"We are very pleased that we have final FERC approval," said Jim Cleary, president of El Paso's Western Pipeline Group. "This approval is a milestone, successfully culminating more than two and one half years of outreach and comprehensive permitting at the federal, state, and local levels. In addition to supplying significant supplies of clean-burning natural gas to the western states, we are also proud that Ruby will employ almost 5,000 people from Wyoming to Oregon during construction, and that the pipeline will provide significant economic benefits to the four states along our route for years to come."

Ruby, the first-ever carbon-neutral pipeline to be constructed and operated, involves 680 miles of 42-inch pipeline and four compressor stations. Ruby will transport natural gas from an existing supply hub at Opal, Wyoming, to interconnections near Malin, Oregon. It will have an initial design capacity of 1.5 billion cubic feet per day.

El Paso has entered into agreements with Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), whereby GIP will invest up to $700 million in the Ruby project. Upon satisfaction of various closing conditions, GIP will acquire a 50 percent equity interest in the project.

El Paso Corp. owns North America's largest interstate natural gas pipeline system and one of North America's largest independent natural gas producers.

Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) is an independent infrastructure fund that invests worldwide in infrastructure assets and businesses in both OECD and select emerging market countries. GIP targets investments in power and utilities, natural resources infrastructure, air transport infrastructure, seaports, freight railroad, water distribution and treatment and waste management. GIP has offices in New York and London with an affiliate in Sydney and portfolio operations headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut.