[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 243 (Thursday, December 18, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66355-66358]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-33039]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket Nos. CP98-60-000; and CP98-62-000]


Viking Voyageur Gas Transmission Company, L.L.C.; Notice of 
Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed 
Viking Voyageur Pipeline Project, Request for Comments on Environmental 
Issues, and Notice of Public Scoping Meetings and Site Visit

December 15, 1997.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) that 
will discuss the environmental impacts of the construction and 
operation of the facilities proposed in the Viking Voyageur Pipeline 
Project.\1\

[[Page 66356]]

This EIS 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\ Viking Voyageur Gas Transmission Company, L.L.C.'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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    Additionally, with this notice we are asking a number of Federal 
agencies (see appendix 2) with jurisdiction and/or special expertise 
with respect to environmental issues to cooperate with use in the 
preparation of the EIS. These agencies may choose to participate once 
they have evaluated the proposal relative to their agencies' 
responsibilities.\2\
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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, NE, Room 2A, Washington DC 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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Summary of the Proposed Project

    Viking Voyageur Gas Transmission Company, L.L.C. (Voyageur) 
proposes to build new natural gas pipeline and compression facilities 
to transport 1.4 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas from Noyes, 
Minnesota to Joliet, Illinois to move new natural gas supplies from 
western Canada markets to the Upper Midwest.
    Voyageur requests Commission authorization, in Docket No. CP98-60-
000, to construct and operate the following facilities:
     773 miles of 42-inch-diameter pipeline extending from the 
border of the United States (U.S.) and Canada near Noyes, Minnesota in 
Kittson County to a point near Joliet, Illinois in Will County. Of the 
773-mile-long mainline, about 359 miles would be located in Minnesota, 
325 miles in Wisconsin, and 89 miles in Illinois;
     22 new meter stations including one in Kittson County, 
Minnesota, four in Wood County, Wisconsin, two in Waushara County, 
Wisconsin, two in Dodge County, Wisconsin, one in Jefferson County, 
Wisconsin, three in Walworth County, Wisconsin, three in McHenry 
County, Illinois, one in Kane County, Illinois, one in Kendall County, 
Illinois, and four in Will County, Illinois;
     Four compressor stations each with 31,000 horsepower of 
compression in Kittson County, Minnesota, Otter Tail County, Minnesota, 
Polk County, Wisconsin, and Waushara County, Wisconsin. The two 
compressor stations in Minnesota and the compressor station in Polk 
County, Wisconsin would be built within the fenced property of existing 
Viking Gas Transmission Company compressor station sites;
     Associated pipeline facilities, including 48 new mainline 
valves and four pig launchers and five pig receivers, and permanent 
access roads for access to compressor stations and valves; and
     Two new operations and maintenance facilities in Walworth 
County, Wisconsin and Kendall County, Illinois.
    The general location of Viking Voyageur's proposed project 
facilities is shown in appendix 1. If you are interested in obtaining 
procedural information, please write to the Secretary of the 
Commission.
    In addition, Voyageur requests in Docket No. CP98-62-000 a 
Presidential Permit to site, construct, operate, own, and maintain 
facilities at the international border between the U.S. and Canada near 
Noyes, Minnesota. Voyageur's pipeline would originate at the point of 
interconnection with the Canadian facilities of TransVoyageur Gas 
Transmission.
    In Illinois and Wisconsin, several local distribution companies are 
considering building lateral pipelines to interconnect with Voyageur. 
Although these facilities would not be under the jurisdiction of the 
FERC, to the extent they can be identified they will be discussed in 
the EIS. The following is a list of the nonjurisdictional laterals 
currently under consideration:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                           Pipeline  Approximate        
            Lateral pipeline               diameter     length     State
                                           (inches)    (miles)          
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Marshfield..............................          6         1.9       WI
Wausau..................................         12        65.0       WI
Wisconsin Rapids........................          6         0.2       WI
Steven Point............................          8        20.7       WI
Green Bay/Sheboygan.....................   30/24/12       191.8       WI
Madison.................................         16        42.8       WI
Milwaukee...............................         22        32.5       WI
Eagle...................................         16         7.6       WI
Delavan.................................          8         0.6       WI
Hampshire...............................         16         0.11      IL
Plano...................................         20         0.34      IL
Aux Sable...............................         20         0.21      IL
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Land Requirements for Construction

