[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 130 (Thursday, July 8, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41248-41250]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E4-1497]


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

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. PF04-8-000]


Seafarer U.S. Pipeline System, Inc.; Notice of Intent To Prepare 
an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Seafarer U.S. 
Pipeline System Project, Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, 
and Notice of Public Scoping Meeting

June 30, 2004.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) that 
will discuss the environmental impacts of the Seafarer U.S. Pipeline 
System Project proposed by Seafarer U.S. Pipeline System, Inc. 
(hereafter referred to as Seafarer). This notice explains the scoping 
process we\1\ will use to gather input from the public and interested 
agencies on the project. Your input will help us determine the issues 
that need to be evaluated in the EIS. Please note that the scoping 
period will close on August 16, 2004.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ ``We,'' and ``our'' refer to the environmental staff of the 
Office of Energy Projects.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Comments may be submitted in written form or verbally. Further 
details on how to submit written comments are provided in the public 
participation section of this notice. In lieu of sending written 
comments, we invite you to attend the public scoping meeting we have 
scheduled as follows:

Thursday, July 22, 2004, 7 p.m., Seafarer U.S. Pipeline System Project, 
Riviera Beach Council Chambers, 600 West Blue Heron Boulevard, Riviera 
Beach, FL 33404, Telephone: (561) 845-4010

    Additionally, representatives of Seafarer and Commission staff will 
be visiting some project areas on the morning of Thursday, July 22, 
2004. Anyone interested in participating in the site visit may meet in 
the parking lot of Phil Foster Memorial Park at 9 a.m.

[[Page 41249]]

The park is located at 900 East Blue Heron Boulevard in Riviera Beach. 
Individuals must provide their own transportation.
    The FERC will be the lead federal agency in the preparation of the 
EIS. The document will satisfy the requirements of the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
    This notice is being sent to affected landowners; federal, state, 
and local government agencies; elected officials; environmental and 
public interest groups; Native American tribes; other interested 
parties; and local libraries and newspapers. We encourage government 
representatives to notify their constituents of this planned project 
and encourage them to comment on their areas of concern.

Summary of the Proposed Project

    Seafarer proposes to construct and operate a natural gas pipeline 
to provide a new supply of competitively priced natural gas to south 
Florida. Overall, the proposed pipeline would extend approximately 
127.5 miles from a proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility on 
Grand Bahama Island to an interconnect site with the existing Florida 
Gas Transmission (FGT) pipeline system in Palm Beach County, Florida. 
The portion of the project under FERC jurisdiction would extend from 
the United States/Bahamian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) boundary, 
located approximately 35 miles off the Florida coast, to the terminus 
at the FGT interconnect site. The proposed pipeline would make landfall 
on Singer Island near Riviera Beach, FL. The onshore portion would 
extend approximately 6 miles from landfall to the FGT interconnect 
site. The general location of the proposed pipeline is shown in Figure 
1.\2\ The portion of the Seafarer U.S. Pipeline System Project under 
FERC jurisdiction would include:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ The figure referenced in this notice is not being printed in 
the Federal Register. Copies of the figure were sent to all those 
receiving this notice in the mail. Requests for detailed maps of the 
proposed facilities should be made directly to Seafarer.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

     40.6 miles of 26-inch-diameter natural gas pipeline; and
     Aboveground facilities including four mainline valves (one 
offshore and three onshore), a pressure reduction station, a meter 
station, and a side valve at the FGT interconnect site.
    Seafarer proposes to have the project constructed and operational 
by April 2008. The project would deliver up to 750 million cubic feet 
(about 800,000 dekatherms) of natural gas per day to Sailfish Natural 
Gas, Ltd., an affiliate of FPL Group Resources, via the FGT pipeline 
system.

The EIS Process

    The FERC will use the EIS to consider the environmental impact that 
could result if it issues Seafarer project authorizations under 
sections 3 and 7 of the Natural Gas Act.
    This notice formally announces our preparation of the EIS and the 
beginning of the process referred to as ``scoping.'' We are soliciting 
input from the public and interested agencies to help us focus the 
analysis in the EIS on the potentially significant environmental issues 
related to the proposed action.
    Our independent analysis of the issues will be included in a draft 
EIS. The draft EIS will be mailed to federal, state, and local 
government agencies; elected officials; environmental and public 
interest groups; Native American tribes; affected landowners; other 
interested parties; local libraries and newspapers; and the FERC's 
official service list for this proceeding. A 45-day comment period will 
be allotted for review of the draft EIS. We will consider all comments 
on the draft EIS and revise the document, as necessary, before issuing 
a final EIS.
    Although no formal application has been filed, the FERC staff has 
already initiated its NEPA review under its NEPA Pre-filing Process. 
The purpose of the Pre-filing Process is to encourage the early 
involvement of interested stakeholders and to identify and resolve 
issues before an application is filed with the FERC.
    With this notice, we are asking federal, state, and local agencies 
with jurisdiction and/or special expertise with respect to 
environmental issues to formally cooperate with us in the preparation 
of the EIS. These agencies may choose to participate once they have 
evaluated the proposal relative to their responsibilities. Agencies 
that would like to request cooperating status should follow the 
instructions for filing comments provided under the Public 
Participation section of this Notice.

