[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 145 (Tuesday, July 29, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40516-40517]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-19867]



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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP96-809-003]


Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline, L.L.C.; Notice of Amendment to 
Application

July 23, 1997.
    Take notice that on July 11, 1997, Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline, 
L.L.C. (Maritimes), a Delaware limited liability company, filed an 
amendment to its September 23, 1996, application for a certificate of 
public convenience and necessity, under to Section 7(c) of the Natural 
Gas Act, and Part 157 of the Commission's regulations. Maritimes's 
September 23rd application seeks authority to construct, own, operate 
and maintain a natural gas pipeline from Wells, Maine to the U.S.-
Canadian border near Woodland, Maine and related pipeline laterals and 
compressor stations. The July 11th amendment changes certain parts of 
the route of Maritimes's proposed pipeline, changes certain parts of 
the lateral routes, and relocates the proposed Richmond Compressor 
Station. The details of the route changes are more fully set forth in 
the amendment which is on file and available to the public for 
inspection.
    Maritimes's September 23 Application is for Phase II of its 
Project, as previously revised by its amendment filed on February 24, 
1997 in Docket No. CP96-809-002. Maritimes's Phase II Project involves 
the construction of natural gas pipeline facilities from Wells to 
Woodland, as well as the provision of natural gas transportation 
service through those facilities. The overall Maritimes Project is part 
of a natural gas transportation facility for the Sable Offshore Energy 
Project (SOEP), which is being developed by a consortium of United 
States and Canadian energy companies. The SOEP is scheduled to bring 
offshore natural gas to the Maritimes Provinces in Canada and the 
northeastern United States in 1999. The joint construction, ownership 
and operation of a part of the Phase II facilities, from Wells to 
Westbrook, Maine is pending in Docket No. CP97-238-000; Portland 
Natural Gas Transmission System (PNGTS) is the joint applicant, along 
with Maritimes. The February 24th amendment reflects changes in Phase 
II of Maritimes's project related to the joint facilities.
    The July 11th Amendment reflects the reroutes of the proposed 
mainline and lateral facilities and the relocation of a compressor 
station that have been adopted by Maritimes since its filing of the 
original pipeline rout in the September 23rd Application. Maritimes 
states that the reroutes and compressor station location reflected in 
the Amendment will result in:
    (i) a reduction in the number of major water body crossings;
    (ii) a reduction in the number of miles of wetlands crossed;
    (iii) a reduction in impacts to residences; and,
    (iv) an increase in the number of miles of proposed pipeline that 
are located adjacent to or within existing rights-of-way.
    Maritimes provided the following summary description of the three 
largest mainline reroutes that it has adopted as part of its Phase II 
primary route, as well as a description of the new compressor station 
location and the Northern Alternative in the Richmond and Kennebec 
River area. Smaller route modifications are described in the exhibits 
and resource reports which accompanied the amendment.
    The Bangor Hydro reroute, located in Washington and Hancock 
Counties, Maine, comprises about 46 miles of the reroutes proposed in 
the July 11th Amendment. Maritimes incorporated this reroute into its 
primary route to follow the existing Stud Mill Road corridor, the 
proposed Bangor Hydro corridor, and existing landowner-owned roads. 
Maritimes says that these landowner-owned roads provide both an 
existing corridor for the pipeline and potential overlap for work space 
where none originally existed. Maritimes says that although the Bangor 
Hydro reroute results in an increase of over three miles to the length 
of the original route, it determined that the environmental benefits of 
this reroute (mitigating the impact to existing forested lands and 
existing salmon habitat and deer yards in the Machias and Narraquagus 
River watersheds) warranted incorporated this reroute into its primary 
route.
    Maritimes has incorporated another reroute in the Bangor-Brewer 
area, known as the Bangor Water District (BWD) Reroute. This reroute 
comprises about 20 miles long. Maritimes proposes to reroute the 
pipeline in this area since its original route traversed portions of a 
BWD watershed that comprises one of the sources of potable water for 
the Bangor-Brewer area, and to avoid Camp Roosevelt, a property owned 
by the Katahdin Council (Boy Scouts of America).
    Maritimes has also proposed 12 miles of reroute in the Richmond, 
Maine area. Maritimes says that the Richmond Reroute is the result of 
its effort to improve its original route by avoiding residential and 
wetlands areas and by mitigating the environmental impacts and 
engineering constraints related to crossing existing roadways and the 
Kennebec Rivers. As a result of this reroute, Maritimes proposes to 
relocate its proposed compressor station in the Richmond area, which 
was originally proposed to be located near Milepost 145, to a location 
near revised Milepost 143. The environmental report provided by 
Maritimes as part of the July 11th amendment discusses a ``Northern 
Alternative Route'' which Maritimes says would make greater use of 
existing rights-of-way in the Richmond area.
    Maritimes does not expect the reroutes and the change in compressor 
station location applied for in the Amendment to materially affect the 
cost of the Phase II Project, although the revised Exhibit G shows a 
4.2-mile net increase in the length of the proposed mainline. The July 
11th Amendment does not reflect any changes in Maritimes's proposed 
Phase II cost estimate, rates or tariff or related exhibits.
    Maritimes requests a preliminary determination on non-environmental 
issues in this proceeding by September 1997. With respect to a final 
certificate addressing environmental issues, Maritimes requests that 
the Commission act upon its amended application as soon as reasonably 
possible.
    Any person desiring to be heard or to make any protest with 
reference to said Amendment should on or before August 13, 1997, file 
with the Commission, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426, a 
motion to intervene or protest in accordance with the requirements of 
the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.211 or 
385.214) and the regulations under the Natural Gas Act (18 CFR 157.10). 
All protests filed with the Commission will be considered by it in 
determining the appropriate action to be taken but will not serve to 
make the protestants parties to the proceeding. Any person wishing to 
become a party to a proceeding or to participate as a party in any 
hearing therein must file a motion to intervene in accordance with the 
Commission's rules. Any person who has already filed a motion to 
intervene in Docket Nos. CP96-809-000 or CP96-809-002 need not file 
again to obtain intervenor status.
    Take further notice that pursuant to the authority contained in and 
subject to the jurisdiction conferred upon the Commission by Sections 7 
and 15 of the Natural Gas Act and the Commission's Rules of Practice 
and Procedure, a hearing will be held without further notice before the 
Commission or its designee on this Amendment if no petition to 
intervene is filed within the time required herein or if the

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Commission on its own review of the matter finds that a grant of the 
certificate is required by the public convenience and necessity. If a 
petition for leave to intervene is filed or if the Commission, on its 
own motion, believes that a formal hearing is required, further notice 
of such hearing will be duly given.
    Under the procedure herein provided for, unless otherwise advised, 
it will be unnecessary for Maritimes & Northeast to appear or be 
represented at the hearing.
Lois D. Cashell,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 97-19867 Filed 7-28-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M