[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 196 (Wednesday, October 10, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51656-51657]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-25361]



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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP01-438-000]


Northwest Pipeline Corporation; Notice of Intent To Prepare an 
Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Rockies Expansion Project and 
Request for Comments on Environmental Issues

October 3, 2001.
    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 Rockies Expansion Project 
involving construction and operation of facilities by Northwest 
Pipeline Corporation (Northwest) in various counties in Wyoming and 
Idaho.\1\ Northwest would construct six loops totaling about 91.1 miles 
and would modify seven of its existing compressor stations, as 
described below. 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\ Northwest'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 Northwest 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 also available for viewing on the FERC Internet Web site 
(www.ferc.gov).

Summary of the Proposed Project

    Northwest wants to expand its physical north flow capacity and 
seeks authority to construct and operate six loops totaling about 91.1 
miles as follows:
     Muddy Creek Loop: 30.6 miles of 30-inch-diameter pipeline 
in Sweetwater and Lincoln Counties, Wyoming;
     Kemmerer Loop: 15.5 miles of 30-inch-diameter pipeline in 
Lincoln County;
     Pegram Loop: 11.2 miles of 24-inch-diameter pipeline in 
Lincoln County;
     Soda Springs Loop: 19.6 miles of 24-inch-diameter pipeline 
in Bear Lake County, Idaho;
     Lava Loop: 9.4 miles of 24-inch-diameter pipeline in 
Caribou County, Idaho; and
     Pocatello Loop: 4.8 miles of 24-inch-diameter pipeline in 
Bannock County, Idaho.
    The majority (80.1 percent) of the proposed looping would be 
adjacent to Northwest's existing mainline. Exceptions, totaling 18.1 
miles, would be in areas of difficult terrain, sensitive environmental 
resources, and heavy residential development. Of this distance, 4.7 
miles would be constructed along other utility rights-of-way. Block 
valves would be installed on each loop. Project maps showing the 
proposed loops are in appendix 1.\2\
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    \2\ The appendices referenced in this notice are not being 
printed in the Federal Register. Copies of the appendices were sent 
to all those receiving this notice in the mail. This filing may also 
be viewed on the web at www.ferc.gov using the ``RIMS'' link. For 
instructions on connecting to RIMS refer to the last page of this 
notice.
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    Northwest also proposes to modify seven existing compressor 
stations as follows:
     Green River Compressor Station: compressor uprating of 970 
horsepower (hp);
     Muddy Creek Compressor Station: compressor uprating of 
2,117 hp;
     Pegram Compressor Station: compressor reconfiguration with 
no change in horsepower;
     Lava Compressor Station: compressor uprating and 
installation of a new compressor to increase 5,077 hp;
     Pocatello Compressor Station: compressor reconfiguration 
with no change in horsepower;
     Burley Compressor Station: replacement of three 
compressors with two new units to increase 9,400 hp, and installation 
of two portable units to augment compression by 2,660 hp when needed; 
and
     Buhl Compressor Station: compressor reconfiguration and 
installation of a new compressor to increase 4,700 hp.
    Compressor station modifications include cooling facilities, 
foundations, piping, electrical connections, valves, and other 
appurtenances, as well as the abandonment of certain compression 
facilities. With the exception of work at the Burley Compressor 
Station, all modifications, including temporary work areas, would take 
place within the existing fenced area. Compressor station locations are 
shown on the first map in appendix 1.
    Northwest would use existing public and private access roads for 
all pipeline and aboveground construction. Maintenance may be required 
on some of the roads prior to use by construction equipment.

Land Requirements for Construction

    Construction of the proposed pipeline facilities would affect about 
1,340 acres of land, including temporary extra work spaces. An 
additional 274 acres would be used for nine pipe storage and contractor 
yards. These locations are generally on or adjacent to existing rights-
of-way (pipeline and road) or compressor station yards. Minor 
modifications of Northwest's valve yards and meter station 
interconnections along the pipeline route would be constructed within 
the permanent right-of-way and would not require additional space. Of 
the 1,340 acres needed for pipeline construction, about 223 acres would 
be retained as permanent pipeline right-of-way.
    A majority (1201 acres, or 89.7 percent) of the land crossed by the 
facilities would be either cropland, pasture, or rangeland. Residential 
construction would disturb about 6.9 acres, and would be limited to 
construction of the Pocatello Loop.
    The only disturbance associated with the compressor station 
modifications that would occur outside of the existing fenced locations 
would be the expansion at the Burley Compressor Station site. At this 
location, Northwest would expand the permanent fenced station yard 
about 1.7 acres and use an additional 1.9 acres for temporary work 
space.

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

[[Page 51657]]

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
     water resources, fisheries, and wetlands
     vegetation and wildlife
     cultural resources
     public safety
     land use
     endangered and threatened species
     air quality and noise
     residential construction
    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.

Currently Identified Environmental Issues

    We have already identified several issues we think deserve 
attention based on a preliminary review of the proposed facilities and 
the environmental information provided by Northwest. This preliminary 
list of issues may be changed based on your comments and our analysis.
     Impact on residents within 50 feet of construction, and 
impacts to agricultural areas.
     Effects from the addition of 24,924 hp of compression.
     Possible impact on Federal, state, and BLM-listed species.

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 
locations/routes), and measures to avoid or lessen environmental 
impact. The more specific your comments, the more useful they will be. 
Please follow these instructions carefully 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 
St. NE, Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426.
     Label one copy of the comments for the attention of Gas 
Group 1.
     Reference Docket No. CP01-438-000.
     Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, DC on or before November 9, 2001.
    Comments, protests and interventions may 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 under the ``e-Filing'' 
link.

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.
    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) 
208-1088 or on the FERC Web site (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. 01-25361 Filed 10-9-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P