[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 248 (Wednesday, December 28, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76808-76810]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-7903]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. PF05-17-000]


Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline, L.L.C.; Notice of Intent To 
Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Maritimes 
Phase IV Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues and 
Notice of Scoping Meetings

December 16, 2005.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) that 
discusses the environmental impacts of the Maritimes & Northeast, 
L.L.C. (Maritimes) proposed Maritimes Phase IV Project which involves 
the construction of 146.2 miles of various diameter pipeline loops; \1\ 
six new compressor stations; and modifications at one existing 
compressor station and four existing meter stations in Maine and 
Massachusetts. This EIS will be used by the Commission in its decision-
making process to determine whether the project is in the public 
convenience and necessity.
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    \1\ A pipeline loop is a segment of pipeline that general 
parallels an existing pipeline. The loop is connected to the 
existing pipeline and serves to increase the capacity of the 
pipeline system.
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    The Maritimes Phase IV Project is currently in the preliminary 
stages of design and at this time a formal application has not been 
filed with the Commission. For this project, the Commission is 
initiating the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review prior to 
receiving the application. This allows interested stakeholders to 
become involved early in the project planning and to identify and 
resolve issues before a formal application is filed with the FERC. A 
docket number (PF05-17-000) has been established to place information 
filed by Maritimes and related documents issued or received by the 
Commission, into the public record.\2\ Once a formal application is 
filed with the FERC, a new docket number will be established.
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    \2\ To view information in the docket, follow the instructions 
for using the eLibrary link at the end of this notice.
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    This notice is being sent to residents within 0.5 mile of the 
existing and proposed compressor stations; landowners along the 
pipeline routes under consideration; Federal, state, and local 
government agencies; elected officials; environmental and public 
interest groups; Native American tribes; and local libraries and 
newspapers.
    With this notice, we \3\ are asking Federal, state, and local 
agencies with jurisdiction and/or special expertise with respect to 
environmental issues, especially those in Appendix 2, to cooperate with 
us in the preparation of the EIS.\4\ These agencies may choose to 
participate once they have evaluated the proposal relative to their 
responsibilities. Agencies which would like to request cooperating 
status should follow the instructions for filing comments described 
later in this notice. We encourage government representatives to notify 
their constituents of this planned project and encourage them to 
comment on their areas of concern.
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    \3\ ``We,'' ``us,'' and ``our'' refer to the environmental staff 
of the Office of Energy Projects.
    \4\ Agencies which have previously requested cooperating status 
for this project need not request it again.
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    Some affected landowners may be contacted by a project 
representative about the acquisition of an easement to construct, 
operate, and maintain the proposed pipeline. If so, the company should 
seek to negotiate a mutually acceptable agreement. In the event that 
the project is certificated by the Commission, that approval conveys 
the right of eminent domain for securing easements for the pipeline. 
Therefore, if easement negotiations fail to produce an agreement, the 
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?'' 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

[[Page 76809]]

on the FERC Internet Web site (http://www.ferc.gov).

Summary of the Proposed Project

    Maritimes wants to expand the capacity of its facilities in Maine 
and Massachusetts to transport an additional 1.5 billion cubic feet per 
day of natural gas from two liquefied natural gas (LNG) import 
terminals presently under construction in Canada to markets in the 
Northeast United States. Specifically Maritimes would construct: \5\
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    \5\ The Westbrook Loop, the Eliot Compressor Station, the 
Westbrook Meter and Compressor Stations, and the Dracut Meter 
Station would be or are adjacent to the Joint Facilities which are a 
segment of the existing pipeline which is owned jointly by Maritimes 
and Portland Natural Gas Transmission System. The remaining 
facilities would be or are adjacent to existing pipeline which is 
solely owned by Maritimes.
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Pipeline Loops in Maine

