[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 115 (Thursday, June 16, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-14650]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: June 16, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
 

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP94-292-000]

Riverside Gas Storage Co.; Intent To Prepare an Environmental 
Assessment for the Proposed Riverside Gas Storage Field Project and 
Request for Comments on Environmental Issues

June 10, 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 Riverside Gas Storage Field 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\Riverside Gas Storage Company's (Riverside) 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

    Riverside Gas Storage Company (Riverside) wants Commission 
authorization to construct and operate a new underground natural gas 
storage field in Greene and Fayette Counties, Pennsylvania. Riverside 
proposes to convert a nearly depleted gas field to gas storage use. The 
proposed storage facility would have 5.1 billion cubic feet (BCF) of 
storage capacity (3.1 BCF working gas capacity). To develop the 
Riverside Gas Storage Field, Riverside would:
     Recomplete 21 existing wells as injection/withdrawal 
wells;
     Recomplete one existing well as an observation well;
     Plug and abandon 9 existing gas wells (all remaining wells 
in field);
     Construct 3.42 miles of 12-inch-diameter gathering 
pipeline;
     Construct 2.44 miles of 6-inch-diameter pipeline (22 
segments of various lengths to attach wells to the gathering pipeline);
     Construct a new 3,150-horsepower compressor station; and
     Construct ancillary facilities at the compressor station 
including meters, dehydrator trains, storage tanks for oil and glycol, 
access roads, and water and electric utilities.
    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

    Riverside would use 101.3 acres of land for the Riverside Gas 
Storage Field Project. Of this total, 10 acres would be used for the 
compressor station, 43.4 acres would be associated with well pads (1.4 
acres per well) and 47.9 acres would be associated with the right-of-
way for the storage pipelines.
    Following completion of construction, approximately 12.6 acres 
associated with the nine plugged and abandoned wells would be allowed 
to revert to the land use desired by the property owner.
    Riverside proposes to use a an 85-foot-wide construction right-of-
way for its 12-inch-diameter pipeline and a 50-foot-wide construction 
right-of-way for its 6-inch-diameter pipeline. Riverside proposes to 
use an 85 to 100-foot-wide right-of-way for construction across 
streams.

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;
     Vegetation and wildlife;
     Pipeline safety;
     Land use;
     Cultural resources;
     Air quality and noise.
    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 environmental issues that we 
think deserve attention based on a preliminary review of the proposed 
facilities and the information provided by Riverside. 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.
    The list of environmental issues:
     Riverside would recomplete 22 existing wells in Greene and 
Fayette Counties, Pennsylvania: one observation well and 21 injection/
withdrawal wells. These wells and drilling operations have potential 
groundwater impacts.
     Riverside may affect up to five wetlands in the project 
area while constructing its pipelines.
     There may be noise concerns at residences surrounding 
Riverside's new compressor station.
     There may be federally listed threatened or endangered 
species in the project area.
     The Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Officer 
indicated there is potential cultural resources sites in the project 
area and requested a survey.
     Existing and future coal mining operations and the 
Riverside Gas Storage Field Project may affect each other.

Public Participation

    You can make a difference by sending a letter addressing 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. CP94-292-000;
     Send a copy of your letter to: Mr. Steven G. Grape, 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 July 11, 1994.
    If you wish to receive a copy of the EA, you should request one 
from Mr. Grape 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 Section 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 Questions?

    Additional information about the proposed project is available from 
Mr. Steven G. Grape, EA Project Manager, at (202) 208-1046.
Lois D. Cashell,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 94-14650 Filed 6-15-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P