[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 18 (Thursday, January 27, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4416-4418]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-1944]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP00-59-000]


Petal Gas Storage Company; Notice of Intent To Prepare an 
Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Petal Pipeline Project, and 
Request for Comments on Environmental Issues

January 21, 2000.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) will prepare an environmental assessment (EA) that will 
discuss the environmental impacts of the Petal Pipeline Project, 
involving the construction and operation of facilities by Petal Gas 
Storage Company (Petal) in Forest, Jones, Jasper, and Clark Counties, 
Mississippi.\1\ These facilities would consist of about 64.2 miles of 
pipeline and 35,590 horsepower (hp) of compression. The EA will be used 
by the Commission in its decision-making process to determine whether 
the project is in the public convenience and necessity.
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    \1\ Petal's application was filed with the Commission on 
December 28, 1999, under Section 7 of the Natural Gas Act and Part 
157 of the Commission's regulations.
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    If you are a landowner on Petal's proposed route and receive 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 prepared by the FERC entitled ``An Interstate Natural 
Gas Facility On My Land? What Do I Need To Know?'' was attached to the 
project notice Petal provided to landowners. This fact sheet addresses 
a number of typical asked questions, including the use of eminent 
domain and how to participate in the Commission's proceedings. It is 
available for viewing on the FERC Internet website (www.ferc.fed.us).
    This Notice of Intent (NOI) is being sent to landowners crossed by 
Petal's proposed route; Federal, state, and local government agencies; 
national elected officials; regional environmental and public interest 
groups; Indian tribes that might attach religious and cultural 
significance to historic properties in the area of potential effects; 
local libraries and newspapers; and the Commission's list of parties to 
the proceeding. Government representatives are encouraged to notify 
their constituents of this proposed action and encourage them to 
comment on their areas of concern. Additionally, with this NOI we are 
asking Federal, state, local, and tribal agencies with jurisdiction 
and/or special expertise with respect to environmental issues to 
cooperate with us in the preparation of the EA. These agencies may 
choose to participate once they have evaluated Petal's proposal 
relative to their agencies' responsibilities. Agencies who would like 
to request cooperating status should follow the instructions for filing 
comments described below.

Summary of the Proposed Project

    Petal proposes to build new pipeline and compression facilities to 
transport up to 700 million cubic feet per day of natural gas from its 
storage field to new interconnections with Transcontinental Gas Pipe 
Line Company (Transco), Southern Natural Gas Company (Southern), and 
Destin Pipeline Company (Destin). Petal requests Commission 
authorization to construct, own, operate, and maintain the following 
facilities.
     About 55 miles of 36-inch-diameter loop \2\ of Petal's 
existing storage header at its storage field in Forrest County, near 
Petal, Mississippi;
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    \2\ A loop is a segment of pipeline that is installed adjacent 
to an existing pipeline and connected to it on both ends. The loop 
allows more gas to be moved through the pipeline system.

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[[Page 4417]]

     About 58.7 miles of 36-inch-diameter pipeline extending 
from the existing Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company (Tennessee) Meter 
Station near the town of Petal, Mississippi north through portions of 
Forrest, Jones, Jasper, and Clarke Counties, to the existing Destin 
Meter Station near Enterprise, Mississippi. The new pipeline would be 
built adjacent to existing Tennessee, Southern, and Destin pipelines;
     A new compressor station with four electric-driven units 
totaling 20,000 hp adjacent to Petal's existing compressor station in 
Forrest County, Mississippi;
     A new compressor station with four gas-driven units 
totaling 15,590 hp near Heidelburg, in Jasper County, Mississippi;
     Three new meter stations at interconnections with Transco 
in Jasper county, Mississippi, and with Southern and Destin in Clarke 
County, Mississippi; and
     Associated pipeline facilities, including pig traps at the 
Petal storage field and the new Destin Meter Station, and a total eight 
new block valves along the loop and main pipeline.
    The general location of Petal's proposed facilities is shown on the 
map attached as appendix 1.\3\
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    \3\ The appendices referenced in this notice are not being 
printed in the Federal Register. Copies are available on the 
Commission's website at the ``RIMS'' link or from the Commission's 
Public Reference and Files Maintenance Branch, 888 First Street, NE, 
Room 2A, Washington, DC 20426, or call (202) 208-1371. For 
instructions on connecting to RIMS refer to the last page of this 
notice. Copies of the appendices were sent to all those receiving 
this notice in the mail.
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Land Requirements for Construction