    Approximately 670 miles (86 percent) of Voyageur's pipeline would 
be installed parallel to various existing utility rights-of-way. Where 
possible, Voyageur's right-of-way would overlap the existing rights-of-
way as much as 85 feet during construction to minimize impacts. 
Voyageur's proposed route deviates from the existing rights-of-way in 
selected locations to avoid impact on homes, existing utility 
structures (meter stations, etc.), improve waterbody crossings, and for 
other environmental or engineering reasons.
    Construction of the Viking Voyageur Pipeline Project would affect a 
total of about 12,851 acres. Of this total, about 10,321 acres would be 
disturbed by construction along the pipeline right-of-way. The 
aboveground facilities would affect about 72 acres of land during 
construction. Pipe storage, staging ares and warehouse sites would 
affect about 2,458 acres. All these acreage figures are subject to 
change.
    Voyageur proposes to use a right-of-way width of 105 feet for 
construction, with provisions for additional temporary work areas as 
necessary for waterbody, highway and railroad crossings, and extra 
topsoil storage. Following construction and restoration of the right-
of-way and temporary work spaces, Voyageur would retain a 30-to 50-
foot-wide permanent pipeline right-of-way depending on whether the 
pipeline is co-located with other utilities or on new right-of-way. 
Total land requirements for the permanent right-of-way would be about 
4,476 acres. About 72 acres would be retained for the operation of the 
new aboveground facilities. The remaining 8,303 acres of land affected 
by construction of the project would be restored and allowed to revert 
to its former use.

The EIS 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 EIS 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 EIS. All comments received 
are considered during the preparation of the EIS. 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.

Currently Identified Environmental Issues

    The EIS will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of the 
construction and operation of the proposed project. We have already

[[Page 66357]]

identified a number of issues that we think deserve attention based on 
a preliminary review of the proposed facilities and the environmental 
information provided by Voyageur. These issues are listed below. This 
is a preliminary list of issues and may be changed based on your 
comments and our analysis.
 Air Quality and Noise
--Effect on local air quality and noise environment as a result of 
construction.
--Effect on local air quality and noise environment as a result of 
operation of the compressor stations.
 Soils
--Temporary and permanent impacts on prime farmland soils.
--Mixing of topsoil and subsoil during construction.
--Compaction of soil by heavy equipment.
--Impacts on drain tiles and irrigation systems.
--Erosion control and right-of-way restoration.
 Water Resources
--Effect of construction on areas with shallow
--Effect of construction on crossings of 186 perennial waterbodies.
--Crossing of 14 rivers 100 feet wide or greater.
--Crossing the St. Croix River which is designated as a National Scenic 
Waterway containing federally listed endangered mussels, and the Rum 
River which is designated as a Minnesota State Wild and Scenic River.
--Crossing 21 trout streams, 7 exceptional resource waters, 4 
outstanding resource waters, 2 Northern Pike spawning waters, and 1 
wildlife/fish migration corridor.
--Potential for erosion and sediment transport to the waterbodies.
--Effect of construction on groundwater and surface water supplies.
--Impact on wetland hydrology.
 Biological Resources
--Short- and long-term effects of right-of-way clearing and maintenance 
on wetlands, forests, riparian areas, and vegetation communities of 
special concern.
--Effect on wildlife and fisheries habitats.
--Impact on federally threatened species such as the bald eagle and 
prairie bush clover, and federally endangered species such as the 
Karner blue butterfly, gray wolf, winged mapleleaf mussel, Higgins' eye 
pearly mussel, and the Indian bat.
 Cultural Resources
--Effect on historic and prehistoric sites.
--Native American concerns.
 Socioeconomics
--Effect of the construction workforce on demands for services in 
surrounding areas.
--Impact on property values.
 Land Use
--Impact on crop production.
--Impact on residential areas.
--Effect on public lands and special use areas including waterfowl 
production areas, state game refuge, state wildlife management areas, 
national and state scenic trails, state forest lands, state canoe 
rivers, state parks and recreation areas, public fishing areas, public 
hunting grounds, and forest preserves.
--Impact on future land uses and consistency with local land use plans 
and zoning.
--Visual effect of the aboveground facilities on surrounding areas.
 Reliability and Safety
--Assessment of hazards associated with natural gas pipelines.
 Cumulative Impact
--Assessment of the combined effect of the proposed project with other 
projects, including other natural gas transmission and distribution 
lines, which have been or may be proposed in the same region and 
similar time frames.
Nonjurisdictional Facilities
--Assessment of the effects of the construction of lateral pipelines 
that would be entirely within state jurisdiction.

