[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 50 (Monday, March 16, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12798-12799]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-6605]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP98-142-000]
National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation; Notice of Intent To Prepare
an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Line K California Road
Replacement Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues
March 10, 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 replacing approximately 0.5 mile
of 20-inch-diameter pipeline proposed in the Line K California Road
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\ National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation's application was filed
with the Commission under Section 7 of the Natural Gas Act and Part
157 of the Commission's regulation.
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Summary of the Proposed Project
National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation (National Fuel) would replace
2,735 feet of its 20-inch-diameter Line K pipeline with 3,210 feet of
same size pipeline along California Road in Erie County, New York. The
reroutes on the east and west ends of the project are proposed to avoid
homes and businesses which have encroached on the right-of-way since
its original construction in 1910.
The abandoned pipeline would be removed except for two segments
(644- and 562-foot lengths) which would be abandoned in place to avoid
disrupting traffic.
The general location of the project facilities is shown in appendix
1.\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, 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
In front of residences (milepost 0.22 to 0.46) the construction
area would consist of a corridor 60-feet-wide from the edge of the
California Road pavement. Construction of the proposed facilities would
require about 4.72 acres of land. Following construction, about 3 acres
would be maintained as permanent right-of-way for the operation of the
project. The remaining
[[Page 12799]]
1.72 acres of land would be restored and allowed to revert to its
former use.
The EA Process
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires the
Commission to take into account the environmental impacts that could
result from the 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
hazardous waste
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
Based on a preliminary review of the proposed facilities and the
environmental information provided by National Fuel, we have identified
the following issues which deserve attention:
Construction adjacent to homes on the east side of
California Road; and
Alternate route deviations.
Additional issues may be considered based on your comments and our
analysis.
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 relocating the pipeline to the opposite (west
side) of California Road, 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. CP98-142-000; and
Mail your comments so that they will be received in
Washington, DC on or before April 9, 1998.
You may request detailed maps or additional information about the
proposed project by contacting Paul McKee, in the Commission's Office
of External Affairs, at (202) 208-1088.
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. 98-6605 Filed 3-13-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M