[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 174 (Friday, September 7, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46786-46789]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-22487]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP01-409-000]


Calypso Pipeline, L.L.C.; Notice of Intent To Prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Request Calypso Natural 
Gas Pipeline Project, Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and 
Notice of a Public Scoping Meeting and Site Visit

August 31, 2001.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) and the Minerals Management Service (MMS) will prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that will analyze the 
environmental impacts of the proposed Calypso Natural Gas Pipeline 
Project involving construction and operation of facilities by Calypso 
Pipeline, L.L.C. (Calypso).\1\ The proposed pipeline originates in the 
Bahamas and would come ashore at Port Everglades, Florida. These 
facilities would consist of about 41.8 miles of 24-inch diameter 
pipeline (approximately 36.0 miles offshore and approximately 5.8 miles 
onshore), a meter and pressure regulation station with a pig receiver, 
and 2 block valves. This EIS will be used by the Commission in its 
decision-making process to determine whether the project is in the 
public convenience and necessity. The MMS will have primary 
responsibility for offshore analysis in U.S. waters and will coordinate 
with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers regarding Florida state waters 
review.
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    \1\ Calypso's application was filed with the Commission on July 
20, 2001, under Section 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act as amended, and 
Parts 157 and 284 of the Commission's regulations.
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    The application and other supplemental filings in this docket are 
available for viewing on the FERC Internet Web site (www.ferc.gov). 
Click on the ``RIMS'' link, select ``Docket '' from the RIMS 
Menu, and follow the instructions. General information about the MMS 
and detailed information regarding Florida state and Federal waters can 
be accessed at the MMS Internet Web site (www.mms.gov).
    The FERC is the lead agency and the MMS is a Federal cooperating 
agency for this project because the MMS has jurisdiction by law as well 
as special expertise regarding the potential environmental impacts 
associated with that portion of the proposed pipeline that would be 
installed on the Outer Continental Shelf.
    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 that Calypso 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 Web site 
(www.ferc.gov).

Summary of the Proposed Project

    Florida is experiencing a substantial increase in demand for 
electric power as a result of population growth in the state. Calypso's 
proposed project would transport into Florida up to 832 million 
standard cubic feet per day of natural gas. The project would deliver 
the gas to an interconnect with the Florida Gas Transmission Company 
(FGT) system. The Calypso Natural Gas Pipeline Project would be located 
onshore in Broward County, Florida and offshore in the Atlantic Ocean. 
The project would receive gas at the U.S./Bahamian Exclusive Economic 
Zone (EEZ) at a subsea connection to a 24-inch pipeline, referred to as 
the Grand Bahama Island Pipeline, transporting natural gas from a 
proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) storage facility in Freeport, 
Grand Bahama Island. The LNG facility and the Grand Bahama Island 
Pipeline are non-jurisdictional facilities.
    Hawksbill Creek LNG, Ltd., a Bahamian company, proposes to 
construct and operate the LNG terminal in Freeport, Grand Bahama Island 
that would receive LNG tankers arriving from international LNG supply 
locations. The LNG would be offloaded from the tankers and stored in 
specially designed storage tanks. From there, the LNG would be 
revaporized in heat exchangers on the terminal site and the resulting 
natural gas would be fed into the 24-inch-diameter offshore pipeline.
    The FERC and MMS authorizations for this project would not extend 
eastward of the EEZ. The Government of the Bahamas regulates matters 
pertaining to the environment and safety and traditionally requires an 
environmental impact assessment as a condition to approving a project 
such as the LNG terminal and Grand Bahama Island Pipeline. The 
Government of the Bahamas is in the process of reviewing the 
environmental impact assessment for these facilities.
    The LNG facility and the Grand Bahama Island Pipeline are not part 
of the facilities proposed in Calypso's application to the FERC. In its 
application, Calypso seeks authority to construct and operate the 
following:
     Offshore Pipeline Segment
    The proposed offshore pipeline segment will be located in the 
Atlantic Ocean, off the southeast Florida coastline, and will consist 
of approximately 36 miles (31.2 nautical miles) of 24-inch-diameter 
pipeline (Offshore Pipeline). The Offshore Pipeline will traverse the 
Atlantic Ocean, starting at the U.S./Bahamian EEZ, passing through 
Federal and state waters, and ending at a shoreline entry at Port 
Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida to connect with the proposed 
Calypso onshore pipeline segment.
    The Port Everglades, Florida shore approach would be installed 
utilizing horizontal directional drilling (HDD) techniques to minimize 
impacts to three near-shore coral reefs. The pipeline would be 
directionally drilled out from an upland site at Nova Southeastern 
University to a point 4,616 feet from shore on the north side of the 
Port Everglades entrance channel. From this point, a 2,132-foot long by 
25-foot wide ditch would be open cut through a spoil area to the 
origination of a second directional drill. The second directional drill 
would be used to extend the pipeline an additional 5,130 feet to the 
northeast exiting in about 120 feet of water. Finally, the pipeline 
between 120 feet and 200 feet of water would be covered with 
prefabricated flexible concrete mats. Where water depths exceed 200 
feet, the offshore pipeline would be laid directly on the sea floor.
     Onshore Pipeline Segment
    The proposed onshore pipeline segment will be located in Broward 
County, Florida and will consist of approximately 5.8 miles of 24-inch-
diameter pipeline (Onshore Pipeline). The Onshore Pipeline will start 
at the terminus of the proposed Offshore

