[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 64 (Thursday, April 3, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16279-16280]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-8086]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP02-434-000]


ANR Pipeline Company; Notice of Availability of the Environmental 
Assessment for the Proposed Westleg Project

March 28, 2003.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) has prepared an environmental assessment (EA) on the 
natural gas pipeline facilities proposed by ANR Pipeline Company (ANR) 
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 (``WestLeg Project''), with appropriate mitigating 
measures as recommended, would not constitute a major Federal action 
significantly affecting the quality of the human environment. The EA 
evaluates alternatives to the proposal, including the no-action 
alternative, major route alternatives, and route variations.
    The EA assesses the potential environmental effects of the 
construction, operation, and abandonment of facilities in Illinois and 
Wisconsin. The purpose of the WestLeg Project is to increase ANR's 
capacity to supply gas to the Madison and Janesville, Wisconsin market 
areas by 220,000 dekatherms per day (Dth/d), with 86,500 Dth/d of this 
capacity used to replace volumes currently provided by Northern Natural 
Gas Company. ANR reports that 60,000 Dth/d would be made available to 
Wisconsin Power and Light Company to supply gas to fuel a new 600-
megawatt power plant currently being constructed by Calpine Corporation 
in Beloit, Wisconsin.
    The proposed project would install and/or replace the following 
facilities:
    [sbull] Madison Lateral Loop: ANR's existing Madison Lateral 
easement contains two pipelines (a 10- and 12-inch-diameter pipeline). 
In the WestLeg Project, ANR would construct 26.3 miles of 30-inch-
diameter loop within the existing easement. The Madison Lateral Loop 
would extend from McHenry County, Illinois, into Walworth and Rock 
Counties, Wisconsin.
    [sbull] Beloit Lateral Replacement: ANR would abandon by removal 
two 6.5-mile-long, 4- and 6-inch-diameter laterals that parallel each 
other in Rock County. ANR would replace them with one new 20-inch-
diameter lateral.
    [sbull] ANR would also construct one new mainline valve on the 
Madison Lateral in Rock County; expand four existing valves on the 
Madison Lateral in McHenry, Walworth, and Rock Counties; expand one 
existing valve on the Beloit Lateral; construct one new meter station 
on the Beloit Lateral, and make minor modifications to two meter 
stations in Dane County, Wisconsin.
    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) 502-8371.
    Copies of the EA have been mailed to Federal, state, and local 
agencies; public interest groups; interested individuals; newspapers; 
libraries; 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 follow these instructions carefully to ensure that your 
comments are received in time and properly recorded:
    [sbull] Send an original and two copies of your comments to: 
Magalie R. Salas, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 
First Street NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426;
    [sbull] Label one copy of the comments for the attention of Gas 
Branch 1, PJ-11.1;
    [sbull] Reference Docket No. CP02-434-000; and
    [sbull] Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, DC on or before May 2, 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.''
    Comments will be considered by the Commission but will not serve to 
make the commentor a party to the proceeding. Any person seeking to be 
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 project is available from the 
Commission's Office of External Affairs,

[[Page 16280]]

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, contact FERC Online Support at [email protected] 
or toll-free at (866) 208-3676, or for TTY, contact (202) 502-8659. 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. 03-8086 Filed 4-2-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P