[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 158 (Tuesday, August 17, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51077-51079]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E4-1832]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP04-340-000]


Southern Natural Gas Company; Notice of Intent To Prepare an 
Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Triangle Project and Request 
for Comments on Environmental Issues

August 10, 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 Triangle Project involving 
construction and operation of facilities by Southern Natural Gas 
Company (Southern) in Bibb, Clayton, Douglas, Fulton, Henry, Jefferson, 
Monroe, Richmond, Spalding, and Upson Counties, Georgia. These 
facilities consist of about 6.4 miles of 30-inch-diameter pipeline, 
four new taps and meter stations, replacement of about 420 feet of 16-
inch-diameter pipeline, and auxiliary equipment. The 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

    Southern requests authorization to abandon by sale to Atlanta Gas 
Light Company (AGLC) about 253.7 miles of various pipelines located 
between Southern's North and South Main Lines, as well as ten meter 
stations and two regulator stations. In order to accomplish the 
transfer of these facilities to AGLC, Southern proposes to construct, 
install, and operate about 6.4 miles of 30-inch-diameter pipeline 
loop.\1\ The 6.4 miles of 30-inch-diameter pipeline would extend 
Southern's existing Ocmulgee/Atlanta 3rd Loop Line to a point where it 
connects with Southern's existing Thomaston/Griffin 2nd Loop Line in 
Spalding County, Georgia.
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    \1\ A loop is a segment of pipeline that is installed adjacent 
to an existing pipeline and connected to it on both ends. The loop 
allows more gas to be moved through the pipeline system.
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    As part of the request to abandon facilities by sale to AGLC, 
Southern proposes to construct four new delivery points consisting of 
tap, metering, and appurtenant facilities to provide service at the 
points of interconnection between Southern's facilities and the 
facilities to be purchased by AGLC. Southern proposes to construct the 
new delivery points at the new Ben Hill (a proposed bi-directional 
meter station), South Thomaston, Bass Junction, and South Atlanta Meter 
Stations in Fulton, Upson, Bibb, and Clayton Counties, Georgia, 
respectively. The proposed meter stations would be constructed on 
Southern's existing properties at the Ben Hill Regulator/Check Station, 
Thomaston Compressor Station, Bass Junction Crossover Meter Station, 
and the South Atlanta 1 Meter Station.
    Southern also proposes to uprate about 11 miles of its 16-inch-
diameter South Main Line in Jefferson and Richmond Counties, Georgia 
from a Maximum Allowable Operating Pressure (MAOP) of 1,100 pounds per 
square inch gauge (psig) to 1,200 psig in order to meet its existing 
firm obligations downstream as a result of the sale of facilities to 
AGLC. This would require the replacement of about 420 feet of 16-inch-
diameter pipeline.
    Southern proposes to also install auxiliary equipment to isolate 
its facilities from AGLC's facilities and to enable deliveries at the 
four new delivery points for the purpose of obtaining more efficient or 
more economical operation of the proposed transmission facilities.

[[Page 51078]]

    In addition to the acquisitions from Southern, AGLC intends to 
construct certain nonjurisdictional facilities. These consist of: (1) A 
new South Atlanta Meter Station reconstructed from the South Atlanta 
1 Meter Station purchased from Southern, about 1,200 feet of 
pipeline, and a regulator station; (2) tie-overs to AGLC's distribution 
system; (3) additional cathodic protection equipment/fittings along the 
mainlines purchased from Southern; (4) AGLC would perform work 
necessary to raise the MAOP of the 20-inch North Main Line and 30-inch 
North Main Loop Line purchased from Southern; (5) install odorization 
equipment; (6) a new South Thomaston Meter Station and tie-in piping; 
(7) a new crossover connection between the 14-inch Ocmulgee-Atlanta 
Loop Line and the 18-inch Ocmulgee-Atlanta 2nd Loop Line being 
purchased from Southern; and (8) a new Bass Junction Meter Station. 
These facilities would be constructed and operated under AGLC's present 
franchise agreements and under authority granted by the Georgia Public 
Service Commission.
    The general location of Southern's proposed facilities is shown on 
the map attached as 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 (map), are available on the Commission's Web site 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

    Construction of Southern's proposed facilities would require about 
142.0 acres of land, including construction right-of-way for the loop 
and 16-inch-diameter mainline replacement, meter stations, extra work/
staging areas, pipe storage yards, and acreage affected by construction 
of the ancillary facilities. The majority of the loop would be 
constructed directly adjacent to Southern's existing rights-of-way. For 
the construction of the 30-inch-diameter loop, Southern proposes to use 
up to a 90-foot-wide construction right-of-way, which includes a 50- to 
65-foot overlap of the existing right-of-way, with 40-feet of new 
temporary construction right-of-way to be cleared. Because of the use 
of Southern's existing right-of-way for construction, Southern 
indicates that only about 5.0 acres would be maintained as new 
permanent right-of-way. For the existing 16-inch-diameter South Main 
Line replacement, Southern proposes to use a 70-foot-wide construction 
right-of-way, which includes a 30-foot overlap of the existing right-
of-way, with 40-feet of new temporary construction right-of-way to be 
cleared.
    Modifications to the meter stations and ancillary facilities needed 
to upgrade existing facilities would be performed within the existing 
Southern aboveground facilities or rights-of-way, and would not require 
the clearing of additional land.
    Construction access to Southern's project would be via existing 
public and private roads. Southern has identified 10 existing private 
access roads necessary for the construction of its project.

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 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.
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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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    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 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 Southern. This preliminary 
list of issues may be changed based on your comments and our analysis.
     Crossing of 11 perennial waterbodies and 6 wetlands.
     Impact on 10 residences located within 50 feet of the 
construction work area, of which eight are within 25 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, alternatives to the proposal (including alternative 
locations/routes), 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. CP04-340-000.
    Mail your comments so that they will be received in Washington, DC 
on or before September 10, 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 e-Filing system) or 14 paper copies of its filings to the 
Secretary of the Commission and must send a copy of its filings to all 
other

[[Page 51079]]

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 who are 
potential right-of-way grantors, 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.
    If you do not want to send comments at this time, but still want to 
remain on our mailing list, please return the Information Request 
(appendix 4). If you do not return the Information Request, you will be 
taken off the mailing list.

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. Go to http://www.ferc.gov/esubscribenow.htm.
    Finally, 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. E4-1832 Filed 8-16-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P