[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 3 (Monday, January 6, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 550-551]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-126]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP03-32-000]


Northwest Pipeline Corporation; Notice of Application

December 30, 2002.
    Take notice that on December 23, 2002 Northwest Pipeline 
Corporation (Northwest), 295 Chipeta Way, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84158 
filed in Docket No. CP03-32-000, an abbreviated application pursuant to 
sections 7(b) and 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act for its ``White River 
Pipeline Replacement Project'' requesting the Commission to grant:
    (i) A certificate of public convenience and necessity authorizing 
Northwest to construct and operate approximately 4,300 feet each of 
relocated replacement 26-inch pipeline and 30-inch pipeline loop in 
King County, Washington;
    (ii) approval for Northwest to abandon, partially by removal and 
partially in place, approximately 3,300 feet each of 26-inch pipeline 
and 30-inch pipeline loop being replaced by the relocated facilities; 
and
    (iii) approval to remove 665 feet of 26-inch pipeline crossing the 
White River that was previously retired in place.
    All as more fully set forth in its petition which is on file with 
the Commission and open to public inspection. This filing is available 
for review at the Commission in the Public Reference Room 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 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.
    Any questions regarding this application should be directed to Gary 
Kotter, Manager, Certificates and Tariffs, at (801) 584-7117, Northwest 
Pipeline Corporation, P.O. Box 58900, Salt Lake City, Utah 84158.
    Northwest states that as a result of high flows and erosion in the 
White River over the past several years it has installed temporary 
structures and sheet piling to the banks of the river to maintain the 
integrity of the 26-inch and 30-inch pipeline crossings. Northwest 
asserts that the proposed replacement project is necessary to provide a 
more permanent solution for improved pipeline safety and integrity, 
while

[[Page 551]]

restoring the natural environment of the river and floodplains at the 
pipeline crossing location.
    Northwest states that construction of the project is scheduled to 
occur over a two-year period to accommodate anticipated permitting 
requirements and environmental limitations on construction windows. 
Northwest plans to commence construction during the summer of 2003 and 
complete the project in the fall of 2004.
    The estimated cost of the proposed project is approximately $29.4 
million.
    There are two ways to become involved in the Commission's review of 
this project. First, any person wishing to obtain legal status by 
becoming a party to the proceedings for this project should, on or 
before the comment date stated below file with the Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426, a 
motion to intervene in accordance with the requirements of the 
Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.214 or 
385.211) and the Regulations under the NGA (18 CFR 157.10). A person 
obtaining party status will be placed on the service list maintained by 
the Secretary of the Commission and will receive copies of all 
documents filed by the applicant and by all other parties. A party must 
submit 14 copies of filings made in the proceeding. with the Commission 
and must mail a copy to the applicant and to every other party. Only 
parties to the proceeding can ask for court review of Commission orders 
in the proceeding.
    However, a person does not have to intervene in order to have 
comments considered. The second way to participate is by filing with 
the Secretary of the Commission, as soon as possible, an original and 
two copies of comments in support of or in opposition to this project. 
The Commission will consider these comments in determining the 
appropriate action to be taken, but the filing of a comment alone will 
not serve to make the filer a party to the proceeding. The Commission's 
rules require that persons filing comments in opposition to the project 
provide copies of their protests only to the party or parties directly 
involved in the protest.
    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 commentator 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 commentator will not be required to serve copies of filed 
documents on all other parties. However, the non-party commentator will 
not receive 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.
    The Commission may issue a preliminary determination on non-
environmental issues prior to the completion of its review of the 
environmental aspects of the project. This preliminary determination 
typically considers such issues as the need for the project and its 
economic effect on existing customers of the applicant, on other 
pipelines in the area, and on landowners and communities. For example, 
the Commission considers the extent to which the applicant may need to 
exercise eminent domain to obtain rights-of-way for the proposed 
project and balances that against the non-environmental benefits to be 
provided by the project. Therefore, if a person has comments on 
community and landowner impacts from this proposal, it is important 
either to file comments or to intervene as early in the process as 
possible.
    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.
    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.
    Comment Date: January 21, 2003.

Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 03-126 Filed 1-3-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P