[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 61 (Monday, March 31, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15173-15174]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-8007]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
[Docket No. CP97-202-000]


USG Pipeline Company; Notice of Intent To Prepare an 
Environmental Assessment for the Proposed USG Pipeline Project and 
Request for Comments on Environmental Issues

March 25, 1997.
    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, about 14.5 miles of 10-inch-diameter pipeline and 
appurtenances, proposed in the USG pipeline Project.\1\ This EA will be 
used by the Commission in its decision-making process to determine 
whether the project is in the public convenience and necessity.
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    \1\ USG Pipeline Company'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

    USG Pipeline Company (USGPC) wants to construct facilities in order 
to transport up to 7,000 Dekatherms per day to United States Gypsum 
Company (USGC) near Bridgeport, Alabama, where USGC is planning to 
construct a nonjurisdictional wallboard manufacturing plant. USGPC's 
facilities would be constructed in Tennessee and Alabama and would 
consist of:
     About 14.5 miles of 10-inch-diameter pipeline commencing 
at interconnecting facilities with East Tennessee Natural Gas Company 
in Marion County, Tennessee, and ending in Jackson County, Alabama;
     A block valve assembly in Marion County, Tennessee, near 
milepost (MP) 6.85; and
     Launching and receiving facilities in Marion County, 
Tennessee, at MP 0.0, and Jackson County, Alabama, at MP 14.5, 
respectively;
    USGPC has also identified a alternative pipeline route.
    The general location of the project facilities is shown in appendix 
1.\2\ If you are interested in obtaining detailed maps of a specific 
portion of the project, or procedural information, please write to the 
Secretary of the Commission.
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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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Land Requirements for Construction

    Construction of the proposed facilities for the preferred route 
would require about 148.0 acres of mostly agricultural land. Following 
construction, about 87.9 acres of existing right-of-way (ROW) would 
continue to be maintained as permanent ROW. If the alternative pipeline 
route is chosen, construction activities would take place almost 
entirely on existing railroad ROW.

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.
    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 15174]]

     Vegetation and wildlife.
     Endangered and threatened species.
     Land use.
     Cultural resources.
     Air quality and noise.
     Hazardous waste.
     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 make 
our recommendations to the Commission.

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 USGPC. This preliminary list 
of issues may be changed based on your comments and our analysis.
     Six federally listed endangered or threatened species may 
occur in the proposed project area.
     Eight wetlands and seven perennial streams would be 
affected.
     There are 75 residences located within 50 feet of the 
construction ROW of the alternative route.

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., NE., Room 1A, Washington, 
DC 20426;
     Reference Docket No. CP97-202-000; and
     Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, DC on or before April 24, 1997.
    If you do not want to send comments at this time but still want to 
remain on our mailing list, please return the Information Request 
(appendix 3). If you do not return the Information Request, you will be 
taken off the mailing list.

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 later intervention.
    You do not need intervenor status to have your comments considered.
Lois D. Cashell,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 97-8007 Filed 3-28-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M