[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 239 (Wednesday, December 12, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64242-64244]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-30700]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP01-439-000]


Columbia Gas Transmission Corporation; Notice of Intent To 
Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Delaware Valley 
Energy Expansion Project and Request for Comments on Environmental 
Issues, and Notice of Site Visit

December 6, 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 Delaware Valley Energy 
Expansion Project involving the abandonment, construction and operation 
of facilities by Columbia Gas Transmission Corporation (Columbia) in 
Chester and Delaware Counties, Pennsylvania and Gloucester County New 
Jersey.\1\ The facilities being abandoned consist of 9.14 miles of 10- 
and 14-inch-diameter pipeline. The replacement and new facilities 
consist of 23.86 miles of 20- and 24-inch-diameter pipeline, addition 
of compression at two existing compressor stations, valves, and a meter 
station. The 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\ Columbia's application was filed with the Commission on 
August 31, 2001, 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

[[Page 64243]]

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 Columbia 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

    Columbia is proposing the Delaware Valley Energy Expansion Project 
to expand its existing system in Pennsylvania and New Jersey to provide 
firm transportation to the new Mantua Creek Power Plant being 
constructed in Gloucester County, New Jersey. This project would allow 
Columbia to deliver 165,000 Dekatherms per day of gas to the power 
plant.
    In Pennsylvania, Columbia proposes to:
    --abandon and replace the existing 10-inch-diameter Line 1856 in 
Chester County with a 20-inch-diameter pipeline beginning at Columbia's 
Downingtown Compressor Station, and extending about 8.84 miles to its 
terminus at Columbia's Eagle Compressor Station;
    --abandon and replace the existing 14-inch-diameter Line 1556 in 
Chester County with a 24-inch-diameter pipeline beginning at Columbia's 
Eagle Compressor Station, and extending about 0.30 mile to the west;
    --construct a 20-inch-diameter pipeline loop \2\ along Columbia's 
existing Line 10345 referred to as Line 10360 (PA) for 5.10 miles 
beginning near Heyburn Road in Delaware County and extending to its 
terminus at Laurel Pipe Line Company's Buckeye Tank Farm;
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    \2\ A loop is a segment of pipeline that is installed adjacent 
to an existing pipeline and connected to it on both ends. The loop 
allows more gas to be moved through the pipeline system.
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    --install an additional 6,000-horsepower single electric driven 
compressor unit in an extension to a new building to be constructed 
(under Docket No. CP01-260-000) on the site of its existing Eagle 
Compressor Station in Chester County; and
    --install an additional 6,000-horsepower single electric driven 
compressor unit in an extension to an existing building on the site of 
its existing Downingtown Compressor Station in Chester County.
    In New Jersey, Columbia would:
--construct Line 10360 (NJ) in Gloucester County consisting of a 20-
inch-diameter pipeline that loops Columbia's existing Line 10345, 
beginning at Columbia's existing launcher/receiver lot along Route 130 
in Logan Township and extending about 7.52 miles to its terminus at 
Columbia's Swedesboro Measuring and Regulating (M&R) Station;
--construct Line 10359 consisting of 20-inch-diameter pipeline in 
Gloucester County beginning at Columbia's West Deptford Meter Station 
which extends about 2.10 miles to its terminus at the Mantua Creek 
Power Plant site; and
--construct an M & R station at the terminus of Line 10359 within the 
power plant site.

Land Requirements for Construction

    Construction of Columbia's proposed facilities would require about 
281 acres of land, including construction right-of-way for the new 
pipeline, loops, valves, compressors, and the meter station; and extra 
work areas needed for pipe storage yards, staging areas, and warehouse 
sites. The loops would be constructed adjacent to Columbia's existing 
rights-of-way. For the construction of the pipelines, Columbia proposes 
to use a 20- to 95-foot-wide construction right-of-way. The 
construction right-of-way in most areas would overlap Columbia's 
existing permanent right-of-way or other permanent highway, railroad, 
natural gas transportation and electric right-of-ways from between 15 
feet to 75 feet. Columbia indicates that about 161 acres would be 
maintained as new permanent right-of-way.
    The compressors would be installed within Columbia's existing 
compressor stations, and would not require the clearing of additional 
land.
    Construction access to Columbia's project generally would be via 
the construction right-of-way and existing road network. Columbia has 
identified 23 existing access roads necessary for the construction of 
its project and would construct 2 additional access roads requiring a 
total of 0.29 acre of disturbance.

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
--Water resources and wetlands
--Vegetation and wildlife
--Threatened and endangered species
--Cultural resources
--Land use
--Reliability and safety
--Air quality and noise

    We will 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.

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 Columbia. This preliminary 
list of issues may be changed based on your comments and our analysis.


[[Page 64244]]


Water Resources and Wetlands
    --Crossing 16 perennial waterbodies.
    --Crossing 44 wetlands, including 3.3 acres of forested wetlands.
Vegetation
    --About 21.5 acres of forest to be cleared.
Federally-Listed Threatened and Endangered Species
    --Potential impact on the bald eagle.
Land Use
    --Impact on 107 residences located within 50 feet of the 
construction work area.

Public Participation and Site Visit

    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 
or 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:Linwood 
A. Watson, Jr., Acting Secretary,Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission,888 First St., N.E., Room 1A,Washington, DC 20426;
     Label one copy of the comments for the attention of Gas 1, 
PJ-11.1;
     Reference Docket No. CP01-439-000; and
     Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, DC on or before January 7, 2002.
    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 at http://www.ferc.gov 
under the ``e-Filing'' link and 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''.
    If you do not want to send comments at this time but still want to 
remain on our mailing list, please return the Information Request 
(appendix 2).\4\ If you do not return the Information Request, you will 
be removed from the environmental mailing list.
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    \4\ 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, 
Room 2A, Washington, DC 20426, or call (202) 208-1371. For 
instructions on conneting to RIMS refer to the last page of this 
notice. Copies of the appendices were sent to all those receiving 
this notice in the mail.
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    On December 18 and 19, 2001, the Office of Energy Projects staff 
will conduct a precertification site visit of the project route and 
possible reroutes. All parties may attend. Those planning to attend 
must provide their own transportation. On December 18, 2001, we will be 
meeting at the Columbia Gas Office at 525 Highlands Blvd., Suite 100, 
Coatesville, PA at 8:00 am. On December 19, 2001, we will be meeting at 
the Logan Generating Station entrance on U.S. Route 130 about 1.5 miles 
south of U.S. Route 322 at 8:00 am.
    For further information on attending the site visit, please contact 
the Commission's Office of External Affairs at (202) 208-0004.

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 1). 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.
    Copies of this filing are on file with the Commission and are 
available for public inspection. This filing may also be viewed on the 
web at http://www.ferc.gov using the ``RIMS'' link, select ``Docket #'' 
and follow the instructions (call 202-208-2222 for assistance).
    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.

 Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 01-30700 Filed 12-11-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P