[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 113 (Thursday, June 12, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 32110]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-15334]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket Nos. CP95-194-001, CP95-194-003, CP96-027-000, and CP96-027-
001]


Northern Border Pipeline Company and Natural Gas Pipeline Company 
of America; Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Proposed Northern Border Project

June 6, 1997.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) has prepared a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) 
on the natural gas pipeline facilities proposed by Northern Border 
Pipeline Company (Northern Border) and Natural Gas Pipeline Company of 
America (Natural) in the above-referenced dockets, collectively 
referred to as the Northern Border Project.
    The FEIS was prepared to satisfy the requirements of the National 
Environmental Policy Act. The staff concludes that approval of the 
proposed project, with the mitigating measures we have recommended, 
would have limited environmental impact and would be an environmentally 
acceptable action. Most of this impact would occur during construction. 
The FEIS also evaluates two single system alternatives to the proposals 
between Harper, Iowa and Chicago, Illinois. The FEIS concludes that 
either single system alternative would be environmentally preferable to 
building both projects in that area. The Amarillo system alternative is 
the environmentally preferred alternative.
    The FEIS assesses the potential environmental effects of the 
Construction and operation of the following facilities:

Northern Border

     About 390.0 miles of new natural gas pipeline;
     About 303,500 horsepower (hp) of new compression;
     9 new and 1 modified meter stations, 5 new pig Launcher/
receivers, 1 new office/ warehouse building, and 16 new and 9 modified 
valves; and
     13 new communication towers.

Natural

     About 85.7 miles of new natural gas pipeline;
     About 9,000 hp of new compression; and
     3 new pig launcher/receivers and 17 new or modified 
valves.
    The purpose of the proposed facilities would be to transport up to 
1,226.3 million cubic feet per day of natural gas from producing 
regions in Canada and the Williston Basin in Montana and North Dakota 
to natural gas shippers and local distribution companies in the 
Midwest, primarily the Chicago area.
    The FEIS has been placed in the public files of the FERC and is 
available for public inspection at: Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission, Public Reference and Files Maintenance Branch, 888 First 
Street, N.E., Room 2A, Washington, DC 20426, (202) 208-1371.
    A limited number of copies are available at this location.
    Copies of the FEIS have been mailed to Federal, state, and local 
agencies, public interest groups, interested individuals, newspapers, 
and parties to this proceeding.
    Additional information about the proposed project is available from 
Paul McKee in the Commission's Office of External Affairs at (202) 208-
1088.
Lois D. Cashell,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 97-15334 Filed 6-11-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M