[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 67 (Thursday, April 6, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18085-18086]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-8465]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP00-48-000]


Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company; Notice of Intent To Prepare an 
Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Londonderry Replacement 
Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues

March 31, 2000.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC of 
Commission) will prepare an environmental assessment (EA) that will 
discuss the environmental impacts of the Londonderry Replacement 
Project involving construction and operation of facilities by Tennessee 
Gas Pipeline company (Tennessee Gas) in Middlesex County, 
Massachusetts, and Hillsborough and Rockingham Counties, New 
Hampshire.\1\ These facilities would consist of about 19.3 miles of 20-
inch-diameter pipeline replacing 8-inch-diameter pipeline. Tennessee 
Gas proposes to locate the new pipeline in the same right-of-way 
occupied by the replaced pipeline and a 12-inch-diameter pipeline that 
would remain in place. This 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\ Tennessee Gas's application was filed with the Commission 
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 receiving this notice, you may be contacted 
by a pipeline company representative about the replacement of the 
pipeline or 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 Tennessee Gas provided to landowners. 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).

Summary of the Proposed Project

    Tennessee Gas wants to expand the capacity of its facilities in 
Massachusetts and New Hampshire to transport 130,000 dekatherms per day 
(dthd) of natural gas to the AES-Londonderry Project proposed by AES 
Enterprises (AES). The AES-Londonderry Project is a 720-megawatt, 
natural gas-fired combined cycle power plant. Tennessee Gas seeks 
authority to construct and operate
     19.3 miles of 20-inch-diameter pipeline in Middlesex 
County, Massachusetts, and Hillsborough and Rockingham Counties, New 
Hampshire;
     A new 130,000 dthd meter site adjacent to the existing 
Londonderry Meter Station in Rockingham County, New Hampshire; and
     Four new mainline valves.
    The 20-inch-diameter pipeline and three of the mainline valves will 
replace 19.3 miles of the existing 8-inch-diameter Concord #1 Lateral 
(270B-100) from Valve 270B--103 in Dracut, Massachusetts, to the 
Londonderry Meter Station in Londonderry, New Hampshire, and three 
associated 8-inch mainline valves.
    The location of the project facilities is shown in appendix 1.\2\
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    \2\ 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., 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 require about 182.2 
acres of land. Following construction, about 92.5 acres would be 
maintained for the new facility sites, however, all of this area would 
be within the existing right-of-way. The remaining 89.7 acres of land 
would be restored and allowed to revert to its former use.

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 
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 Notice of Intent, 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. 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.
    The EA will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of the 
construction and operation of the proposed project under these general 
headings:

 geology and soils
 water resources, fisheries, and wetlands

[[Page 18086]]

 vegetation and wildlife
 public safety
 land use
 cultural resources
 endangered and threatened species

    We will also 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.
    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, public 
interest groups, interested individuals, affected landowners, 
newspapers, 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.
    To ensure your comments are considered, please carefully follow the 
instructions in the public participation section below.

Currently Identified Environmental Issues

    We have already identified several issues that we think deserve 
attention based on a preliminary review of the proposed facilities and 
the environmental information and comments provided by Tennessee Gas 
and intervenors. This preliminary list of issues may be changed based 
on your additional comments and our analysis.
     Eight federally listed endangered or threatened species 
may occur in the proposed project area.
     A total of about 46 acres of wetlands would be crossed.
     At least 52 residences and 4 apartment complexes would be 
located within 50 feet of the proposed construction work area.
     Two school properties would be crossed.
    Also, we have made a preliminary decision to not address the 
impacts of the nonjurisdictional facilities since the AES-Londonderry 
Project has been approved by the state and has received all necessary 
Federal permits. We will briefly describe their location and status in 
the EA.

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 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., NE, 
Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426.
     Label one copy of the comments for the attention of OEP-
Gas 2.
     Reference Docket No. CP00-48-000.
     Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, DC on or before May 1, 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 
taken off the mailing list.

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.

Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 00-8465 Filed 4-5-00; 8:45 am]
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