[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 155 (Thursday, August 12, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49889-49890]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E4-1795]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP04-377-000]


CenterPoint Energy Gas Transmission Company; Notice of Intent To 
Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Round Mountain & 
Helena Compression Expansion Project and Request for Comments on 
Environmental Issues

August 6, 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 Round Mountain & Helena 
Compression Expansion Project involving extension and operation of 
facilities by CenterPoint Energy Gas Transmission Company (CenterPoint) 
in Conway and Phillips Counties, Arkansas. The project would consist of 
the addition of 6,380 horsepower (hp) of compression to two existing 
compressor stations. CenterPoint states that the additional horsepower 
would enhance its system flexibility and reliability and provide 
additional firm transportation to a local distribution customer. 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.
    A fact sheet prepared by the FERC entitled ``An Interstate Natural 
Gas Facility On My Land? What Do I Need To Know?'' is available for 
viewing on the FERC Internet Web site (http://www.ferc.gov). This fact 
sheet addresses a number of typically asked questions, including how to 
participate in the Commission's proceedings.

Summary of the Proposed Project

    CenterPoint seeks authorization from the Commission to expand the 
capacity of its facilities in Arkansas to supply an additional 70,000 
dekatherms per day (Dth/d) of natural gas to a local distribution 
company, Arkansas Western Gas Company (AWG), over a 10 year period. 
CenterPoint's application was filed with the Commission under section 
7(c) of the Natural Gas Act and subpart A of part 157 of the 
Commission's regulations.
    To accomplish its project objectives, CenterPoint requests 
authority to install and operate:
     One 4,700-hp turbine compressor and appurtenant facilities 
at its Round Mountain Compressor Station in Conway County; and
     One 1,680-hp reciprocating compressor and appurtenant 
facilities at its Helena Compressor Station in Phillips County.
    The general location of the project facilities is shown in appendix 
1.\1\
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    \1\ 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 
Room, 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 Construction

    The existing Round Mountain and Helena Compressor Stations are 
located on 6.5-acre and 4-acre fenced lots, respectively. All 
construction activities would take place within the fenced boundaries. 
Both compressor stations are surrounded by idle pastureland and mixed 
forest. Existing gravel access roads would not need improvement. 
Construction activities would be performed in accordance with the 
FERC's Upland Erosion Control, Revegetation, and Maintenance Plan and 
Wetland and Waterbody Construction and Mitigation Procedures.

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

[[Page 49890]]

Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity. NEPA also requires us 
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 to 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.
    Our \2\ independent analysis of the issues will be presented 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.
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    \2\ ``We,'' ``us,'' and ``our'' refer to the environmental staff 
of the Office of Energy Projects (OEP).
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    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 two issues that we think deserve 
attention based on a preliminary review of the proposed facilities and 
the environmental information provided by CenterPoint. This preliminary 
list of issues may be changed based on your comments and our analysis.
     Potential noise impacts on nearby residents.
     Effect of compressor emissions on air quality.

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, 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., NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426.
     Label one copy of the comments for the attention of Gas 
Branch 1.
     Reference Docket No. CP04-377-000.
     Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, DC on or before September 7, 2004.
    The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing of comments. 
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 send one electronic copy (using the 
Commission's eFiling system) or 14 paper copies of any filing 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).\3\ Only intervenors have 
the right to seek rehearing of the Commission's decision.
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    \3\ 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 who own 
homes within distances defined in the Commission's regulations of 
certain aboveground facilities.

Additional 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 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. To register for this service, go to http://www.ferc.gov/esubscribenow.htm.

Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E4-1795 Filed 8-11-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P