations for Holly Corp.

"This is a common carrier pipeline system," Townsend said. "We saw a growing need in the Utah and Nevada markets for more barrels (of gasoline and diesel) and it's our business to transport barrels. There's not a safer or cleaner way to transport it."

A typical semitrailer truck can carry between 160 to 180 barrels of gas or diesel, while the pipeline will be able to move 60,000 barrels a day, he said.

"We've had enough dedicated commitments to justify us taking the risk and exposure of building the pipeline and terminals," Townsend added.

The Utah Bureau of Land Management is conducting a full environmental impact statement (EIS) to assess the potential impacts of the pipeline along the proposed route, said Joe Incardine, BLM team leader for the EIS.

"Most of the proposed route crosses BLM land, but some of it is on private land," he said. "We are conducting a full EIS for the whole project."

Among the issues to be evaluated in the EIS is the project's impact on recreation and visual resources, Native American concerns, air quality and noise, hazardous waste, public safety, water resources, threatened and endangered species and other areas of critical environmental concern.

Construction of the pipeline and terminals is expected to begin next spring, with operations under way at the end of 2008, Townsend said.

Public open houses were held earlier this week in Salt Lake, Tooele and Las Vegas. An open house is scheduled tonight in Cedar City from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Cedar City Library, 303 N. 100 East, and on Thursday evening at the Delta Middle School, 251 E. 300 North in Delta.

Public comments will be accepted by the BLM through Sept. 10 and can be submitted by e-mail to: UT_UNEV_Pipeline_EIS@blm.gov.

More information on the project is available at blm.gov/ut/st/en/prog/more/lands_and_realty/unev_pipeline_eis.html

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E-mail: nperkins@desnews.com