On January 25, 2010, Champlain Hudson Power Express Inc. (CHPEI) applied to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for a Presidential permit in accordance with Executive Order (EO) 10485, as amended by EO 12038, and the regulations codified at 10 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 205.320 et seq. (2000), 'Application for Presidential Permit Authorizing the Construction, Connection, Operation, and Maintenance of Facilities for Transmission of Electric Energy at International Boundaries.' The DOE Office of Policy, Siting and Analysis, in the Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability (OE-20) is responsible for issuing Presidential permits. The Presidential permit for CHPEI (OE Docket Number PP-362), if issued, would authorize CHPEI to construct, operate, maintain, and connect the U.S. portion of the project, which consists of an electric transmission line that would cross the international border between the United States and Canada, near the village of Rouses Point, New York. A project overview is provided in Section 1.5, and additional project details are provided in CHPEI's January 25, 2010, application letter to DOE, as amended on August 5, 2010. Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), and in considering an application for a Presidential permit, the DOE must take into account possible environmental impacts of the proposed facility. DOE has determined that an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is the appropriate level of environmental review under NEPA for granting the requested Presidential permit. DOE will use the NEPA planning process to encourage agency and public involvement in the review of the proposed project, and to identify the range of reasonable alternatives. The public outreach process is designed to facilitate the public discussion of the scope of appropriate issues to be addressed in the EIS.