[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 26 (Tuesday, February 8, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-2810]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: February 8, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP94-109-000]

 

Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corp.; Intent to Prepare an 
Environmental Assessment for the Proposed 1995/1996 Southeast Expansion 
Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues

February 2, 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 1995/1996 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 necessary and 
whether or not to approve the project.
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    \1\Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation's (TGPL) 
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

    TGPL wants Commission authorization to construct, operate, and 
modify the following facilities, on a phased basis. TGPL would use the 
facilities to transport up to 165,000 Mcfd of natural gas (115,000 Mcfd 
in 1995 [Phase I] and 50,000 Mcfd in 1996 [Phase II]) from the 
interconnection of TGPL's main line and its 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:

Phase I Facilities (1995)

     12,600-horsepower (HP) compressor addition at Compressor 
Station No. 90 in Marengo County, Alabama.
     Two 7,000-HP electric drive units to replace two existing 
5,620-HP steam turbines on Units 1 and 2 at Compressor Station No. 100 
in Chilton County, Alabama.
     15.13 miles of 42-inch-diameter loop on Main Line E in 
Chilton and Autauga Counties, Alabama.
     Modifications to existing compressor equipment at 
Compressor Station No. 110 in Randolph County, Alabama.
     12,000-HP compressor addition at Compressor Station No. 
120 in Henry County, Georgia.
     12,600-HP compressor addition at Compressor Station No. 
150 in Iredell County, North Carolina.

Phase II Facilities (1996)

     6,500-HP compressor addition at Compressor Station No. 100 
in Chilton County, Alabama.
     12,000-HP compressor addition at Compressor Station No. 
120 in Henry 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, NE., Washington, DC 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 loop would be built adjacent and parallel to existing 
rights-of-way. TGPL intends to use a 75-foot-wide construction right-
of-way. About 15 feet of the planned 75-foot width would use existing 
right-of-way. Consequently, about 60 feet of new clearing would be 
required in most areas. Following construction, about 35 feet of the 
construction right-of-way would be allowed to revert to its former land 
use. In agricultural areas, a 100-foot-wide construction right-of-way 
is planned in order to segregate topsoil.
    Also, additional working space would be required adjacent to the 
planned construction right-of-way at road and stream crossings.

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.
     Air quality and noise.
     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 
this proceeding. 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 analysis. Issues are:
     The loop would cross within 50 feet of 5 residences and a 
church, and would cross 2 orchards.
     The pipeline would cross 9 perennial streams, 2 ponds, and 
50 wetlands.
     The compressor stations are near residences.
     The project may potentially impact federally listed 
threatened or endangered species.
     The pipeline may cross or be near cultural resource/
archeological sites.

Public Participation

    You can make a difference by sending a letter addressing your 
specific comments or concerns abut 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. CP94-109-000;
     Send a copy of your letter to: Mr. Philip Veres, 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 March 3, 1994.

If you wish to receive a copy of the EA, you should request one from 
Mr. Veres 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.
    The date for filing timely motions to intervene in this proceeding 
has passed. Therefore, parties now seeking to file late interventions 
must show good cause, as required by Sec. 385.214(b)(3), why this time 
limitation should be waived. Environmental issues have been viewed as 
good cause for late intervention. You do not need intervenor status to 
have your scoping comments considered.
    Additional information about the proposed project is available for 
Mr. Philip Veres, EA Project Manager, at (202) 208-1073.
Lois D. Cashell,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 94-2810 Filed 2-7-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M