[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 205 (Wednesday, October 23, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65107-65109]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-26938]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP03-1-000]


El Paso Natural Gas Company; Notice of Intent to Prepare an 
Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Power-Up Project and Request 
for Comments on Environmental Issues

October 16, 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 Power-up Project involving 
construction and operation of facilities by El Paso Natural Gas Company 
(El Paso) in Pinal and Cochise Counties, Arizona, Hidalgo and Luna 
Counties, New Mexico, and El Paso, Winkler, and Culbertson Counties, 
Texas.\1\ These facilities would consist of about 151,600 horsepower 
(hp) of compression at nine existing or new compressor stations. This 
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\ El Paso's application was filed with the Commission 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 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 El Paso 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 Web site (http://www.ferc.gov).

Summary of the Proposed Project

    El Paso wants to expand the capacity of its facilities in Arizona, 
New Mexico, and Texas to transport an additional 320,000 thousand cubic 
feet (mcf) per day of natural gas on its Line 2000. El Paso seeks 
authority to construct and operate:

 Phase I Facilities (February 2004)

    1. Wink Compressor Station--Install three Taurus 60s turbine 
compressor units, with appurtenances, rated at approximately 23,100 hp 
at a new site in Section 32, P.S.L. Block 5, Winkler County, Texas.
    2. El Paso Compressor Station--Install one Mars 100 turbine 
compressor unit, with appurtenances, rated at 15,000 hp at the existing 
El Paso Compressor Station located in Section 18, Block 80, El Paso 
County, Texas.
    3. Lordsburg Compressor Station--Install one Mars 100 turbine 
compressor unit, with appurtenances, rated at 15,000 hp at the existing 
Lordsburg Compressor Station located in Section 8, Township 23 South, 
Range 17 West, Hidalgo County, New Mexico.
    4. Tom Mix Compressor Station--Install two Taurus 70 turbine 
compressor units, with appurtenances, rated at 20,620 hp at a former 
oil pumping station located in Section 21, Township 8 South, Range 13 
East, Pinal County, Arizona.

Phase 2 Facilities (April 2004)

    5. Black River Compressor Station--Install one Mars 100 turbine 
compressor unit, with appurtenances, rated at 15,000 hp at a former oil 
pumping station located in Section 17, T&P Township 2, Block 60, 
Culberson County, Texas.
    6. Florida Compressor Station--Install one Mars 100 turbine 
compressor unit, with appurtenances, rated at 15,000 hp at the existing 
Florida Compressor Station located in Section 14, Township

[[Page 65108]]

24 South, Range 6 West, Luna County, New Mexico.
    7. Cimarron Compressor Station--Install one Mars 100 turbine 
compressor unit, with appurtenances, rated at 15,000 hp at a new site 
located in Section 10, Township 13 South, Range 25 East, Cochise 
County, Arizona. Phase 3 Facilities (April 2005)
    8. Cornudas Compressor Station--Install two Taurus 70 turbine 
compressor units, with appurtenances, rated at 20,620 hp at the 
existing Cornudas Compressor Station located in Section 17, University 
Land, Block J, Hudspeth County, Texas.
    9. Casa Grande Compressor Station--Install two Centaur 50 turbine 
compressor units, with appurtenances, rated at 12,260 hp at the 
existing Casa Grande Compressor Station located in Section 17, Township 
6 South, Range 3 East, Pinal County, Arizona.
    El Paso would also install certain appurtenant facilities within 
the compressor stations, pursuant to Section 2.55(a) of the 
Commission's Statements of General Policy and Interpretations Under the 
Natural Gas Act. These facilities would include station piping, valves 
and fittings, gas cooling equipment, compressor station yard facilities 
(yard lighting, gravel or other ground covering), gas scrubbers, 
auxiliary buildings, cathodic protection systems, and an evaporative 
pond.
    The general location of the project facilities is shown in appendix 
1.\2\
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    \2\ The appendices referenced in this notice are not being 
printed in the Federal Register. Copies are available on the 
Commission's website at the ``FERRIS'' link or from the Commission's 
Public Reference and Files Maintenance Branch, 888 First Street, NE, 
Washington, DC 20426, or call 1-202-502-8371. For instructions on 
connecting to FERRIS 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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Land Requirements for Construction

    Construction of the proposed facilities would require about 81.5 
acres of land. Following construction, about 35.4 acres would be 
maintained as new aboveground facility sites. The remaining 46.1 acres 
of land would be restored and allowed to revert to its former use.

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. This process is referred to as ``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:
    1. Geology and soils.
    2. Land use.
    3. Water resources.
    4. Cultural resources.
    5. Vegetation and wildlife.
    6. Air quality and noise.
    7. Endangered and threatened species.
    8. Hazardous waste.
    9. Public safety.
    We will not discuss impacts to the following resource areas since 
they are not present in the project area, or would not be affected by 
the proposed facilities:
    1. Federal-, state-, or local- designated natural, recreational, 
scenic, or special use areas.
    2. Wetlands.
    3. Fisheries.
    4. Perennial waterbodies.
    We will also 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 El Paso. This preliminary 
list of issues may be changed based on your comments and our analysis.
    1. The operation of the compressor units at the nine existing and 
new compressor stations would affect air quality and increase noise 
levels near the station.
    2. About 23 acres of desert scrub vegetation would be affected by 
construction of which about 4 acres would be permanently affected by 
operation of the project.
    3. Twenty federally listed endangered or threatened species may 
occur in the proposed project area.

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), 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:
    1. 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.
    2. Label one copy of the comments for the attention of Gas Branch 
2.
    3. Reference Docket No. CP03-1-000.
    4. Mail your comments so that they will be received in Washington, 
DC on or before November 12, 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 
environmental analysis of this project. 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

[[Page 65109]]

created by clicking on ``Login to File'' and then ``New User Account.''
    We may mail the EA for comment. If you are interested in receiving 
it, please return the Information Request (appendix 4). If you do not 
return the Information Request, you will be taken off the mailing list.

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 2). \4\ Only intervenors have 
the right to seek rehearing of the Commission's decision.
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    \4\ 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 environmental comments considered.

Environmental Mailing List

    This notice is being sent to individuals, organizations, and 
government entities interested in and/or potentially affected by the 
proposed project. It is also being sent to all identified potential 
right-of-way grantors. By this notice we are also asking governmental 
agencies, especially those in appendix 3, to express their interest in 
becoming cooperating agencies for the preparation of the EA.

Additional Information

    Additional information about the 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 1-866-208-3676, TTY 1-202-502-8659, or at 
[email protected]. The FERRIS link on the FERC Internet 
website 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. 02-26938 Filed 10-22-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P