[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 192 (Tuesday, October 3, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58990-58992]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-25309]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP00-394-000]


William Gas Pipelines Central, Inc.; Notice of Intent To Prepare 
an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Pampa Pipeline (Line G) 
Abandonment Project, and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues

September 27, 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 abandonment of facilities 
proposed in the Williams Gas Pipelines Central, Inc. (Williams) Pampa 
Pipeline (Line G), also known as the Wichita-Ottawa line, Abandonment 
Project in Butler, Chase, and Lyon Counties, Kansas.\1\ These 
facilities consist of about 64.3 miles of 16- and 20-inch-diameter 
pipeline. The EA will be used by the Commission in its decision-making 
process to determine whether the project in the public convenience and 
necessity.
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    \1\ Williams' application was filed with the Commission on June 
21, 2000, 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 on Williams' existing Line G pipeline and 
receive this notice, you may be contacted by a pipeline company 
representative about the proposed abandonment of facilities. The 
pipeline company would seek to negotiate a mutually acceptable 
agreement in regards to additional work space for pipe staging areas 
needed for the proposed abandonment of facilities. 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 Williams provided to landowners along the Line G 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 of Intent (NOI) is being sent to landowners of property 
crossed by Williams' Line G; Federal, state, and

[[Page 58991]]

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; 
local libraries and newspapers; and the Commission's list of parties to 
the proceeding. 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 NOI we \2\ 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 EA. These agencies may choose to participate once 
they have evaluated Williams' proposal relative to their agencies' 
responsibilities. Agencies who would like to request cooperating status 
should follow the instructions for filing comments described below.
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    \2\ ``We,'' ``us,'' and ``our'' refer to the environment staff 
of the Office of Energy Projects, part of the Commission staff.
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Summary of the Proposed Project

    In an ongoing effort to eliminate old, high maintenance pipelines 
on its system, Williams is proposing to abandon by sale for reclaim 
another portion of the Pampa 20-inch pipeline extending from El Dorado, 
Kansas to Neosho Rapids, Kansas (Line G). Over the years, the Pampa 
line has been the source of thousands of leaks and high maintenance 
costs, primarily at the couplings. In view of the age of the line and 
the construction techniques used, it is anticipated that Williams would 
have ongoing problem with this pipeline. Accordingly, Williams has 
determined that the best course of action is to continue to abandon the 
Pampa line when opportunity arises.
    Williams proposes to abandon by sale about 64.3 miles of its Line 
G, consisting of 59.4 miles of 20-inch-diameter pipeline and 4.9 miles 
of 16-inch-diameter pipeline. The purchaser would, in turn, reclaim 
about 57.1 miles of pipeline (4.5 miles of 16-inch-diameter pipeline 
and 52.6 miles of 20-inch-diameter pipeline) for salvage and would 
abandon in place about 7.2 miles of pipeline (0.4 mile of 16-inch-
diameter pipeline and 6.8 miles of 20-inch-diameter pipeline).
    The pipeline would be abandoned in place at road and railroad 
crossings, all waterbody and wetland crossings, and any other 
environmentally sensitive locations (e.g., residences), unless the pipe 
is exposed and is causing a safety hazard.
    Due to a few landowners requesting that the pipeline be abandoned 
in place on their property, Williams is now in the process of 
evaluating the amount of pipe that might be reclaimed versus what might 
be abandoned in place and contacting a possible purchaser to estimate a 
market value. Should the results indicate that the benefits of 
reclaiming the pipeline are negligible or outweighed by abandoning the 
pipe in place, then Williams shall reconsider the current application.
    The general location of Williams' proposed facilities is shown on 
the map attached as appendix 2.\3\
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    \3\ 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 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 Abandonment by Removal

    The current permanent right-of-way width is 66 feet. Removal of the 
proposed facilities would require about 462 acres of land, of which 5.2 
acres would be used for additional work space needed for temporary 
storage of the reclaimed pipe until it can be loaded onto trucks and 
removed from the area. Upon completion of the removal project the 
current permanent right-of-way and additional work space no longer be 
required and the land would be restored and would revert back to the 
landowner and 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 NOI, 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.
    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, elected 
officials, affected landowners, regional public interest groups, Indian 
tribes, local newspapers and 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.

Currently Identified Environmental Issues

    The EA will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of 
abandonment of the proposed project. Landowners requesting that the 
pipeline on their property be abandoned in place has been identified as 
an issue that we think deserves attention based on a preliminary review 
of the proposed facilities and the environmental information provided 
by Williams.

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 original and 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 
Environmental Gas Group 1, PJ-11.1;
     Reference Docket No. CP00-394-000; and
     Mail yor comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, DC on or before October 30, 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 
removed from the environmental 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

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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 
the Commission's Office of External Affairs at (202) 208-0004 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. 00-25309 Filed 10-2-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M