[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 243 (Monday, December 18, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 79097-79100]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-32083]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[FERC Docket Nos. CP01-22-000 and No. CP01-23-000; CSLC EIR No. 703, 
BLM Reference No. CACA-42662]


North Baja Pipeline, LLC; Notice of Intent/Preparation To Prepare 
a Joint Environmental Impact Statement/Report for the Proposed North 
Baja Pipeline Project, Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, 
and Notice of Public Scoping Meetings and Site Visit

December 12, 2000.
    The staffs of the Federal Energy Regulatory commission (FERC or 
Commission) and the California State Lands Commission (CSLC) will 
jointly prepare an environmental impact statement/report (EIS/EIR) that 
will discuss the environmental impacts of North Baja Pipeline, LLC's 
(NBP) proposed North Baja Pipeline Project in La Paz County, Arizona, 
and Riverside and Imperial Counties, California.\1\ The North Baja 
Pipeline Project would involve the construction and operation of about 
79.8 miles of 36- and 30-inch-diameter pipeline and a new 18,810-
horsepower (hp) compressor station. The FERC will use this EIS/EIR in 
its decision-making process to determine whether the project is in the 
public convenience and necessity. The CSLC will use the document to 
consider NBP's application for leasing the State's Sovereign and School 
Lands for the pipeline.
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    \1\ NBP's applications in Docket Nos. CP01-22-000 and CP01-23-
000 were filed with the FERC under sections 7(c) and 3 of the 
Natural Gas Act, respectively.
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    The FERC will be the lead Federal agency in the preparation of this 
EIS/EIR while the CSLC will be the State Lead Agency for California. 
The joint document, which will avoid much duplication of environmental 
analyses, will satisfy the requirements of both the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the California Environmental 
Quality Act (CEQA).
    If you are a landowner receiving this notice, you may be contacted 
by a NBP 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

[[Page 79098]]

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?'' should have been 
attached to the project notice NBP 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).
    This notice is being sent to affected landowners along NBP's 
proposed and alternative routes; Federal, state, and local government 
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 effect; local libraries, 
newspapers, and television stations; commentors on the FERC Notice of 
Application; and the commission's list of parties to the proceeding. 
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 notice we \2\ are asking other 
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 EIS/EIR. These agencies may choose to 
participate once they have evaluated NBP's proposal relative to their 
responsibilities. Agencies who would like to request cooperating status 
should follow the instructions for filing comments described later in 
this notice.
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    \2\ ``We,'' ``us,'' and ``our'' refer to the staffs of the 
FERC's Office of Energy Projects and the CSLC.
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    Because of the federally-managed land that the proposal would 
affect, NBP has filed a right-of-way application with the El Centro 
Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). As part of 
considering NBP's application, the BLM has agreed to meet its NEPA 
responsibilities by participating as a cooperating agency in the 
preparation of this EIS/EIR. Also, the BLM will consider a plan 
amendment which may be necessary for pipeline construction outside of 
the designated utility corridors as described in the California Desert 
Conservation Area Plan, 1980 (as amended).

Summary of the Proposed Project

    NBP's proposed action consists of the construction and operation 
of:
     About 79.8 miles of 36-inch-diameter (11.5 miles) and 30-
inch-diameter (68.3 miles) natural gas pipeline (North Baja Pipeline) 
extending from an interconnection with El Paso Natural Gas Company (El 
Paso) in La Paz County, Arizona, through Riverside and Imperial 
Counties, California, to an interconnection at the international border 
between the United States and Mexico;
     A new compressor station (Ehrenburg Compressor Station) 
consisting of three 6,270-hp, gas-fired centrifugal compressor units 
(with one additional 6,270-hp spare unit) at the El Paso interconnect 
in La Paz County, Arizona;
     Two meter stations, one at the interconnect with El Paso 
at the Ehrenberg Compressor Station site (Ehrenberg Meter Station) and 
one in Imperial County, California near the interconnect at the 
international border (Ogilby Meter Station); and
     A pig launcher facility at the Ehrenberg Compressor 
Station site; a pig receiver facility at the Ogilby Meter Station site; 
and a separate pig launcher/receiver facility (Rannells Trap) in 
Riverside County, California.
    The general location of the major project facilities is shown in 
appendix 1.\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, 
N.E., Room 2A, Washington, DC 20426, or call (202) 208-1371. For 
instructions on connecting to RIMS, refer to the page 10 of this 
notice. Copies of the appendices were sent to all those receiving 
this notice in the mail.
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    In addition, NPB requests in Docket No. CP01-23-000 a Presidential 
Permit to site, construct, operate, and maintain pipeline facilities at 
the international border between the U.S. and Mexico.
    The proposed facilities would be used to transport 500 million 
cubic feet per day of natural gas from the proposed interconnect with 
the existing El Paso pipeline to the U.S./Mexico border where it would 
interconnect with a new pipeline, Gasoducto Bajanorte, to be 
constructed by Sempra Energy Mexico (Sempra). The natural gas would 
then be transported westward on the Gasoducto Bajanorte pipeline to an 
interconnection with the existing Transportadora de Gas Natural de Baja 
California (TGN) pipeline in Baja California, Mexico. The TGN pipeline 
extends from Rosarita, Mexico to an interconnection with San Diego Gas 
and Electric Company pipeline facilities at the San Diego/Tijuana 
border. The natural gas transported on these pipelines would supply 
existing and planned power plants in Mexico that would serve electric 
power demand in northern Baja California, Mexico, and western U.S. 
markets.
    The North Baja Pipeline Project is scheduled to be in service in 
September 2002. Construction is scheduled to take place between April 
and September 2002, although construction may occur outside this time 
period. The approximate duration of construction is 6 months for the 
compressor station and 4 months for the pipeline.

