[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 46 (Thursday, March 7, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9159-9160]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-5362]



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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
[Docket No. CP95-76-002]


Texas Eastern Transmission Corporation; Notice of Intent to 
Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Philadelphia 
Lateral Expansion Project and Request for Comments on Environmental 
Issues

March 1, 1996.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) will prepare an environmental assessment (EA) that will 
discuss the environmental impacts of the construction and operation of 
the facilities proposed in the Philadelphia Lateral 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 to approve the project.
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    \1\ Texas Eastern Transmission Corporation'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

    Texas Eastern Transmission Corporation (Texas Eastern) wants to 
increase the operating pressure of its existing gas pipeline 1-H 
(Philadelphia Lateral). This would enable Texas Eastern to transport up 
to 15,000 dekatherms per day (Dth/d) of natural gas to Sun Company, 
Inc. (Sun), and up to 15,000 Dth/d to Trigen-Philadelphia Energy 
Corporation (Trigen). Texas Eastern seeks authority to:
     Increase the maximum allowable operating pressure (MAOP) 
from 718 pounds per square inch-gauge (psig) to 811 psig of 
approximately 23.6 miles of 20-inch-diameter pipeline in Chester and 
Delaware Counties, Pennsylvania, including:

--Repair 14 anomaly sites (irregularities in the pipe wall which are 
typically caused by mechanical damage or corrosion);
--Hydrostatically test the pipeline (with pressurized water at 1,485 
psig); and

     Construct the Harkness Point Metering and Regulating (M&R) 
Station at approximate milepost (MP) 10.86 on Texas Eastern's Line 1-A 
in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania.
    The proposed facilities would cost about $3,983,000.
    The location of the project 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 and Files Maintenance Branch, 888 
First 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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Nonjurisdictional Facilities

    The Harkness Point M&R station would serve as the delivery point 
for Trigen, by way of Philadelphia Gas Works' (PGW) reactivation of an 
existing liquids pipeline and converting it to transport natural gas. 
Trigen is co-developing the nonjurisdictional Gray's Ferry Cogeneration 
Project. PGW would also build a 2-mile-long lateral pipeline from its 
existing Passyunk Station to Gray's Ferry.

Proposed Land Requirements for Construction

a. Line 1-H Upgrading

    The repair of the anomaly sites would temporarily disturb 14 areas 
about 20 feet wide by 60 feet long (0.03 acre), each within existing 
permanent right-of-way, totalling about 0.42 acre. The hydrostatic 
testing would also temporarily disturb 6 manifold sites about 20 feet 
wide by 60 feet long (0.03 acre), each within existing permanent right-
of-way, totalling about 0.18 acre.
    A 5.17-acre staging area, a 3.04-acre wareyard, and a 0.12-acre 
staging area would be required at off-right-of-way locations. These 
areas would be temporarily disturbed, and would be restored in 
accordance with the landowners' approval.

b. Harkness Point M&R Station

    A 200-foot by 200-foot (0.92 acre) area would be disturbed for 
construction, with a 0.23-acre fenced area covered by gravel after 
construction. No other land would be disturbed.

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 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:
     Soils.
     Water resources, fisheries, and wetlands.
     Vegetation and wildlife.
     Endangered and threatened species.
     Testing and disposal of pipe contaminated with 
polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).
     Land use.
     Cultural resources.

[[Page 9160]]

     Air quality and noise.
     Public safety.
    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 Texas Eastern. Keep in mind 
that this is a preliminary list:
     Earth would be disturbed at an anomaly site near milepost 
(MP) 3.12 in a condominium development near Liongate Lane.
     Earth would be disturbed in a herbaceous wetland at 
anomaly sites near MPs 16.93 and 16.97 in Ridley Creek State Park.
     Earth would be disturbed in a herbaceous wetland at an 
anomaly site near MP 19.00 and Riddle Memorial Hospital.
     MAOP would be increased.
     Occupants of the 149 residents and businesses within 75 
feet of Line 1-H would be offered temporary relocation during the 
hydrostatic testing.
    The list of issues may be added to, subtracted from, or changed 
based on your comments and our analysis.
    Also, we have made a preliminary decision to not address the 
impacts of the nonjurisdictional facilities. We will briefly describe 
their location and status in the EA.

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 alternate 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, 888 First St., NE., Washington, DC 20426;
     Reference Docket No. CP95-76-002;
     Send a copy of your letter to: Mr. Jeff Gerber, EA Project 
Manager, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First St., NE., PR-
11.2, Washington, DC 20426; and
     Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, DC on or before April 1, 1996.
    If you wish to receive a copy of the EA, you should request one 
from Mr. Gerber 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 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 
Ms. Jennifer Goggin, Assistant EA Project Manager, at (202) 208-2226.
Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 96-5362 Filed 3-6-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M