[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 139 (Thursday, July 19, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 37667]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-18025]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket Nos. CP00-40-000, -001, and -002]


Florida Gas Transmission Company; Notice of Availability of the 
Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed FGT Phase V 
Expansion Project

July 13, 2001.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) has prepared a final environmental impact statement (EIS) 
to assess the environmental impact associated with the construction of 
facilities proposed by Florida Gas Transmission Company (FGT) and 
referred to in this final EIS as the FGT Phase V Expansion Project in 
the above-referenced docket.
    The final EIS was prepared to satisfy the requirements of the 
National Environmental Policy Act. The staff concludes that approval of 
the FGT Phase V Expansion Project, with appropriate mitigating measures 
as recommended, would have limited adverse environmental impact. The 
final EIS evaluates alternatives to the proposal, including system 
alternatives, route alternatives, and route variations.
    The final EIS assesses the potential environmental effects of the 
construction and operation of the proposed facilities in Mississippi, 
Alabama, and Florida.
    The purpose of the FGT Phase V Expansion Project is to transport up 
to 112,487 million cubic feet per day of natural gas on an annual basis 
to seven electric generation customers and others in Florida. Three of 
these customers, representing 94 percent of proposed transportation 
capacity, are in the process of developing and constructing additional 
gas-fired electric generating capacity to serve the growing market for 
electricity in Florida. FGT estimates the total cost of its Phase V 
Expansion Project at $452 million.
    FGT proposes to construct and operate an interstate natural gas 
pipeline and associated aboveground facilities under Section 7(c) of 
the Natural Gas Act (NGA) and Title 18, CFR, Part 157. FGT proposes to 
expand its existing 5,225-mile-long natural gas pipeline transmission 
system by the construction of approximately 165.8 miles of pipeline 
loops and laterals, 132,615 horsepower of additional compression at 
nine existing and three new compressor stations, and other associated 
auxiliary facilities in various locations in Mississippi, Alabama, and 
Florida.
    In addition, FGT proposes to acquire from Koch Gateway Pipeline 
Company (KGPC) an interest in KGPC's Mobile Bay Lateral that would give 
FGT the rights to about 50 percent of the available capacity on that 
system. Concurrent with FGT's filing, KGPC filed an application in 
Docket No. CP00-39-000 for approval to abandon by sale to FGT the 
interest in its Mobile Bay Lateral. However, the environmental analysis 
of this action qualifies as a categorical exclusion and is not included 
in the EIS.
    The final EIS has been placed in the public files of the FERC and 
is available for public inspection at:
    Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Public Reference and Files 
Maintenance Branch, 888 First Street, NE., Room 2A, Washington, DC 
20426, (202) 208-1371.
    Copies of the final EIS have been mailed to Federal, state and 
local agencies, public interest groups, individuals who have requested 
the final EIS, newspapers, and parties to this proceeding.
    In accordance with the Council on Environmental Quality's (CEQ) 
regulations implementing the National Environmental Policy Act, no 
agency decision on a proposed action may be made until 30 days after 
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency publishes a notice of 
availability of an final EIS. However, the CEQ regulations provide an 
exception to this rule when an agency decision is subject to a formal 
internal appeal process which allows other agencies or the public to 
make their views known. In such cases, the agency decision may be made 
at the same time the notice of the final EIS is published, allowing 
both periods to run concurrently. The Commission decision for this 
proposed action is subject to a 30-day rehearing period.
    Additional information about the proposed project is available from 
the Commission's Office of External Affairs, at (202) 208-1088 or on 
the FERC Internet website (www.ferc.gov) 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. 01-18025 Filed 7-18-01; 8:45 am]
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