[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 22 (Monday, February 3, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5279-5281]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-2380]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP03-32-000]


Northwest Pipeline Corporation; Notice of Intent To Prepare an 
Environmental Assessment for the Proposed White River Replacement 
Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues

January 28, 2003.
    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 White River Replacement 
Project involving construction and operation of facilities by Northwest 
Pipeline Corporation (Northwest) on its Ignacio to Sumas mainline in 
King County, Washington.\1\ These facilities consist of approximately 
4,400 feet each of parallel 26-inch- and 30-inch-diameter pipelines at 
the White River crossing located 3.3 miles east of the City of Auburn, 
Washington. 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\ Northwest'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 Northwestprovided 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 
(www.ferc.gov).

Summary of the Proposed Project

    The purpose of the proposed project is to provide a more permanent 
solution for improved pipeline safety and reliability while restoring 
the natural environment of the White River and its floodplain at this 
crossing. Recent highwater events have increased the risk of exposure 
to the parallel 26-inch- and 30-inch-diameter pipelines (existing 
pipelines) underneath the White River and along its south and north 
banks. A previously abandoned 26-inch-diameter pipeline has been 
exposed presenting a hazard to recreational use of the White River. 
Northwest installed a temporary rip-rap structure on the north 
riverbank in 1996 to protect its existing pipelines.
    Northwest proposes to replace the pipelines at a deeper depth by 
constructing 4,300 feet of parallel 26-inch- and 30-inch-diameter 
pipelines (replacement pipelines) using a combination of horizontal 
directional drill (HDD) and conventional open-trench construction. 
Northwest proposes to abandon, in place and by removal, 3,200 feet of 
existing pipelines as well as retain 1,100 feet of existing pipelines. 
Northwest would also remove the previously abandoned 26-inch-diameter 
pipeline and the rip-rap structure, and would reconstruct the north 
riverbank to its surrounding contours (see Table 1). Northwest seeks 
authority to:
    [sbull] Abandon by removal approximately 2,100 feet of existing 
pipelines from 3 sections: the south floodplain; the north riverbank; 
and a private property.
    [sbull] Abandon in place approximately 1,100 feet of existing 
pipelines from 3 sections: underneath the White River channel 
(pipelines filled with grout); the slope above the north riverbank 
(pipelines filled with nitrogen and capped); and underneath State 
Highway 164 (pipelines immediately underneath highway filled with 
grout, remaining pipelines filled with nitrogen and capped).
    [sbull] Retain approximately 1,100 feet of existing pipelines for 
continued service to the Enumclaw Meter Station.
    [sbull] Remove the north riverbank rip-rap structure, 380 feet of 
sheet piling from the south floodplain, and the 665-foot-long 
previously abandoned 26-inch-diameter pipeline from the White River 
channel.
    [sbull] Install approximately 1,200 feet of replacement pipelines 
in the south floodplain using conventional construction.

[[Page 5280]]



