[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 97 (Thursday, May 18, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31548-31550]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-12469]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP00-141-000]


Northwest Pipeline Corporation; Notice of Intent To Prepare an 
Environmental Assessment for the Proposed White River Replacement 
Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues

May 12, 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 White River Replacement 
Project involving construction and operation of facilities by Northwest 
Pipeline Corporation (Northwest) in King County, Washington.\1\ These 
facilities would consist of about 2000 feet of pipeline. 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\ Northwest'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 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

[[Page 31549]]

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 northwest 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

    Northwest wants to ensure the long-term safety and integrity of its 
dual pipelines where they cross the meandering White River in King 
County, Washington, by replacing certain sections at a deeper depth. 
Northwest seeks authority to construct and operate 1900 feet each of 
its 26-inch-diameter and a 30-inch-diameter pipeline. Approximately 
1600 feet of the abandonment and replacement would occur south of the 
river and 300 feet would occur north of the river. No construction 
activities would occur on these two pipelines in the active river as 
this section was previously buried at a sufficient depth. The 
replacement pipelines would be offset 100 feet west of the existing 
pipelines. Additionally, Northwest would remove a 665-foot length of 
26-inch-diameter pipeline from the stream channel which was previously 
abandoned in-place. Northwest would construct a permanent stabilization 
structure on the north bank and a permanent habitat enhancement 
structure near the south bank.
    The location of the project facilities is shown in appendix 1, 
figures 1-3.

Land Requirements for Construction

    Replacement of the proposed facilities would require the use of 
22.2 acres of land, including 6.0 acres of existing right-of-way (ROW), 
10.7 acres of new ROW, 4.4 acres of industrial land located 3.3 miles 
to the west in the town of Auburn, and 1.1 acres of unimproved open 
land located 1400 feet north of the pipeline work area. The final 
permanent ROW would be 3.9 acres.

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 had 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
     vegetation and wildlife
     endangered and threatened species
     public safety
     land use
     cultural resources
     air quality and noise
     hazardous waste
    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 our comments are considered, please carefully follow the 
instructions in the public participation section beginning on page 4.

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 provided by Northwest. This preliminary 
list of issues may be changed based on your comments and our analysis.
     Construction in a stream channel used by the federally 
threatened Puget Sound Chinook salmon and bull trout and the candidate 
species Coho salmon.
     Construction of fish habitat enhancement logjams near the 
south bank.
     Use of temporary and permanent ROW on the Muckleshoot 
Indian Reservation.
     Construction of a bank stabilization structure on the 
north side of the White River channel.
     Clearing of a 5.8-acre area of forest and scrub-shrub 
vegetation; and the disturbance of a 2-acre riparian area and a 0.1 
acre area of wetland.

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, 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: David P. Boergers, 
Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First St., NW., 
Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426.
     Label one copy of the comments for the attention of Gas 
Group 2.
     Reference Docket No. DP00-141-000.
     Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, DC on or before June 12, 2000.

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 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.

[[Page 31550]]

    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. 00-12469 Filed 5-17-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M