[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 202 (Monday, October 20, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54451-54452]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-27661]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP97-724-000]
NorAm Gas Transmission Company; Notice of Intent to Prepare an
Environmental Assessment for the Proposed 1998 Line F Replacement
Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues
October 14, 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
facilities proposed in the 1998 Line F Replacement 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\ NorAm Gas Transmission 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
NorAm Gas Transmission Company (NGT) wants to replace an existing
mainline pipeline, abandon gas storage and supply pipelines, and make
mainline enhancements to its pipeline system in Louisiana. NGT states
that these actions would improve the safety, reliability, and
efficiency of its pipeline system. Specifically, NGT seeks
authorization for the following activities in Louisiana:
Abandon about 60 miles of 20-inch-diameter pipeline on
Line F in Caddo, Bossier, Webster, Claiborne, and Lincoln Parishes and
replace it with about 61 miles of 20-inch-diameter pipeline in ten
segments ranging from 200 feet to 32.8 miles in length. Some portions
of the pipeline to be abandoned would be removed, other portions would
be left in place.
Abandon in place Line 1-F (0.8 mile of 20-inch-diameter
pipeline) and Line FT-5 (0.9 mile of 10-inch-diameter pipeline) located
in Lincoln Parish.
Reclassify about 8.2 miles of Line F as a low pressure gas
supply line and operate it as part of Line F-1-F in Caddo Parish.
Abandon 63 delivery taps installed on the old Line F to
deliver gas to rural customers served by Arkansas Louisiana Gas
Company, and relocate 36 other delivery taps to the new Line F.
Install pipeline maintenance facilities at the Buckley
Compressor Station in Caddo Parish, the Red Chute Compressor Station in
Bossier Parish, and the Ruston Storage Compressor Station in Lincoln
Parish.
NGT proposes to begin construction of its facilities in June 1998.
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 would require about 855
acres of land. Following construction, about 249 acres would be
maintained as new permanent right-of-way. The remaining acreage would
be restored and allowed to revert to its former use.
NGT intends to use a up to a 85-foot-wide construction right-of-way
for the installation of the replacement pipeline. Where the replacement
pipeline would be parallel to the existing line, 15 to 30 feet of the
construction right-of-way would be within NGT's existing right-of-way.
Consequently, about 45 feet of new clearing would be required in most
areas. All but the eastermost 1.8 miles of the replacement pipeline
would be built adjacent to NGT's existing pipeline. In this area, 75
feet of new right-of-way would be cleared for construction.
After the replacement pipeline is in service, NGT would remove the
majority of the old pipeline. Abandonment activities would take place
entirely within NGT's existing 40-foot-wide right-of-way. Following
construction, NGT would maintain a 40-foot-wide permanent right-of-way.
Additional temporary work space would be required adjacent to the
planned construction right-of-way at road and stream crossings. These
areas would vary in size between 4,000 and 168,000 square feet.
The EA Process
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires the
Commission to take into account the environmental
[[Page 54452]]
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
land use
cultural resources
air quality and noise
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 NGT.
This preliminary list of issues may be changed based on your
comments and our analysis.
The proposed replacement pipeline would cross 68
waterbodies, 13 of which are greater than 100 feet wide.
The project would disturb about 17 acres of wetland during
construction, including 8 acres of forested wetland.
Eleven residences would be within 50 feet of the edge of
the construction right-of-way.
The pipeline would cross Bayou Dorcheat, a Louisiana
Natural and Scenic Waterway, using a directional drilling technique.
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 carefully follow these instructions to
ensure that your comments are received in time and properly recorded:
Send two copies of your letter 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 No. CP97-724-000; and
Mail your comments so that they will be received in
Washington, D.C. on or before November 17, 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).
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 scoping comments considered.
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. 97-27661 Filed 10-17-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M