[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 101 (Thursday, May 25, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30134-30136]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-8018]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP06-102-000]


Trunkline LNG Company, LLC; Notice of Intent To Prepare an 
Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Infrastructure Enhancement 
Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues

May 19, 2006.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) will prepare an environmental assessment (EA) that will 
discuss the environmental impacts of the Infrastructure Enhancement 
Project (IEP) involving construction and operation of facilities by 
Trunkline LNG Company, LLC's (Trunkline LNG) in Lake Charles, Calcasieu 
Parish, Louisiana.\1\ Trunkline LNG would construct and operate Ambient 
Air Vaporization (AAV) facilities at its existing liquefied natural gas 
import terminal in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana. These facilities would 
consist of system that uses ambient heat in the air to reduce the use 
of fuel gas in the vaporization of liquefied natural gas (LNG). 
Additionally, Trunkline LNG would add natural gas liquids (NGL) 
processing facilities for LNG conditioning and British thermal unit 
(Btu) control. This EA 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\ Trunkline LNGs application was filed with the Commission 
under section 7 of the Natural Gas Act and Part 157 of the 
Commission's regulations.
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    If you are a landowner receiving this notice, you may be contacted 
by a pipeline company representative about the acquisition of an 
easement to construct, operate, and maintain the proposed facilities. 
The pipeline company would seek to negotiate a mutually acceptable 
agreement. However, if the project is approved by the Commission, 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.
    A fact sheet prepared by the FERC entitled ``An Interstate Natural 
Gas Facility On My Land? What Do I Need To Know?'' was attached to the 
project notice Trunkline LNG provided to landowners. This fact sheet 
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 on the FERC Internet Web site (http://www.ferc.gov).

Summary of the Proposed Project

    Trunkline LNG's IEP would provide alternative vaporization using a 
supplemental heat source to reduce the fuel gas requirements for 
vaporization. Reducing the amount of fuel gas consumed for the 
vaporization process allows more of the natural gas from the LNG to be 
delivered to customers. Trunkline LNG seeks authority to construct and 
operate the following:
     64 Potassium Formate (KF)-Air heaters (64 forced 
convection, three-fan air exchangers, 17.9 million Btu per hour (MMBtu/
hr)/Air Heater;
     Four KF-LNG Vaporizers (525 million standard cubic feet 
per day [MMscf/d]);
     One NGL Recovery Unit, sized for a maximum capacity of 
1,050 MMscf/d;
     1,160 feet of 12-inch-diameter ethane product piping;
     1,160 feet of 12-inch-diameter propane product piping;
     Two propylene glycol heaters (150 MMBtu/hr each);
     Glycol storage and circulation System;
     Two electrical switchgear buildings;
     One remote instrumentation building, designed as Equipment 
Room 2; and
     Foam Building No. 4.
    The nonjurisdictional facilities include the expansion of the 
existing electric substation, a meter station, and the construction of 
two 18 mile-long (each) take away NGL product pipelines. British Gas 
(BG) has contracted PetoLogistics, LLC to design, permit, and operate 
the meter station and take away pipelines. The pipelines would consist 
of a 10-inch-diameter ethane (approximately 1,800 gallons per minute 
[gpm]) pipeline and a 6-inch-diameter propane (approximately 1,250 gpm) 
pipeline. The pipelines would be constructed from the meter station to 
PetroLogistics' storage facility in Sulfur, Louisiana.
    The location of the project facilities is shown in Appendix 1.\2\
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    \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 
last page of this notice. Copies of the appendices were sent to all 
those receiving this notice in the mail.
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Land Requirements for Construction

    Construction of the proposed facilities would require about 33.1 
acres of land of which 20 acres are currently covered with grass. 
Following construction, about 13.6 acres of the 20 acres would be 
returned to grass and 6.4 acres would be covered with asphalt, concrete 
or gravel. Included in the 33.1 acres is approximately 0.6 acre of land 
that would be temporarily affected by the construction of the NGL 
product pipeline and nonjurisdictional meter station.
    In addition, a nonjurisdictional 0.5 acre electric-power substation 
expansion site developed and operated by Entergy would remain gravel 
covered with concrete equipment foundations for the new electrical 
equipment. Further, the 18-mile-long nonjurisdictional take away NGL 
products pipelines would require about 130.9 acres of land during 
construction and 87.3 acres as permanent right-of-way based on a 60-
foot-wide construction right-of-way and a 40-foot-wide permanent right-
of-way.

