[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 55 (Thursday, March 21, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13137-13138]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-6787]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP02-74-000]


Reef International, L.L.C.; Notice of Intent To Prepare an 
Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Eagle Pass International 
Pipeline Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues

March 15, 2002.
    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 Eagle Pass International 
Pipeline Project involving the construction and operation of facilities 
by Reef International, L.L.C. (Reef) in Maverick County, Texas, and 
that cross the international border between the United States and 
Mexico.\1\ 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\ Reef's application was filed with the Commission on January 
22, 2002, under Section 3 of the Natural Gas Act.
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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 Reef 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

    Reef is proposing the Eagle Pass International Pipeline Project to 
provide firm transportation to Compania National de Gas, S.A. 
(Conagas). This project would allow Reef to deliver up to 15 million 
cubic feet per day. The purpose of the project is to provide the 
Piedras Negras region of Coahuila, Mexico, with needed, additional 
supplies of gas.
    Reef proposes to construct, operate, and maintain about 4 miles of 
12-inch-diameter pipeline and appurtenant facilities from an 
interconnection with Southern Transmission Company (Southern) in 
Maverick County, Texas, crossing under the Rio Grande, the midpoint of 
which is the International Boundary between the United States and 
Mexico, to a point just across the river in Coahuila, Mexico. Reef is 
seeking a Presidential Permit from the Commission for the 400-foot-long 
border crossing in Maverick County, Texas which is the U.S. portion of 
the directional drill across the Rio Grande. The entire directional 
drill would be 800 feet in length, half of which would be in Mexico. A 
meter station would be constructed in Maverick County about 2,035 feet 
downstream from the interconnection with Southern. About 1000 feet of 
pipeline and a meter station would be constructed in Mexico and would 
be owned and operated by Conagas. Also, a 6-inch-diameter propane/
butane pipeline would also be constructed parallel to the natural gas 
pipeline for about 3 miles of the route within the U.S. and also cross 
into Mexico.

Land Requirements for Construction Construction of Reef's proposed 
facilities would require about 25.3 acres of land, including 
construction right-of-way for the new pipeline and extra work areas 
needed for the directional drill. The pipeline would be constructed 
adjacent to existing sanitary sewer and utility easements for 72 
percent of the route. For the construction of the pipeline, Reef would 
use a 50-foot-wide construction right-of-way. Reef indicates that it 
would maintain a 30-foot-wide permanent right-of-way totaling 14.55 
acres. The meter station and access road would be located within a 5.53 
acre location adjacent to an industrial area. About 5 acres would be 
needed for a pipe and contractor yard, although this location has not 
yet been determined.

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 
\2\ 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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    \2\ ``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

    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

[[Page 13138]]

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

    --A directionally drilled crossing of the Rio Grande.
    --Potential impact on the jaguarundi, ocelot, and mountain plover 
which are Federally listed threatened and endangered species.
    --Loss of several acres of pecan orchard.

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 
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: Magalie 
R. Salas, 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 1, 
PJ-11.1;
     Reference Docket No. CP02-74-000; and
     Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, DC on or before April 15, 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''.

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).\3\ Only intervenors have 
the right to seek rehearing of the Commission's decision.
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    \3\ The appendix 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 connecting 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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    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.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 02-6787 Filed 3-20-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P