[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 218 (Monday, November 13, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56991-56992]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-27929]



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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
[Docket Nos. CP95-119-000, CP95-119-001]


Steuben Gas Storage Company; Notice of Availability of the 
Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Thomas Corners Gas Storage 
Field Project

November 6, 1995.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) has prepared an environmental assessment (EA) on the 
natural gas pipeline facilities proposed by Steuben Gas Storage Company 
(Steuben) in the above-referenced dockets.
    The EA was prepared to satisfy the requirements of the National 
Environmental Policy Act. The staff concludes that approval of the 
proposed project, with appropriate mitigating measures, would not 
constitute a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality 
of the human environment.
    The EA assesses the potential environmental effects of the 
construction and operation of the proposed underground gas storage 
facility and related pipeline facilities in Steuben County, New York, 
including:
     A storage field in the town of Bath including 13 
injection/withdrawal wells (11 new and 2 existing [#1 Sylvan and #1 
Mullins]) and 1 observation well; various dehydration facilities 
including a dehydration unit, a field separator, glycol storage tanks, 
and an auxiliary 

[[Page 56992]]
building; and 0.4 mile of 4-inch-diameter and 0.3 mile of 12-inch-
diameter well lines within the main well pad area;
     The existing #1 Sylvan well located southeast of the main 
well pad area and requires 0.2 mile of 4-inch-diameter well lateral 
pipeline to connect it to the storage field;
     A new 3,284-horsepower (hp) compressor station (Thomas 
Corners Compressor Station) at the existing Adrian Compressor Station 
property in the town of Canisteo;
     6.4 miles of 12-inch-diameter gathering header pipeline 
between the Thomas Corners Compressor Station and storage field in the 
towns of Canisteo, Cameron, and Bath; and
     A pipeline drip and storage tank east of the Canisteo 
River in the town of Canisteo between the Conrail railway and Canisteo 
River Road.
    The purpose of the proposed facilities would be to develop and 
operate the Thomas Corners gas field as an underground natural gas 
storage field capable of providing up to 5,300,000 dekatherms (Dth) of 
working gas storage capacity. The additional gas storage capacity would 
help satisfy the growing demand for storage service in the Northeast to 
meet winter use demands and supplement its general system operations in 
the market area. Presently, only one customer, Virginia Natural Gas, 
Inc., has signed a Firm Storage Service Precedent Agreement with 
Steuben for 1,350,000 Dth of capacity in the Thomas Corners Storage 
Field.
    The EA has been placed in the public files of the FERC and is 
available for public inspection at: Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission, Public Reference and Files Maintenance Branch, 888 First 
Street, N.E., Washington, DC 20426, (202) 208-1371.
    Copies of the EA have been mailed to Federal, state and local 
agencies, public interest groups, interested individuals, newspapers, 
and parties to this proceeding.
    A limited number of copies of the EA are available from: Mr. Howard 
J. Wheeler, Environmental Project Manager, Environmental Review and 
Compliance Branch II, Office of Pipeline Regulation (PR 11.2), 888 
First Street, N.E., Washington, DC 20426, (202) 208-2299.
    Any person wishing to comment on the EA may do so. Written comments 
must be reference Docket Nos. CP95-119-000 and CP95-119-001 and be 
addressed to: Office of the Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission, 888 First Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20426.
    Comments should be filed as soon as possible, but must be received 
no later than December 6, 1995, to ensure consideration prior to a 
Commission decision on this proposal. A copy of any comments should 
also be sent to Mr. Howard Wheeler, Environmental Project Manager, at 
the above address.
    Comments will be considered by the Commission but will not serve to 
make the commentor a party to the proceeding. Any person seeking to 
become a party to the proceeding must file a motion to intervene 
pursuant to Rule 214 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and 
Procedure (18 CFR 385.214).
    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 comments considered.
    Additional information about this project is available from Mr. 
Howard J. Wheeler, Environmental Project Manager.
Lois D. Cashell,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 95-27929 Filed 11-9-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M