[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 65 (Tuesday, April 4, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17654-17655]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-8273]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP00-55-000]


Distrigas of Massachusetts Corporation; Notice of Availability of 
the Environmental Assessment for the Proposed DOMAC LNG Plant 
Modifications Project

March 29, 2000.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) has prepared this environmental assessment (EA) on the 
modification of existing facilities proposed by Distrigas of 
Massachusetts Corporation (DOMAC) in the above-referenced docket.
    The EA was prepared to satisfy the requirements of the National 
Environmental Policy Act. The staff concludes that approval of the 
proposed project would not constitute a major Federal action 
significantly affecting the quality of the human environment.
    The EA assesses the potential environmental effects of the proposed 
modification, construction, and operation at an existing liquefied 
natural gas (LNG) storage facility. The proposed project would allow 
DOMAC to establish a mutually beneficial thermal energy exchange 
arrangement between its LNG Plant and the Island End Cogeneration 
Project (Power Project) and to supply 66,000 MMBtu per day of 
regasified LNG to the Power Project. The proposed modifications would 
include:
     Installation of a closed-loop hot and cold water thermal 
energy transfer system consisting of piping, a warm water storage tank, 
water-to-water heat exchangers, and five water pumps;
     Substitution of existing low, medium, and high pressure 
vaporizers with equivalent capacity shell-and-tube hot water heat 
exchangers compatible with the thermal energy transfer system;
     Minor LNG Plant modifications necessary to meter and 
connect the Power Project's fuel supply line to the LNG Plant; and
     Installation of a new utility water supply system to serve 
both the LNG Plant and the Power Project.
    The EA has been placed in the public files of the FERC. A limited 
number of copies of the EA are available for distribution and 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.
    Copies of the EA have been mailed to Federal, state and local 
agencies, public

[[Page 17655]]

interest groups, interested individuals, newspapers, and parties to 
this proceeding.
    Any person wishing to comment on the EA 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 the 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 Street, NE, Room 1A, 
Washington, DC 20426;
     Label one copy of the comments for the attention of Gas 
Group I, PJ-11.1;
     Reference Docket No. CP00-55-000; and
     Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, DC on or before May 1, 2000.
    Comments will be considered by the Commission but will not serve to 
make the commentor a party to the 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).
    The date for filing timely motions to intervene in this proceeding 
has passed. Therefore, parties now seeking to file late interventions 
must show good cause, as required by section 395.214(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.
    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, 
to 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 ``CHIPS'' 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.

Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 00-8273 Filed 4-3-00; 8:45 am]
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