[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 83 (Friday, April 30, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23349-23351]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-10821]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[UT-070-99-5101-00; J-608; UTU-77149, UTU-77164]
San Juan County, NM; La Plata, Montezuma, Dolores, and San Miguel
Counties, CO; and San Juan, Grand, Emery, Carbon, Sanpete, Utah, and
Salt Lake Counties, UT; EIS for Pipeline Transportation of Refined
Petroleum Products and Natural Gas
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Utah.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement
(EIS) and notice of EIS scoping meetings for construction of pipeline
facilities and transportation of refined petroleum products via
underground pipeline in San Juan County, New Mexico; La Plata,
Montezuma, Dolores, and San Miguel Counties, Colorado; and San Juan,
Grand, Emery, Carbon, Sanpete, Utah, and Salt Lake Counties, Utah; and
the construction of pipeline facilities and transportation of natural
gas via
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underground pipeline in Carbon, Sanpete and Utah Counties, Utah.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Price
Field Office, will be directing the preparation of an EIS on the
impacts of proposed transportation of refined petroleum products
through a pipeline located on public, National Forest System, and
private lands in northwest New Mexico, southwest Colorado, and
southeast to north-central Utah. In addition, the EIS will analyze the
impacts of proposed transportation of natural gas through a pipeline
located on public and private lands in southeast to north-central Utah.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and U.S. Forest
Service, Manti-LaSal and Uinta Forests, will be participating in the
EIS preparation as cooperating agencies in accordance with 40, CFR
1501.6. Because these separate proposed actions would share
approximately 102 miles of utility corridor, the BLM and cooperating
agencies will analyze the impacts in a single EIS process. The EIS may
also address the impacts of other potential utility projects proposed
for portions of the corridor in Utah.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Williams Pipe Line Company has proposed to
transport refined petroleum products to the Wasatch Front area of Utah
using a combination of existing pipelines in New Mexico and Colorado,
and a new segment of pipeline in Utah from near Thompson Springs to a
terminal on the Wasatch Front. The refined petroleum products would
include diesel fuel, fuel oil, jet fuel, and gasoline. Questar Pipeline
Company has proposed to increase its transportation of natural gas from
the Price area by installing a parallel pipeline along its existing
Main Line (ML) 40/41 Pipeline from Price to Payson, Utah, and then west
to a new interconnect point with Kern River Pipeline in the vicinity of
Elberta, Utah, and north to a terminus near Lehi, Utah. The BLM is
preparing an EIS to analyze the effects of the proposed pipelines and
appurtenant facilities.
Summary Description of Williams Pipe Line Company's Proposed Action
Transportation of refined petroleum products through underground
pipeline from west Texas to a terminal site along the Wasatch Front of
Utah is proposed. Williams Pipe Line Company would use the pipeline
network to distribute products to distinct markets in New Mexico,
western Colorado, and the growing Wasatch Front area of Utah. The
northern portion of the project serving markets in northwestern New
Mexico, western Colorado and southeast Utah would involve re-
engineering of existing natural gas pipeline. A new 237-mile pipeline
would be constructed to connect the re-engineered, existing pipeline
network from near Thompson Springs, Utah to the Wasatch Front.
Terminals would be constructed adjacent to I-70 near Green River, Utah
and near Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front. Other appurtenant
pipeline facilities may include check valves approximately every 10 to
15 miles, a cathodic protection system, aerial markers, and scraper
launchers and traps. Existing pump stations near Ignacio, Dolores and
Dove Creek, Colorado, and Lisbon and Moab Utah, would have pumping
units added for the project. New pump stations would be constructed at
one location in northwest New Mexico, one location in southwest
Colorado, and two locations in Utah.
The southern segment of the project extending from west Texas to
northwest New Mexico would include the use of existing or new terminals
in Albuquerque and Bloomfield, New Mexico and other facilities.
However, because the northern and southern segments of the pipeline
project would serve separate and distinct markets and have substantial
independent utility, the BLM will undertake separate NEPA analyses for
the segments. The Price Field Office of BLM will be the lead office to
assess effects of the proposed pipeline and appurtenant facilities
within Utah, existing pipeline re-engineering and appurtenant
facilities in Colorado, and the existing pipeline re-engineering north
of Bloomfield, New Mexico. BLM staff in New Mexico will assess effects
of the portions of the project serving markets in Texas and most of New
Mexico.
Summary Description of Questar Pipeline Company's Proposed Action
In order to service the current and future transportation needs of
natural gas development in central Utah south of Price to markets along
the Wasatch Front and existing Kern River Pipeline, Questar Pipeline
Company proposes to increase its system capacity by installing a new
102-mile, 20-inch outside diameter natural gas pipeline loop from Price
to Lehi, Utah. The ML 40/41 Loop would be installed parallel to Questar
Pipeline Company's existing ML 40/41 Pipeline from Price to Payson.
From the Payson Meter Station, the pipeline would continue due west
approximately 18 miles through the Goshen Valley and tie into the Kern
River Pipeline near Elberta, Utah. From the tie-in with Kern River, the
pipeline would continue within the existing Kern River corridor
approximately 30 miles north to a termination point due west of Lehi,
Utah.
Preliminary Issues
Tentatively identified issues of concern may include: cultural
resources, wildlife, water resources, land use, socioeconomics and
visual resources.
Possible Alternatives
The EIS will analyze the Proposed Actions and No-Action
Alternatives. Other alternatives may include different routes for
portions of each pipeline, fewer but larger pipelines in the corridor,
and optional sites for pipeline facilities, as well as mitigating
measures to minimize impacts.
Decisions To Be Made
Separate Records of Decision would be issued for the Williams and
Questar proposals. Questar Pipeline Company's proposed action is
regulated by the FERC, and the FERC will review Questar Pipeline
Company's Application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and
Necessity under the Natural Gas Act.
Tentative Project Schedule
The tentative project schedule is as follows:
Begin Public Comment Period--April 1999.
Hold Scoping Meetings--May 1999.
File Draft EIS--January 2000.
File Final EIS--June 2000.
Record of Decision--July 2000.
Public Scoping Meetings
Eight public scoping meetings will be held, each one beginning at
7:00 p.m. All locations except for Durango, Colorado, are in Utah. The
meeting locations include:
May 18 Green River: John Wesley Powell Hall of Fame
Museum.
May 19 Moab: Moab Civic Center Senior Citizens Center.
May 20 Price: Holiday Inn.
May 25 Salt Lake City: Wyndham Hotel.
May 26 Payson: Payson City Hall Banquet Room.
May 27 Lehi: Lehi High School.
June 2 Dolores: Anasazi Heritage Center.
June 3 Durango: Doubletree Hotel.
Public Input Requested
Comments concerning the Proposed Action and EIS should address
issues to be considered, feasible alternatives to examine, possible
mitigation, and
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information relevant to or having bearing on the Proposed Action.
DATES: The comment period for scoping of the EIS will commence with
publication of this notice. Written comments must be submitted on or
before June 11, 1999. Eight public scoping meetings will be held to
receive oral comment on May 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, and 27, and June 2 and
3, 1999, at the times and locations listed under SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION.
ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to Mark Mackiewicz, Williams Aspen
Pipeline EIS Team Leader, Bureau of Land Management, 125 South 600
West, Price, Utah 84501 or at e-mail: [email protected]
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark Mackiewicz, (435) 636-3616 or at
e-mail: [email protected]
Dated: April 22, 1999.
Linda S. Colville,
Acting State Director.
[FR Doc. 99-10821 Filed 4-29-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-DQ-P