[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 61 (Thursday, March 30, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16141-16143]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-4643]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. PF06-16-000]


Kinder Morgan Louisiana Pipeline, L.L.C.; Notice of Intent To 
Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Kinder 
Morgan Pipeline Project and Request for Comments on Environmental 
Issues

March 24, 2006.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) for 
the Kinder Morgan Pipeline Project proposed in southwest Louisiana by 
Kinder Morgan Louisiana Pipeline, L.L.C. This notice describes the 
proposed project, the EIS process and how the public can participate in 
our \1\ analysis.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ ``We,'' ``us,'' and ``our'' refer to the environmental staff 
of the FERC's Office of Energy Projects.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    This notice is being sent to affected landowners; federal, state, 
and local government agencies; elected officials; environmental and 
public interest groups; Native American tribes; other interested 
parties; and local libraries and newspapers. We encourage government 
representatives to notify their constituents of this proposed project 
and encourage them to comment on their areas of concern.

Summary of the Proposed Project

    Kinder Morgan proposes to construct, operate and maintain 
approximately 133 miles of natural gas pipeline in Cameron, Calcasieu, 
Jefferson Davis, Acadia and Evangeline Parishes, Louisiana. According 
to Kinder Morgan, the purpose of this project is to provide an 
additional source of long-term, competitively priced natural gas from 
the Sabine Pass Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Terminal to intrastate and 
interstate natural gas markets. Kinder Morgan has stated that this 
project is necessary to help meet the growing imbalance between 
national supply and demand.
    Specifically, Kinder Morgan is proposing to construct, operate and 
maintain:
     130 miles of 42-inch-diameter pipeline beginning within 
the Sabine Pass LNG Terminal in Cameron Parish and extending northward 
and easterly through Calcasieu, Jefferson Davis and Acadia Parishes 
until it connects with an existing Columbia Gulf Transmission 
interstate pipeline in Evangeline Parish, Louisiana.
     1 mile of 36-inch-diameter bi-directional pipeline 
beginning within the Sabine Pass LNG Terminal and extending northward 
until it connects with the existing Natural Gas Pipeline Company of 
America pipeline approximately one mile north of the LNG terminal in 
Cameron Parish, Louisiana.
     2.2 miles of 24-inch-diameter pipeline extending 
eastwardly from approximately Milepost 109 of the 130-mile leg 
described above until it connects with the existing Florida Gas 
Transmission Company's Compressor Station 7 near the town of 
Williams in Acadia Parish, Louisiana.
     Associated mainline block valves, metering, tie-in and 
pigging facilities.
    The Kinder Morgan Pipeline would deliver approximately 3.4 million 
decatherms (Dth) of natural gas per day and would connect with fourteen 
intrastate and interstate pipeline facilities. No compressor stations 
would be included as part of the project.
    A general location of the proposed pipeline is provided in Appendix 
1.\2\

[[Page 16142]]

Land Requirements

    Kinder Morgan is proposing that construction of the 42-inch-
diameter and 36-inch-diameter pipelines would require between 85-130 
feet of construction right-of-way (ROW). Construction of the 24-inch-
diameter pipeline would require the use of 75-95 feet of construction 
ROW. Temporary work spaces (TWS) would also be required for 
construction of the proposed project. The size of construction ROW and 
TWS required for construction would vary depending on land type and 
construction method. Approximately 1,600 acres of land would be 
temporarily affected by construction of the proposed project. In 
addition, during construction additional lands would also be 
temporarily affected by pipeline storage yards, contractor staging 
areas, temporary work spaces and access roads.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ The appendices referenced in this notice are not being 
printed in the Federal Register. Copies of all appendices, other 
than Appendix 1 (maps), are available on the Commission's Web site 
at the ``eLibrary'' link or from the Commission's Public Reference 
Room, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426, or call (202) 
502-8371. For instructions on connecting to eLibrary refer to the 
Public Participation section of this notice. Copies of the 
appendices were sent to all those receiving this notice in the mail. 
Requests for detailed maps of the proposed facilities should be made 
directly to Kinder Morgan.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Kinder Morgan proposes that 50 feet of permanent ROW would be 
necessary for all three pipeline segments. Approximately 800 acres of 
land would be permanently affected by operation of the proposed 
project.
    If you are a landowner receiving this notice, you may be contacted 
by a Kinder Morgan representative about the acquisition of an easement 
to construct, operate and maintain the proposed project facilities. The 
pipeline company would seek to negotiate a mutually acceptable 
agreement. However, if the project is approved by the FERC, that 
approval conveys with it the right of eminent domain. Therefore, if 
easement negotiations fail to produce an agreement, the pipeline 
company could initiate condemnation proceedings in accordance with 
state law.

