[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]
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