[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 27 (Tuesday, February 10, 1998)] [Notices] [Pages 6751-6752] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 98-3239] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. CP98-132-000] Northern Natural Gas Company; Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed D-Line Extension and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues February 4, 1998. 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, about 9.6 miles of 30-inch-diameter pipeline loop known as the D-Line Extension 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. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ Northern Natural Gas Company's application was filed with the Commission under Section 7 of the Natural Gas Act and Part 157 of the Commission's regulations. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Summary of the Proposed Project Northern Natural Gas Company (Northern) wants to expand the capacity of its facilities in Steele and Rice Counties, Minnesota to transport an additional 40,000 million British thermal units (MMBtu) per day of natural gas to one industrial customer, Koch Energy Services. Northern seeks authority to construct and operate:9.6 miles of 30-inch-diameter loop between its Owatonna and Fairbault Compressor Stations in Steele and Rice Counties, Minnesota. [[Page 6752]] The location of the project facilities is shown in appendix 1.\2\ If you are interested in obtaining procedural information, please write to the Secretary of the Commission. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \2\ The appendices reference 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) 208-1317. Copies of the appendices were sent to all those receiving this notice in the mail. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Land Requirements for Construction Construction of the proposed facilities would require a total of about 139 acres of land including extra work spaces for road crossings. All of this land would revert to its former agricultural use following construction. No new permanent right-of-way would be required. 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 hazardous waste land use cultural resources endangered and threatened species 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 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 Northern. This preliminary list of issues may be changed based on your comments and our analysis. The productivity of a total of about 139 acres of agricultural land (including 78 acres of prime farmland soils) could be diminished due to the potential impacts of pipeline construction such as rutting and compaction. Agricultural drain tiles, if present, could be damaged. 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 affects 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: David P. Boergers, Acting Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First St., N.E., Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426; Label one copy of the comments for the attention of the Environmental Review and Compliance Branch, PR-11.2 Reference Docket No. CP98-132-000; and Mail your comments so that they will be received in Washington, DC on or before March 6, 1998. If you are interested in obtaining procedural information please write to the Secretary of the Commission. 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 environmental comments considered. David P. Boergers, Acting Secretary. [FR Doc. 98-3239 Filed 2-9-98; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717-01-M