Land Requirements for Construction

    Construction of NBP's proposed facilities would affect a total of 
about 942.2 acres of land. Following construction, about 457.3 acres 
would be retained as permanent right-of-way. The remaining 484.9 acres 
of temporary work space would be restored and allowed to revert to 
former use.
    The nominal construction right-of-way for pipeline would be 80 feet 
wide, with 50 feet retained as permanent right-of-way. However, where 
the pipeline is proposed for construction within 18th Avenue on the 
southern outskirts of Blythe, California (about 7.6 miles), the nominal 
construction right-of-way would be about 60 feet, with 5 feet retained 
as permanent right-of-way. About 63 percent of the pipeline route would 
abut or overlap existing road or powerline rights-of-way. Additionally, 
a total of about 70 percent of the land affected by construction and 
operation of the North Baja Pipeline Project would be on public lands 
managed by the BLM (59 percent), the CSLC (1 percent), or California 
counties (10 percent).
    The Ehrenberg Compressor Station, Ehrenberg Meter Station, and a 
pig launcher would be constructed on 12.4 acres of land within an 
approximate 80-acre site has been acquired by NBP. The Rannells Trap 
pig launcher/receiver facility would be constructed on a 0.7-acre site 
that would be leased/acquired from a private landowner. The Ogilby 
Meter Station and a pig receiver would be constructed on a 0.9-acre 
site that would be leased from the BLM. Mainline valves would be 
installed within each of these aboveground facilities and another four 
mainline valves would be spaced as required within the permanent 
pipeline right-of-way along the pipeline route.

The EIS/EIR Process

    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. The 
CSLC, as State Lead Agency for California, is required to consider the 
same potential impacts within the State of California under

[[Page 79099]]

CEQA. The EIS/EIR we are preparing will give both the FERC and the CSLC 
the information we need to do that.
    NEPA and CEQA also require 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 EIS/EIR on 
the important environmental issues. By this notice, we are requesting 
public comments on the scope of the issues to be analyzed and presented 
in the EIS/EIR. All comments received are considered during the 
preparation of the EIS/EIR.
    Our independent analysis of the issues will result in the 
publication of a Draft EIS/EIR. The Draft EIS/EIR will be mailed to 
Federal, state, and local government agencies; elected officials; 
environmental and public interest groups; Indian tribes; affected 
landowners; local libraries, newspapers, and television stations; other 
interested parties; and the Commission's official service list for this 
proceeding. We will consider all comments on the Draft EIS/EIR and 
revise the document, as necessary, before issuing a Final EIS/EIR. The 
Final EIS/EIR will include our response to all comments received.

Currently Identified Environmental Issues

    The EIS/EIR will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of 
the construction and operation of the proposed project. We have already 
identified a number of issues that we think deserve attention based on 
a preliminary review of the proposed facilities and the environmental 
information provided by NBP. This preliminary list of issues may be 
changed based on your comments and our analysis.

 Geology and Soils:

    -- Assessment of potential geologic hazards.
    -- Effect on prime farmland soils.
    -- Desert construction, erosion control, and restoration.

 Water Resources and Wetlands:

    -- Directional drill of the Colorado River and All American Canal.
    -- Dry crossings of irrigation canals and drains in the Palo Verde 
Irrigation District.
    -- Open-cut crossings of 579 dry washes.
    -- Effect on 2.5 acres of wetlands.

