[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 119 (Wednesday, June 22, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36139-36140]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-3241]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. PF05-13-000]


Florida Gas Transmission Company; Notice Of Intent To Prepare An 
Environmental Assessment For The Proposed SR 91 Widening Project And 
Request For Comments On Environmental Issues

June 16, 2005.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) will prepare an environmental assessment (EA) discussing 
the environmental impacts of Florida Gas Transmission Company's (FGT) 
proposed SR 91 Widening Project located in Broward County, Florida.
    This notice formally announces the opening of the scoping process 
we\1\ will use to gather input from the public and interested 
regulatory agencies on potential environmental issues concerning the 
proposed project. This information will be used to help us determine 
which issues need to be evaluated in the EA. Please note that the 
scoping period will close on July 18, 2005.
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    \1\ ``We'', ``us'' and ``our'' refer to the staff of the Office 
of Energy Projects.
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    This notice is being sent to affected landowners; Federal, State 
and local government representatives and agencies; environmental and 
public interest groups; other interested parties in this proceeding; 
and local libraries and newspapers. We encourage government 
representatives to notify their constituents of this notice and to 
encourage their comments concerning this proposed project.

Summary of the Proposed Project

    FGT proposes to abandon and replace approximately 13 miles of 18-
inch-diameter and 24-inch-diameter natural gas pipeline. FGT is 
proposing this action to avoid conflicts resulting from the Florida 
Turnpike Enterprise's widening of State Road 91. FGT is seeking the 
authority to:
     Abandon approximately 13 miles of 18-inch-diameter and 24-
inch-diameter pipeline; and
     Replace this pipeline east of its existing location 
(within the highway right-of-way).
    A map depicting FGT's proposed activities is provided in Appendix 
1.\2\
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    \2\ The appendices referenced in this notice will not being 
printed in the Federal Register. Copies are available on the 
Commission's website (excluding maps) at http://www.ferc.gov or from 
the Commission's Public Reference Room--(202) 502-8371.
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The EA Process

    FERC staff will prepare an EA to analyze the potential impacts that 
could occur if FGT is issued a Certificate of Public Convenience and 
Necessity. An analysis of the environmental issues, a discussion of 
possible alternatives to the proposed project or portions of the 
project, and recommendations on how to lessen or avoid environmental 
impacts will be included in the EA.
    As noted above, this notice formally announces the beginning of our 
preparation of an EA and the beginning of the scoping process. With 
this notice, we are soliciting your input to help us focus the analyses 
in the EA. In addition, we are requesting that any Federal, State and/
or local agencies with jurisdiction and/or special expertise with 
respect to environmental issues formally cooperate with us in the 
preparation of the EA.
    Upon completion, the EA may be mailed to Federal, State and local 
government agencies; elected officials; environmental and public 
interest groups; affected landowners; other interested parties; local 
libraries and newspapers; and the FERC's official service list for this 
proceeding. A 30-day comment period would be allotted for review of the 
EA. We would consider all comments submitted concerning the EA in any 
Commission Order that may be issued for the project.

Currently Identified Environmental Issues

    At this time an application has not been filed with the FERC. We 
have initiated the Commission's Pre-Filing Process to involve 
interested parties early in project planning and to assist in the 
identification and resolution of issues before an application is filed.
    We have identified several issues that we think deserve attention 
based on a preliminary review of the proposed facilities. This 
preliminary list of issues may be changed based on your comments and 
our analysis. These issues are:
     Safety concerns and traffic flow related to construction;
     Surface water crossings and water flow management; and
     Project proximity to residential housing.

Public Participation

    You can make a difference by providing us with your specific 
comments or concerns about the proposed project. The more specific your 
comments, the more useful they will be. Your comments should focus on 
the potential environmental effects, reasonable alternatives and 
measures to avoid or lessen environmental impact.
    To ensure that your comments are properly recorded, please mail 
them to our office on or before July 18, 2005. When filing comments 
please:
     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 to the attention of Gas 
Branch 2, DG2E; and Reference Docket No. PF05-13-000 on the original 
and both copies.
    Please note that the Commission encourages electronic filing of 
comments. See 18 Code of Federal Regulations 385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and 
the instructions on the Commission's Internet Web site at http://www.ferc.gov under the ``eFiling'' link and the link to the User's 
Guide. Prepare your submission in the same manner as you would if 
filing on paper and save it to a file on your hard drive. Before you 
can file comments you will need to create an account by clicking on 
``Login to File'' and then ``New User Account.'' You will be asked to 
select the type of filing you are making. This filing is considered a 
Comment on Filing.
    When FGT submits its application for authorization to construct and 
operate the SR 91 Widening Project, the Commission will publish a 
Notice of Application in the Federal Register and will establish 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.

[[Page 36140]]

Environmental Mailing List

    If you wish to remain on the environmental mailing list, please 
return the Mailing List Retention Form included in Appendix 2. If you 
do not return this form, you will be taken off our mailing list.

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 Web site at http://www.ferc.gov. Using the 
``eLibrary'' link, select a General Search from the menu, enter the 
selected date range and Docket Number PF05-13-000, and follow the 
instructions. Searches may also be done using the phrase ``SR 91 
Widening Project'' in the Text Search field. For assistance with access 
to eLibrary, the helpline can be reached at 1-866-208-3676, TTY (202) 
502-8659, or at FERCOnlineSupport@ ferc.gov. 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.
    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.
    You can also contact Ms. Beth Porter, FGT Right-of-Way Agent by 
phone at (800) 381-1477 or by e-mail at 
[email protected] with your specific concerns or 
comments regarding this project.

Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E5-3241 Filed 6-21-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P