[[Page 46787]]

Pipeline (the Port Everglades shoreline entry) and end at a proposed 
interconnection with FGT's existing 24-inch Lauderdale Lateral at Mile 
Post (MP) 1.6 (near Florida Power & Light Company's Fort Lauderdale 
Plant). A block valve would be located near the beginning of the 
Onshore Pipeline. A pressure regulation and meter station with a pig 
receiver and a block valve would be located at the terminus of the 
Onshore Pipeline.
    The proposed facilities are summarized in Tables 1 and 2 below. The 
general locations of the project facilities are shown in Appendix 1.\2\ 
If you are interested in obtaining detailed maps of a specific portion 
of the project send in your request using the form in Appendix 3.
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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 to the last page of this ntoice. Copies 
of the appendices were sent to all those receiving this notice by 
mail.

               Table 1.--Proposed Pipeline Facilities for the Calypso Natural Gas Pipeline Project
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                                                                                Mileposts             Length
               State                       Location          Diameter  --------------------------    (statute
                                                             (inches)      Begin         End          miles)
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Federal Waters....................  Offshore EEZ.........           24          0.0         31.6            31.6
Florida Waters....................  Offshore.............           24         31.6         36.0             4.4
Florida...........................  Broward..............           24         36.0         41.8             5.8
                                                          ------------------------------------------------------
Project Total =...................  .....................  ...........  ...........  ...........            41.8
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             Table 2.--Summary of Ancillary Facilities for the Calypso Natural Gas Pipeline Project
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                                                                               Approximate
              State                       County              Facility          milepost         Description
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Florida..........................  Broward............  Block Valve (Below            36.02  Nova Southeastern,
                                                         Ground).                             University
                                                                                              Oceanographic
                                                                                              Center.
                                   Broward............  Meter and Pressure            41.72  Disturbed area near
                                                         Regulation                           FPL, Fort
                                                         Station, Pig                         Lauderdale Cooling
                                                         Receiver.                            Pond.
                                   Broward............  Block Valve (Above            41.83  Located at tie-in
                                                         Ground).                             to FGT pipeline.
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Land Requirements for Construction