 Table 1.--Construction and Abandonment Facilities Proposed by Northwest
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                      Length     Beginning      Ending
        Project component             (feet)     stationing   stationing
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Abandon by Removal 26'' & 30''             325     15388+93     15391+40
 Existing Pipelines in the North
 Bank Structure..................
Abandon by Removal 26'' Existing          1360     15370+30     15384+10
 Pipeline in the South Floodplain
Abandon by Removal 30'' Existing          1420     15370+30     15384+49
 Pipeline in the South Floodplain
Abandon by Removal 26'' & 30''             300     15395+23     15397+60
 Existing Pipelines on Private
 Property........................
Abandon In Place 26''; Existing            500     15384+10     15388+93
 Pipeline under the White River..
Abandon In Place 30'' Existing             450     15384+49     15388+93
 Pipeline under the White River..
Abandon In Place 26'' & 30''               340     15397+60     15400+21
 Existing Pipelines under State
 Highway 164.....................
Abandon In Place 26'' & 30''               410     15391+40     15395+23
 Existing Pipelines on the North
 Bank Slope......................
Retain 26'' & 30'' Existing              1,100     15402+00     15413+00
 Pipelines for Service Feed to
 the Enumclaw Meter Station......
Remove Sheet Piling in the South           380     15380+74     15384+23
 Floodplain......................
Remove the North Bank Structure..  ...........     15388+39     15390+22
Remove the previously abandoned            665     15383+59     15390+21
 26'' Pipeline from the White
 River...........................
Install 26'' Replacement Pipeline         3120     15378+62     15409+83
 by HDD..........................
Install 30'' Replacement Pipeline         3260     15377+62     15410+23
 by HDD..........................
Install 26'' Replacement Pipeline          830     15370+30     15378+62
 in the South Floodplain by
 conventional trenching..........
Install 30'' Replacement Pipeline          730     15370+30     15377+62
 in the South Floodplain by
 conventional trenching..........
Tie-in 26'' Replacement Pipeline           340     15409+83     15413+21
 at north end by conventional
 trenching.......................
Tie-in 30'' Replacement Pipeline           300     15410+23     15413+21
 at north end by conventional
 trenching.......................
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    [sbull] Install approximately 3,200 feet of replacement pipelines 
with 2 parallel HDDs traversing underneath the floodplain and White 
River channel, the slope north of the White River, State Route 164, and 
Cameron Park.
    [sbull] Install 300-340 feet of replacement pipelines at the north 
end of the project to tie into the HDD pipelines.
    Northwest must construct the replacement pipelines with HDD prior 
to removing the existing pipelines in order to maintain service though 
its Ignacio to Sumas Line. In order to limit in-stream construction to 
the drier summer months, Northwest proposes to break the construction 
schedule into two parts: (1) construction of the replacement pipelines 
from June to October 2003, and (2) removal of the existing pipelines 
and of the previously abandoned 665-foot-long pipeline from April to 
August 2004. The location of the project facilities is shown in 
appendix 1, figures1-4.\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 Web site at the ``FERRIS'' link or from the 
Commission's Public Reference and Files Maintenance Branch, 888 
First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426, or call (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 35 acres of 
land. The construction work area is comprised of 5 acres of existing 
permanent right-of-way and 30 acres of temporary work space. The 
construction work area is on 16.4 acres of forested riparian land in 
the floodplain and north slope, 13 acres of cropland/pasture, 4 acres 
of industrial land in the City of Auburn (for a utility yard), 1.5 
acres of commercial property, and 1 acre of residential property. Due 
to the offsetting of the replacement pipelines 50 to 175 feet to the 
west, Northwest would require 3 additional acres of new permanent 
right-of-way but would relinquish 4.2 acres of existing permanent 
right-of-way.

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:
    [sbull] geology and soils
    [sbull] land use
    [sbull] water resources, fisheries,and wetlands
    [sbull] cultural resources
    [sbull] vegetation and wildlife
    [sbull] air quality and noise
    [sbull] endangered and threatened species
    [sbull] hazardous wastes
    [sbull] public safety
    [sbull] alternative routes
    We will 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 Northwest. This preliminary 
list of potential impacts may be changed based on your comments and our 
analysis.
    [sbull] Federal species of concern which may occur in the project 
area and could be affected, including the chinook

[[Page 5281]]

salmon, coho salmon, bull trout, and bald eagle.
    [sbull] Use of temporary and permanent Right-Of-Way on the 
Muckleshoot Indian Reservation involving fisheries habitat associated 
with the White River.
    [sbull] Permanent removal of the rip-rap structure from the north 
riverbank of the White River and reconstruction of the north riverbank.
    [sbull] Residential/commercial area in and around State Road 164 
and City of Auburn's Cameron Park.

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 
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 2 
Branch.
    3. Reference Docket No. CP03-32-000.
    4. Mail your comments so that they will be received in Washington, 
DC on or before February 27, 2003
    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 
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 (202) 502-8659, or at 
[email protected]. 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.

Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 03-2380 Filed 1-31-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P