[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 122 (Wednesday, June 25, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34254-34255]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-16622]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP97-276-000]


Texas Eastern Transmission Corporation; Notice of Intent To 
Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Line 1-A 
Reactivation Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues

June 19, 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 proposed in the Line 1-A Reactivation 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\ Texas Eastern Transmission Corporation'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

    Texas Eastern Transmission Corporation (Texas Eastern) proposes to 
reactivate an existing inactive pipeline, Line 1-A, and to construct 
new facilities associated with operation of the reactivated Line 1-A in 
Chester and Delaware Counties, Pennsylvania. This would enable Texas 
Eastern to deliver on a firm basis up to 120,000 dekatherms per day 
(Dth/d) of natural gas to PECO Energy Company (PECO) and 8,000 Dth/d to 
Mobil Oil Corporation (Mobil). Texas Eastern seeks authority to:
     Reactivate about 22.7 miles of the 20-inch-diameter Line 
1-A in Chester and Delaware Counties, which includes:

--Investigation and repair, if needed, of 180 anomaly sites 
(irregularities in the pipe wall which are typically caused by 
mechanical damage or corrosion); and
--Hydrostatically test the pipeline.
     Install the following:
--New regulating facilities and a pig launcher at the Eagle Compressor 
Station (milepost (MP) 0.0);
--Delivery tap off of Line 1-A for Texas Easterns existing Planebrook 
Measurement and Regulation (M&R) Station (MP 6.8) \2\
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    \2\ Mileposts are approximate.
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--Mainline valves at MP 6.8, MP 12.6, and MP 16.0;
--Delivey taps off Lines 1-H and 1-A (MP 10.0) for the Hershey Mills 
M&R to be constructed by PECO; and
--Delivery taps off Line 1-A and 1-H, and a pig receiver at the new 
Brookhaven M&R Station at Chester Junction (MP 22.7).

    The proposed facilities would cost about $12,800,000.
    The location of the project facilities is shown in appendix 1.\3\ 
If you are interested in obtaining procedural information, please write 
to the Secretary of the Commission.
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    \3\ The appendices referenced in this notice are not being 
printed in the Federal Register. Copies are available from the 
Commission 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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Nonjurisdictional Facilities

    PECO plans to construct a new meter station near MP 10 on Line 1-A, 
regulation and heating facilities at the new Brookhaven M&R Station, 
and a new 24-inch-diameter distribution line, of an unspecified length, 
downstream from the Brookhaven M&R Station to connect its existing 
distribution pipeline.

Land Requirements for Construction

a. Line 1-A Upgrading

    The repair of the anomaly sites would temporarily disturb 91 areas 
within the existing permanent right-of-way, totaling about 30.94 acres. 
Hydrostatic testing of Line 1-A would disturb six manifold sites within 
the existing permanent right-of-way, totaling about 2.04 acres. Each of 
these 97 areas would be about 75-feet-wide and 200-feet-long.
    A 5.2-acre staging area, a 3.0-acre wareyard, and a 0.12-acre 
staging area would be required at off-right-of-way locations. These 
areas would be temporarily disturbed, and would be restored to their 
original grade and reseeded.

b. Aboveground Facilities

    Regulating and pig launching facilities would be installed at the 
existing Eagle Compressor Station. A 150-foot by 150-foot area (0.52 
acre) would be disturbed to install the Brookhaven M&R Station, that 
includes a pig receiver, within the existing Chester Junction Facility 
aboveground site. The proposed mainline valves would require 20 feet by 
30 feet within the existing right-of-way (0.014 acre each).

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
 vegetation and wildlife
 endangered and threatened species
 public safety
 land use
 cultural resources
 air quality and noise
 hazardous waste

    We will also evaluate possible alternatives to the proposed 
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 Commissions 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

[[Page 34255]]

based on a preliminary review of the proposed facilities and the 
environmental information provided by Texas Eastern. This preliminary 
list of issues may be changed based on your comments and our analysis.
     Three state designated high-quality coldwater fisheries 
and three waterbodies used by migratory fishes would be crossed.
     A total of 12.03 acres of wetlands would be temporarily 
affected and 0.2 acre of wetlands would be permanently affected.
     Certain anomaly locations possess a high probability of 
containing prehistoric or historic archaeological sites or historic 
structures.
     Line 1-A is part of the War Emergency Pipeline System 
which has been determined to be eligible for the National Register of 
Historic Places.
     Twenty-eight residences are within 100 feet of the 
pipeline centerline.
     The Ridley State Park and a private golf course associated 
with the Hershey Mills Retirement Community would be crossed.
     The bog turtle (a candidate for Federal listing) may be 
affected.

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:
     Send two copies of your letter to: Lois Cashell, 
Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First St., NE., 
Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426;
     Reference Docket No. CP97-276-000; and
     Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, DC, on or before July 21, 1997.

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). You do not need intervenor status to have your comments 
considered.
Lois D. Cashell,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 97-16622 Filed 6-24-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M