    Construction of the onshore portion of the Calypso Natural Gas 
Pipeline Project would affect a total of about 68.8 acres of land 
including 31.9 acres required for pipeline construction; 21.4 acres 
required for extra workspace; 10.0 acres required for a contractor 
yard; and 0.5 acres required for aboveground facilities. Total land 
requirements for the permanent right-of-way would be about 4.6 acres 
and less than 0.3 acres of land would be required for the operation of 
the new permanent aboveground facilities. The remaining approximately 
64 acres of land affected by construction would be restored and allowed 
to revert to its former use.
    Approximately 2.2 miles (38 percent) of the Onshore Pipeline would 
be directionally drilled or bored underground. Of the remaining 3.6 
miles of the proposed route, approximately 2.8 miles (78 percent) would 
cross industrial/commercial land, and 3.4 miles (94 percent) would be 
installed parallel to existing roadway, pipeline, and utility rights-
of-way. Calypso would typically use a 75-foot-wide construction right-
of-way width. Additional extra temporary work areas may be necessary 
for waterbody, highway and railroad crossings; additional topsoil 
storage; and pipe storage and equipment yards.
    Following construction and restoration of the right-of-way and 
temporary extra work spaces, Calypso would retain a new 10-foot-wide 
permanent easement for the 24-inch-diameter pipeline. The remaining 
portion of the construction right-of-way would be returned to 
landowners for their use without restrictions after appropriate 
reclamation efforts are successful.
    Constructing the offshore portion of the Calypso Natural Gas 
Pipeline Project would affect 766 acres in Federal waters. Calypso has 
predicted that in Florida state waters construction of the pipeline 
would cause temporary direct impacts to about 1.7 acres of marine 
hardbottom habitat of which 0.3 acres is coral reef and the remainder 
is disturbed and/or transitional hardbottom habitat. Approximately 1.8 
acres of sand bottom would be affected. Construction-generated 
sedimentation would affect an additional 4.3 acres of the spoil area, 
about 0.3 acres of reef, and 0.1 acres of reef-sand transition area.

The EIS 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. This is called ``scoping.'' The main goal of the scoping 
process is to focus the analysis in the EIS 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 EIS. 
All comments received are considered during the preparation of the EIS. 
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'', ``our'' refer to the environmental staff of 
the Office of Energy Projects (OEP).
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    The EIS will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of the 
construction and operation of the proposed project under these general 
headings:

1. Geology
2. Soils and Sediments
3. Water Resources

[[Page 46788]]

4. Wetlands, Barrier Beaches, and Submerged Aquatic Vegetation
5. Vegetation
6. Fish and Wildlife
7. Endangered and Threatened Species
8. Land Use, Recreation, and Visual Resources
9. Cultural Resources
10. Air Quality and Noise
11. Socioeconomics
12. Reliability and Safety
13. Alternatives

    Our independent analysis of the issues will be in the Draft EIS 
which will be mailed to Federal, state, and local government agencies; 
elected officials; environmental and public interest groups; Indian 
tribes; affected landowners; local libraries and newspapers; other 
interested parties; and the Commission's official service list for this 
proceeding. A 45-day comment period will be allotted for review of the 
Draft EIS. We will consider all comments on the Draft EIS and revise 
the document, as necessary, before issuing a Final EIS. The Final EIS 
will include our responses to comments received and will be used by the 
Commission in its decision-making process to determine whether to 
approve the project.
    To ensure that your comments are considered, please carefully 
follow the instructions in the Public Participation and Scoping Meeting 
section of this Notice of Intent.

