[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 135 (Tuesday, July 15, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37902-37903]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-18481]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket Nos. CP96-655-001, et al. and CP97-291-000]


Destin Pipeline Company, L.L.C.; Southern Natural Gas Company; 
Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for 
the Proposed Destin Pipeline Project

July 9, 1997.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FREC or 
Commission) has prepared a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) 
on the natural gas pipeline facilities proposed by Destin Pipeline 
Company, L.L.C. and Southern Natural Gas Company in the above-
referenced dockets and referred to as the Destin Pipeline Project.
    The staff prepared the draft EIS to satisfy the requirements of the 
National Environmental Policy Act. The staff concludes that approval of 
the proposed project, with appropriate mitigating measures, would have 
limited adverse environmental impact.
    The draft EIS assesses the potential environmental effects of the 
construction and operation of the

[[Page 37903]]

following facilities in the central Gulf of Mexico and Mississippi:
     A total of 213.2 miles of 36-,       30-, and 16-inch-
diameter interstate pipeline, consisting of 75.6 miles offshore 
pipeline and 137.6 miles of onshore pipeline;
     27,078 horsepower of new compression at two new compressor 
stations;
     Seven new meter stations; and
     Associated aboveground facilities, including a liquids 
slug catcher, an offshore gathering platform, and a related 
nonjurisdictional gas processing plant.
    The purpose of the proposed facilities is to transport up to 1 
billion cubic feet per day of natural gas from the development of new 
offshore deepwater production areas in the central Gulf of Mexico to 
interconnections with six major interstate pipelines in Mississippi. 
The proposed facilities would provided a new natural gas transportation 
infrastructure that would avoid the overburdened pipeline systems in 
southeastern Louisiana.
    The draft EIS has been placed in the public files of the FERC. A 
limited number of copies of the draft EIS are available for 
distribution and public inspection at: Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission, Public Reference and Files Maintenance Branch, 888 First 
Street, N.E., Room 2A, Washington, D.C. 20426, (202) 208-1371.
    Copies of the draft EIS have been mailed to Federal, state, and 
local agencies, public interest groups, interested individuals, and 
parties to this proceeding who requested a copy.

Comment Procedure

Written Comments

    Any person wishing to submit written comments on the draft EIS may 
do so. Please carefully follow these instructions to ensure that your 
comments are received in time and properly recorded:
     Send two copies to: Lois Cashell, Secretary, Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 first Street, N.E., Room 1A, 
Washington, D.C. 20426.
     Label one copy of the comments for the attention of the 
Environmental Review and Compliance Branch, PR-11.1;
     Reference Docket Nos. CP96-655-001 et al. and CP97-291-
000; and
     Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, DC on or before September 1, 1997.

Public Meetings

    Interested groups and individuals are encouraged to attend the 
scheduled public meetings and present comments on the environmental 
impacts described in the draft EIS. Anyone who would like to speak at 
the public meetings may get on the speakers list by signing up at the 
public meetings. Priority will be given to persons representing groups. 
Transcripts will be made of the meetings.
    Two public meetings to received comments on the draft EIS of the 
Destin Pipeline Project will be held at the following times and 
locations:

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                Date                                 Time                                Location               
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
August 6, 1997......................  7:00 p.m..........................  Moss Point Public Library, 4401       
                                                                           McInnis Street, Moss Point,          
                                                                           Mississippi.                         
August 7, 1997......................  7:00 p.m..........................  Mississippi National Guard Armory,    
                                                                           38th, Highway 63, Waynesboro,        
                                                                           Mississippi.                         
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    After the written and oral comments are reviewed, any significant 
new issues are investigated, and modifications are made to the draft 
EIS, a final EIS will be published and distributed. The final EIS will 
contain the staffs responses to timely comments received on the draft 
EIS.
    Comments will be considered by the Commission but will not serve to 
make the commentor a party to the proceeding. Any person seeking to 
become a party to the proceeding must file a motion to intervene 
pursuant to Rule 214 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and 
Procedures (18 CFR 385.214).
    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 late intervention. You do not need intervenor status 
to have your comments considered.
Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 97-18481 Filed 7-14-97; 8:45 am]
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