[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 14 (Friday, January 21, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-1451]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: January 21, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
[Docket No. CP94-68-000]

 

Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corp.; Intent To Prepare an 
Environmental Assessment for the Proposed 1994 Southeast Expansion 
Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues

January 14, 1994.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or the 
Commission) will prepare an environmental assessment (EA) that will 
discuss environmental impacts of the construction and operation of 
facilities proposed in the 1994 Southeast Expansion Project.\1\ This EA 
will be used by the Commission in its decision-making process to 
determine whether an environmental impact statement is required and 
whether or not to approve the project.
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    \1\Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation's application was 
filed with the Commission under section 7 of the Natural Gas Act and 
Part 157 of the Commission's regulations.
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Summary of the Proposed Project

    Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation (TGPL) wants Commission 
authorization to construct, operate, and modify the following 
facilities needed to transport up to 35,000 Mcfd of natural gas from 
the interconnection of TGPL's main line and TGPL's Mobile Bay Lateral 
near Butler in Choctaw County, Alabama, to certain points of delivery 
upstream of TGPL's Compressor Station No. 165 near Chatham, Virginia:
     Uprate Main Line ``A'' from 650 psig to 800 psig from 
Compressor Station No. 120 to Compressor Station No. 130 in Henry, 
Rockdale, Walton, Clark, and Madison Counties, Georgia through 
regulator modifications and replacement of eight 30-inch-diameter 
pipeline segments that total approximately 9.6 miles.
     Hydrostatically test Main Line ``A'' over 13.77 miles in 
Henry, Rockdale, and Dekalb Counties, Georgia to check for stress 
corrosion cracking.
     Place existing steam-driven compressor units 1 and 2 
(presently on standby service) into regular service, at Compressor 
Station No. 100 in Chilton County, Alabama, increasing the station 
horsepower (hp) by 11,240 hp.
     Modify and/or re-wheel these and other units at Compressor 
Station No. 100.
     Modify existing regulating facilities and replace existing 
Main Line ``A'' block valves assemblies and associated crossover valves 
at mileposts 1063.73, 1077.10, 1092.52, and 1108.83 between Compressor 
Stations 120 and 130.
     Install a pig launcher trap at Compressor Station No. 120 
and a pig receiver trap at Compressor Station 130.
     Replace Main Line ``A'' sidegate valves at Compressor 
Station 120.
     Additional remedial work on the Main Line ``A'' uprate 
would be completed at the following areas which are located between 
Compressor Stations 120 and 130.
     Milepost (MP) 1078.16--replace main Line ``A'' across Big 
Flat Creek in Walton County, Georgia.
     MP 1079.14--replace main Line ``A'' across Flat Creek in 
Walton County, Georgia.
     MP 1082.45--replace main Line ``A'' shorted casing across 
Highway 78 in Walton County, Georgia.
     MP 1095.03--replace main Line ``A'' across Barber Creek 
and its tributaries in Rockdale County, Georgia.
     MP 1097.63--replace main Line ``A'' (shorted casing) 
across Highway 209 in Oconee County, Georgia.
     MP 1121.44--replace main Line ``A'' across a creek at Hill 
Jones Road in Madison County, Georgia.
    The general location of these facilities is shown in appendix 1.\2\
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    \2\The appendices referenced in this notice are not being 
printed in the Federal Register. Copies are available from the 
Commission's Public Reference Branch, Room 3104, 941 North Capitol 
Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20426, or call (202) 208-1371. Copies 
of the appendices were sent to all those receiving this notice in 
the mail.
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Land Requirements for Construction

    The proposed replacement pipeline would be located within existing 
pipeline right-of-way and within the same ditch as the original 
pipeline. Typically, TGPL uses a 75-foot-wide construction and a 60-
foot-wide permanent right-of-way. TGPL would require clearing about 15 
feet of temporary right-of-way.

The EA Process

    The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires the 
Commission to take into account the environmental impacts that could 
result from an action whenever it considers the issuance of a 
Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity. NEPA also requires us 
to discover and address concerns the public may have about proposals. 
We call this ``scoping''. The main goal of the scoping process is to 
focus the analysis in the EA on the important environmental issues. By 
this Notice of Intent, the Commission requests public comments on the 
scope of the issues it will address in the EA. All comments received 
are taken into account during the preparation of the EA.
    The EA will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of the 
construction and operation of the proposed project under these general 
headings:
     Geology and soils
     Water resources, fisheries, and wetlands
     Vegetation and wildlife
     Endangered and threatened species
     Land use
     Cultural resources
     Hazardous waste
    We will also evaluate possible alternatives to the proposed project 
or portions of the project, and make recommendations on how to lessen 
or avoid impacts on the various resource areas.
    Our independent analysis of the issues will be in the EA. Depending 
on the comments received during the scoping process, the EA may be 
published and mailed to Federal, state, and local agencies, public 
interest groups, interested individuals, affected landowners, 
newspapers, libraries, and the Commission's official service list for 
these proceedings. A comment period will be allotted for review if the 
EA is published. We will consider all comments on the EA before we 
recommend that the Commission approve or not approve the project.

Currently Identified Environmental Issues

    We have already identified several issues that we think deserve 
attention based on a preliminary review of the proposed facilities and 
the environmental information provided by TGPL. Keep in mind that this 
is a preliminary list; the list of issues will be added to, subtracted 
from, or changed based on your comments and our own analysis. Issues 
are:
     The replacement pipeline would cross within 100 feet of 
approximately 26 residences and 8 commercial structures.
     The pipeline would cross 12 perennial streams and 29 
wetlands.
     The project may potentially impact federally listed 
threatened or endangered species.
     The pipeline may cross or be near archeological sites.

Public Participation

    You can make a difference by sending a letter with your specific 
comments or concerns about the project. You should focus on the 
potential environmental effects of the proposal, alternatives to the 
proposal (including alternative routes), and measures to avoid or 
lessen environmental impact. The more specific your comments, the more 
useful they will be. Please follow the instructions below to ensure 
that your comments are received and properly recorded:
     Address your letter to: Lois Cashell, Secretary, Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission, 825 North Capitol St., NE., Washington, 
DC 20426;
     Reference Docket No. CP94-68-000;
     Send a copy of your letter to: Mr. John Wisniewski, EA 
Project Manager, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 825 North 
Capitol St., NE, room 7312, Washington, DC 20426; and
     Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, DC on or before February 14, 1994.
    If you wish to receive a copy of the EA, you should request one 
from Mr. Wisniewski at the above address.

Becoming an Intervenor

    In addition to involvement in the EA scoping process, you may want 
to become an official party to the proceeding or become an 
``intervenor''. Among other things, intervenors have the right to 
receive copies of case-related Commission documents and filings by 
other intervenors. Likewise, each intervenor must provide copies of its 
filings to all other parties. If you want to become an intervenor you 
must file a Motion to Intervene according to Rule 214 of the 
Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.214) attached 
as appendix 2.
    Additional information about the proposed project is available from 
Mr. John Wisniewski, EA Project Manager, at (202) 208-0972.
Lois D. Cashell,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 94-1451 Filed 1-19-94; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P