     Approximately, 1.7 miles of 30-inch-diameter pipeline and 
25.5 miles of 36-inch-diameter pipeline in Washington County 
(Baileyville Loop);
     26.7 miles of 36-inch-diameter pipeline in Hancock and 
Penobscot Counties (Woodchopping Ridge Loop);
     23.6 miles of 36-inch-diameter pipeline in Penobscot and 
Waldo Counties (Brewer Loop);
     21.7 miles of 36-inch-diameter pipeline in Waldo, Knox, 
Lincoln and Kennebec Counties (Searsmont Loop);
     28.6 miles of 36-inch-diameter pipeline in Sagadahoc, 
Androscoggin and Cumberland Counties (Richmond Loop);
     3.3 miles of 36-inch-diameter pipeline in Cumberland 
County (Falmouth Loop); and
     15.1 miles of 36-inch-diameter pipeline in Cumberland and 
York Counties (Westbrook Loop).

New Compressor Stations in Maine and Massachusetts

Maine
     Woodchopping Ridge Compressor Station in Hancock County;
     Brewer Compressor Station in Penobscot County;
     Searsmont Compressor Station in Waldo County;
     Westbrook Compressor Station in Cumberland; and
     Eliot Compressor Station in York County.
Massachusetts
     New Compressor Station in Methuen, Middlesex County or in 
Haverhill, Essex County.
Additional Compression in Maine
     Richmond Compressor Station in Sagadahoc County.

Other Modifications in Maine and Massachusetts

Maine
     Addition of a meter station at the existing Baileyville 
Compressor Station in Washington County; and
     Modification of the existing Westbrook Meter Station in 
Cumberland County.
Massachusetts
     Modification of the existing Methuen Meter Station in 
Essex County; and
     Modification of the existing Dracut Meter Station in 
Middlesex County.
    A map depicting the general location of the project facilities is 
provided in Appendix 1.\6\ If you are interested in obtaining detailed 
maps of a specific portion of the project please contact Rebecca 
Kimball with Maritimes at 800-738-4880.
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    \6\ The appendices referenced in this notice are not being 
printed in the Federal Register. Copies are available on the 
Commission's Internet Web site (http://www.ferc.gov) at the 
``eLibrary'' link or from the Commission's Public Reference and 
Files Maintenance Branch at (202) 502-8371. For instructions on 
connecting to eLibrary refer to the last page of this notice.
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Non-Jurisdictional Facilities

    Non-jurisdictional facilities associated with this proposal include 
two LNG terminals presently under construction (Canaport LNG in New 
Brunswick and Bear Head LNG in Nova Scotia). Both terminals anticipate 
being in service in 2008. Four new compressor stations and additional 
pipeline would also be required in Canada.

Land Requirements for Construction

    It is estimated that the construction of the proposed facilities 
would disturb about 1,948 acres of land. About 579 acres of the total 
would be retained for the operation of the pipeline loops and the 
aboveground facilities (compressor/meter stations). The pipeline loops 
would be constructed on either a 95- or 105-foot-wide right-of-way with 
occasional increases in the right-of-way width for additional workspace 
at waterbody, wetland, road, and railroad crossings. Extra workspaces 
may also be required in areas with site specific constraints, such as 
side slope construction or areas requiring topsoil segregation. Other 
temporary land requirements would include land for pipe storage and 
equipment yards. Operation of the pipeline facilities would require a 
nominal 25- or 50-foot-wide permanent right-of-way.