    Construction of the proposed facilities would affect about 682 
acres of land. Following construction, about 251 acres would be 
retained as permanent right-of-way. The remaining 431 acres of 
temporary work space would be restored and allowed to revert to its 
former use.
    Petal proposes to use a typical pipeline construction right-of-way 
width of 75 feet, consisting of 30 feet of permanent right-of-way and 
45 feet of temporary extra work space. There also would be about 92 
acres used as additional temporary extra work spaces at stream, 
utility, and road crossings. The new compressor station near Petal, 
Mississippi would occupy about 4 acres and the new compression station 
near Heidelburg would use about 10 acres. Construction of the Transco 
Meter Station would use 2 acres, of which 1 acre would become the 
permanent site. The new meter stations at the interconnections with 
Southern and Destin would be built and operated within a single 2 acre 
parcel.

The EA 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 
\4\ 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 EA on the important 
environmental issues. By this NOI, the Commission requests public 
comments on the scope of the issues it will address in the EA. All 
comments received are considered during the preparation of the EA.
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    \4\ ``Us,'' ``we,'' and ``our'' refer to the environment staff 
of the FERC's Office of Pipeline Regulation.
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    Our independent analysis of the issues will be in the EA. Depending 
on the comments received during the scoping process, the EA may be 
published and mailed to Federal, state, and local agencies, elected 
officials, affected landowners, regional public interest groups, Indian 
tribes, local newspapers and libraries, and the Commission's official 
service list for this proceeding. A comment period will be allotted for 
review if the EA is published. We will consider all comments on the EA 
before we make our recommendations to the Commission.

Currently Identified Environmental Issues

    The EA will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of 
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 Petal. This preliminary list of issues may be 
changed based on your comments and our analysis.
     Geology and Soils
--Potential impacts related to crossing karst terrain.
--Impacts on about 21 miles of prime farmland soils.
--Crossing about 16 miles of erosion prone soils.
     Water Resources and Wetlands
--Crossing 10 perennial streams.
--Crossing one stream classified as an impaired waterbody with limited 
water quality.
--Crossing 104 areas classified as ``waters of the United States,'' the 
majority of which are wetlands.
     Biological Resources
--Impacts on about 440 acres of forest or woodlands.
--Impacts on a single population of Silky Camellia, a state listed 
sensitive species.
--Impacts on the Gopher Tortoise, a federally listed threatened 
species.
     Cultural Resources
--Impacts on prehistoric and historic sites.
--Native American concerns.
     Land Use
--Impacts on crop production.
--Impacts on residential areas.
--Visual effect of the aboveground facilities on surrounding areas.
--Impacts on one rural residence within 50 feet of the proposed 
pipeline.
     Air and Noise Quality
--Impacts on local air quality and noise environment as a result of the 
operation of new compressor stations.
     Alternatives
--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.

Public Participation

    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 EA and considered by the Commission. 
You should focus on the potential environmental effects of the 
proposal, alternatives to the proposal (including alternative locations 
or 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., N.E., 
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. CP00-59-000; and
     Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, DC on or before February 28, 2000.
    [If you do not want to send comments at this time but still want to 
remain on our mailing list, please return the Information Request 
(appendix 3). If you do not return the Information Request, you will be 
removed from the environmental mailing list.]

[[Page 4418]]

Becoming an Intervenor

    In addition to involvement in the EA 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 must provide 14 copies of its filings 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 2). Only intervenors have the 
right to seek rehearing of the Commission's decision.
    Affected landowners and parties with environmental concerns may be 
granted intervenor status upon showing good cause by stating that they 
have a clear and direct interest in this proceeding which would not be 
adequately represented by any other parties. You do not need intervenor 
status to have your environmental 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. 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. 00-1944 Filed 1-26-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M