[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 195 (Monday, October 7, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52444-52445]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-25573]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
[Docket No. CP96-720-000]
Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America; Notice of Intent To
Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Request for
Comments on Environmental Issues
October 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 abandonment and construction
of the facilities proposed in the Louisiana Line 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\ 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 (NGPL) proposes to abandon
the 3,800 horsepower (hp) compressor unit at Station No. 139 on its
Permian Basin Line in Lea County, New Mexico and relocate it to Station
No. 346 on its Louisiana Line in Cameron Parish, Louisiana. The
compressor unit has not been used since 1993 and is no longer needed at
Station No. 139. The compressor unit would be upgraded to a 4,500 hp
rating and equipped with low emissions control technology. The
additional horsepower would increase the capacity of the Louisiana Line
by 63 MMcfd. NGPL No. 139. The general location of the project
facilities are 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, 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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NGPL also proposes to perform certain activities that it believes
to be non-jurisdictional. These activities include the re-wheeling of
three existing compressors at Station No. 346, Cameron Parish,
Louisiana, to allow them to operate under the proposed operating
conditions, and certain modifications to station piping at Station No.
342, Cameron Parish, Louisiana, in order to reduce pressure losses
through the station when gas is being compressed for movement to the
east.
Land Requirements for Construction
Only minor construction activities would be necessary to remove the
compressor unit at Station No. 139 and install it at Station No. 346.
All disturbance would occur within the existing compressor station
sites. Station No. 346 is located on a 15 acre site. Approximately 2
acres of this site would be disturbed during the construction and
installation of the compressor unit and associated structures. No
additional roads would be required and the existing storage yards and
parking facilities would be able to support contractor vehicles and
storage areas as needed.
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 whether 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
[[Page 52445]]
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.
Endangered and threatened species.
Land use.
Cultural resources.
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 one issue that we think deserves
attention based on a preliminary review of the proposed facilities and
the environmental information provided by NGPL. Keep in mind that his
is a preliminary list:
Noise impact on the nearest residence located 1,320 feet
to the north of Station No. 346.
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, 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. CP96-720-000;
Send a copy of your letter to: Ms. Mary Hertling, EA
Project Manager, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First St.,
N.E., PR-11.1, Washington, D.C. 20426; and
Mail your comments so that they will be received in
Washington, D.C. on or before November 7, 1996.
If you wish to receive a copy of the EA, you should request one
from Ms. Hertling 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 limitations 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. Mary Hertling, EA Project Manager, at (202) 208-0874.
Lois D. Cashell,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 96-25573 Filed 10-4-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M