[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 40 (Tuesday, March 2, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10138-10142]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-5050]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP99-94-000]


Florida Gas Transmission Company; Notice of Intent to Prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed FGT Phase IV Expansion 
Project, Request For Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of 
Public Scoping Meeting and Site Visit

February 24, 1999.
    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 FGT Phase IV Expansion 
Project involving construction and operation of facilities by Florida 
Gas Transmission Company (FGT) in Florida, Mississippi, and Alabama.\1\ 
These facilities would consist of about 205 miles of various diameter 
pipeline, 48,570 horsepower (hp) of compression, four new delivery 
points including three meter stations and a tap, and various other 
miscellaneous facilities. 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. 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.
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    \1\ FGT'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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    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.
    If you are a landowner receiving this notice, you may be contacted 
by a pipeline company representative about the acquisition of an 
easement to construct, operate, and maintain the proposed facilities. 
The pipeline company would seek to negotiate a mutually acceptable 
agreement. However, if the project is approved by the Commission, that 
approval conveys with it the right of eminent domain. Therefore, if 
easement negotiations fail to produce an agreement, the pipeline 
company could initiate condemnation proceedings in accordance with 
state law. A fact sheet addressing a number of typically asked 
questions, including the use of eminent domain, is attached to this 
notice as 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, NE, 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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    Additionally, with this notice we are asking a number of Federal 
and state agencies (see appendix 2) with jurisdiction and/or special 
expertise with respect to environmental issues to cooperate with us in 
the preparation of the EIS. These agencies may choose to participate 
once they have evaluated the proposal relative to their agencies' 
responsibilities.

Summary of the Proposed Project

    FGT wants to expand the capacity of its facilities in Florida, 
Mississippi, and Alabama to transport an additional 272,000 million 
British thermal units per day of natural gas to two private power 
companies, two municipal utilities, two industrial customers, two 
natural gas marketers and one local distribution company. See tables 1 
and 2 for a listing of project facilities. The FGT Phase IV Expansion 
Project would also include block valves and blowdown valves. The 
locations of these facilities have not yet been determined.

[[Page 10139]]

    Several nonjurisdictional facilities would be constructed in 
Florida as a result of the FGT Phase IV Expansion Project. These 
nonjurisdictional facilities include expansion of equipment and 
technology resulting from fuel conversion of oil to natural gas at 
Florida Power and Light Company's Ft. Myers plant in Lee County, 
construction of the Duke Energy--New Smyrna Beach Power Project in 
Volusia County, and a meter station to be constructed by Peoples Gas 
System in Lee County. We have made a preliminary decision to not 
address the impacts of the nonjurisdictional facilities. We will 
describe their location and status in the Draft EIS.
    The general location of the project facilities is shown in appendix 
3. If you are interested in obtaining detailed maps of a specific 
portion of the project, write to the Office of External Affairs and 
include the form in appendix 5.

