[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 179 (Wednesday, September 16, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49563-49564]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-24828]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP97-774-000, et al.]


CNG Transmission Corporation; Texas Eastern Transmission 
Corporation; Notice of Availability of the Environmental Assessment for 
the Proposed CNG Transmission Corporation Market Area Storage Project

September 11, 1998.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) has prepared an environmental assessment (EA) on both the 
natural gas storage field and

[[Page 49564]]

pipeline facilities proposed by CNG Transmission Corporation (CNG) and 
Texas Eastern Transmission Corporation (Texas Eastern) in the above-
referenced docket.
    The purpose of the proposed facilities would be to provide CNG and 
Texas Eastern the capability to expand the capacity of the jointly-
owned storage facilities to allow for the storage of an additional 10 
billion cubic feet (Bcf) of natural gas at the Oakford Storage Field 
and 12,000 horsepower (hp) of compression at the Oakford Compressor 
Station in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. Also, the proposed 
facilities would add about 200 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d) of 
injection capability and about 393 MMcf/d of additional end-of-January 
withdrawal capability at the Oakford Storage Field.
    CNG would also increase the deliverability of the Greenlick Storage 
Complex in Potter County, Pennsylvania and increase the working gas 
capacity of the Fink-Kennedy/Los Creek Storage Complex in Harrison and 
Lewis Counties, West Virginia.
    The EA was prepared to satisfy the requirements of the National 
Environmental Policy Act. The staff concludes that approval of the 
proposed project, with appropriate mitigating measures, would not 
constitute a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality 
of the human environment.
    Specifically, the EA assesses the potential environmental effects 
of the construction and operation of CNG and Texas Eastern's proposed 
modifications to their gas storage and related pipeline facilities in 
the Oakford Storage Field, including:
     12,000 horsepower (hp) of additional electric motor-driven 
compression and related piping and appurtenant facilities at the 
existing Oakford Compressor Station in Westmoreland County, 
Pennsylvania;
     About 6 miles of new and replacement storage field well 
lines of various diameters and lengths. These would consist of:
    a. 670 feet of existing 6-inch-diameter well line (JP-266) with a 
new 12-inch-diameter well line;
    b. 5,622 feet of existing 12-inch well line (JP-260) with a new 16-
inch-diameter well line;
    c. 2,545 feet of existing 6-inch-diameter well line (JP-276) with a 
new 10-inch-diameter well line;
    d. 3,734 feet and 684 feet of existing 6-inch-diameter well lines 
(JP-204, JP-288) with a new 8-inch-diameter well line;
    e. 3,623 feet and 2,228 feet of two existing 8-inch-diameter well 
lines (JP-182, JP-231) with a new 12-inch-diameter well lines;
    f. 822 feet and 50 feet of two existing 6-inch-diameter well lines 
(JP-432, JP-458) with a new 10-inch-diameter well line; and
    g. 4,400 feet of new 24-inch-diameter pipeline (JP-302); and
    h. 5,016 feet of new 16-inch-diameter pipeline (JP-303).
     A Gate Valve Junction JP-260/JP-302 and pig receiver/
launcher;
     A Gate Valve Junction JP-302/JP-303;
     Two aboveground Gate Valves on pipeline JP-231;
     Various valves, piping, filter separators, buildings, a 
launcher/receiver, and appurtenant facilities at the Oakford Compressor 
Station;
     Replacement of dehydration facilities at the Oakford 
Compressor Station with a new dry desiccant dehydration system that 
would increase the processing capability by 400 MMcf/d (from 800 MMcf/d 
to 1,200 MMcf/d); and
     325 feet of 10-inch-diameter suction line at the Lincoln 
Heights Compressor Station in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania 
replacing an 8-inch-diameter pipeline and related aboveground 
facilities.
    CNG would also increase the deliverability of its Greenlick 
Compressor Station in Potter County, Pennsylvania from 912 MMcf/d to 
1,062 MMcf/d, and increase of 150 MMcf/d. This increase would be 
achieved by modifying the existing dehydration system and some of the 
crossover heaters, separators, valves, and other existing facilities.
    Further, CNG requests authorization to convert 2.56 billion cubic 
feet (Bcf) of existing base gas capacity to working gas capacity of 
Fink-Kennedy/Lost Creek Storage Complex. This conversion would allow 
CNG to provide additional storage capacity without additional 
facilities.

Nonjurisdictional Facilities

    A nonjurisdictional 138 kilovolt (KV) electric substation would be 
installed at the Oakford Compressor Station by Allegheny Power Company. 
The substation would be constructed on a 0.75 acre site on compressor 
station property along the south side and outside of the existing fence 
line. It would consist of a 138 KV transformer, poles, breakers, and a 
30-foot-long access road all within the existing compressor station 
facility. In addition, about 1.7 miles of 138 KV electric transmission 
line would be constructed to the substation by Allegheny Power Company. 
This facility is analyzed in the EA.
    The EA has been placed in the public files of the FERC. A limited 
number of copies of the EA are available for distribution and public 
inspection at: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Public Reference 
and Files Maintenance Branch, 888 First Street, NE., Room 2A, 
Washington, DC 20426 (202) 208-1371.
    Copies of the EA have been mailed to Federal, state and local 
agencies, public interest groups, interested individuals, newspapers, 
and parties to this proceeding.
    Any person wishing to comment on the EA may do so. To ensure 
consideration prior to a Commission decision on the proposal, it is 
important that we receive your comments before the date specified 
below. Please carefully follow these instructions to ensure that your 
comments are received in time and properly recorded:
     Send two copies of your comments to: David P. Boergers, 
Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First St., NE., 
Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426;
     Label one of those copies for the attention of the 
Environmental Review and Compliance Branch II, PR-11.2;
     Reference Docket No. CP97-774-000; and
     Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, DC on or before October 13, 1998.
    Comments will be considered by the Commission but will not serve to 
make the commentor a party to the proceeding. Any person seeking to 
become a party to the proceeding must file a motion to intervene 
pursuant to Rule 214 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and 
Procedures (18 CFR 385.214).
    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 comments considered.
Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 98-24828 Filed 9-15-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M