[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 110 (Thursday, June 9, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33745-33746]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-2959]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket Nos. CP05-352-000 and CP05-355-000]


National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation; Tennessee Gas Pipeline 
Company; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for 
the Proposed Northeast Connexion-NY/NJ Project and Request for Comments 
on Environmental Issues

June 3, 2005.
    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 Northeast ConneXion-NY/NJ 
Project involving construction and operation of facilities by Tennessee 
Gas Pipeline Company (Tennessee) and National Fuel Gas Supply 
Corporation (National) in Bradford, Potter, and Susquehanna Counties, 
Pennsylvania, and Bergen County, New Jersey. Tennessee's and National's 
project purpose is to increase capacity on Tennessee's Line 300 by up 
to 50,000 dekatherms per day (Dth/d) and 51,500 Dth/d of incremental 
storage deliverability to Public Service Electric and Gas Company. In 
general, the project consists of about 6.0 miles of pipeline, adding 
additional compression at both the 313 and 317 Compressor Stations, 
upgrades to the Ramsey Meter Station, and enhancement of dehydration 
facilities at Compressor Station 313.
    This notice announces the opening of the scoping period that will 
be used to gather environmental input from the public and interested 
agencies on the project. Please note that the scoping period will close 
on July 5, 2005.
    This notice is being sent to potentially affected landowners; 
federal, state, and local government agencies; elected officials; 
environmental and public interest groups; Native American Tribes; other 
interested parties; local libraries and newspapers. State and local 
government representatives are asked to notify their constituents of 
this planned project and encourage them to comment on their areas of 
concern.
    If you are a landowner receiving this notice, you may be contacted 
by a pipeline company representative about the acquisition of an 
easement to construct, operate, and maintain the proposed facilities. 
The pipeline company would seek to negotiate a mutually acceptable 
agreement. However, if the project is approved by the Commission, that 
approval conveys with it the right of eminent domain. Therefore, if 
easement negotiations fail to produce an agreement, the pipeline 
company could initiate condemnation proceedings in accordance with 
state law.
    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 Web site (http://www.ferc.gov). 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

    Tennessee \1\ proposes to:
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    \1\ National's interest in the project is in the modification of 
the dehydration tower at Compressor Station 313 in Potter County, 
Pennsylvania. This project, (Docket No. CP05-352-000), was filed 
with the Commission under section 7 of the Natural Gas Act and Part 
157 of the Commission's regulations. Any reference to Tennessee from 
this point forth will refer to the overall project which includes 
National's interests.
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     Construct \2\ two separate 30-inch-diameter pipeline loops 
\3\ (2.0 miles in Bradford County and 4.0 miles in Susquehanna County, 
Pennsylvania);
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    \2\ Tennessee's application was filed with the Commission under 
section 7 of the Natural Gas Act and Part 157 of the Commission's 
regulations.
    \3\ A loop is a segment of pipeline installed adjacent to an 
existing pipeline and which connects to the existing pipeline at 
both ends of the loop. The loop allows more gas to be moved through 
the system.
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     Construct a pig launcher, receiver, and mainline valve 
(MLV) on the Bradford County loop, and a pig launcher and MLV on the 
Susquehanna County loop;
     Add 2,370 horsepower (hp) of compression and enhanced 
dehydration facilities at Tennessee's existing Compressor Station 313 
in Potter County, Pennsylvania;
     Uprate an existing compressor unit from 6,330 hp to 13,400 
hp through modifications to computer software at Compressor Station 317 
in Bradford County, Pennsylvania; and
     Upgrade the existing Ramsey Meter Station in Bergen 
County, New Jersey. The upgrade would consist of replacing 250 feet of 
8-inch-diameter pipe with 16 inch-diameter pipe and replacement of a 4-
inch ultrasonic meter with an 8-inch ultrasonic meter.
    The general location of Tennessee's proposed facilities is shown on 
the map attached as Appendix 1.\4\
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    \4\ 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

    Construction of Tennessee's proposed facilities would require about 
113.7 acres of land for the construction right-of-way for the 
pipelines, additional temporary workspaces, staging areas, and access 
roads. Of this land, 18.63 would be permanently maintained by 
Tennessee. The construction right-of-way for the pipelines would 
typically be 100 feet wide with 25 feet overlapping Tennessee's 
permanently maintained existing right-of-way in uplands. In wetland 
areas it would be reduced to 75 feet. Following construction, a 50-
foot-wide permanent right-of-way would be maintained.
    At Compressor Stations 313 and 317 and the Ramsey Meter Station, 
the proposed work would take place within the existing fee-owned 
property or easement boundaries. These areas are included in the above 
acreage estimates.
    Construction access to Tennessee's project would be via existing 
and new access roads. Tennessee has identified nine existing private 
access roads and four new access roads necessary for the construction 
of its project.

The EA Process

    We \5\ are preparing the EA to comply with the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) which 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 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

[[Page 33746]]

preparation of the EA. By this notice, we are also 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 EA. Agencies that would like to request 
cooperating status should follow the instructions for filing comments 
below.
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    \5\ ``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.

Currently Identified Environmental Issues

    In the EA, we will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of 
the construction and operation of the project. We will also evaluate 
possible alternatives to the proposed project or portions of the 
project.
    We have already identified some issues that we think deserve 
attention based on a preliminary review of the proposed facilities and 
the environmental information provided by Tennessee. This preliminary 
list of issues may be changed based on your comments and our analysis.
    Project-related impact on:
     Pipeline crossings of four perennial waterbodies, three of 
which are cold water fisheries in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania;
     Eleven wetland crossings;
     Noise and air quality;
     Nearby residences; and
     Groundwater and wells due to blasting in areas of shallow 
bedrock.

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 
and 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., N.E., Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426;
     Label one copy of the comments for the attention of Gas 
Branch 1.
     Reference Docket Nos. CP05-355-000, et al.
     Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, DC on or before July 6, 2005.
    Please note that 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 an 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 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).\6\ Only intervenors have 
the right to seek rehearing of the Commission's decision.
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    \6\ 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.

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. 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.

Linda Mitry,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. E5-2959 Filed 6-8-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P