[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 33 (Thursday, February 17, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8136-8139]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-3761]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP00-40-000]


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

February 11, 2000.
    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 construction and 
operation of the facilities proposed in the Florida Gas Transmission 
Company (FGT) Phase V Expansion Project in various counties of 
Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida.\1\ These facilities would consist of 
about 215.4 miles of pipeline, 15.7 miles of rehabilitated mainline, 
and 89,765 horsepower (hp) of additional compression. 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.
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    \1\ Florida Gas Transmission Company's application in Docket No. 
CP00-40-000 was filed with the Commission under Section 7(c) of the 
Natural Gas Act on December 1, 1999.
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    If you are a landowner on FGT'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

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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 FGT provided to landowners along and adjacent to the 
proposed route. This fact sheet addresses a number of typically 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 is being sent to landowners of property crossed by and 
adjacent to FGT's proposed route; Federal, state, and local agencies; 
elected officials; environmental and public interest groups; Indian 
tribes that might attach religious and cultural significance to 
historic properties in the area of potential effects; and local 
libraries and newspapers. 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.
    Additionally, with this notice we are asking those 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 EIS. These agencies may choose to participate once 
they have evaluated the proposal relative to their agencies' 
responsibilities. Agencies who would like to request cooperating agency 
status should follow the instructions for filing comments described 
below.
    The U.S. Forest Service, Ocala National Forest, has expressed an 
interest in being a cooperating agency for this EIS.

Summary of the Proposed Project

    FGT proposes to build additional new natural gas pipeline and 
compression facilities to transport an annual average of 269,695 
million British thermal units (MMBtu) per day of natural gas to serve 
new markets, primarily electric generation facilities, in Florida. FGT 
requests Commission authorization to:
     Construct about 215.4 miles of pipeline including:

--91.2 miles of looping \2\ on the existing mainline in Mississippi, 
Alabama, and Florida;
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    \2\ A loop is a segment of pipeline that is usually installed 
adjacent to an existing pipeline and connected to it at both ends. 
The loop allows more gas to be moved through the system.
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--29.1 miles of new lateral in Alabama; and
--95.1 miles of new laterals and lateral loops in Florida;

     Rehabilitate about 15.7 miles of pipeline in Florida that 
was previously abandoned in place;
     Install a total of about 89,765 hp of compression at seven 
existing, one previously planned \3\, and two new compressor stations 
in Alabama and Florida;
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    \3\ FGT requested authorization in Docket No. CP99-94-000 to 
construct Compressor Station 24. Its approval is still pending 
before the Commission.
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     Construct one regulator station in Florida; and
     Construct one meter station in Alabama.
    FGT will also acquire from Koch Gateway Pipeline Company (KGPC) an 
interest in KGPC's Mobile Bay Lateral that would give FGT the rights to 
about 50 percent of the available capacity on system. Concurrent with 
the FGT's filing, KGPC filed an application in Docket No. CP00-39-000 
for approval to abandon by sale to FGT the interest in its Mobile Bay 
Lateral.
    The general location of FGT's proposed project facilities is shown 
on the map attached as appendix 1 and a more detailed description of 
the facilities is included in appendix 2.\4\
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    \4\ 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 FGT's proposed pipeline facilities would require 
about 2,957 acres of land including the construction right-of-way, 
extra workspaces, and contractor/pipe yards. In general, FGT proposes 
to use a 75- to 100-foot-wide construction right-of-way. Following 
construction and restoration of the right-of-way and temporary work 
spaces, FGT would retain a 30- to 50-foot-wide permanent pipeline 
right-of-way. Total land requirements for the new permanent right-of-
way would be about 695 acres.
    FGT proposes to acquire 14 acres for the two proposed compressor 
stations, although only 6 acres would be used during construction. Once 
construction is complete, the stations would occupy a total of 3 acres, 
and the 3 acres used for construction would be restored. The remaining 
11 acres would be held as buffer and would not be disturbed.

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 solicit 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.
    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, 
Indian tribes, 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 on the Draft EIS and will be used by the Commission in its 
decision-making process to determine whether to approve the project.

