[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 126 (Friday, June 28, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33729-33730]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-16532]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
[Docket No. CP96-517-000]
Algonquin LNG, Inc.; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental
Assessment for the Proposed Algonquin LNG Modifications Project and
Request for Comments on Environmental Issues
June 24, 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 Algonquin LNG Modifications Project.
This EA will be used by the Commission in its decision-making process
to determine whether an environmental impact statement (EIS) is
necessary and whether to approve the project.\1\
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\1\ Algonquin LNG, Inc.'s application was filed with the
Commission under Section 7 of the Natural Gas Act and Parts 157 and
284 of the Commission's regulations.
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Summary of the Proposed Project
Algonquin LNG, Inc. (ALNG) seeks Commission authorization to expand
its existing liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility in Providence, Rhode
Island and construction of pipeline facilities in East Providence,
Rhode Island. The purpose of the proposed facilities are to provide
natural gas liquefaction, LNG storage, LNG trucking, and LNG
vaporization services on a firm and interruptible, open access, blanket
basis.
Existing Facilities
ALNG owns and operates a 600,000-barrel LNG storage facility on the
west side of the Providence River. The facility has been in operation
for over 20 years, and is exclusively supplied with LNG delivered by
truck. Upon demand, LNG is either redelivered in liquid form into
trucks supplied by its customers, or vaporized into Providence Gas
Company's (PGC) distribution system. ALNG states that the usefulness of
the facility is limited by its lack of liquefaction capabilities and
direct access to the interstate pipeline grid.
PGC currently receives gas from Algonquin Gas Transmission
Company's (AGT) East Providence Meter Station (among other points)
which is located on the east side of the Providence River about 1.7
miles southeast of the site. After delivery at the meter station, PGC
transports the gas in a northerly direction in a 12-inch-diameter
pipeline to a manifold of three 10-inch-diameter pipelines that cross
the Providence River. These three pipelines converge into a 12-inch-
diameter pipeline on the west side of the Providence River that
ultimately feeds PGC's Allens Avenue Plant located adjacent to the ALNG
site.
Proposed Facilities
ALNG's proposes to construct the following facilities on or near
its existing LNG storage facility:
A liquefaction facility with a capacity of 40,000 million
British thermal units per day (MMbtu/d);
LNG pumps and vaporizers with a capacity of 375,000 MMbtu/
d;
Boil-off gas compressors;
1.05 miles of 20-inch-diameter pipeline;
0.25 mile of 10.75-inch-diameter pipeline;
Metering facilities;
Inspect the existing 600,000-barrel LNG storage tank, and
install new instrumentation; and
Miscellaneous construction including water/glycol system,
feed gas compressors, odorant injection, control systems, and fire
protection system additions.
ALNG also requests authorization:
To acquire two existing 0.45-mile-long, 10.75-inch-
diameter pipeline crossings of the Providence River;
To abandon three existing vaporizers and related
facilities;
To abandon its present LNG services;
To provide an enhanced, open access LNG handling service;
and
For a blanket certificate to construct eligible
facilities.
AGT proposes to reconstruct the East Providence Meter Station to
accommodate lower natural gas deliveries as a result of PGC
transferring volumes to the ALNG Interconnect. Construction would occur
under AGT's subpart F Blanket Certificate and associated environmental
requirements.
PGC would construct limited non-jurisdictional facilities on its
property in association with the proposed project. These include:
Construction of a regulator station to accept gas from
ALNG; and
Retirement of PGC boil-off compressors and certain
structures.
The proposed Algonquin LNG Modifications Project 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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Land Requirements for Construction
The proposed facilities have been sited within existing industrial
areas, and within or along roadway and utility rights-of-way. In
general, the construction of the proposed LNG facilities would be
confined to the existing 16.5 acre ALNG plant area leased from PGC, and
an additional adjacent 4.2 acres to be leased from PGC. A proposed
valve site and interconnections to the PGC system would require work
immediately adjacent to the ALNG site on PGC properties that are
currently used for gas distribution activities. These areas are
currently graded and covered with gravel.
The proposed new pipeline in East Providence would typically
require a 50-foot-wide permanent right-of-way and a 25-foot-wide
temporary construction workspace. A reduced right-of-way and
construction workspace would be utilized along the Veterans Memorial
Parkway to avoid and/or minimize impacts. The proposed permanent right-
of-way would encompass an area of about 3.59 acres. The construction
workspace would require an additional 4.53 acres. With exception to the
Veterans Memorial Parkway, these areas are all industrial land that has
been previously disturbed.
Access to the proposed facilities would be from existing public and
private roadways. No new access roads would be required.
The EA Process/Environmental Issues
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 and whether an EIS is
necessary. 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.
[[Page 33730]]
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
--Erosion control.
--Facility site and right-of-way restoration.
--Soil contamination.
Water Resources
--Potential to affect water quality and riparian resources.
--Cooling water discharge into the Providence River.
Biological Resources
--Effect of facility construction and operation on wildlife and
fisheries habitat, including wintering waterfowl.
--Effect on wetland habitats.
Cultural Resources
--Effect on historic and prehistoric sites.
--Native American and tribal concerns.
Socioeconomics
--Impact of a peak workforce of about 225 workers on the
surrounding area.
Land Use
--Impact on state areas of critical environmental concern.
--Impact on residences and recreation areas.
Air Quality and Noise
--Air quality and noise impacts associated with construction.
--Impact on regional air quality and noise-sensitive areas
associated with operation of the proposed LNG facility.
Public Safety
--Compliance with 49 CFR 193.
We will also evaluate possible pipeline and technology 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.
Public Participation/Scoping Meeting
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 pipeline 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, D.C.
20426;
Reference Docket No. CP96-517-000;
Send a copy of your letter to: Mr. Chris Zerby, EA Project
Manager, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First St., NE, Room
72-55, Washington, D.C. 20426; and
Mail your comments so that they will be received in
Washington, D.C. on or before July 26, 1996.
Beyond asking for written comments, we will hold a public scoping
meeting during the week of July 15, 1996 (time, date and location will
be noticed at a late date). This public meeting will be designed to
provide you with more detailed information and another opportunity to
offer your comments on the proposed project.
At a later date (time, date and location will be noticed at a later
date) the FERC staff will meet with representatives of ALNG to conduct
a cryogenic design and engineering review of the proposed LNG
facilities.
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 fling 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. Chris Zerby, EA Project Manager, at (202) 208-0111.
Lois D. Cashell,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 96-16532 Filed 6-27-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M