[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 51 (Thursday, March 16, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14279-14281]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-6456]



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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
[Docket No. CP95-191-000]


Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America; Notice of Intent to 
Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed OK-TEX AMARILLO 
PROJECT and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues

March 10, 1995.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or the 
Commission) will prepare an environmental assessment (EA) that will 
discuss the environmental impacts of the construction and operation of 
facilities proposed in the OK-TEX [[Page 14280]] Amarillo Project.\1\ 
This EA will be used by the Commission in its decision-making process 
to determine if an environmental impact statement is necessary and 
whether to approve the project.

    \1\Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America'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

    Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America (Natural) requests 
Commission authorization to:
     Abandon by transfer 102.7 miles of its Amarillo No. 1 
pipeline comprising:

--About 99.93 miles of 24-inch-diameter pipeline in Beaver County, 
Oklahoma, and Ochiltree, Hansford and Hutchinson Counties, Texas; and
--About 2.74 miles of 30-inch-diameter pipeline in Hutchinson County, 
Texas.

     Construct and operate approximately 18.0 miles of 30-inch-
diameter loop in Hutchinson County, Texas.
    The Amarillo No. 1 pipeline is part of the Amarillo mainline system 
that extends north from gas producing areas in north central Texas 
through New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, Nebraska, and Iowa, and 
terminates near Chicago, Illinois. In 1982, Natural began a long-range 
program (the Amarillo Upgrade Program) to replace its original 24-inch-
diameter Amarillo No. 1 pipeline. The purpose of the Amarillo Upgrade 
Program is to increase reliability of Natural's services and reduce 
operating costs by eliminating or replacing parts of the Amarillo 
mainline system that are obsolete.\2\ No existing customer services 
would be affected by the proposed project.

    \2\Natural has previously received Commission authorization to 
abandon and/or replace segments of the Amarillo No. 1 pipeline and 
compression facilities in Docket Nos. CP83-194-000, CP84-16-000, 
CP84-466-000, CP84-518-000, CP92-303-000, CP92-611-000, and CP93-
672-000. Abandonment and replacement of the remaining facilities are 
currently under Commission review in Docket Nos. CP93-672-001 and 
CP94-577-001.
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    Natural proposes to transfer all abandoned pipeline to MidCon Gas 
Products Corporation which would operate it as a low-pressure gathering 
pipeline. As a low-pressure pipeline, the Amarillo No. 1 pipeline would 
collect gas at the wellhead and transport it south for processing at a 
plant near Natural's Compressor Station 112 in Moore County, Texas. The 
processed gas would then be delivered to Natural's Amarillo mainline 
system for transportation north. Natural contends that, although the 
Amarillo No. 1 pipeline is obsolete for use as part of a high-pressure 
interstate pipeline system, the pipeline would be suitable for use as a 
low-pressure gathering line. Since the transfer would result in 
continued use of the pipeline, the pipeline would not be removed.
    Natural proposes to construct and operate approximately 18.0 miles 
of pipeline to partially replace the abandoned pipeline and maintain 
service to its customers.
    The general location of the project facilities is shown in appendix 
1. A detailed location map of the proposed loop is shown in appendix 
2.\3\

    \3\The appendices referenced in this notice are not being 
printed in the Federal Register. Copies are available from the 
Commission's Public Reference and Files Maintenance 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

    No land would be affected by abandonment of the Amarillo No. 1 
pipeline since the pipeline would be abandoned in place for use as a 
low-pressure pipeline.
    Natural proposes to construct the proposed loop within a nominal 
75-foot-wide right-of-way that would be offset 50 feet from the 
existing pipeline. Extra temporary work space would also be required 
for topsoil segregation; for staging areas at road, wetland and stream 
crossing; equipment mobilization; and contractor and pipe storage 
yards. Construction would affect a minimum of 163.4 acres of range and 
agricultural land based on a 75-foot-wide construction right-of-way. In 
addition, Natural anticipates using one 4-acre storage yard.
    Following construction, Natural proposes to maintain the loop 
within a 75-foot-wide permanent right-of-way centered on the pipeline. 
All temporary construction right-of-way and extra work spaces would be 
restored and allowed to revert to their former use.

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 considered during the preparation of the EA. State and local 
government representatives are encouraged to notify their constituents 
of this proposed action and encourage them to comment on their areas of 
concern.
    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.
     Public safety.
     Land use.
     Cultural resources.
     Endangered and threatened species.
    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 the following issues that we think 
deserve attention based on a preliminary review of the proposed 
facilities and the environmental information provided by Natural. Keep 
in mind that this is a preliminary list. The list of issues may be 
added to, subtracted from, or changed based on your comments and our 
analysis. Issues are:
     The proposed loop would cross Camp Creek.
     The proposed loop would cross three wetlands.
     Natural's proposed 50-foot-offset from the old pipeline 
and Natural's proposed 75-foot-wide permanent right-of-way.

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 [[Page 14281]] 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., N.E., Washington, 
D.C. 20426;
     Reference docket No. CP95-191-000;
     Send a copy of your letter to: Mr. Mark Jensen, EA Project 
Manager, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 825 North Capitol 
Street., N.E., Room 7312, Washington, D.C. 20426; and
     Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, D.C. on or before April 17, 1995.
    If you wish to receive a copy of the EA, you should request one 
from Mr. Jensen 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) (see 
appendix 3).
    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. Mark Jensen, EA Project Manager, at (202) 208--0828.
Lois D. Cashell,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 95-6456 Filed 3-15-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M