[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 203 (Thursday, October 21, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61823-61825]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E4-2761]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. PF04-15-000]


Dominion Cove Point LNG, LP; Dominion Transmission, Inc.; Notice 
of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed 
Dominion Cove Point LNG Expansion Project Request for Comments on 
Environmental Issues, and Notice of Public Scoping Meetings and Site 
Visits

October 14, 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 Dominion Cove Point LNG, LP's 
and Dominion Transmission, Inc.'s (DTI) (collectively referred to as 
Dominion) proposed Cove Point LNG Expansion Project. This notice 
explains the scoping process the Commission will use to gather input 
from the public and interested agencies on the project. Your input will 
help us determine which issues need to be evaluated in the EIS. Please 
note that the scoping period for the project will close on November 23, 
2004.
    Comments may be submitted by electronic submission, in written 
form, or verbally. Further details on how to submit comments are 
provided in the public participation section of this notice. In lieu of 
sending comments, you are invited to attend the public scoping meetings 
scheduled as follows:

Dates and Times of Meetings

    Wednesday, November 3, 2004: 7 p.m. (EST), Old Courthouse, 1 Market 
Street, Lewistown, PA 17044, (717) 248-6733.
    Thursday, November 4, 2004: 7 p.m. (EST), Hilton Garden Inn, 1101 
East College Ave., State College, PA 16801, (814) 231-1590.
    Tuesday, November 16, 2004: 7 p.m. (EST), Holiday Inn--Solomons, 
155 Holiday Drive, Solomons, MD 20688, (410) 326-1069.
    Thursday, November 18, 2004: 7 p.m. (EST), Holiday Inn--Waldorf, 
U.S. 301 and St. Patrick's Drive, Waldorf, MD 20603, (301) 645-8200.
    In addition, on Thursday, November 4 and Wednesday, November 17, 
2004 starting at 9 a.m. (EST), we \1\ will be conducting a site visit 
to inspect Dominion's pipeline routes. Anyone interested in 
participating in the site visit on November 4th (Pennsylvania 
facilities) should meet at the parking lot of the Hilton Garden Inn, 
1101 East College Avenue, State College, Pennsylvania at 9 a.m. We will 
depart at 9:15 a.m.
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    \1\ ``We,'' ``us,'' and ``our'' refer to the environmental staff 
of the Office of Energy Projects.
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    Anyone interested in participating in the site visit on November 
17th for the TL-532 pipeline loop in Maryland should meet at the 
parking lot at the Safeway Shopping Center, 80 West Dares Beach Road, 
Prince Frederick, Maryland at 9 a.m. We will depart at 9:15 a.m.
    Participants must provide their own transportation. For additional 
information, please contact the Commission's Office of External Affairs 
at (866) 208-FERC (3372).
    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 Cove Point LNG Expansion Project

    Dominion states that (1) the expansion at the terminal and the 
additional pipeline projects are key to delivering new gas supplies to 
where they are needed in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast; and (2) the 
project facilities in Maryland would bring more winter supplies to the 
Mid-Atlantic region, and the project facilities in Pennsylvania would 
allow supplies to be stored in the summer and moved to the Northeast 
for use during the winter.
    Dominion proposes to expand its existing liquefied natural gas 
(LNG) terminal by adding two new 160,000 cubic meter LNG storage tanks 
at its site in Calvert County, Maryland. The terminal expansion would 
increase the send-out capability by 800 million standard cubic feet per 
day and increase the storage capacity by about 14.6 billion cubic feet.

[[Page 61824]]

    In addition, Dominion plans to construct five new natural gas 
pipelines totaling about 161 miles in length to deliver additional 
capacity to pipeline connections in Virginia and Pennsylvania. These 
pipelines include:
     About 47 miles of 36-inch-diameter loop \2\ pipeline in 
Calvert, Prince Georges, and Charles County, Maryland (TL-532);
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    \2\ A loop is a segment of pipeline that is adjacent to an 
existing pipeline and connected to it at both ends. The loop allows 
more gas to be moved through the system.
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     About 81 miles of 24-inch-diameter pipeline lateral in 
Juniata, Mifflin, Huntingdon, Centre, and Clinton Counties, 
Pennsylvania (PL-1 EXT2).
    As part of the new Pennsylvania lateral system, Dominion plans to 
construct two new compressor stations in Juniata and Centre Counties, 
Pennsylvania.
    Dominion also plans to construct three pipelines in Pennsylvania to 
support the storage and transportation of natural gas at the Leidy Hub. 
These would include:
     11 miles of 24-inch diameter pipeline loop in Greene 
County;
     12 miles of 24-inch-diameter pipeline loop in Potter 
County; and
     10 miles of 20-inch-diameter pipeline loop in Potter 
County, Pennsylvania.
    The expansion would also include pipeline upgrades, modifications 
at existing above-ground facilities, and other minor facility 
modifications, including metering facilities at the existing Leesburg 
Compressor Station in Loudoun County, Virginia; and pipeline pressure 
restoration on Dominion's existing pipeline system in Franklin County, 
Pennsylvania.
    The general location of facilities is shown in appendix 1 \3\.
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    \3\ The appendix referenced in this notice is not being printed 
in the Federal Register. Copies of the appendix were sent to all 
those receiving this notice in the mail. Requests for detailed maps 
of the proposed facilities should be made directly to Dominion (see 
http://www.dom.com/about/gas-transmission /covepoint/ expansion/ 
index.jsp for contact information).
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    Dominion indicates that the expansion of facilities at its existing 
Racket Newberne storage facility in Gilmer County, West Virginia would 
include the addition of new wells, well gathering lines, compression 
and related piping and equipment necessary to more effectively utilize 
the already certificated pool capacity. Certain of these modifications 
may be performed pursuant to DTI's blanket certificate authority, as 
permitted by 18 Code of Federal Regulations 157 subpart F.
    Dominion expects to file a formal application with the Commission 
in the first quarter 2005. Pending Commission approval, Dominion would 
begin the expansion at the Cove Point LNG facility as soon as 
authorization is received; and would construct the pipeline facilities 
in the spring of 2008. Dominion plans on placing all of the facilities 
into service in the fall of 2008.

