[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 104 (Wednesday, May 31, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30914-30917]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-8330]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. PF06-023]


Gulf South Pipeline Company, LP; Notice of Intent To Prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Mississippi Expansion 
Project, Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of 
Public Scoping Meetings

May 23, 2006.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) that 
will address the environmental impacts of the Mississippi Expansion 
Project proposed by Gulf South Pipeline Company, LP (Gulf South). The 
Commission will use the EIS in its decision-making process to determine 
whether or not to authorize the project. This notice explains the 
scoping process we \1\ will use to gather input from the public and 
interested agencies on the project. Your input will help us determine 
the issues that need to be evaluated in the EIS. Please note that the 
scoping period will close on June 23, 2006.
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    \1\ ``We,'' ``us,'' and ``our'' refer to the environmental staff 
of the FERC's Office of Energy Projects.
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    Comments may be submitted in written form or verbally. Further 
details on how to submit written comments are provided in the Public 
Participation section of this notice. Public scoping meetings are 
designed to provide another opportunity to offer comments on the 
proposed project. In lieu of sending written comments, we invite you to 
attend the public scoping meetings we have scheduled as follows:

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             Date and time                           Location
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Monday June 12, 2006, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.  Eagle Ridge Conference Center,
 (CST).                                   1500 Raymond Lake Road,
                                          Raymond, MS 39154. Phone: 601-
                                          857-7100.
Tuesday June 13, 2006, 7 p.m. to 10      Vicksburg Convention Center &
 p.m. (CST).                              Auditorium, 1600 Mulberry
                                          Street, Vicksburg, MS 39180.
                                          Phone: 1-866-822-6338.
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    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 comments are accurately recorded.
    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 planned project 
and encourage them to comment on their areas of concern.
    If you are a landowner receiving this notice, you may be contacted 
by a Gulf South 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.
    A fact sheet prepared by the FERC entitled ``An Interstate Natural 
Gas Facility on My Land? What Do I Need To Know?'' is available for 
viewing on the FERC Internet Web site (http://www.ferc.gov). This fact 
sheet addresses a number of typically asked questions, including the 
use of eminent domain and how to participate in the FERC's proceedings.

Summary of the Proposed Project

    Gulf South proposes to construct, own, operate, and maintain a 
natural gas pipeline to provide new pipeline capacity to transport 
domestic onshore gas supplies to producers in eastern

[[Page 30915]]

Texas and northern Louisiana with an outlet for a significant portion 
of their production from the Barnett Shale, Bossier Sand, and other 
fields. The Mississippi Expansion Project would also provide additional 
transportation option for natural gas delivered into the north central 
Louisiana area. The Mississippi Expansion Project facilities would be 
located in Richland and Madison Parishes, Louisiana, and in Warren, 
Hinds, Copiah, and Simpson Counties, Mississippi.\2\ The general 
location of the proposed pipeline is shown in the figure included as 
Appendix 1.\3\
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    \2\ FERC staff is currently reviewing another Gulf South 
project, the Texas East Expansion Project (under pre-filing Docket 
No. PF06-017-000), that would bring natural gas from Texas to the 
starting point of the Mississippi Expansion Project.
    \3\ 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 mail notice. Copies of the 
appendices were sent to all those receiving this notice in the. 
Request for detailed maps of the proposed facilities should be made 
directly to Gulf South.
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    The Mississippi Expansion Project facilities under FERC 
jurisdiction would include:
     An approximately 88.7-mile-long, 42-inch-diameter natural 
gas pipeline from Gulf South's East Texas Expansion Facility near Delhi 
in Richland Parish, Louisiana, to an interconnection with Gulf South's 
existing Index 130 transportation pipeline in Simpson County, 
Mississippi.
     A new 40,311 horsepower (hp) Tallulah Compressor Station 
at approximate milepost (MP) 18.4 in Madison Parish, Louisiana.
     Two meter and regulator stations at receipt points with 
two intrastate pipelines, including:

--Texas Eastern M&R Station at MP 70.9 in Warren County, Mississippi.
--Gulf South M&R Station at the proposed pipeline's terminus with Gulf 
South's Index 130 Pipeline at MP 88.7 in Simpson County, Mississippi.

     Five mainline valves and two launcher/receiver sites.
    The project would be designed and constructed to receive and 
transport about 1.5 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day. Gulf 
South proposes to have the project constructed and operational by 
September 2007.

