[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 98 (Monday, May 20, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25219-25220]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-12552]



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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP96-297-000]


Great Lakes Gas Transmission Limited Partnership; Notice of 
Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Security 
Loop II Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues

May 14, 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 by the Great Lakes Gas Transmission Limited 
Partnership (Great Lakes) for its Security Loop II 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\ Great Lakes' application was filed with the Commission on 
April 4, 1996 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

    Great Lakes wants to complete the looping of its entire mainline 
system which is fully subscribed with firm service, to provide greater 
reliability and operating flexibility for its shippers.\2\ Great Lakes 
seeks authority to construct and operate three segments of 36-inch-
diameter pipeline loop in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan:
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    \2\ The only portions of Great Lakes' existing 968-mile-long 36-
inch-diameter mainline which have not been looped are the three 
segments, totalling 24.5 miles, addressed in this proposal. A loop 
is a segment of pipeline which is usually installed adjacent to an 
existing pipeline and connected to it at both ends. The loop allows 
more gas to be moved through that segment of the pipeline system.
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     Loop Segment 1 would be about 2.4-miles-long, wholly 
within Delta County, Michigan. It would begin at milepost (MP) 560.3 
along Great Lakes' existing mainline and end at Great Lakes' existing 
Rapid River Compressor Station at MP 562.7.
     Loop Segment 2 would be about 12.5-miles-long, also within 
Delta County, Michigan, extending from MP 562.7 to MP 575.2.
     Loop Segment 3 would be about 9.6-miles-long, in Mackinac 
County, Michigan. It would begin at Great Lakes' existing Naubinway 
Compressor Station at MP 640.1 and end at MP 649.7.
    As part of this project, Great Lakes would modify existing piping 
and install additional above-ground facilities at its Rapid River and 
Naubinway Compressor Stations, and Rapid River Meter Station.\3\ The 
proposed loop construction would also necessitate the abandonment and 
removal of the existing tie-ins at the beginning of Loop Segment 1, the 
end of Loop Segment 2, and the end of Loop Segment 3.
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    \3\ The proposed above-ground facilities would consist of a pig 
launcher and receiver at the Rapid River Compressor Station, a 
launcher at the Naubinway Compressor Station, and a valve at the 
Rapid River Meter Station.
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    The general location of the proposed project facilities are shown 
in appendix 1.\4\
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    \4\ 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, 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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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. Federal agencies can request to be cooperating agencies in 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, fisheries and wetlands.

[[Page 25220]]

     Vegetation and wildlife.
     Endangered and threatened species.
     Cultural resources.
     Land use.
    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 in the EA based on a preliminary review of the proposed 
facilities and information provided by Great Lakes. Keep in mind that 
this is a preliminary list.
     Loop Segment 1 would cross lands managed by the Escanaba 
River State Forest. Loop Segments 1 and 2 would cross lands managed by 
the Hiawatha National Forest. Loop Segment 3 would cross lands managed 
by the Lake Superior State Forest.
     Loop Segment 2 would cross the Bay de Noc--Grand Island 
recreational trail and the Nahma snowmobile trail.
     The three loop segments combined would cross about 12.2 
miles of forested land, and about 1.1 mile of agricultural land.
     One residence is located within 50 feet of the proposed 
construction right-of-way for Loop Segment 1.
     Loop Segment 2 would cross the Whitefish River, which is 
federally listed as a Wild and Scenic River. The three loops combined 
would cross 17 other perennial streams, 13 of which have been 
classified as cold water fisheries.
     The three loops combined would cross 32 wetlands, 
totalling about 10.6 miles.
     A total of 12 cultural resource sites have been identified 
along all three loops segments combined, of which 9 have been 
recommended for additional investigation.
    The list of issues may be added to, subtracted from, or changed 
based on your comments and our analysis.

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, 888 First St., N.E., Washington, D.C. 
20426;
     Reference Docket No. CP96-297-000;
     Send a copy of your letter to: Paul Friedman, EA Project 
Manager, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, OPR/DEER/ERCI--PR11.1, 
888 First St., N.E., Washington, D.C. 20426; and
     Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, D.C. on or before June 17, 1996.
    Additional information about the proposed project is available from 
Paul Friedman, EA Project Manager, at (202) 208-1108. If you wish to 
receive a copy of the EA, you should request one from Mr. Friedman 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 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 later intervention. You do not need intervenor status to 
have your scoping comments considered.
Lois D. Cashell,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 96-12552 Filed 5-17-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M