                       Table1.--Proposed Pipelines for the FGT Phase IV Expansion Project
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     Pipeline                                      Mileposts           Segment
           Segment name              diameter         County, State       --------------------------    length
                                     (inches)                                 Begin         End        (miles)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mainline:
    Mainline Loop Extension......           36  George, MS...............       152.7        156.6          9.3
                                                Greene, MS...............       156.6        162.0
    Mainline Loop Downstream of             30  Suwannee, FL.............       515.3        518.9          5.5
     the West Leg.                              Columbia, FL.............       518.9        520.8
    Mainline Loop Downstream of             30  Bradford, FL.............       548.1        562.1         14.0
     Compressor Station 16.
    Mainline Loop Downstream of             30  Marion, FL...............       607.9        613.9          6.0
     Compressor Station 17.
New Lateral
    New Smyrna Beach--Duke Energy           16  Lake, FL.................         0.0          8.2         45.82
     lateral.                                   Seminole, FL.............         8.2         15.5
                                                Volusia, FL..............        15.5        45.82
Lateral Loops and Extension:
    Sarasota Lateral Loop........           12  Manatee, FL..............        69.53        73.62         4.09
    Lake Wales Lateral Loop                  6  Polk, FL.................         2.5          3.4          0.9
     Extension.
    Tampa South Lateral Extension            4  Hillsborough, FL.........        16.53        22.15         5.62
Mainline:
    West Leg Extension...........           30  Hillborough, FL..........         0.0         22.0
                                                Polk, FL.................        22.0         36.0
                                                Hardee, FL...............                     36.0
                                                DeSoto, FL...............                     61.3
                                                                                              61.3
                                                                                              75.6         75.6
                                            26  De Soto, FL..............        75.6         88.4
                                                Charlotte, FL............        88.4        107.0
                                                Lee, FL..................       107.0        113.6         38.0
                                                                          --------------------------------------
        Total....................                                                                         204.83
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                     Table 2.--Aboveground Facilities for the FGT Phase IV Expansion Project
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                                    New       Horsepower
           Facility              horsepower    addition     Milepost      County, State           Comments
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Compressor Stations:
    11A.......................          N/A          N/A        190.8   Mobile, AL.......  Restage two
                                                                                            compressor units and
                                                                                            add a gas scrubber
                                                                                            and gas cooler at
                                                                                            existing compressor
                                                                                            station.
    12A.......................  ...........       10,350        260.2   Santa Rosa, FL...  Existing compressor
                                                                                            station.
    13A.......................  ...........       10,350        324.0   Washington, FL...  Existing compressor
                                                                                            station.
    14A.......................  ...........       10,350        394.7   Gadsden, FL......  Existing compressor
                                                                                            station.
    15A.......................          N/A          N/A        468.7   Taylor, FL.......  Restage one
                                                                                            compressor unit at
                                                                                            existing compressor
                                                                                            station.
    24........................       10,350  ...........         25.3   Gilchrist, FL....  New compressor
                                                                                            station.
    26........................  ...........        7,170         89.8   Citrus, FL.......  Existing compressor
                                                                                            station.
Meter Stations:
    Duke Energy...............          N/A          N/A         45.82  Volusia, FL......  Located at end of the
                                                                                            New Smyrna Beach--
                                                                                            Duke Energy Lateral.
    National Gypsum...........          N/A          N/A         22.15  Hillsborough, FL.  Located at the end of
                                                                                            the Tampa South
                                                                                            Lateral Extension.
    FPL Ft. Myers.............          N/A          N/A        113.6   Lee, FL..........  Located at the end of
                                                                                            the West Leg
                                                                                            Extension.
Associated Pipeline
 Facilities:
    Crossover.................          N/A          N/A         28.3   Polk, FL.........  Crossover from the
                                                                                            proposed West Leg
                                                                                            Extension to the
                                                                                            existing Agricola
                                                                                            Lateral.
    Agricola Lateral                    N/A          N/A         28.3   Polk, FL.........  Located at the
     Interconnect.                                                                          intersection of the
                                                                                            proposed West Leg
                                                                                            Extension and the
                                                                                            existing Agricola
                                                                                            Lateral.

[[Page 10140]]

 
    Sarasota Lateral Regulator          N/A          N/A         28.3   Polk, FL.........  Located at the
     Station/Interconnect.                                                                  intersection of the
                                                                                            proposed West Leg
                                                                                            Extension and the
                                                                                            existing Sarasota
                                                                                            Lateral.
    Tap Valve and Tie-in                N/A          N/A        111.39  Lee, FL..........  Located near the end
     pipeline.                                                                              of the proposed West
                                                                                            Leg Extension to
                                                                                            deliver gas to the
                                                                                            TECO-PGS Ft. Myers
                                                                                            Meter Station.
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N/A=not applicable

Land Requirements for Construction

    The pipeline route is adjacent to existing rights-of-way for 
approximately 92 percent of its length. Where possible, FGT's right-of-
way would overlap its existing rights-of-way as much as 75 feet during 
construction to minimize impacts. Table 3 lists the construction and 
permanent right-of-way widths for each pipeline segment.
    Construction of the FGT Phase IV Expansion Project would affect a 
total of about 2,499 acres of land including 2,475 acres required for 
pipeline construction and extra workspace and 24 acres for construction 
of the aboveground facilities. Locations of contractor yards, pipe 
storage yards, and access roads have not been determined. All these 
acreage figures are subject to change. Total land requirements for the 
permanent right-of-way would be about 1,275 acres. An additional 24 
acres for the operation of the new aboveground facilities would be 
required. The remaining 1,200 acres of land affected by construction 
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.
    The EIS 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.
     Land use.
     Cultural resources.
     Air quality and noise.

                                       Table 3.--Right-of-Way (ROW) Widths for the FGT Phase IV Expansion Project
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                                                                       Permanent row                                      Construction row overlap with
             Facility                    Construction row (feet)          (feet)          New permanent row (feet)           existing FGT row (feet)
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Mainline:
    Mainline Loop Extension.......  110.............................              40  15..............................  75
    Mainline Loop Downstream of     110.............................              40  15..............................  75
     the West Leg.
    Mainline Loop Downstream of     110.............................              40  15..............................  75
     Compressor Station 16.
    Mainline Loop Downstream of     110.............................              40  15..............................  75
     Compressor Station 17.
New Lateral:
    New Smyrna Beach--Duke Energy   75..............................              30  0 to 30 a.......................  30b
     Lateral.
Lateral Loop and Extension
    Sarasota Lateral Loop.........  75..............................              30  0...............................  30
    Lake Wales Lateral Loop         60..............................              40  0...............................  Varies.
     Extension.
    Tampa South Lateral Extension.  45 to 50........................              30  30..............................  Not applicable.
Mainline:
    West Leg Extension............  100 b...........................              50  50..............................  Not applicable.
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a FGT would require no new permanent right-of-way when paralleling the Sanford Lateral and 30 feet of new permanent right-of-way when not paralleling
  the Sanford Lateral.
b FGT would use a 75-foot wide construction right-of-way in wetlands.

