[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 101 (Thursday, May 25, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Page 30128]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-8032]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP05-383-000]


Algonquin Gas Transmission, LLC; Notice of Availability of the 
Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Northeast Gateway 
Project and Notice of Public Comment Meetings

May 19, 2006.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission 
or FERC) has cooperated in the preparation of the Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS) on the liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities 
proposed by Algonquin Gas Transmission, LLC in the above-referenced 
docket. The Maritime Administration (MARAD) and the U. S. Coast Guard, 
as the lead Federal agencies, have issued a Notice in the Federal 
Register indicating the availability of the DEIS and requesting 
comments by July 3, 2006.
    The U.S. Coast Guard will also hold public hearings in Gloucester, 
MA on June 14, 2006 and in Salem, MA on June 15, 2006. Both hearings 
will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. (EST) and will be preceded by an 
informational open house from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. The public meeting in 
Gloucester will be held at the Gloucester High School Auditorium, 32 
Leslie O. Johnson Road, Gloucester, MA, telephone: 617-635-4100. The 
public meeting in Salem will be at the Salem State College Library, 
Charlotte Forten Hall, 360 Lafayette Street, Salem, MA, telephone: 978-
542-7192.
    The U.S. Coast Guard has mailed copies of the DEIS to Federal, 
state, and local government agencies; elected officials; Native 
American tribes; local libraries and newspapers; intervenors in the 
FERC's proceeding; individuals who provided scoping comments; and 
affected landowners and individuals. A copy of this DEIS, the 
application, and associated documentation are currently available for 
viewing at the DOT's Docket Management System Web site: http://dms.dot.gov under docket number 22219.
    During preparation of the DEIS, the following FERC staff 
recommendations were inadvertently left out of section 4.12 of the 
DEIS:
    1. Algonquin should not begin construction activities until:
    a. FERC staff receives comments from the National Marine Fisheries 
Service (NMFS) regarding the proposed action;
    b. the staff completes formal consultation with the NMFS, if 
required; and
    c. Algonquin has received written notification from the Director of 
the Office of Energy Projects (OEP) that construction or use of 
mitigation may begin.
    2. Prior to construction, Northeast Gateway (NEG) should provide to 
the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) staff for review and approval a full air 
quality analysis identifying all mitigation requirements required to 
demonstrate conformity and submit detailed information documenting how 
the project would demonstrate conformance with the applicable SIP in 
accordance with Title 40 CFR 51.858. The documentation should address 
each regulatory criteria listed in part 51.858; provide a detailed 
explanation as to whether or not the project would meet each 
requirement; and for each criteria being satisfied, provide all 
supporting information on how the project would comply. Should any 
element of the project change substantially, NEG should resubmit the 
aforementioned information so that USCG staff may determine the 
Conformity of the revised action. In addition, FERC staff recommends 
that:
    Prior to construction, Algonquin file documentation with the 
Secretary of the Commission that confirms USCG staff's review and 
approval of the project's air quality analysis and identifies all 
mitigation requirements required to demonstrate conformity with Title 
40 CFR 51.858.
    3. Algonquin should not begin construction of the project until it 
files with the Secretary of the Commission a copy of the determination 
of consistency with the Coastal Zone Management Plan issued by the 
Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management.
    4. Algonquin should prepare as-built construction plans for the 
Pipeline Lateral that include the details of where the pipeline would 
be laid on the ocean floor and protected with concrete mats. To 
minimize the potential for the pipeline to become an obstacle for 
ground fishing gear, these plans should be made available to the USCG 
and other jurisdictional agencies for dissemination to the commercial 
fishing industry.
    5. Algonquin should file with the Secretary of the Commission, 
prior to construction, a detailed program to monitor the burial and 
backfilling of the Pipeline Lateral. Include documentation of all 
consultation with jurisdictional resource management agencies to 
determine the appropriate depth and cover criteria as well as any 
measures to minimize impacts to migrating lobsters from pipeline 
trenching and backfilling activities.

Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E6-8032 Filed 5-24-06; 8:45 am]
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