Currently Identified Environmental Issues

    The EIS will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of the 
construction and operation of the proposed project. We have already 
identified several issues that we think deserve attention based on a 
preliminary review of the project site and the facility information 
provided by Seafarer. This preliminary list of issues may be changed 
based on your comments and our analysis.
     Potential impacts to the nearshore marine environment from 
construction activities including the possibility of the unsuccessful 
implementation of HDD drilling beneath marine and nearshore habitats;
     Potential impacts to marine and estuarine water quality 
associated with construction activities;
     Potential impacts on wetlands and submerged aquatic 
vegetation;
     Potential impacts on coral and other marine life from 
pipeline construction activities;
     Potential impacts on essential fish habitat and state and/
or federally-listed threatened and endangered species along the 
pipeline route;
     Consistency with coastal zone management guidelines;
     Potential impacts and potential benefits of construction 
workforce on local housing, infrastructure, public services, and 
economy;
     Potential impacts of increased boat traffic associated 
with construction in nearshore marine waters and the Intracoastal 
Waterway;
     Assessment of potential cultural resources along the 
pipeline route;
     Hazards associated with the transport of natural gas;
     Alternative alignments for the onshore and offshore 
pipeline route; and
     Assessment of the effect of the proposed project when 
combined with other past, present, or reasonably foreseeable future 
actions in the project area, including other recently proposed natural 
gas pipelines that would extend between the Bahamas and south Florida.

Public Participation

    You can make a difference by providing us with your specific 
comments or concerns about the proposal. Your comments should focus on 
the potential environmental effects, reasonable alternatives (including 
alternative facilities sites and pipeline routes), and measures to 
avoid or lessen environmental impact. The more specific your comments, 
the more useful they will be. To ensure that your comments are timely 
and properly recorded, please mail your comments so that they will be 
received in Washington, DC, on or before August 16, 2004, and carefully 
follow these instructions:
     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;
     Label one copy of your comments for the attention of Gas 
Branch 3, DG2E;
     Reference Docket No. PF04-8-000 on the original and both 
copies.
    The public scoping meeting to be held on July 22, 2004, at the 
Riviera Beach

[[Page 41250]]

Council Chambers, is designed to provide another opportunity to offer 
comments on the proposed project. Interested groups and individuals are 
encouraged to attend the meeting and to present comments on the 
environmental issues they believe should be addressed in the EIS. A 
transcript of the meeting will be generated so that your comments will 
be accurately recorded.
    We will include all comments that we receive within a reasonable 
time frame in our environmental analysis of this project. To expedite 
our receipt and consideration of your comments, the Commission strongly 
encourages electronic submission of any comments on this project. 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 submit comments you will need to 
create a free account, which can be created by clicking on ``Login to 
File'' and then ``New User Account.'' You will be asked to select the 
type of submission you are making. This submission is considered a 
``Comment on Filing.''
    If you do not want to send comments at this time but still want to 
remain on our mailing list, please return the attached Information 
Request. If you do not return the Information Request, you will be 
removed from the project mailing list.
    Once Seafarer formally files its application with the Commission, 
you may want to become an official party to the proceeding known as an 
``intervenor.'' Intervenors play a more formal role in the process and 
are able to file briefs, appear at hearings, and be heard by the courts 
if they choose to appeal the Commission's final ruling. An intervenor 
formally participates in a Commission proceeding by filing a request to 
intervene. Instructions for becoming an intervenor are included in the 
User's Guide under the ``e-filing'' link on the Commission's Web site. 
Please note that you may not request intervenor status at this time. 
You must wait until a formal application is filed with the Commission.

Availability of Additional Information

    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 (www.ferc.gov) using the ``eLibrary link.'' 
Click on the eLibrary link, select ``General Search'' and enter the 
project docket number excluding the last three digits (i.e., PF04-8) 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 TTY, 
contact (202) 502-8659. 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 rule makings.
    In addition, the FERC 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.
    Finally, Seafarer has established an Internet Web site for this 
project at http://www.seafarer.us/. The Web site includes a description 
of the project, a map of the proposed pipeline route, and answers to 
frequently asked questions. You can also request additional information 
or provide comments directly to Seafarer at (866) 683-5587.

Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E4-1497 Filed 7-7-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P