Land Requirements for Construction

    As proposed, the typical construction right-of-way for the project 
pipeline would be 100 feet wide. Following construction, Gulf South 
would retain a 60-foot-wide permanent right-of-way for operation of the 
project. Additional, temporary extra workspaces beyond the typical 
construction right-of-way limits would be required at certain feature 
crossings (e.g., roads, railroads, wetlands, or waterbodies), in areas 
with steep side slopes, or in association with special construction 
techniques.
    Based on preliminary information, construction of the proposed 
project facilities would affect a total of about 1,228 acres of land. 
Following construction, about 645 acres would be maintained as 
permanent right-of-way, and about 12.3 acres of land would be 
maintained as new aboveground facility sites. The remaining 571 acres 
of temporary workspace (including all temporary construction rights-of-
way, extra workspaces, and pipe storage and contractor yards) would be 
restored and allowed to revert to its former use.

The EIS Process

    NEPA requires the Commission to take into account the environmental 
impacts that could result from an action when it considers whether or 
not an interstate natural gas pipeline should be approved. The FERC 
will use the EIS to consider the environmental impact that could result 
if the Gulf South 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 to be considered 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 (NOI), 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.
    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;
     Cultural resources;
     Land use, recreation, and visual resources;
     Socioeconomics;
     Air quality and noise;
     Reliability and safety;
     Alternatives; 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 NEPA 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 the FERC.
    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

    We have already identified several issues that we think deserve 
attention based on a preliminary review of the proposed facilities, the 
environmental information provided by Gulf South, and early input from 
intervenors. This preliminary list of issues may be changed based on 
your comments and our analysis.
    Geology and Soils:

 Potential impacts to fossil fuel and non-fossil fuel mineral 
resources.
--Impacts on agricultural, prime farmland, and pastureland soils.

[[Page 30916]]

--Impacts on Conservation Reserve Program and Wetland Reserve Program 
soils.
--Impacts on unconsolidated soils with severe erosion potential.

    Water Resources and Wetlands:

--Potential effects on groundwater resources.
--Impacts on ephemeral, intermittent and perennial streams, including 
the Bayou Macon, Joes Bayou, Tensas River, Bayou Despair, Mothiglam 
Bayou, Brushy Bayou, Walnut Bayou, Big Black River, and Pearl River. 
Potential impacts on waterbodies greater than 100 feet in width 
including the Mississippi River.
--Impacts on wetlands.

    Vegetation and Wildlife:

--Impacts on vegetation.
--Impacts on wildlife, wildlife habitat, and fisheries.
--Potential impacts on federally and state-listed threatened and 
endangered species.
--Potential impacts to the Tensas National Wildlife Refuge.

    Cultural Resources:

--Impacts on archaeological sites and other historic properties.

    Land Use, Recreation, and Visual Resources:

--Potential impacts to existing land uses, including residences, 
suburban housing developments, cemeteries, agricultural lands, 
orchards, and managed forested lands.
--Visual effects of the proposed Tallulah Compressor Station and M&R 
Stations on surrounding areas.
--Potential impacts on the Natchez Trace Parkway.

    Socioeconomics:

--Potential impacts and benefits of construction workforce on local 
housing, infrastructure, public services and economy.

    Air and Noise Quality:

--Effects on air and noise quality from construction and operation of 
the Tallulah Compressor Station.

    Reliability and Safety:

--Public safety and potential hazards associated with the transport of 
natural gas.

    Alternatives:

--Assessment of route variations and route alignments to reduce or 
avoid environmental impacts.

    Cumulative Impacts:
--Assessment of the effect of the proposed project when combined with 
other past, present, or reasonably foreseeable future actions in the 
project area

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 alternatives (including alternative 
facility sites and pipeline routes), and measures to avoid or lessen 
environmental impact. 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. PF06-023 on the original and both 
copies.
     Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, DC on or before June 23, 2006.
    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.
    Once Gulf South 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 the project is available from the 
Commission's Office of External Affairs, at 1-866-208-FERC (3372) or on 
the FERC Internet Web site (http://www.ferc.gov) using the ``eLibrary 
link.'' Click on the eLibrary link, select ``General Search'' and enter 
the project docket number excluding the last three digits (i.e., PF06-
23) 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 TTY, contact (202) 502-8659. The eLibrary link on the FERC Internet 
Web site also provides access to the texts of formal documents issued 
by the Commission, such as orders, notices, and rule makings.
    In addition, the FERC now offers a free 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.
    Finally, Gulf South has established an Internet Web site for this 
project: http://www.gulfsouthpl.com/. You can also request additional 
information or provide comments directly to Gulf South at 1-877/972-
8533 or Stephens,

[[Page 30917]]

Kyle (Gulf South) [email protected].

Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E6-8330 Filed 5-30-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P