[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 184 (Thursday, September 23, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51536-51537]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-24803]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket Nos. CP99-61-000, CP99-62-000, CP99-63-000, CP99-64-000]
TriState Pipeline, L.L.C.; Notice of Availability of the Draft
Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed TriState Pipeline
Project
September 17, 1999.
The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) has prepared a draft environmental impact statement (DEIS)
on the natural gas pipeline facilities proposed by TriState Pipeline,
L.L.C. (TriState) in the above-referenced dockets.
The DEIS 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 as recommended,
would have limited adverse environmental impact. The DEIS also
evaluates alternatives to the proposal, including system alternatives;
route alternatives; and minor route variations, and requests comments
on them.
The DEIS addresses the potential environmental effects of the
construction and operation of the following facilities in Illinois,
Indiana, and Michigan:
About 2.8 miles of new 30-inch-diameter interconnect
pipeline for the Alliance Interconnect (1.5 miles) and the Northern
Border Interconnect (1.3 miles) in Will County, Illinois;
About 146.8 miles of new 30-inch-diameter pipeline in
Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan extending from Joliet, Illinois in Will
County to White Pigeon, Michigan in St. Joseph County. About 32.6 miles
would be in Illinois, 108.0 miles would be in Indiana, and 6.2 miles
would be in Michigan;
About 66.0 miles of 36-inch-diameter pipeline looping the
existing Consumers Energy Company (Consumers Energy) and Michigan Gas
Storage (MGS) systems in Michigan in three segments: the Branch County
Loop (24.0 miles), the Oakland County Loop (23.4 miles), and the Macomb
County Loop (18.6 miles);
About 12.1 miles of 24-inch-diameter pipeline from
Consumers Energy's existing St. Clair Compressor Station in St. Clair
County, Michigan, to the United States (U.S.)-Canadian International
Boundary in the St. Clair River;
One new compressor station (Joliet Compressor Station)
with 30,000 horsepower (hp) in Joliet, Illinois and upgrade Consumers
Energy's existing St. Clair Compressor Station with 18,570 hp of
additional compression;
Four new meter/regulating stations including two in Will
County, Illinois, one in St. Joseph County, Michigan, and one in St.
Clair County, Michigan;
23 new mainline and crossover valves; and
Lease of 450 thousand decatherms per day (Mdth/d) of firm
pipeline capacity on the Consumers Energy and MGS systems between White
Pigeon, Michigan and Consumers Energy's existing St. Clair Compressor
Station.
In addition, TriState requests in Docket No. CP99-64-000 a
Presidential Permit to construct, operate, and maintain facilities at
the International Border between the U.S.-Canadian International
Boundary in the St. Clair River near Marine City, Michigan. TriState's
border facilities would connect TriState's proposed U.S. facilities
with Canadian facilities owned by TriState's Canadian affiliate,
TriState-Canada.
The purpose of the proposed project would be to transport 650 Mdth/
d of natural gas from the Chicago Hub near Joliet, Illinois to points
in Michigan and Canada. Of the 650 Mdth/d, 200 Mdth/d would be
delivered to Consumers Energy's White Pigeon delivery point in
Michigan. The remaining 450 Mdth/d would be transported to the Dawn Hub
in Ontario, Canada.
Comment Procedures and Public Meetings
Any person wishing to comment on the DEIS 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: 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-11.1;
Reference Docket No. CP99-61-000; and
Mail your comments so that they will be received in
Washington, DC on or before November 8, 1999.
In addition to written comments, we will hold four public meetings
in the project area to receive comments on the DEIS. All meetings will
begin at 7:00 p.m., and are scheduled as follows:
October 20, 1999--University Park, Illinois, Engbretson Hall,
Governors State University, Governors Highway and Stuenkel Rd., (708)
534-4515.
October 21, 1999--Walkerton, Indiana, Urey Middle School Cafeteria,
407 Washington Street, (219) 586-3184.
October 20, 1999--Pontiac, Michigan, Pontiac Northern High School,
Little Theater (S. Parking Lot), 1051 Arlene Avenue, (248) 857-8460.
October 21, 1999--Sturgis, Michigan, Sturgis Young Civic Center,
201 N. Nottawa, (800) 778-7437.
Interested groups and individuals are encouraged to attend and
present oral comments on the environmental impact described in the
DEIS. Transcripts of the meetings will be prepared.
After these comments are reviewed, any significant new issues are
investigated, and modifications are made to the DEIS, a Final
Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) will be published and distributed
by the staff. The FEIS will contain the staff's responses to timely
comments filed on the DEIS.
Comments will be considered by the Commission but will not serve to
make the commentor a party to the
[[Page 51537]]
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).
Anyone may intervene in this proceeding based on this DEIS. You
must file your request to intervene as specified above. You do not need
intervenor status to have your comments considered.
The DEIS has been placed in the public files of the FERC and is
available for 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.
A limited number of copies are available from the Public Reference
and Files Maintenance Branch identified above. In addition, copies of
the DEIS have been mailed to Federal, state, and local agencies, public
interest groups, individuals who have requested the DEIS, newspapers,
and parties to this proceeding.
Additional information about the proposed project is available from
Paul McKee in the Commission's Office of External Affairs, at (202)
208-1088 or on the FERC Internet website (www.ferc.fed.us) using the
``RIMS'' link to information in this docket number. Click on the
``RIMS'' link, select ``Docket #'' from the RIMS Menu, and follow the
instructions. For assistance with access to RIMS, the RIMS helpline can
be reached at (202) 208-2222.
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. For assistance with access to CIPS, the CIPS
helpline can be reached at (202) 208-2474.
David P. Boergers,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 99-24803 Filed 9-22-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-N