[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 112 (Tuesday, June 11, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39969-39970]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-14601]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP01-438-000]


Northwest Pipeline Corporation; Notice of Availability of the 
Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Rockies Expansion Project

June 5, 2002.
    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 Northwest Pipeline 
Corporation (Northwest) 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 (``Rockies Expansion Project''), with appropriate 
mitigating measures as recommended, would not constitute a major 
Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human 
environment. The EA evaluates alternatives to the proposal, including 
system alternatives, route alternatives, and route variations.
    The EA assesses the potential environmental effects of the 
construction and operation of the proposed facilities in Wyoming and 
Idaho. The purpose of the Rockies Expansion Project is to allow 
Northwest to expand its physical north flow capacity by constructing 
and operating 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.
    Northwest also proposes to uprate or otherwise modify seven of its 
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.
    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 NE., 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; 
libraries; 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 follow these instructions carefully to ensure that your 
comments are received in time and properly recorded:
     Send an original and two copies of your comments to: 
Magalie R. Salas, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 
First Street NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426;
     Label one copy of the comments for the attention of Gas 
Branch 1, PJ-11.1;
     Reference Docket No. CP01-438-000; and
     Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, DC on or before July 5, 2002.
    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 a free 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 be 
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 (direct 
line) or you can call the FERC operator at 1-800-847-8885 and ask for 
External Affairs. Information is also available on the FERC website 
(www.ferc.gov) using the ``RIMS'' link \2\ 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.
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    \2\ The Commission is in the process of replacing RIMS and CIPS 
with the Federal Energy Regulatory Records Information System 
(FERRIS). If RIMS or CIPS cannot be found at the identified 
Commission web sites, FERRIS can be used to access information.
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    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

[[Page 39970]]

CIPS menu, and follow the instructions. For assistance with access to 
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CIPS, the CIPS helpline can be reached at (202) 208-2222.

Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 02-14601 Filed 6-10-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P