[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 18 (Wednesday, January 28, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4125-4127]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E4-128]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP04-34-000]


Columbia Gas Transmission Corporation; Notice of Intent To 
Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Line 1278 
Replacement Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues

January 21, 2004.
    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 Line 1278 Replacement Project 
involving the replacement of 43.4 miles of its existing Line 1278 
pipeline by Columbia Gas Transmission Corporation (Columbia) in 
Northampton, Monroe, and Pike Counties, Pennsylvania.\1\ Columbia has 
indicated that it intends to replace about 10.7 miles of its Line 1278 
pipeline in Bucks and Northampton Counties under its blanket 
certificate issued in Docket No. CP83-76-000. Construction would be 
done in two phases in 2004 and 2005 as described below. 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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ Columbia's application was filed with the Commission under 
sections 7(b) and 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act and Part 157 of the 
Commission's regulations.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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 Columbia 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).

[[Page 4126]]

Summary of the Project

    Columbia is under mandate from the United States Department of 
Transportation to replace deteriorated sections of its existing 14-
inch-diameter Line 1278. Columbia proposes to replace and upgrade a 
segment of 43.4 miles of Line 1278, commencing in Northampton County 
and terminating in Pike County, Pennsylvania. This portion of pipeline 
would be upgraded to 20-inch-diameter pipeline mostly within the same 
trench of the existing pipeline on Columbia's existing right-of-way. 
Additional temporary workspace outside of Columbia's existing right-of-
way would be required.
    Pursuant to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PENNDOT) 
relocation of Route 209 (future Route 402) in Marshall's Creek, Monroe 
County, Pennsylvania, Columbia has been forced to relocate 0.8 mile of 
its existing right-of-way. The forced relocation (included in the 
overall 43.4-mile segment) would result in about 6.1 acres of impact. 
Upon relocation of the pipeline at Route 209, Columbia would abandon 
the existing right-of-way affected by PENNDOT's project-in-place. 
PENNDOT would acquire property rights over the affected portions of 
Columbia's right-of-way and the abandoned pipeline.
    Columbia would replace eight 14-inch-diameter valve settings with 
20-inch-diameter valve settings, remove a 12-inch-diameter valve 
setting, and install a new 20-inch-diameter valve setting. The existing 
14-inch diameter pig launcher presently located at the Easton 
Compressor Station would be removed and relocated to the northern 
terminus of the project at Weber Road for use on Line 1278 northward to 
the Millrift Valve Station at the Delaware River. A new 20-inch-
diameter receiver and a 12-inch-diameter regulator setting would also 
be installed at the Millrift Valve Station.
    Columbia would proceed with construction in four distinct segments. 
The 0.8 mile relocation at Route 209 would proceed from May through 
November of 2004 as would 15.1 miles of the replacement in Pike County. 
From May through November of 2005, Columbia would undertake the 
replacement of a 21.1 mile segment in Northampton and Monroe Counties 
and a 6.2 mile segment in Monroe and Pike Counties.
    The location of the project facilities is shown in appendix 1.\2\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ The appendices referenced in this notice are not being 
printed in the Federal Register. Copies of all appendices, other 
than appendix 1 (maps), are available on the Commission's Web site 
at the ``eLibrary'' 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 
eLibrary refer to the last page of this notice. Copies of the 
appendices were sent to all those receiving this notice in the mail.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Land Requirements for the Project

    It is expected that 478.7 acres would be affected by the 
replacement project. The project would utilize Columbia's existing 50-
foot right-of-way and a 25-foot temporary construction right-of-way. 
About 23.5 acres of extra workspace would be needed for staging areas, 
and at road crossings, waterbody and wetland crossings, and steep 
slopes. About 34.9 acres of access roads would also be needed 
temporarily, and all but one of the access roads are existing.
    The 0.8 mile reroute consisting of 6.1 (included in the above 
total) acres would be the only new permanent right-of-way acquired by 
Columbia for this project. The launcher/receiver and regulator setting 
would require a new fenced lot of about 100-feet by 200-feet at Weber 
Road at the northern terminus of the project.

The EA Process

    The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires the 
Commission to take into account the environmental impacts that could 
result from its 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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \3\ ``We'', ``us'', and ``our'' refer to the environmental staff 
of the Office of Energy Projects (OEP).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The EA will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of the 
construction and operation of the proposed project under these general 
headings:
     Geology and soils.
     Land use.
     Water resources, fisheries, and wetlands.
     Cultural resources.
     Vegetation and wildlife.
     Air quality and noise.
     Public safety.
     Endangered and threatened species.
    We will also evaluate possible alternatives to the proposed 
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, Native American tribes, 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 Columbia. This preliminary 
list of issues may be changed based on your comments and our analysis.
     Crossing through 3.6 miles of the Delaware Water 
Gap--National Recreation Area.
     Crossing 51 perennial streams.
     Crossing 124 wetlands, including disturbance to 
26.3 acres of forested wetlands.
     One federally-listed amphibian specie.
     172 residences located within 50 feet of the 
construction work 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, 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:
     Send an original and two copies of your letter 
to: Magalie R. Salas, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory

[[Page 4127]]

Commission, 888 First St., NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426.
     Label one copy of the comments for the attention 
of Gas Branch 1.
     Reference Docket No. CP04-34-000.
     Mail your comments so that they will be received 
in Washington, DC on or before February 23, 2004.
    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 on-line.
    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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \4\ Interventions may also be filed electronically via the 
Internet in lieu of paper. See the previous discussion on filing 
comments electronically.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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

    An effort is being made to send this notice to all individuals, 
organizations, and government entities interested in and/or potentially 
affected by the proposed project.

SUPPLEMENTARY 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 website (http://www.ferc.gov) using 
the eLibrary link. Click on the eLibrary link, click on ``General 
Search'' and 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 eLibrary, the eLibrary helpline can be 
reached at 1-866-208-3676, TTY (202) 502-8659, or at 
[email protected]. The eLibrary 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.
    In addition, the Commission now offers a free service called 
eSubscription which allows you to keep track of all formal issuances 
and submittals in specific dockets. This can reduce the amount of time 
you spend researching proceedings by automatically providing you with 
notification of these filings, document summaries and direct links to 
the documents. Go to http://www.ferc.gov/esubscribenow.htm.
    Finally, public meetings or site visits will be posted on the 
Commission's calendar located at http://www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/EventsList.aspx along with other related information.

Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E4-128 Filed 1-27-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P