[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 129 (Thursday, July 7, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39266-39267]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-3568]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. Pf05-15-000]


Sonora Pipeline, LLC; Notice of Intent To Prepare an 
Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Burgos Hub Export/Import 
Project, and Notice of Request for Comments on Environmental Issues; 
Site Visit

June 29, 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 Sonora Pipeline, LLC's (Sonora) 
planned Burgos Hub Export/Import Project located in Hidalgo County, 
Texas. This notice announces the opening of the scoping process we will 
use to gather input from the public and interested agencies on the 
projects. Your input will help the Commission staff determine which 
issues need to be evaluated in the EA. Please note that the scoping 
period will close on August 1, 2005.
    This notice is being sent to affected landowners; federal, state, 
and local government representatives and agencies; environmental and 
public interest groups; Native American tribes; other interested 
parties in this proceeding; 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 Project

    The project would consist of construction of 31 miles of 30-inch-
diameter pipeline in two segments. The first segment would be 8 miles 
of pipeline that would commence at Donna Station and extend southward 
to the international boundary in the Rio Grande River near the city of 
Progresso. The second segment would be 23 miles of pipeline and would 
commence at the Gilmore Plant and extend southward to the international 
boundary in the Rio Grande River near the city of Mission.
    Sonora indicates that these facilities are needed to help alleviate 
the growing demand for natural gas in the Burgos Hub area of Mexico and 
in the longer term, will help alleviate the demand for natural gas in 
the United States by providing a means for liquefied natural gas (LNG) 
from offshore Mexico to be imported.
    Sonora anticipates filing an application with the FERC on or before 
the end of the summer. If approved, Sonora would seek approval to begin 
construction in March 2006.
    Location maps depicting Sonora's proposed facilities are provided 
in Appendix 1.\1\
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    \1\ The appendices referenced in this notice are not being 
printed in the Federal Register. Copies are available on the 
Commission's Web site (excluding maps) at the ``eLibrary'' link or 
from the Commission's Public Reference Room or call (202) 502-8371. 
For instructions on connecting to eLibrary refer to the end of this 
notice. Copies of the appendices were sent to all those receiving 
this notice in the mail.
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Currently Identified Environmental Issues

    At this time no formal application has been filed with the FERC. 
For this project, the FERC staff has initiated its NEPA review prior to 
receiving the application. The purpose of the Commission's Pre-Filing 
Process is to involve interested stakeholders early in project planning 
and to identify and resolve issues before an application is filed with 
the FERC.

The EA Process

    The FERC will use the EA to consider the environmental impact that 
could result if it issues Sonora a Certificate of Public Convenience 
and Necessity.
    This notice formally announces our preparation of the EA and the 
beginning of the process referred to as ``scoping.'' We \2\ are 
soliciting input from the public and interested agencies to help us 
focus the analysis in the EA on the potentially significant 
environmental issues related to the proposed action.
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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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    Our independent analysis of the issues will be included in an EA 
that will be prepared for the project. Our evaluation will also include 
possible alternatives to the proposed project or portions of the 
project, and we will make recommendations on how to lessen or avoid 
impacts on the various resource areas of concern.
    The EA 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 list 
for this proceeding. A 30-day comment period will be allotted for 
review of the EA. We will consider all comments submitted on the EA in 
any Commission Order that is issued for the project.
    We are currently involved in discussions with other jurisdictional 
agencies to identify their issues and concerns. These agencies include 
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Texas 
Parks and Wildlife, and the Texas Historical Commission. By this 
notice, we are asking these and other 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 provided below.

Public Participation

    You can make a difference by providing us with your specific 
comments or concerns about the proposals. 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 ensure that your 
comments are timely and properly recorded, please mail your comments so 
that they will be received in Washington, DC on or before August 1, 
2005 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 the comments for the attention of Gas 
Branch 1, DG2E; and
     Reference Docket No. PF05-15-000 on the original and both 
copies.
    Please note that the Commission encourages electronic filing of 
comments. See 18 CFR 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

[[Page 39267]]

making. This filing is considered a ``Comment on Filing.''
    When Sonora submits its application for authorization to construct 
and operate the Burgos Hub Expansion 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.

Site Visit

    On July 14, 2005, the OEP staff will conduct a pre-certification 
site visit of the planned Burgos Hub Export/Import Project.
    We will view the proposed route and variations that are being 
considered for the planned pipeline. Examination will be by automobile 
and on foot. Representatives of Sonora will be accompanying the OEP 
staff.
    All interested parties may attend. Those planning to attend must 
provide their own transportation. Those interested in attending the 
site visit should meet at 9 a.m. in parking lot of the Renaissance Casa 
De Palmas Hotel, 101 N. Main Street McAllen, Texas. You may have also 
been notified by Sonora that it plans on holding an Open House that 
evening, at the Renaissance Casa De Palmas Hotel in McAllen, Texas at 
6:30 p.m.
    For additional information, please contact the Commission's Office 
of External Affairs at 1-866-208-FERC (3372).

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 (http://www.ferc.gov). Using the 
``eLibrary'' link, select ``General Search'' from the eLibrary menu, 
enter the selected date range and ``Docket Number'' (i.e., PF05-15-
000), and follow the instructions. Searches may also be done using the 
phrase ``Burgos Hub Export/Import'' 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 [email protected]. 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 Mr. James Blackwell, Sonora Representative by 
phone at (512) 930-2044 or by e-mail at [email protected] with 
your specific concerns or comments regarding this project.

Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E5-3568 Filed 7-6-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P