[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 123 (Wednesday, June 26, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43100-43101]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-16109]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the California State Lands 
Commission

[FERC Docket No. CP01-422-000; CA State Clearinghouse No. 2001071035; 
CSLC EIR No. 710; BLM Reference Nos. CACA-43346 and CACA-17918]


Kern River Gas Transmission Company; Notice of Availability/
Completion of the Final Environmental Impact Statement/Report for the 
Proposed Kern River 2003 Expansion Project

June 20, 2002.
    The staffs of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) and the California State Lands Commission (CSLC) have 
prepared a final environmental impact statement/report (EIS/EIR) to 
address natural gas pipeline facilities proposed by Kern River Gas 
Transmission Company (KRGT).
    The final EIS/EIR was prepared as required by the National 
Environmental Policy Act and the California Environmental Quality Act 
(CEQA). Its purpose is to inform the public and the permitting agencies 
about the potential adverse and beneficial environmental impacts of the 
proposed project and its alternatives, and recommend mitigation 
measures that would reduce any significant adverse impacts to the 
maximum extent possible and, where feasible, to a less than significant 
level. With one exception, the EIS/EIR concludes that the potentially 
significant adverse environmental impacts of the proposed project can 
be mitigated to a level of insignificance with appropriate mitigation 
measures. As discussed in the EIS/EIR, a long-term reduction in the 
special concern vegetation communities of yucca, cactus, and agave 
cannot be ruled out and, therefore, potential impacts on these species 
could be significant. Accordingly, the CSLC's approval of the project 
would be subject to a Statement of Overriding Considerations under the 
CEQA due to this significant unavoidable impact that could remain after 
mitigation is applied.\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ The CEQA Guidelines Section 15093 requires the CSLC to 
balance, as applicable, the economic, legal, social, technological, 
or other benefits of a proposed project against its unavoidable 
environmental risks when determining whether to approve the project. 
If the specific economic, legal, social, technological, or other 
benefits of a proposed project outweigh the unavoidable adverse 
environmental effects, the adverse environmental effects may be 
considered ``acceptable.''
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is participating as a 
cooperating agency in the preparation of the EIS/EIR because the 
project would cross Federal land under the jurisdiction of seven field 
offices in Wyoming, Utah, and Nevada, and one district office and three 
field offices in California. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest 
Service (FS) is also a cooperating agency in the preparation of this 
document because the Dixie National Forest and the Humboldt-Toiyabe 
National Forest/Spring Mountains National Recreation Area would be 
crossed by the project. The EIS/EIR will be used by the BLM to consider 
issuance of a new or amended right-of-way grant for the portion of the 
project on Federal lands.
    The final EIS/EIR addresses the potential environmental effects of 
the construction and operation of the following facilities in Wyoming, 
Utah, Nevada, and California:
     634.5 miles of 36-inch-diameter pipeline adjacent to 
KRGT's existing pipeline in Wyoming (Lincoln and Uinta Counties), Utah 
(Summit, Morgan, Salt Lake, Utah, Juab, Millard, Beaver, Iron, and 
Washington Counties), Nevada (Lincoln and Clark Counties), and 
California (San Bernardino County);
     82.2 miles of 42-inch-diameter pipeline adjacent to the 
portion of KRGT's existing pipeline that it jointly owns with Mojave 
Pipeline Company in California (San Bernardino and Kern Counties);
     0.8 mile of 12-inch-diameter pipeline in Uinta County, 
Wyoming;
     Three new compressor stations, one each in Wyoming (Uinta 
County), Utah (Salt Lake County), and Nevada (Clark County) for a total 
of 60,000 horsepower (hp) of compression;
     Modifications to six existing compressor stations, one in 
Wyoming (Lincoln County), three in Utah (Utah, Millard, and Washington 
Counties), one in Nevada (Clark County), and one in California (San 
Bernardino County) for a total of 103,700 hp of new compression;
     Modifications to one existing meter station in Wyoming 
(Lincoln County) and four existing meter stations in California (two 
each in San Bernardino and Kern Counties); and
     Various mainline block valves, internal inspection tool 
launcher/receiver facilities, and other appurtenances.
    The final EIS/EIR has been placed in the public files of the FERC 
and the CSLC and is available for 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;
      and
California State Lands Commission, 100 Howe Avenue, Suite 100 South, 
Sacramento, CA 95825, (916) 574-1890.

    The final EIS/EIR was filed with the U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency and submitted to the California State Clearinghouse. The 
document was also mailed to appropriate Federal, state, and local 
agencies; elected officials, Native American groups; newspapers; public 
libraries; intervenors to the FERC's proceeding; and other interested 
parties who provided scoping comments, commented on the draft EIS/EIR, 
or wrote to the FERC, the CSLC, or the BLM asking to receive a copy of 
the document. A formal notice indicating that the final EIS/EIR is 
available was published in the Federal Register and posted in the 
appropriate County Clerks' offices in California.
    A limited number of copies of the final EIS/EIR are available from 
the FERC's Public Reference and Files Maintenance Branch identified 
above. Copies may also be obtained from Cy Oggins, CSLC, at the address 
above. The final EIS/EIR is available for viewing on the project web 
site at http://www.kernriver2003.com and at the public libraries listed 
in appendix 1 of this notice.\2\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ The appendix referenced in this notice is not being printed 
in the Federal Register. A copy is available on the FERC's web site 
(http://www.ferc.gov) at the ``RIMS'' link or from the Commission's 
Public Reference and Files Maintenance Branch, 888 First Street, 
N.E., Room 2A, Washington, DC 20426, or call (202)208-1371. For 
instructions on connecting to RIMS, refer to page 4 of this notice.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Additional information about the proposed project is available from 
Cy Oggins at the CSLC at (916) 574-1884, or on the CSLC web site at 
http://www.slc.ca.gov, and from the FERC'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 web site at http://www.ferc.gov using the 
``RIMS''

[[Page 43101]]

link. Click on the ``RIMS'' link, select ``Docket#,'' and follow the 
instructions (call (202) 208-2222 for assistance). Access to the texts 
of formal documents issued by the FERC, such as orders and notices, is 
also available on the FERC web site by using the ``CIPS'' link, 
selecting ``Docket#,'' and following the instructions. For assistance 
with access to CIPS, the CIPS helpline can be reached at (202) 208-
2222.
    Information concerning the involvement of the BLM is available from 
Jerry Crockford, BLM Project Manager, at (505) 599-6333. Information 
concerning the involvement of the FS is available from Kathy Slack, 
Supervisor's Office, at (435) 865-3742.
    The CSLC will meet to consider certification of the final EIS/EIR 
and take action on the proposed project at a public meeting in 2002. 
Interested parties will be notified of the date, time, and place of the 
meeting 10 to 15 days in advance. If you have any questions regarding 
the CSLC meeting, or wish to testify, please contact Cy Oggins at the 
number above.

Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Deputy Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
[FR Doc. 02-16109 Filed 6-25-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P