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 our analysis.
 Soils and Geology
    --Impact on prime farmland soils.
    --Mixing of topsoil and subsoil during construction.
    --Compaction of soil by heavy equipment.
    --Erosion control and right-of-way restoration.
    --Impact on mineral resources.
    --Potential geologic hazards including sinkholes.
 Water Resources
    --Impact on 51 perennial waterbodies including the Mobile, St. 
John's and

[[Page 8138]]

Wekiva Rivers, and Globe Creek.
    --Impact on groundwater and surface water supplies.
    --Impact on areas with shallow groundwater.
    --Effect of crossing waterbodies with contaminated sediments.
    --Potential for erosion and sediment transport to area waterbodies.
    --Impact on wetland hydrology.
 Biological Resources
    --Short- and long-term effects of right-of-way clearing and 
maintenance on wetlands, forests, riparian areas, and vegetation 
communities so special concern.
    --Impact on wildlife and fishery habitats.
    --Impact on Green Swamp conservation area.
    --Potential impact on Federal- and State-listed threatened or 
endangered species.
    --Potential impact on U.S. Forest Service-listed sensitive species.
 Cultural Resources
    --Effect on historic and prehistoric sites.
    --Native American concerns.
 Socioeconomics
    --Effect of the construction workforce on demands for services in 
surrounding areas.
 Land Use
    --Impact on residential areas (81 residences within 50 feet of the 
construction work area).
    --Impact on public lands and special use areas including the Ocala 
National Forest, Camp Blanding Recreation Area, Little-Big Econ State 
Forest, James A. Van Fleet State Trail, and various state wildlife 
management and reserve areas.
    --Impact on future land uses and consistency with local land use 
plans and zoning.
    --Visual effect of the new aboveground facilities on surrounding 
areas.
 Air Quality and Noise
    --Construction impact on local air quality and noise environment.
    --Impact on local air quality and noise environment resulting from 
the installation of new compression equipment and the construction and 
operation of two new compressor stations.
 Pipeline Reliability and Safety
 Cumulative Impact
    --Effect of the Phase V Expansion Project combined with that of 
other projects that have been or may be proposed in the same region and 
similar time frames.
 Nonjurisdictional Facilities
    --Consideration of the effects of construction of the associated 
facilities that may be constructed by U.S. Agri-Chemicals Corporation; 
Jacksonville Electric Authority; Palmetto Power, L.L.C.; TECO/Peoples 
Gas System; City of Tallahassee; Duke Energy North America; Gulf Power 
Company; and Florida Power and Light Company.
 Alternatives
    --Evaluation of possible alternatives to the proposed project or 
portions of the project, and identification of recommendations on how 
to lessen or avoid impacts on the various resource areas.

Public Participation and Scoping Meetings

    You can make a difference by sending a letter addressing 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 Street, NE, 
Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426.
 Label one of the comments for the attention of the 
Environmental Review and Compliance Branch, PR-11.1;
 Reference Docket No. CP00-040-000;
 Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, D.C. on or before March 15, 2000.

    All commenters will be retained on our mailing list. If you do not 
want to send comments at this time but still want to stay informed and 
receive copies of the Draft and Final EISs, you must return the 
attached Information Request (appendix 4). If you do not send comments 
or return the Information Request, you will be taken off the mailing 
list.
    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 V Expansion 
Project Environmental Impact Statement

February 28, 2000, 7:00 PM, University of Mobile, Moorer Auditorium, 
Thomas T. Martin Fine Arts Building, Main Campus, College Parkway, 
Prichard, AL, (334) 675-5990.
February 29, 2000, 7:00 PM, Southport Elementary School, Cafeteria 
Room, 1835 Bridge Street, Southport, FL 32409, (850) 265-2810.
March 1, 2000, 7:00 PM, City of Crystal River, City Hall, Council 
Chambers, 123 NW Highway 19, Crystal River, FL (352) 795-6511.
March 2, 2000, 7:00 PM, County Service Building, Seminole County 
Commission, Chambers, Room 1028, 1101 East 1st Street, Sanford, FL, 
(407) 665-7211.

    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 described 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.

Site Visit

    On the dates of the meetings, we will also be conducting limited 
site visits to the project area. Anyone interested in participating in 
the 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 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 3). Only

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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 the 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 
following the instructions. For assistance with access to CIPS, the 
CIPS helpline can be reached at (202) 208-2747.

Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 00-3761 Filed 2-16-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M