[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 250 (Monday, December 30, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 79594-79595]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-32872]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP03-25-000]


Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation; Notice of Application

December 23, 2002.
    Take notice that on December 13, 2002, Transcontinental Gas Pipe 
Line Corporation (Transco), P.O. Box 1396, Houston, Texas 77251, filed 
an application in Docket No. CP03-25-000 pursuant to section 7(c) of 
the Natural Gas Act (NGA) and part 157(A) of the Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission's Regulations (Commission), for a certificate of 
public convenience and necessity authorizing Transco's construction and 
operation of certain facilities at Compressor Station No. 60 (Station 
60) in East Feliciana Parish, Louisiana to comply with the Clean Air 
Act Amendments of 1990, all as more fully set forth in the application 
which is on file with the Commission and open to public inspection. 
Copies of this filing are on file with the Commission or may be viewed 
on the Commission's Web site at http://www.ferc.gov , using the 
``FERRIS'' link. Enter the docket number excluding the last three 
digits in the docket number field to access the document. For 
assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at 
[email protected] or toll-free at (866)208-3676, or for TTY, 
contact (202)502-8659.
    Transco states that the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 and state 
implementation plans require certain reductions of NOX 
(oxides of nitrogen) air emissions at certain of Transco's compressor 
stations. Accordingly, during the past few years and over the next few 
years Transco has installed and plans to install certain facilities at 
these stations to achieve the required reductions of NOX. 
Transco states that it plans to install these facilities pursuant to 
its blanket facilities certificate (18 CFR 157.208) issued in Docket 
No. CP82-426 when it is authorized to do so (either under automatic or 
prior notice authorization, depending on the estimated dollar amount). 
However, at the stations where the estimated total cost of installing 
these facilities is more than $21 million, Transco states that it is 
not authorized to perform such work pursuant to its blanket facilities 
certificate and, therefore, is required to file an application for a 
certificate of public convenience and necessity.
    Transco states that it proposes to modify several of its existing 
reciprocating engines at Station 60 in order to comply with the State 
of Louisiana plan to implement the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990. 
Station 60 has 13 units including 10 reciprocating/compressor units and 
three gas turbine-driven centrifugal compressor units. The facilities 
at Station 60 are located within a fenced area of approximately 11 
acres. Transco states that it plans to install turbochargers and 
associated equipment on 9 of the 10 reciprocating engines in order to 
reduce NOX emissions.
    Transco states that, following installation of the turbochargers, 
the 9 engines will have the potential to perform above their current 
operating horsepower. However, since Station 60 is automated, it is 
stated that Transco has the ability to shut down other engines or 
reduce their load to ensure that the station will not operate above the 
station's total certificated horsepower. Transco states that there will 
be no increase in the capacity of Transco's system in the vicinity of 
the station as a result of installing the 9 new turbochargers and 
modifying the two existing turbochargers.
    Transco states that installation of new turbochargers and 
modifications to existing ones at Station 60 will require some work to 
be done outside of the compressor building. All of the proposed work 
described above will be done within the confines of previously 
disturbed areas. Approximately one acre of previously disturbed ground 
will be affected by the proposed project. Restoration of this area will 
be conducted according to the Commission's Upland Erosion Control, 
Revegetation, and Maintenance Plan.
    Transco estimates that the proposed modifications will cost $32.2 
million.
    Transco submits that the public convenience and necessity requires 
the issuance of the authorization requested herein because this project 
will (1) reduce NOX emissions at Station 60, and (2) enable 
Transco to comply with the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 and the 
requirements of the DEQ implementing regulations issued pursuant 
thereto.
    Transco states that it needs to commence the work at Station 60 in 
April 2003 in order to complete the work on a timely basis with respect 
to the requirements of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 and the 
requirements of the DEQ, while at the same time accommodating the 
operational needs of its pipeline system and ensuring that Transco's 
gas service obligations are met. Engine modifications were initially 
scheduled to commence in 2004. However, a recent project evaluation 
indicated Transco must phase engine outages over an extended period in 
order to minimize the impact to gas throughput. With this revised 
engine outage schedule, Transco must begin construction in April 2003 
and recommence work in April 2004 in order to complete the required 
engine modifications prior to the May 1, 2005, regulatory deadline.
    Any questions regarding this application should be directed to 
Kevin Farris, P. O. Box 1396, Houston, Texas 77251-1396, (713) 215-
2862.
    Any person desiring to intervene or to protest this filing should 
file with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, 
NE., Washington, DC 20426, in accordance with rules 211 and 214 of the 
Commission's rules of practice and (18 CFR 385.211 and 385.214). 
Protests will be considered by the Commission in determining the 
appropriate action to be taken, but will not serve to make protestants 
parties to the proceeding. Any person wishing to

[[Page 79595]]

become a party must file a motion to intervene. All such motions or 
protests should be filed on or before January 13, 2003, the comment 
date, and, to the extent applicable, must be served on the applicant 
and on any other person designated on the official service list. 
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 under the ``e-Filing'' link. The 
Commission strongly encourages electronic filings.
    A person obtaining intervenor status will be placed on the service 
list maintained by FERC and will receive copies of all documents filed 
by Applicant and by every one of the intervenors. An intervenor can 
file for rehearing of any FERC order and can petition for court review 
of any such order. However if an intervenor choses not to file 
electronically, an intervenor must submit copies of comments or any 
other filing it makes with FERC to every other intervenor in the 
proceeding, as well as 14 copies with FERC.
    However, a person does not have to intervene in order to have 
comments considered. A person, instead, may submit two copies of 
comments to the Secretary of FERC. Commenters will be placed on FERC's 
environmental mailing list, receive copies of environmental documents, 
and be able to participate in meetings (if any) associated with FERC's 
environmental review process. Commenters will not be required to serve 
copies of filed documents on all other parties. However, commenters 
will not receive copies of all documents filed by other parties or 
issued by FERC and will not have the right to seek rehearing or appeal 
FERC's final order to a Federal court.
    Persons who wish to comment only on the environmental review of 
this project should submit an original and two copies of their comments 
to the Secretary of the Commission. Environmental commenters will be 
placed on the Commission's environmental mailing list, will receive 
copies of the environmental documents, and will be notified of meetings 
associated with the Commission's environmental review process. 
Environmental commenters will not be required to serve copies of filed 
documents on all other parties. However, the non-party commenters will 
not receiver copies of all documents filed by other parties or issued 
by the Commission (except for the mailing of environmental documents 
issued by the Commission) and will not have the right to seek court 
review of the Commission's final order.
    Take further notice that, pursuant to the authority contained in 
and subject to the jurisdiction conferred upon FERC by sections 7 and 
15 of the Natural Gas Act and FERC's rules of practice and procedure, a 
hearing will be held without further notice before FERC or its designee 
on this application if no motion to intervene is filed within the time 
required herein, if FERC on its own review of the matter finds that a 
grant of the certificate is required by the public convenience and 
necessity. If a motion for leave to intervene is timely filed, or if 
FERC on its own motion believes that a formal hearing is required, 
further notice of such hearing will be duly given.
    If the Commission decides to set the application for a formal 
hearing before an Administrative Law Judge, the Commission will issue 
another notice describing that process. At the end of the Commission's 
review process, a final Commission order approving or denying a 
certificate will be issued.
    Under the procedure herein provided for, unless otherwise advised, 
it will be unnecessary for the Transco to appear or be represented at 
the hearing.

Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 02-32872 Filed 12-27-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P