[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 38 (Thursday, February 26, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8957-8958]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E4-412]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket Nos. CP03-302-000, CP03-303-000, CP03-304-000, PF03-1-000 and 
CP03-301-000]


Cheyenne Plains Gas Pipeline Company, LLC and Colorado Interstate 
Gas Company; Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Proposed Cheyenne Plains Pipeline Project

February 20, 2004.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) has prepared the final environmental impact statement (EIS) 
on the natural gas pipeline facilities proposed by Cheyenne Plains Gas 
Pipeline Company, LLC (CPG) and Colorado Interstate Gas Company (CIG) 
in the above-referenced dockets. The proposed project, referred to as 
the Cheyenne Plains Pipeline Project, is located in various counties in 
Colorado and Kansas.
    The final EIS was prepared to satisfy the requirements of the 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The staff concludes that, if 
the project is constructed as modified and with the appropriate 
mitigation measures as recommended, it would have limited adverse 
environmental impact. The information in the final EIS, along with the 
information contained in the Commission's Preliminary Determination on 
Non-Environmental Issues for the project, will be considered by the 
Commission when making a final decision on the project.
    The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service (FS) is 
participating as a cooperating agency in the preparation of the final 
EIS because the FS will be issuing its own Record of Decision (ROD) on 
whether or not to issue Special Use Authorizations for the portion of 
the pipeline that crosses the Pawnee National Grassland (PNG). After 
issuance of the FS' ROD, there is a 45-day period to appeal the FS' 
decision under Title 36 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 215, 
Notice, Comment and Appeal Procedures for National Forest System 
Projects and Activities. In accordance with Title 36 CFR 215.13, only 
individuals and organizations who submitted substantive written or oral 
comments during the comment period on the draft EIS for the proposed 
Cheyenne Plains Pipeline Project (and specifically addressed the 
portion on the PNG) may appeal the Regional Forester's decision as 
documented in the ROD.
    The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is also a cooperating 
agency in the preparation of the final EIS because the project has the 
potential to affect endangered species, migratory birds, wildlife, and 
habitat.
    The final EIS addresses the potential environmental effects of the 
construction and operation of the following facilities:

    [sbull] A total of 379.8 miles of 36-inch-diameter mainline, with 
189.0 miles in Colorado (Weld, Morgan, Washington, Yuma, and Kit Carson 
Counties) and 190.8 miles in Kansas (Sherman, Wallace, Logan, Scott, 
Lane, Finney, Hodgeman, Ford, and Kiowa Counties);
    [sbull] 0.2 mile of 20-inch-diameter lateral \1\ (Sand Dune 
Lateral) in Kiowa County, Kansas;
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    \1\ A lateral is typically a smaller diameter pipeline that 
takes gas from the main system to deliver it to a customer, local 
distribution system, or another interstate transmission system.
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    [sbull] 4.2 miles of 30-inch-diameter lateral (South Rattlesnake 
Creek Lateral) in Kiowa County, Kansas;
    [sbull] 3.0 miles of 8-inch-diameter lateral (Cossell Lake Lateral) 
in Kiowa County, Kansas;
    [sbull] One 2,443-horsepower (hp) jumper compressor installed 
within CIG's existing compressor station located at its Cheyenne Hub in 
Weld County, Colorado;
    [sbull] Two 10,310-hp turbine compressors installed in a new CPG 
compressor station at the Cheyenne Hub;
    [sbull] Nine new interconnects \2\ with existing pipeline systems. 
These interconnects would include metering facilities and would consist 
of two receipt points, one each with CIG and Wyoming Interstate Company 
at the Cheyenne Hub in Weld County, Colorado, and seven delivery 
points, one with Kinder Morgan Interstate Pipeline Company in Scott 
County, Kansas, one with Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America in 
Ford County, Kansas, and one each with Southern Star Central Gas 
Pipeline, LLC, ANR Pipeline Company, Northern Natural Gas Company, 
Panhandle Eastern Pipe Line Company, and Kansas Gas Service Company in 
Kiowa County, Kansas;
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    \2\ An interconnect is a connection to another pipeline system 
that is used to deliver or receive gas. Metering and regulating 
facilities would typically be included at each interconnect.
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    [sbull] Two new gas treatment plants, each consisting of an amine 
and glycol processing train, one at the Cheyenne Hub and the other at 
the Southern Star interconnect;
    [sbull] 32 mainline valves (MLVs), consisting of 1 at the Cheyenne 
Hub, 4 at interconnects in Kiowa County, Kansas, and 27 located 
independently along the mainline and laterals; and
    [sbull] Two pig \3\ launchers, two pig receivers, and five pig 
launchers and receivers, each collocated with new MLV sites.
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    \3\ A pig is an internal tool that can be used to clean and dry 
a pipeline and/or to inspect it for damage or corrosion.
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    The final EIS has been placed in the public files of the FERC and 
is available for public inspection in the Public Reference Room 2A or 
call (202) 502-8371.
    A limited number of copies of the final EIS are available from the 
Public Reference Room. In addition, copies of the final EIS have been 
mailed to Federal, state, and local agencies;

[[Page 8958]]

elected officials; Native American tribes; newspapers; public 
libraries; television and radio stations; intervenors to the FERC's 
proceeding; and individuals who provided scoping comments, commented on 
the draft EIS, or requested the final EIS.
    Additional information about the project is available from the 
Commission's Office of External Affairs, at 1-866-208 FERC (3372) or on 
the FERC Internet website (http://www.ferc.gov). Using the 
``eLibrary'', select ``General Search'' from the eLibrary menu, enter 
the selected date range and ``Docket Number'', and follow the 
instructions. You may also search using the phrase ``Cheyenne Plains'' 
in the ``Text Search'' field. For assistance with access to eLibrary, 
the helpline can be reached at 1-866-208-3676, TTY (202) 502-8659, or 
at [email protected].
    In addition, the Commission now offers a free service called 
eSubscription that 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. To register for this service, go to http://www.ferc.gov/ 
esubscribenow.htm.
    Information concerning the involvement of the FS is available from 
John Oppenlander at (970) 346-5005. Information concerning the 
involvement of the FWS is available from Dan Mulhern at (785) 539-3474 
(ext. 109).

Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E4-412 Filed 2-25-04; 8:45 am]
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