[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 152 (Tuesday, August 7, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41224-41225]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-19706]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP00-412-000]


Cross Bay Pipeline Company, L.L.C. and Transcontinental Gas Pipe 
Line Corporation; Notice of Availability of the Environmental 
Assessment for the Proposed Cross Bay Project

August 1, 2001.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) has prepared an environmental assessment (EA) on the 
natural gas pipeline facilities proposed by Cross Bay Pipeline Company, 
L.L.C. (Cross Bay) and Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation 
(Transco) in the above-referenced docket.
    The EA was prepared to satisfy the requirements of the National 
Environmental Policy Act. The staff concludes that approval of the 
proposed project, with appropriate mitigating measures, would not 
constitute a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality 
of the human environment.
    The EA assesses the potential environmental effects of the proposed 
project which includes the transfer of ownership, construction, and 
operation of natural gas pipeline facilities. Cross Bay proposes to 
expand the capacity of facilities in New Jersey and New York to 
transport an additional 125,000 dekatherms per day of natural gas to 
KeySpan Energy Delivery New York and KeySpan Energy Delivery Long 
Island. Cross Bay proposes to:
     Acquire, hydrostatically test, and replace sections of 
3.27 miles of Transco's 42-inch-diameter Cross Bay Extension in 
Middlesex County, New Jersey;
     Acquire and uprate by hydrostatic testing 33.66 miles of 
Transco's 26-inch-diameter Cross Bay Extension crossing Middlesex and 
Monmouth Counties, New Jersey and Queens and Nassau Counties, New York;
     Acquire Transco's Morgan and Long Beach Meter Stations in 
Middlesex County, New Jersey and Nassau County, New York, respectively; 
and
     Construct and operate a 16,000-horsepower Cross Bay 
Compressor Station and Cross Bay Meter Station at

[[Page 41225]]

the same location in Middlesex County, New Jersey.
    The applicants also request the abandonment of certain Transco 
pipeline facilities by transfer to Cross Bay.
    The EA has been placed in the public files of the FERC. A limited 
number of copies of the EA are available for distribution and public 
inspection at: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Public Reference 
and Files Maintenance Branch, 888 First Street, N.E., Room 2A, 
Washington, DC 20426, (202) 208-1371.
    Copies of the EA have been mailed to Federal, state and local 
agencies, public interest groups, interested individuals, newspapers, 
and parties to this proceeding.
    Any person wishing to comment on the EA may do so. To ensure 
consideration prior to a Commission decision on the proposal, it is 
important that we receive your comments before the date specified 
below. 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 comments to: 
Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First St., NE., 
Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426;
     Label one copy of the comments for the attention of the 
Gas Group 1;
     Reference Docket No. CP00-412-000; and
     Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, DC on or before August 30, 2001.
    Comments, protests and interventions 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.gov under the ``e-Filing'' link and 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.''
    Comments will be considered by the Commission but will not serve to 
make the commentor a party to the proceeding. Any person seeking to 
become a party to the proceeding must file a motion to intervene 
pursuant to Rule 214 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and 
Procedures (18 CFR 385.214)\1\. Only intervenors have the right to seek 
rehearing of the Commission's decision.
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    \1\ Interventions may also be filed electronically via the 
Internet in lieu of paper. See the previous discussion on filing 
comments electronically.
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    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 comments considered.
    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. 01-19706 Filed 8-6-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P