Currently Identified Environmental Issues

    The EIS 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 deserve attention based on a 
preliminary review of the proposed facilities, the environmental 
information provided by Calypso, and early input from intervenors. Some 
of these issues are listed below. This list is preliminary and may be 
changed based on your comments and our analysis. Currently identified 
environmental issues for the Calypso Natural Gas Pipeline Project 
include:
     Construction and operational effects on seagrasses, coral 
reefs, hard and soft bottom communities, mangroves, and aquatic 
organisms;
     Extent and effects of turbidity and sedimentation that may 
result from pipeline trenching and directional drilling in shallow 
waters;
     Potential effects of proposed shore approach on the Port 
Everglades entrance channel and on sensitive surface waters, including 
the Port Everglades and Intracoastal Waterway;
     Effects on wildlife and fisheries including essential fish 
habitat and fisheries of special concern, other commercial and 
recreational fisheries, or other species listed at the Federal, state, 
or local level;
     Potential fuel spills from the pipelay barges and 
associated vessel traffic;
     Potential effect on future land use of 27 parcels of land, 
and effect on 24 landowners and governmental agencies;
     Potential effects to resources and recreation associated 
with construction and operation in John U. Lloyd State Park;
     Potential effect to Broward County tree resources and on 
rare plants;
     Effect of construction on groundwater and surface water 
supplies;
     Potential introduction and control of non-native plant 
species;
     Effects on six federally endangered and threatened species 
including the West Indian manatee, loggerhead sea turtle, green sea 
turtle, hawksbill sea turtle, Kemp's ridley sea turtle, and leatherback 
sea turtle;
     Potential effects on offshore submerged cultural 
resources;
     Noise generated as a result of pipeline construction;
     Disruption of local roadways and commerce during 
construction;
     Potential impacts on 1.7 acres of non-forested wetlands;
     Potential effect of project on designated airport runway 
clearance zones;
     Cumulative effects of the proposed project with other 
projects, including other natural gas pipelines, which have been or may 
be proposed in the same region and similar time frames;
     Safety of the proposed pipeline.

Public Participation and Scoping Meeting

    You can be involved in this project by providing us with your 
specific comments or concerns. By commenting, your concerns will be 
addressed in the EIS 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 one 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.
    Label one copy of the comments for the attention of the Gas/Hydro 
Group, PJ-11.3.
    Reference Docket No. CP01-409-000.
    Mail your comments so that they will be received in Washington, DC 
on or before September 30, 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.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.''
    In addition to or in lieu of sending written comments, we invite 
you to attend the public scoping meeting the FERC will conduct in the 
project area. The location and time for this meeting is listed below.

Schedule for the Calypso Natural Gas Pipeline Project Environmental 
Impact Statement Public Scoping Meeting

Date and Time: September 12, 2001 at 7 pm
Location: I.T. Parker Community Center, 901 NE. Third Street, Dania 
Beach, FL 33004
Phone: (954) 924-3698

    The public meeting is designed to provide you with more detailed 
information and another opportunity to offer your comments on the 
proposed project. Prior to the start of the meeting, company 
representatives will be available to informally discuss the project. 
Interested groups and individuals are encouraged to attend the meeting 
and to present comments on the environmental issues they believe should 
be addressed in the Draft EIS. A transcript of the meeting will be made 
so that your comments will be accurately recorded.
    On the date of the meeting, the staff will also be visiting some 
project areas. Anyone interested in participating in a site visit may 
contact the Commission's Office of External Affairs for more details 
and must provide their own transportation.

Becoming an Intervenor

    In addition to involvement in the EIS 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

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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).\4\ Only intervenors have 
the right to seek rehearing of the Commission's decision.
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    \4\ 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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Environmental Mailing List

    This notice is being sent to individuals, organizations, and 
government entities interested in and/or potentially affected by the 
proposed project. It is also being sent to all identified potential 
right-of-way grantors. As details of the project become established, 
representatives of Calypso may also separately contact landowners, 
communities, and public agencies concerning project matters, including 
acquisition of permits and right-of-way easements.
    All commentors 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 EISs, you must return the 
Information Request (Appendix 3). If you do not send comments or return 
the Information Request, you will be taken off the mailing list.
    Additional information about the proposed project is available from 
the Commission's Office of External Affairs at (202) 208-1088 or on the 
FERC 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) 208-2222.

David P. Boergers,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 01-22487 Filed 9-6-01; 8:45 am]
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