The EA Process

    The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires the 
Commission to take into account the environmental

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impacts that could result from an action whenever it considers the 
issuance of a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity. NEPA 
also requires us to discover and address concerns the public may have 
about proposals. This process is referred to as ``scoping.'' The main 
goal of the scoping process is to focus the analysis in the EA on the 
important environmental issues. By this Notice of Intent, the 
Commission staff requests public comments on the scope of the issues to 
address in the EA. All comments received are considered during the 
preparation of the EA. 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.
    In the EA we \3\ will discuss impacts that could occur as a result 
of the construction and operation of the proposed project under these 
general headings:
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    \3\ ''We'', ``us'', and ``our'' refer to the environmental staff 
of the Office of Energy Projects (OEP).
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     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 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 the various resource areas.
    Our independent analysis of the issues will be in the EA. Depending 
on the comments received during the scoping process, the EA may be 
published and mailed to Federal, state, and local agencies, public 
interest groups, interested individuals, affected landowners, 
newspapers, libraries, and the Commission's official service list for 
this proceeding. A comment period will be allotted for review if the EA 
is published. We will consider all comments on the EA before we make 
our recommendations to the Commission.
    To ensure your comments are considered, please carefully follow the 
instructions in the public participation section beginning on page 5.

Currently Identified Environmental Issues

    We have already identified several issues that we think deserve 
attention based on a preliminary review of the proposed facilities and 
the environmental information provided by Trunkline LNG. This 
preliminary list of issues may be changed based on your comments and 
our analysis.
     The project would generate water from condensation and 
would decrease water temperature and water salinity during discharge 
which may impact aquatic species.
     The project may have air and noise impacts.
    Also, we have made a preliminary decision to not address the 
impacts of BG's 18-mile-long NGL takeaway pipelines. We will briefly 
describe their location and status in the EA.

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 will be addressed in the EA and considered by the Commission. 
You should focus on the potential environmental effects of the 
proposal, alternatives to the proposal (including alternative 
locations), and measures to avoid or lessen environmental impact. The 
more specific your comments, the more useful they will 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.
     Reference Docket No. CP06-102-000.
     Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, DC on or before June 19, 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. 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 will need to create 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 Information Request 
(Appendix 3). If you do not return the Information Request, you will be 
taken off the mailing list.

Becoming an Intervenor

    In addition to involvement in the EA scoping process, you may want 
to become an official party to the proceeding, or ``intervenor''. To 
become an intervenor you must file a motion to intervene according to 
Rule 214 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 
385.214). Intervenors have the right to seek rehearing of the 
Commission's decision. Motions to Intervene should be electronically 
submitted using the Commission's eFiling system at http://www.ferc.gov. 
Persons without Internet access should send an original and 14 copies 
of their motion to the Secretary of the Commission at the address 
indicated previously. Persons filing Motions to Intervene on or before 
the comment deadline indicated above must send a copy of the motion to 
the Applicant. All filings, including late interventions, submitted 
after the comment deadline must be served on the Applicant and all 
other intervenors identified on the Commission's service list for this 
proceeding. Persons on the service list with email addresses may be 
served electronically; others must be served a hard copy of the filing.
    Affected landowners and parties with environmental concerns may be 
granted intervenor status upon showing good cause by stating that they 
have a clear and direct interest in this proceeding which would not be 
adequately represented by any other parties. You do not need intervenor 
status to have your environmental comments considered.

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. By this 
notice we are also asking governmental agencies, especially those in 
Appendix 2, to express their interest in becoming cooperating agencies 
for the preparation of the EA.

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)

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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.

Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E6-8018 Filed 5-24-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P