[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 130 (Thursday, July 8, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41245-41246]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E4-1490]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP04-334-000]


CenterPoint Energy--Mississippi River Transmission Corp.; Notice 
of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed 
Abandonment of the Mrt Main Line No. 1 Pipeline and Request for 
Comments on Environmental Issues

June 30, 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 proposed abandonment by 
CenterPoint Energy--Mississippi River Transmission Corp. (MRT) of 307 
miles of 22-inch-diameter pipeline, and 2 associated compressor 
stations. The facilities which would be abandoned consist of the MRT 
Main Line No. 1 running from Perryville, Louisiana, across the state of 
Arkansas to Poplar Bluffs, Missouri.\1\ 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\ MRT's application was filed with the Commission under 
Section 7(b) of the Natural Gas Act and Part 157 of the Commission(s 
regulations.
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    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 MRT 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).

Summary of the Proposed Project

    MRT seeks authority to abandon approximately of 307 miles of 
pipeline of which about 277.5 miles would be abandoned in place. MRT 
would abandon by sale 18.3 miles of pipeline running from its Glendale 
Compressor Station to the town of Pine Bluff, Arkansas. The 18.3-mile 
segment of pipe would be sold to CenterPoint Energy Gas Transmission 
Company which would continue service to the town of Pine Bluff.
    MRT states that it contacted all landowners along its Main Line No. 
1 and received a number of requests that the abandoned pipe be removed. 
Segments planned for removal at landowner request currently total 11.2 
miles.
    Mainline No. 1 shares an easement with MRT's Mainlines No. 2 and 3 
(which will remain in service). MRT would retain its current pipeline 
easement.
    MRT also proposes to abandon 2 obsolete compressor stations, the 
Diaz and Sherrill Compressor Stations in (respectively) Jackson and 
Jefferson Counties, Arkansas. All buildings and structures would be 
removed except for two small communications sheds at the Diaz facility.
    Above ground appurtenant facilities which would be removed include 
valves and vents at 78 sites, crossover pipes at 23 sites, and a back 
up interconnection to Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America.
    The general location of the project facilities is shown in appendix 
1.\2\
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    \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 website 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.
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Land Requirements for Abandonment

    The Main Line No. 1 abandonment would require excavation at 167 
work areas (including the compressor stations). MRT's work would 
disturb 306.5 acres within MRT's existing ROW and facility yards. MRT 
would retain the Main Line No. 1 easement after the Main Line No. 1 
pipeline is abandoned. MRT would use existing access roads and plans no 
new or permanently improved roads.

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 staff 
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

[[Page 41246]]

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 activities associated with the removal of the pipeline 
under these general headings:
     Geology and soils.
     Land use.
     Water resources, fisheries, and wetlands.
     Cultural resources.
     Vegetation and wildlife.
     Air quality and noise.
    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.

Currently Identified Environmental Issues

    The Bald Knob National Wildlife Refuge and Missouri's Sand Pond 
Conservation Area are crossed by Main Line No. 1 and the pipeline is 
within a quarter mile of Arkansas' Stateline Sandponds Natural Area. 
MRT is coordinating its proposed abandonment action with the 
appropriate wildlife area managers.
    The project would cross or is within a quarter mile of three 
designated natural or scenic areas: Bayou Bartholomew (Louisiana 
Natural Scenic River); Trail of Tears National Historic Trail (in 
Arkansas); and the Black River (Arkansas Natural and Scenic River).
    Twelve single family residences and a motel are located within 50 
feet of Mainline No. 1.

Public Participation

    You can make a difference by providing us with your specific 
comments or concerns about the project. By becoming a commenter, your 
concerns will be addressed in the EA and considered by the Commission. 
You should focus on the potential environmental effects of the 
proposal, alternatives to 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 Commission, 888 First 
St., N.E., Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426.
     Label one copy of the comments for the attention of Gas 
Branch 2.
     Reference Docket No. CP04-334-000.
     Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, DC on or before July 30, 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.

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 paper 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

    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. This includes all landowners whose 
property may be used temporarily for project purposes, or who own homes 
within distances defined in the Commission's regulations of certain 
aboveground facilities. 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 on the FERC 
Internet Web site (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, 
please contact FERC Online Support at [email protected] or 
toll free at 1-866-208-3676, or for TTY, contact (202) 502-8659.
    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. E4-1490 Filed 7-7-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P