The EIS Process

    The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires the 
Commission to take into account the environmental impacts that could 
result from the approval of an interstate natural gas pipeline. The 
FERC will use the EIS to assess the environmental impact that could 
result if the Kinder Morgan Pipeline Project is authorized under 
section 7 of the Natural Gas Act. NEPA also requires us to discover and 
address concerns the public may have about proposals under 
consideration by the Commission. 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. With this 
Notice of Intent, the Commission staff is requesting public comments on 
the scope of the issues to be addressed in the EIS. All comments 
received will be considered during preparation of the EIS. Please note 
that the scoping period will close on April 24, 2006.
    In the EIS, we will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of 
the construction and operation of the proposed project under these 
general headings:
     Geology and soils;
     Water resources;
     Wetlands and vegetation;
     Fish and wildlife;
     Threatened and endangered species;
     Land use, recreation and visual resources;
     Air quality and noise;
     Cultural resources;
     Socioeconomics;
     Reliability and safety; and
     Cumulative impacts.
    In the EIS, we will also evaluate possible alternatives to the 
proposed project or portions of the project and make recommendations on 
how to lessen or avoid impacts on affected resources.
    Our independent analysis of the issues will be included in a draft 
EIS. The draft EIS will be mailed to Federal, State and local 
government agencies; elected officials; environmental and public 
interest groups; Native American tribes; affected landowners; 
commentors; other interested parties; local libraries and newspapers; 
and the FERC's official service list for this proceeding. A 45-day 
comment period will be allotted for review of the draft EIS. We will 
consider all comments on the draft EIS and revise the document, as 
necessary, before issuing a final EIS. We will consider all comments on 
the final EIS before we make our recommendations to the Commission. To 
ensure that your comments are considered, please follow the 
instructions in the Public Participation section of this notice.
    Although no formal application has been filed, the FERC staff has 
already initiated its NEPA review under its Pre-filing Process. The 
purpose of the Pre-filing Process is to encourage the early involvement 
of interested stakeholders and to identify and resolve issues before an 
application is filed.
    With this notice, we are asking Federal, State and local 
governmental agencies with jurisdiction and/or special expertise with 
respect to environmental issues to express their interest in becoming 
cooperating agencies for the preparation of the EIS. These agencies may 
choose to participate once they have evaluated the proposal relative to 
their responsibilities. Agencies that would like to request cooperating 
status should send a letter expressing that interest and expected level 
of involvement to the Secretary of the Commission at the address 
provided in the public participation section of this notice.

Currently Identified Environmental Issues

    The EIS will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of the 
construction, operation and maintenance of the proposed project. We 
have already identified several issues that we think deserve attention 
based on a preliminary review of the project site and the facility 
information provided by Kinder Morgan. This preliminary list of issues 
may be changed based on your comments and our analysis.
     Potential impacts to Sabine Lake, including oyster reefs.
     Potential impacts to perennial and intermittent 
waterbodies, including waterbodies with Federal and/or State 
designations.
     Evaluation of temporary and permanent impacts on wetlands 
and development of appropriate mitigation.
     Potential impacts to fish and wildlife habitat, including 
the potential for impacts to federally and state-listed threatened and 
endangered species, as well as the potential for impacts to wildlife 
refuges.
     Potential impacts to existing land uses, including 
residences, agricultural and managed forested lands.
     Potential impacts and potential benefits of construction 
workforce on local housing, infrastructure, public services and 
economy.
     Alternative alignments for the pipeline route, alternative 
construction methods and alternative sites for associated surface 
facilities, such as staging areas temporarily used during construction.

