[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 142 (Tuesday, July 26, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-18085]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: July 26, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
[Docket No. CP94-282-000]

 

Northwest Pipeline Corp.; Notice of Intent To Prepare an 
Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Northwest Hood River Pipeline 
Loop and Extension and Site Visit

July 20, 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 Northwest Hood River Pipeline Loop and 
Extension.1 This EA will be used by the Commission in its 
decision-making process to determine whether or not to approve the 
project.
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    \1\Northwest Pipeline Corporation's application was filed with 
the Commission pursuant to section 7 of the Natural Gas Act and Part 
157 of the Commission's regulations.
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    On August 2, 1994, OPR staff will conduct a site visit with 
representatives of Northwest for the facilities proposed in Klickitat 
County, Washington. Parties to the proceeding may attend. Those 
planning to attend must provide their own transportation.

Summary of the Proposed Project

    Northwest Pipeline Corporation wants Commission authorization to 
construct and operate about 5.3 miles of 6-inch-diameter pipeline to 
partially loop and extend its existing Hood River Lateral in Klickitat 
County, Washington, and to construct a new delivery meter station, the 
KEP Meter Station. The proposed facilities will be used to provide 
about 11,000 million British thermal units per day of natural gas to 
the planned Klickitat Energy Partners cogeneration facility in 
Klickitat County, Washington.
    The Klickitat Energy Partners will build a pipeline to connect the 
cogeneration facility to the KEP Meter Station. The Department of 
Energy is preparing an environmental assessment for the cogeneration 
facility.
    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

    Northwest proposes to use a 75-foot-wide construction right-of-way 
along the looped portions of the pipeline and a 60-foot-wide 
construction right-of-way along the pipeline extension. Through 
residential and commercial areas, the width of the right-of-way would 
be reduced to minimize disturbance to residences and commercial 
buildings. Construction in residential streets would be confined to the 
existing road pavements.
    Eleven work areas outside the construction right-of-way would be 
required at road and railway crossings that are proposed to be bored, 
at the beginning and end of the pipeline loop and extension, and at the 
top of the steep slope located about 600 feet north and uphill of the 
White Salmon Meter Station. Each of these extra work areas would occupy 
an additional 0.1 to 0.25 acre of land. A 0.1 acre pipe storage area 
and contractor yard would be located on the SDS Lumber Company 
property. Access to the pipeline during construction would be along 
existing public and private roads and the existing pipeline 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 a major Federal action whenever it considers the issuance 
of a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity. Our EA will give 
the Commission the information it needs to do that. If the EA concludes 
that the projects would result in significant environmental impacts, we 
will prepare an environmental impact statement. Otherwise we will 
prepare a Finding of No Significant Impact.
    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, and to separate these from issues that are 
insignificant and do not require detailed study.
    The EA will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of the 
construction and operation of the proposed projects under these general 
subject headings:

 geology and soils
 endangered and threatened species
 vegetation and wildlife
 land use
 air quality and noise
 water resources, fisheries and wetlands
 cultural resources

    We will also evaluate possible alternatives to the projects, or 
portions of the projects, and make recommendations on how to lessen or 
avoid impacts on the various resource areas.

Public Participation

    You can make a difference by sending a letter with your specific 
comments or concerns about the project. We are particularly interested 
in alternatives to the proposals (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., N.E., Washington, 
D.C. 20426;
     Reference Docket No. CP94-282-000;
     Send a copy of your letter to: Mr. Robert Kopka, Project 
Manager, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 825 North Capitol St., 
N.E., Room 7312, Washington, D.C. 20426; and
     Mail your comments so they will be received in Washington 
D.C. on or before August 9, 1994.

Becoming an Intervenor

    In addition to involvement in the EA scoping process, you may want 
to become an official party to the proceedings or 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) which is 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 information about the proposed project is available from 
Mr. Robert Kopka, EA Project Manager, at (202) 208-0282.

Lois D. Cashell,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 94-18085 Filed 7-25-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P