The EIS Process

    The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) 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 under section 7 of the 
Natural Gas Act. NEPA also requires us to discover and address concerns 
the public would have about proposals. This process is referred to as 
``scoping''. The main goal of the scoping process is to focus the 
analysis in the EIS on the important environmental issues and 
reasonable alternatives. By this Notice of Intent, the Commission staff 
requests agency and public comments on the scope of the issues to 
address in the EIS. All comments received are considered during the 
preparation of the EIS. State and local government representatives are 
encouraged to notify their constituents of this proposed action and 
encourage them to comment on their areas of concern.
    The EIS discusses impacts that could occur as a result of the 
construction and operation of the proposed project under these general 
headings:
     Geology and soils.
     Land use.
     Water resources, fisheries, and wetlands.
     Cultural resources.
     Vegetation and wildlife.
     Air quality and noise.
     Endangered and threatened species.
     Hazardous waste.
     Public safety.
    We may also evaluate possible alternatives to the proposed project 
or portions of the project, and make recommendations on how to lessen 
or avoid impacts on the various resource areas.
    Our independent analysis of the issues are included in the draft 
EIS. Depending on the comments received during the scoping process, the 
draft EIS would be published and mailed to Federal, state, and local 
agencies, Native American tribes, public interest groups, interested 
individuals, affected landowners, newspapers, libraries, and the 
Commission's official service list for this proceeding. A comment 
period would be allotted for review of the draft EIS. All comments on 
the draft EIS would be considered and the document revised before 
issuing a final EIS. This draft EIS is used by the Commission in its 
decision-making process to determine whether the project is in the 
public convenience and necessity.
    To ensure your comments are considered, please carefully follow the 
instructions in the public participation section beginning on page 6.

[[Page 76810]]

Currently Identified Environmental Issues

    We have identified several issues that we think deserve attention 
based on a preliminary review of the proposed facilities and the 
environmental information provided by Maritimes. This preliminary list 
of issues may be changed based on your comments and our analysis.
     Geology and Soils.

--Blasting and disposal of excess rock.

     Water Resources.
--Impacts of construction on water quality.
--Impact of construction on wetlands.

     Fish, Wildlife, and Vegetation.

--Impacts of construction on cold water fisheries and anadromous 
fisheries (including Atlantic salmon).
--Impacts of construction on wildlife habitat (including deer wintering 
areas).
--Disposal of timber and stumps.

     Endangered and Threatened Species.

--Impacts of construction on Atlantic salmon, shortnosed sturgeon, and 
bald eagles.

--Impacts on essential fish habitat.

     Reliability and Safety.
--Safety and reliability of the compressor stations and pipeline loops.
     Air Quality and Noise.

--Impacts of construction and operation of the pipeline and compressor 
stations on residences.

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 may be addressed in the EIS 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 may 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., NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426.
     Label one copy of the comments for the attention of Gas 
Branch 2; and
     Reference Docket No. PF05-17-000 on the original and both 
copies.
     Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, DC on or before January 20, 2006.
    Please note that we are continuing to experience delays in mail 
deliveries from the U.S. Postal Service. As a result, we would include 
all comments that we receive within a reasonable time frame in our 
environmental analysis of this project. However, 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 should open a free account which can be created on-
line.
    If you do not want to send comments at this time but still want to 
remain on our mailing list, please return the attached Mailing List 
Retention Form (Appendix 3). If you do not return the form, you will be 
taken off the mailing list.

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.
    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.

Public Scoping Meeting

    In addition to or in lieu of sending written comments, we invite 
you to attend the public scoping meetings we will conduct in the area. 
The locations and times for these meetings are listed below:

January 9, 2006, 7 p.m., Jeff's Catering Brewer, 5 Coffin Avenue, 
Brewer, ME 04412
January 10, 2006, 7 p.m., Liberty Town Hall, 7 Waters Street, Liberty, 
ME 04949
January 11, 2006, 7 p.m., American Legion Hall, 17 Dunn Street, 
Westbrook, ME 04092
January 12, 2006, 7 p.m., Metheun High School Cafeteria, 1 Ranger Road, 
Methuen, MA 01844

    The public scoping meetings are designed to provide state and local 
agencies, interested groups, affected landowners, and the general 
public with more detailed information and another opportunity to offer 
your comments on the proposed project. Interested groups and 
individuals are encouraged to attend the meeting and to present 
comments on the environmental issues they believe should be addressed 
in the EIS. A transcript of the meetings will be made so that your 
comments will be accurately recorded.
    Finally, public meetings will be posted on the Commission's 
calendar located at http://www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/EventsList.aspx 
along with other related information.

Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E5-7903 Filed 12-27-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P