[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 136 (Friday, July 14, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43746-43748]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-17817]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP00-165-000]


Transcontinental Gas Pipeline Company; Notice of Intent To 
Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Sundance Expansion 
Project, Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Schedule to 
Hold Site Visits

July 10, 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 Sundance Expansion Project 
(Sundance Project) involving construction and operation of facilities 
by Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company (Transco) in several counties 
in North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi.\1\ These 
facilities would consist of about 38 miles of 42- and 48-inch diameter 
pipeline, 41,225 horsepower (hp) of additional compression, piping 
modification at one compressor station, and installation of gas coolers 
at another compressor station. 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\ Transco's application was filed with the Commission under 
Section 7 of the Natural Gas Act and Part 157 of the Commissions' 
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 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 Transco 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 
(ww.ferc.fed.us).

Summary of the Proposed Project

    Transco wants to expand the capacity of its mainline pipeline 
facility in Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and North Carolina to 
transport an additional 236,383 dekatherms per day of natural gas to 12 
shippers. Transco seeks authority to construct and operate the 
following facilities:
     12.03 miles of 42-inch diameter pipeline loop from 
milepost 772.81 on transco's mainline in Clark County, Mississippi to 
milepost 784.84 in Choctaw County, Alabama (the ``Desoto loop'');
     9.36 miles of 48-inch diameter pipeline loop from milepost 
851.46 on Transco's main line in Dallas County, Alabama to milepost 
860.82 in Perry County, Alabama (the ``Summerville loop'');
     Piping modifications at Transco's existing Compressor 
Station No. 105, located in Coosa County, Alabama;
     8.97 miles of 42-inch diameter pipeline loop from milepost 
1247.03 on Transco's mainline in Cleveland County, North Carolina to 
milepost 1256.00 in Gaston County, North Caroline (the ``Kings Mountain 
loop'');
     7.67 miles of 42-inch diameter pipeline loop from milepost 
1287.11 on Transco's mainline to milepost 1294.78 in Iredell County, 
North Carolina (the ``Mooresville loop''):
     One new 18,975 horsepower compressor unit, and the 
uprating of an existing 15,000 horsepower compression unit, and an 
existing 16,500 horsepower compressor unit to 18,975 horsepower each at 
Transco's existing Compressor Station No. 115, located in Coweta 
County, Georgia. The proposed Sundance project will increase the total 
certificated compression at this station to 56,425 horsepower;
     One new 15,000 horsepower compression unit, and the 
uprating of an existing 4,000 horsepower compression unit to 4,800 
horsepower at Transco's existing Compressor Station No. 125, located in 
Walton County, Georgia. The proposed Sundance project will increase the 
total certificated compression at this station to 38,800 horsepower; 
and
     Gas coolers at Transco's existing Compressor Station No. 
150, located in Iredell County, North Carolina.
    The general 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, 
N.E., Washington, D.C. 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 pipeline additions would require about 
516.4 acres of land. Following construction, about 164.9 acres would be 
maintained as new pipeline right of way. The remaining 351.5 acres of 
land would be restored and allowed to revert to its former use.
    Installation of new facilities at the four existing compressor 
stations would require a total of about 8.1 acres of land area. 
However, no increase in land area would be required during operation of 
these facilities.

[[Page 43747]]

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 area of 
concern.
    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 at the beginning of 
page 6.

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 Transco. This preliminary 
list of issues may be changed based on your comments and our analysis.

 Geology and Soils
    --Erosion control and right-of-way restoration.
    --Potential for mixing of topsoil and subsoil.
 Water Resources and Wetlands
    --A total of 85 perennial water bodies would be crossed.
    --A total of 61 wetlands, including 7.18 acres of forested and 5.76 
acres of non-forested wetlands along the pipeline construction right of 
way, would be crossed.
 Biological Resources
    --Impacts on 24 federally threatened and/or endangered species that 
may be present in the project area.
    --Impacts on about 213 acres of upland forest and scrub-shrub 
habitat.
 Cultural Resources
    --Impacts on prehistoric and historic sites
    --Native American concerns
 Land Use
    --Impacts on about 226 acres of rangeland.
    --Impacts on residential areas.
    --Visual effects of the aboveground facilities on surrounding 
areas.
    --Impacts on 15 residents within 50 feet of the proposed 
construction area.
 Air and Noise Quality
    --Impacts on local air and noise environment as a result of 
operation of the new compressor upgrades.
 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.
 Nonjurisdictional Facilities
    --We have made a preliminary decision to not address the impacts of 
the nonjurisdictional facilities. We will briefly describe their 
location and status in the EA.
    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.

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/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 Gas/
Hydro Group.
     Reference Docket No. CP00-165-000.
     Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, DC on or before August 31, 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.

Schedule of Site Visits

    The Commission staff will be conducting an environmental site visit

[[Page 43748]]

of each facility proposed for the Sundance Expansion project during the 
week beginning on August 14 and continuing through August 18, 2000. The 
following list specifies the time and location to meet staff at each 
project facility.

Monday, August 14, 2000

    Mooresville Loop: Noon, First United Methodist Church parking lot, 
Hwy. 115 at Fairview Road, Mt. Mourne, NC.

Tuesday, August 15, 2000

    Kings Mountain Loop: 9 a.m., Ramada Inn Limited parking lot, 728 
York Road, Kings Mountain, NC.

Wednesday, August 16, 2000

    Transco's Compressor Station 125: 9 a.m., 1001 James Huff Road, 
Monroe, GA.
    Transco's Compressor Station 115: 1 p.m., 510 Keith Road, Newnan, 
GA.

Thursday, August 17, 2000

    Transco's Compressor Station 105: 9 a.m., 235 Hwy. 22 East, 
Rockford, AL.
    Summerfield Loop: 1 p.m., Black Belt Regional Research and 
Extension Center, Main Building parking lot, County Road 58, 0.3-mile 
west of County Road 45, Marion Junction, AL.

Friday, August 18, 2000

    DeSoto Loop: 9 a.m., First United Methodist Church parking lot, 203 
E. Franklin Street, Quitman, MS.
    Anyone interested in participating in the site visit may contact 
Mr. Paul McKee of the Commission's Office of External Affairs at (202) 
208-1088 with any questions, or to obtain updates on the above schedule 
should changes occur while staff is en route to the meeting locations. 
Participants must provide their own transportation.

David P. Boergers,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 00-17817 Filed 7-13-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M