[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 251 (Thursday, December 31, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72292-72293]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-34607]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP98-546-000]


Columbia Gas Transmission Corporation; Notice of Availability of 
the Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Columbia Gas Transmission 
Corporation RIPX Project

December 23, 1998.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) has prepared an environmental assessment (EA) on the 
natural gas pipeline facilities proposed by Columbia Gas Transmission 
Corporation (Columbia) in the above-referenced docket. The application 
and other supplemental filings in this docket are available for viewing 
on the FERC Internet website (www.ferc.fed.us). Click on the ``RIMS'' 
link, select ``Docket #'' from the RIMS Menu, and follow the 
instructions.
    Similarly, the ``CIPS'' link on the FERC Internet website provides 
access to the texts of formal documents issued by the Commission, such 
as orders, notices, and rulemakings. From the FERC Internet website, 
click on the ``CIPS'' link, select ``Docket #'' from the CIPS menu, and 
follow the instructions.
    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.
    The purpose of the proposed project is to abandon the Derricks 
Creek Storage Field in its entirety and offset any reductions in 
working gas capacity and deliverability by facility construction at the 
Ripley Storage Field. Columbia proposes to increase the certificated 
capacity at Ripley Storage Field by 0.8 billion cubic feet (Bcf). 
Columbia must also take immediate action at the Derricks Creek Storage 
Field to comply with a U.S. Department of Transportation Hazardous 
Facilities Order.
    Specifically, the EA assesses the potential environmental effects 
of the abandonment of the Derricks Creek Storage Field in Kanawha 
County, West Virginia and the construction and operation of Columbia's 
proposed pipeline facilities and modifications at the Ripley Storage 
Field in Jackson County, West Virginia including:

  Abandonment in place of the Derricks Creek Storage Field 
in its entirety consisting of 13.1 miles of various diameter 
pipeline and 20 active storage wells;
  Construction of approximately 3.5 miles of various 
diameter storage pipeline, drilling six new storage wells, and 
improving the deliverability of nine existing wells at the Ripley 
Storage Field;
  Increase the capacity of the Ripley Storage Field by 0.8 
Bcf of gas;
  Conversion of two observation wells to active injection/
withdrawal wells and conversion of three very low performance wells 
to observation wells in the Ripley Storage Field;
  Abandonment by sale of up to 5.4 Bcf of base gas within 
the two storage fields; and
  Performing various well pipeline installations and 
replacements.

    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, N.E., 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., N.E., 
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. CP98-546-000; and
  Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, DC on or before January 28, 1999.

    Comments will be considered by the Commission but will not serve to 
make

[[Page 72293]]

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. Additional information about the 
proposed project is available from Mr. Paul McKee of the Commission's 
Office of External Affairs at (202) 208-1088 or on the FERC website 
(www.ferc.fed.us) using the ``RIMS'' link to information in this docket 
number. For assistance with access to RIMS, the RIMS helpline can be 
reached at (202) 208-2222. Access to the texts of formal documents 
issued by the Commission with regard to this docket, such as orders and 
notices, is also available on the FERC website using the ``CIPS'' link. 
For assistance with access to CIPS, the CIPS helpline can be reached at 
(202) 208-2474.
Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 98-34607 Filed 12-30-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M