[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 245 (Wednesday, December 20, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 79822-79823]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-32385]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP01-35-000]
Southern Natural Gas Company; Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Holy Trinity Looping Project
and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues
December 14, 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 Holy Trinity Looping Project
involving construction and operation of facilities by Southern Natural
Gas Company (Southern) in Russell County, Alabama and Stewart County,
Georgia.\1\ These facilities would consist of 7 miles of 16-inch-
diameter pipeline looping. No new aboveground facilities would be
built. 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\ Southern'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 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 Southern 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
Southern wants to expand its transmission system's capacity to
transport natural gas by constructing 7 miles of 16-inch-diameter
looping alongside the right-of-way (ROW) of its existing 16-inch
diameter pipeline. The required ROW width would include 50 feet of
existing ROW and 35 feet of additional temporary ROW for a total
construction ROW width of 85 feet. The total after-construction ROW
width would be 70 feet. Temporary 25-foot by 100-foot workspaces would
be required at wetland, directional drills of waterbodies, and
turnaround areas. A 3.87-acre temporary warehouse/pipe storage yard
(Warehouse 1) located about 3 miles south of the proposed pipeline on
the outskirts of Omaha, Georgia at County Roads 34 and 39 would be
required. Another 3.06-acre temporary warehouse/pipe storage yard
(Warehouse 2) at milepost 34.0 would be required. The Chattahoochee
River at milepost 29.67, a tributary/wetland associated with
Hannahatchee Creek at milepost 33.6, and Hannahatchee Creek at milepost
34.6 would all be directionally drilled. Approximately 10 access roads
would be required and some of them would be widened.
The locations of the project facilities, warehouse/pipe storage
yards, and access roads are shown in appendix 1, figures 1 and 2.\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 page 5 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 the use of 85
acres of land. This includes 43 acres of previously disturbed existing
ROW, 25 acres of previously undisturbed temporary ROW, and 17 acres of
previously undisturbed permanent ROW.
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
\3\ 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.
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\3\ ``We'', ``us'', and ``our'' refer to the environmental staff
of the Office of Energy Projects (OEP).
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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 land use.
water resources, cultural resources.
fisheries, and wetlands
vegetation and wildlife public safety.
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.
[[Page 79823]]
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 Southern. This preliminary
list of issues may be changed based on your comments and our analysis.
Construction within 300 feet of the Blessed Trinity
Mission and nearby sewage treatment pond.
Construction for approximately 1 mile across the
Chattahoochee River floodplain and for approximately 1 mile across the
Hannahatchee Creek floodplain.
Use of a 3.87-acre temporary warehouse/pipe storage yard
(Warehouse 1) located on the outskirts of Omaha, Georgia, at County
Roads 34 and 39, and use of a 3.06-acre temporary warehouse/pipe
storage yard (Warehouse 2) at milepost 34.0 in Stewart County, Georgia.
The widening of 10 logging roads up to 25 feet wide for
use as temporary access roads.
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 an original and two copies of your letter to: David
P. Boergers, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First
Street, St., NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426.
Label one copy of the comments for the attention of Gas 2.
Reference Docket No. CP01-035-000.
Mail your comments so that they will be received in
Washington, DC on or before January 16, 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 web site 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 which can be created by clicking on ``Login
to File'' and then ``New User Account.''
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
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.
David P. Boergers,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 00-32385 Filed 12-19-00; 8:00 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M