[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