 Vegetation and Wildlife:

    -- Effect on 573.2 acres of Sonoran creosote bush scrub.
    -- Effect on 96.9 acres of desert wash woodland.

 Endangered and Threatened Species:

    -- Potential effect on 9 federally listed species (including the 
desert tortoise).
    -- Potential effect on 31 state-listed species.

 Cultural Resources:

    -- Effect on historic and prehistoric sites.
    -- Native American and tribal concerns.

 Land Use, Recreation, and Visual Resources:

    -- Temporary effect on 13.8 acres of agricultural land.
    -- Permanent conversion of 13.1 acres of land from agricultural to 
industrial use.
    -- Temporary disturbance to residents who use 18th Avenue as access 
to their homes and businesses.
    -- Effect on about 56 miles of public land.
    -- Amendment to the California Desert Conservation Area Plan.
    -- Visual impacts.

 Socioeconomics:

    -- Potential effects on transportation and traffic.
    -- Effects of construction workforce demands on public services and 
temporary housing.

 Air Quality and Noise:

    -- Effects on local air quality and noise environment from 
construction and operation of the Ehrenberg Compressor Station.

 Reliability and Safety:

    -- Assessment of hazards associated with natural gas pipelines.

 Alternatives:

    -- Assessment or alternative routes and existing systems to reduce 
or avoid environmental impacts.
    -- Route alternatives in the Blythe and Cibola areas.
    -- Deviations from California Desert Conservation Area Desert Plan 
designated Utility Corridor J.

 Cumulative Impact:

    -- Assessment of the effect of the proposed project when combined 
with other projects that have been or may be proposed in the same 
region and similar time frame.

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 EIS/EIR and considered by the 
Commission and the CSLC. You should focus on the potential 
environmental effects of the proposal, alternatives to the proposal 
(including alternative locations and 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 an 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;
     Reference Docket No. CP01-22-000;
     Label one copy of your comments for the attention of the 
Gas Group 1, PJ-11.1;
     Send an additional copy of your letter to the following 
individual: Goodyear K. Walker, California State Lands Commission, 100 
Howe Ave., Suite 100 South, Sacramento, CA 95825.
     Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, DC on or before February 5, 2001.
    Comments may also be filed electronically via the internet in lieu 
of paper. See 18 CFR 385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions on the 
Commission's website at http://www.ferc.fed.us/efi/doorbell.htm under 
the link to the User's Guide. Before you can file comments you will 
need to create an account by clicking on ``Login to File'' and then 
``New User Account.''
    Everyone who responds to this notice or comments throughout the 
EIS/EIR process will be retained on our mailing list. If you do not 
want to send comments at this time but still want to keep informed and 
receive copies of the Draft and Final EIS/EIR, please return the 
Information Request (appendix 3). You must send comments or return the 
Information Request for your name to remain on the mailing list.

Public Scoping Meetings and Site Visit

    In addition to or in lieu of sending written comments, we invite 
you to attend the public scoping meetings that the FERC, CSLC, and BLM 
will conduct in the project area. The locations and times for these 
meetings are listed below.

Wednesday, January 10, 2001, 7:00 p.m.: Vacation Inn, 2000 Cottonwood 
Circle, El Centro, California 92243, (760) 352-9523
Thursday, January 11, 2001, 7:00 p.m.: Blythe City Council Chamber, 235 
North Broadway, Blythe, California 92225, (760) 922- 6161

    The public scoping meetings are designed to provide you with more 
detailed information and another opportunity to offer your comments on

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the proposed project NBP representatives will be present at the scoping 
meetings to describe their proposal. Interested groups and individuals 
are encouraged to attend the meetings and to present comments on the 
environmental issues they believe should be addressed in the EIS/EIR. A 
transcript of each meeting will be made so that your comments will be 
accurately recorded.
    On January 10 and 11, 2001, we will also be conducting a site visit 
to the project area. This will be an on-the-ground inspection, 
conducted by automobile on public roads, or where access to private 
property has been granted (specific locations to be determined later). 
Anyone interested in participating in the site visit may contact the 
Commission's Office of External Affairs identified at the end of this 
notice for more details and must provide their own transportation.

Becoming an Intervenor

    In addition to involvement in the EIS/EIR 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 be 
adequately represented by any other parties. You do not need intervenor 
status to have your environmental comments considered.

Availability of Additional Information

    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.
    Information concerning the involvement of the CSLC in the EIS/EIR 
process may be obtained from Kirk Walker, EIR Project Manager, at (916) 
574-1893, or on the California State Lands website at http://www/
slc.ca.gov.

David P. Boergers,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 00-32083 Filed 12-15-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M