[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 59 (Tuesday, March 28, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15398-15399]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-4492]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Floodplain and Wetland Actions: Site Selection for Expansion of 
the Strategic Petroleum Reserve Announcement

AGENCY: Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of Proposed Floodplain and Wetland Actions.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE) is preparing an environmental 
impact statement (EIS) for site selection for expansion of the 
Strategic Petroleum Reserve, as required by the Energy Policy Act of 
2005. Some potential sites for expansion or new development of the 
Reserve and for pipeline rights-of-way are located in floodplains or

[[Page 15399]]

wetlands. DOE hereby gives early notice that it will include in the 
Draft EIS a floodplain and wetland assessment prepared in accordance 
with the DOE Regulations for Compliance with Floodplain and Wetland 
Environmental Review Requirements (10 CFR Part 1022) and provides for 
early public input.

DATES: DOE intends to issue the Draft EIS containing the floodplain and 
wetland assessment in the near future. Any suggestions related to 
preparation of the floodplain and wetland assessment would be most 
helpful if received no later than April 12, 2006.

ADDRESSES: Suggestions or questions may be submitted by any of the 
following methods, identified by ``Notice of Floodplain and Wetland 
Actions for the SPR EIS'' on the subject line, cover sheet, or 
envelope, respectively:
     E-mail: [email protected].
     Fax: (202) 586-4446.
     Mail: Donald Silawsky, Office of Petroleum Reserves (FE-
47), U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., 
Washington, DC 20585-0301. Please note that mail may be delayed by 
anthrax screening.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: To receive information on the 
proposed expansion of the SPR or the floodplain and wetland 
assessments, or to request a copy of the Draft EIS when it is issued, 
contact Donald Silawsky by any of the means listed in the ADDRESSES 
section of this notice, or call (202) 586-1892. Additional information 
may also be found on the DOE Fossil Energy Web site for ``EIS 
Information for Expanding the Nation's Strategic Petroleum Reserves'' 
at http://www.fe.doe.gov/programs/reserves/spr/expansion-eis.html.
    For further information on the DOE NEPA process, please contact: 
Carol M. Borgstrom, Director, Office of NEPA Policy and Compliance (EH-
42), U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., 
Washington, DC 20585-0119; telephone: (202) 586-4600; fax: (202) 586-
7031; or leave a toll-free message at: (800) 472-2756.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background: DOE published a notice of intent 
to prepare an EIS for site selection for the expansion of the Strategic 
Petroleum Reserve at 70 FR 52088 on September 1, 2005. In response to 
conditions following Hurricane Katrina, DOE extended the scoping period 
through October 28, 2005 (70 FR 56649; September 28, 2005) and held 
public scoping meetings in Texas, Mississippi, and Louisiana. On 
October 27, 2005, the Governor of Mississippi requested the Secretary 
of Energy to include a new site at Bruinsburg Salt Dome in the analysis 
of environmental impacts. On November 22, 2005 (70 FR 70600), in 
response to the inclusion of the new site, DOE announced that another 
public meeting would be held in Mississippi on December 7, 2005, and 
the public scoping period would be reopened until December 19, 2005.

Locations of Potential Actions in Wetlands and Floodplains

    Construction and Operation of Reserves. Candidate sites for 
expansion of existing Strategic Petroleum Reserve storage capacity are 
at West Hackberry and Bayou Choctaw, Louisiana, and Big Hill, Texas. 
Candidate sites for construction of new Strategic Petroleum Reserve 
storage capacity are at Chacahoula and Clovelly, Louisiana; Richton and 
Bruinsburg, Mississippi; and Stratton Ridge, Texas. The expansion sites 
and the candidate construction sites all involve potential actions in 
floodplains and/or wetlands.
    Petroleum Pipelines. The candidate Big Hill, Bayou Choctaw, and 
West Hackberry expansion sites and the new candidate Chacahoula, 
Clovelly, Richton, Bruinsburg, and Stratton Ridge sites involve 
potential construction of crude oil or product pipelines in floodplains 
and/or wetlands.
    Brine Pipelines. The candidate Big Hill and Bayou Choctaw expansion 
sites and the new candidate Chacahoula, Richton, Bruinsburg, and 
Stratton Ridge sites involve potential construction of brine pipelines 
in floodplains and/or wetlands.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on March 21, 2006.
Mark J. Matarrese,
NEPA Compliance Officer, Office of Fossil Energy.
[FR Doc. E6-4492 Filed 3-27-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P