Public Participation

    You can make a difference by providing us with your specific 
comments or concerns about the proposed project. By becoming a 
commentor, your concerns will be addressed in the EIS and considered by 
the Commission. Your comments should focus on the potential 
environmental effects, reasonable

[[Page 16143]]

alternatives (including alternative facility sites and pipeline 
routes), and measures to avoid or lessen environmental impacts. The 
more specific your comments, the more useful they will be. To ensure 
that your comments are timely and properly recorded, please 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 your comments for the attention of Gas 
Branch 2, DG2E.
     Reference Docket No. PF06-16-000 on the original and both 
copies.
     Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, DC on or before April 24, 2006.
    Please note that we are continuing to experience delays in mail 
deliveries from the U.S. Postal Service. As a result, we will include 
all comments that we receive within a reasonable time frame in our 
environmental analysis of this project. The Commission strongly 
encourages electronic filing of any comments in response to this Notice 
of Intent. For information on electronically filing comments, please 
see 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, as well as information in 18 CFR 385.2001(a)(1)(iii). Before you 
can submit comments you will need to create a free account, which can 
be created on-line.
    Public scoping meetings are designed to provide another opportunity 
to offer comments on the proposed project. The FERC is arranging and 
will announce plans for public scoping meetings in the vicinity of the 
proposed project before the close of the scoping period on April 24, 
2006. Interested groups and individuals are encouraged to attend these 
meetings and to present comments on the environmental issues they 
believe should be addressed in the EIS. A transcript of each meeting 
will be generated so that your comments will be accurately recorded.
    Once Kinder Morgan formally files its application with the 
Commission, you may want to become an official party to the proceeding 
known as an ``intervenor.'' Intervenors play a more formal role in the 
process and are able to file briefs, appear at hearings and be heard by 
the courts if they choose to appeal the Commission's final ruling. An 
intervenor formally participates in a Commission proceeding by filing a 
request to intervene. Instructions for becoming an intervenor are 
included in the User's Guide under the ``e-filing'' link on the 
Commission's Web site. Please note that you may not request intervenor 
status at this time. You must wait until a formal application is filed 
with the Commission.

Environmental Mailing List

    An effort is being made to send this notice to all individuals, 
organizations and government entities interested in and/or potentially 
affected by the proposed project. This includes all landowners who are 
potential right-of-way grantors, whose property may be used temporarily 
for project purposes or who own homes within distances defined in the 
Commission's regulations of certain aboveground facilities.
    If you received this notice, you are on the environmental mailing 
list for this project. If you do not want to send comments at this 
time, but still want to remain on our mailing list, please return the 
Information Request (Appendix 2). If you do not return the Information 
Request, you will be removed from the Commission's environmental 
mailing list.

Availability of Additional Information

    Additional information about this project can be obtained by 
contacting the Commission's Office of External Affairs, at 1-866-208-
FERC (3372). Additional information is also available on the Internet 
at http://www.ferc.gov. The ``eLibrary link'' on the FERC Web site 
provides access to documents submitted to and issued by the Commission, 
such as comments, orders, notices and rulemakings. Once on the FERC 
website, click on the ``eLibrary link,'' select ``General Search'' and 
in the ``Docket Number'' field enter the project docket number 
excluding the last three digits (PF06-16). When researching information 
be sure to select an appropriate date range. In addition, the FERC now 
offers a free e-mail 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.
    For assistance with the FERC Web site or with eSubscription, please 
contact FERC Online Support at [email protected] or toll free 
at 1-866-208-3676, or TTY, contact (202) 502-8659.
    Kinder Morgan has also established an Internet Web site for this 
project at http://www.kindermorgan.com/business/gas_pipelines/KMLP. 
This Web site includes a description of the project, a map of the 
proposed pipeline route and answers to frequently asked questions. You 
can also request additional information or provide comments directly to 
Kinder Morgan at 1-877-751-7626 or by e-mail at 
[email protected].

Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E6-4643 Filed 3-29-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P