The EIS Process

    The FERC will use the EIS to consider the environmental impact that 
could result if it issues Cove Point LNG Expansion project 
authorization under Sections 3 and 7 of the Natural Gas Act.
    This notice formally announces our preparation of the EIS and 
invites your input into the process referred to as ``scoping.'' We are 
soliciting input from the public and interested agencies to help us 
focus the analysis on the potentially significant environmental issues 
related to the proposed actions.
    Our independent analysis of the issues for the project will be 
included in the 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 lists for these proceedings. 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 documents, as 
necessary, before issuing final EIS.
    Although no formal application has been filed, the FERC staff has 
already initiated its National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review 
at this time. 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. We 
previously mailed an information fact sheet, called ``Pre-filing Review 
for the Cove Point LNG Expansion Project'' to our preliminary 
environmental mailing list in late September. You may also view this 
sheet in FERC's eLibrary system (see the ``Availability of Additional 
Information'' to access this and other documents that are filed in this 
proceeding).
    The FERC will be the lead federal agency in the preparation of the 
EIS. The document will satisfy the FERC's requirements of the NEPA. We 
are currently involved in discussions with other jurisdictional 
agencies in Maryland and Pennsylvania to identify their issues and 
concerns.
    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.
    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has already agreed to 
cooperate in the preparation of the EIS. In order to meet both the 
FERC's and the USACE's regulatory requirements for fulfilling NEPA, we 
have prepared this Notice with the cooperation of the USACE staff. This 
joint notice eliminates the redundancy and costs of duplicate mailings. 
In addition, staff of the USACE will participate with the FERC staff at 
the scoping meetings listed above to provide convenience to interested 
parties and agencies.

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 information provided by 
Dominion. This preliminary list of issues may be changed based on your 
comments and our analysis. The following issues will be addressed in 
the EIS:
     Impacts on waterbodies crossed by the pipelines, 
particularly St. Leonard's Creek, the Patuxent River, and the West 
Branch of the Susquehanna River.
     Impacts on tidal and non-tidal wetlands crossed by the 
pipelines, particularly in Calvert, Prince Georges and Charles 
Counties, Maryland.
     Impacts on State and/or federally-listed threatened and 
endangered species, including bald eagle, timber rattlesnake, and 
Indiana bat.
     Impacts on residential areas located along the pipeline 
routes, particularly those subdivisions located along TL-532 pipeline 
loop route and alternatives.
     Impacts on State-managed lands crossed by the pipelines, 
particularly the Sproul, Rothrock, Bald Eagle, and Tuscarora State 
Forests in Pennsylvania.
     Visual impacts associated with LNG terminal expansion.
     Impact and potential benefits of construction workforce on 
local housing, infrastructure, public services, and economy.
     Impacts on local air quality and noise, particularly with 
the addition of two new compressor stations in Pennsylvania.

[[Page 61825]]

     Hazards associated with the transport, unloading, storage, 
and vaporization of LNG.
     Pipeline route alternatives and variations, including the 
no action alternative.
     Impacts on any Section 4(f) Lands in Pennsylvania.

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, and 
measures to avoid or lessen environmental impact. The more specific 
your comments, the more useful they will be. 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 wish to mail comments, please mail your comments so that 
they will be received in Washington, DC on or before November 23, 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 1;
     Reference Docket No. PF04-15-000 (Dominion) on the 
original and both copies.
    The public scoping meetings to be held next month are designed to 
provide another opportunity to offer comments on the proposed project. 
Interested groups and individuals are encouraged to attend one of the 
meetings and to present comments on the environmental issues they 
believe should be addressed in the EIS. A transcript of the meetings 
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 the project.

Availability of Additional Information

    A docket number (PF04-15-000) has been established to place 
information filed by Dominion and related documents issued by the 
Commission, into the public record. To view information in the docket, 
follow the instructions for using the eLibrary link (see below). Once a 
formal application is filed, the Commission will:
     Publish a Notice of Application in the Federal Register;
     Establish a new docket number; and
     Set a deadline for interested persons to intervene in the 
proceeding.
    Because the Commission's Pre-Filing Process occurs before an 
application to begin a proceeding is officially filed, petitions to 
intervene during this process are premature and will not be accepted by 
the Commission.
    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 with eLibrary, the eLibrary helpline can be reached at 1-
866-208-3676, TTY (202) 502-8659, or at [email protected]. The 
eLibrary link also provides access to the texts of formal documents 
issued by the Commission, such as orders, notices, and rulemakings.
    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.
    Finally, Dominion has established an Internet Web site for its 
project at http://www.dom.com/about/gas-transmission/covepoint/expansion/index.jsp. The Web site includes a description of the 
project, maps of the proposed site, and links to related documents.

Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E4-2761 Filed 10-20-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P