    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 Draft EIS 
which will be mailed to Federal, state, and local agencies, public 
interest groups, affected landowners and other interested individuals, 
newspapers, libraries, and the Commission's official service list for 
this proceeding. A 45-day comment period will be allotted for review of 
the Draft EIS. We will consider all comments on the Draft EIS and 
revise the document, as necessary, before issuing a Final EIS. The 
Final EIS will include our response to each comment received on the 
Draft EIS and will be used by the Commission in its decision-making 
process to determine whether to approve the project.

Public Participation and Scoping Meetings

    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 follow the instructions below to ensure 
that your comments are received 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. CP98-60-000 and CP98-62-000; and
     Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, D.C. on or before January 20, 1998.
    In addition to or in lieu of sending written comments, we invite 
you to attend the public scoping meetings the FERC will conduct in the 
project area. The locations and times for these meetings are listed 
below.

Schedure of Public Scoping Meetings for the Viking Voyageur Pipeline 
Project Environmental Impact Statement

Jan. 5, 1998 7:00 pm--Elgin, Illinois, Holiday Inn, 345 West River 
Road, 847-695-5000
Jan. 6, 1998 7:00 pm--Nekoosa, Wisconsin, Lake Arrowhead Clubhouse, 
1195 Apache Lane, 715-325-2938
Jan. 7, 1998 7:00 pm--Dresser, Wisconsin, Trollhaugen Ski Area, 
Convention Center, 2232 100th Avenue, 715-755-2955
Jan. 8, 1998 1:00 pm--Crookston, Minnesota, Northland Inn, Highway 2, 
218-281-5210
7:30 pm--Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, Holiday Inn, 1155 Highway 10 East, 
218-847-2121.

    The public meetings are designed to provide you with more detailed 
information and another opportunity to offer your comments on the 
proposed project. Voyageur representatives will be present at the 
scoping meetings to describe their proposal. Interested groups and 
individuals are encouraged to attend the meetings and to present 
comments on the environmental issues

[[Page 66358]]

they believe should be addressed in the Draft EIS. A transcript of each 
meeting will be made so that your comments will be accurately recorded.
    On the dates of the meetings, we will also be conducting limited 
site visits to the project area. Anyone interested in participating in 
the site visit may contact the Commission's Office of External Affairs 
identified at the end of this notice for more details and must provide 
their own transportation.

Becoming an Intervenor

    In addition to involvement in the EIS 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 3).
    The date for filing of timely motions to intervene in this 
proceeding has been extended to January 4, 1998. After that date, 
parties 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.

Environmental Mailing List

    This notice is being sent to individuals, organizations, and 
government entities interested in and/or potentially affected by the 
proposed project. It is also being sent to all identified potential 
right-of-way grantors. As details of the project become established, 
representatives of Voyageur may also separately contact landowners, 
communities, and public agencies concerning project matters, including 
acquisition of permits and rights-of-way.
    All commentors will be retained on our mailing list. If you do not 
want to send comments at this time but still want to keep informed and 
receive copies of the Draft and Final EIS, you must return the 
Information Request (appendix 4). If you do not send comments or return 
the Information Request, you will be taken off the mailing list.
    Additional information about the proposed project is available from 
Paul McKee in the Commission's Office of External Affairs at (202) 208-
1088.
Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 97-33039 Filed 12-17-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M