     Endangered and threatened species.
     Public safety.
     Hazardous waste.

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 
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 FGT. These issues are listed below. This is a 
preliminary list of issues and may be changed based on your comments 
and

[[Page 10141]]

our analysis. Currently identified environmental issues for the FGT 
Phase IV Expansion Project include:

--Potential for sinkhole formation and flooding;
--Construction through or along the edge of active or inactive surface 
mines;
--Effect of construction on 85 perennial waterbody crossings, including 
19 waterbodies 100 feet wide or greater;
--Erosion control and potential for sediment transport to waterbodies 
and wetlands;
--Effect of construction on groundwater and surface water supplies;
--Effect of construction on 208 wetland crossings, including about 70 
acres of permanent alteration of wetlands;
--Clearing of about 718 acres of forest;
--Effect on wildlife, fisheries and rare plant habitats;
--Impacts on 11 federally endangered and threatened species including 
the bald eagle, Britton's beargrass, eastern indigo snake, Florida 
bonamia, Florida scrub jay, gopher tortoise, pigeon-wing, red-cockaded 
woodpecker, sand skink, West Indian manatee, and wood stork;
--Effect on historic and prehistoric archaeological sites and historic 
structures;
--Impact on about 175 residences potentially within 50 feet of the 
construction right-of-way;
--Potentially contaminated sites may be crossed by the pipeline;
--Effect on public lands and special use areas including the Ocala 
National Forest, the Seminole State Forest, the Hell Ranch, Lake 
Manatee State Recreation Area, Wekiva Aquatic Preserve, Medard Park and 
Bicentennial Conservation Park;
--Crossing the Wekiva River, a designated Wild and Scenic River, and an 
Outstanding Florida Water;
--Consistency with local land use plans and zoning;
--Visual effect of aboveground facilities on surrounding areas;
--Effect on local air quality and noise environment as a result of 
compressor station operations; and
--Assessment of the combined effect of the proposed project with other 
projects, including other natural gas pipelines, which have been or may 
be proposed in the same region and similar time frames.

    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 and will 
be used by the Commission in its decision-making process to determine 
whether to approve the project.
    To ensure your comments are considered, please carefully follow the 
instructions in the public participation section below.

Public Participation and Scoping Meetings

    You can make a difference by providing us with your specific 
comments or concerns about the project. By becoming a commentor, your 
concerns will be addressed in the EIS and considered by the Commission. 
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 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, Secretary, 
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First St., NE, 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. CP99-94-000;
     Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, DC on or before March 26, 1999.
    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.

Schedule of Public Scoping Meetings for the FGT Phase IV Expansion 
Project Environmental Impact Statement

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                  Date                                Time                              Location
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
March 15, 1999..........................  7:00 pm....................  Sheraton Hotel, 2900 SW 13th Street,
                                                                        Gainesville, Florida, (352) 377-4000.
March 16, 1999..........................  7:00 pm....................  Holiday Inn, 350 E. International
                                                                        Speedway Blvd. De Land, Florida, (904)
                                                                        738-5200.
March 17, 1999..........................  7:00 pm....................  Holiday Inn Select, 13051 Bell Tower
                                                                        Drive, Fort Myers, Florida, (941) 482-
                                                                        2900.
March 18, 1999..........................  7:00 pm....................  Carver Recreation Center, 520 South
                                                                        Idlewood Avenue, Bartow, Florida, (941)
                                                                        534-0161.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The public meetings are designed to provide you with more detailed 
information and another opportunity to offer your comments on the 
proposed project. FGT 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 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, the staff will also be visiting some 
project areas. Anyone interested in participating in a 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 known as an 
``intervenor''. Intervenors play a more formal role in the process. 
Among other things, intervenors have the right to receive copies of 
case-related Commission documents and filings by other intervenors. 
Likewise, each intervenor

[[Page 10142]]

must provide 14 copies of its filing to the Secretary of the Commission 
and must send a copy of its filings to all other parties on the 
Commission's service list for this proceeding. 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 4). Only intervenors have the right to seek rehearing of the 
Commission's decision.
    The date for filing timely motions to intervene in this proceeding 
has passed. Therefore, parties now seeking to file later 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.

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 FGT 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 EISs, you must return the 
Information Request (appendix 5). 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 
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 tests 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.
David P. Boergers,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 99-5050 Filed 3-1-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M