[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 157 (Wednesday, August 14, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52967-52968]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-20527]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP02-031-000]


Iroquois Gas Transmission System, L.P.; Notice of Availability of 
the Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Brookfield Expansion 
Project

August 8, 2002.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or

[[Page 52968]]

Commission) has prepared an environmental assessment (EA) on the 
natural gas pipeline facilities proposed by Iroquois Gas Transmission 
System, L.P. (Iroquois) 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, with appropriate mitigating measures, would not 
constitute a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality 
of the human environment.
    The EA assesses the potential environmental effects of the 
construction and operation of the proposed compressor station, 
including:
     A new 10,000 horsepower compressor;
     A turbo-compressor building and three additional control/
monitoring/maintenance buildings;
     A 500-foot-long access road;
     A security fence; and
     Water well and septic system.
    The purpose of the proposed facilities would be to allow for the 
delivery of natural gas to customers in Queens and Long Island, New 
York. Iroquois states that both the City of New York and Long Island 
are experiencing a substantial increase in the demand for gas fired 
electric generation, which is directly tied to the growth in population 
and demand in this particular region of the Northeast.
    We are currently reviewing a fifth alternative site proposed by the 
Town of Brookfield and the Brookfield Board of Education. This site is 
located on Vail Road approximately one mile west of the proposed 
project site. We are continuing to evaluate in greater detail this site 
alternative and specifically request reviewers to comment on the merits 
of this alternative versus Iroquois' proposed site. This site 
alternative is described more fully in section C.4. of the EA.
    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, 
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 carefully follow these instructions to ensure that your 
comments are received in time and properly recorded:
     Send two copies of your comments to: Secretary, Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First St., NE., Room 1A, Washington, 
DC 20426;
     Reference Docket No. CP02-031-000; and
     Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, DC on or before September 9, 2002.
    Please note that we are continuing to experience delays in mail 
deliveries from the U.S. Postal Service. As a result, we will include 
all comments that we receive within a reasonable time frame in our 
final order. However, the Commission strongly encourages electronic 
filing of any comments or interventions or protests to this proceeding. 
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 
become 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 1-866-208-FERC or on 
the FERC Internet Web site (http://www.ferc.gov) using the FERRIS link. 
Click on the FERRIS link, enter the docket number excluding the last 
three digits in the Docket Number field. Be sure you have selected an 
appropriate date range. For assistance with FERRIS, the FERRIS helpline 
can be reached at (202) 502-8222, TTY (202) 208-1659. The FERRIS link 
on the FERC Internet Web site also provides access to the texts of 
formal documents issued by the Commission, such as orders, notices, and 
rulemakings.

Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 02-20527 Filed 8-13-02; 8:45 am]
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