[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 151 (Monday, August 7, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44685-44687]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-12720]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

 Docket No. PF06-28-000


Southeast Supply Header, LLC; Notice of Intent To Prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Southeast Supply Header 
Project, Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of 
Public Scoping Meetings

July 28, 2006.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) that 
will identify and address the environmental impacts that could result 
from the construction and operation of the Southeast Supply Header 
Project proposed by Southeast Supply Header, LLC (SESH) a partnership 
between Duke Energy Gas Transmission and CenterPoint Gas Transmission.
    In order to assist staff with the identification of environmental 
issues and to comply with the requirements of the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), a thirty day scoping period 
has been opened to receive comments on the proposed project. Please 
note that the scoping period for this project will close on August 28, 
2006.
    Additionally, as part of the scoping process, we will also hold 
three public meetings, as described below, to receive comments on the 
proposed project.

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           Date and time                          Location
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Monday--August 21, 2006, 7 p.m. to  Multipurpose Building in Gallman,
 9 p.m. (CST).                       West Gallman Road, Gallman,
                                     Mississippi, Telephone: (601) 953-
                                     9007.
Tuesday--August 22, 2006, 7 p.m.    Hattiesburg Lake Terrace, Convention
 to 9 p.m. (CST).                    Center, One Convention Center
                                     Plaza, Hattiesburg, Mississippi
                                     39042, Telephone: (800) 638-6877.
Thursday--August 24, 2006, 7 p.m.   Lucedale Rocky Creek Inn, 120 Woods
 to 9 p.m. (CST).                    Ridge Road, Lucedale, Mississippi
                                     39452, Telephone: (601) 947-6900.
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    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; all of which are 
encouraged to submit comments on the proposed project. Details on how 
to submit comments are provided in the Public Participation section of 
this notice.
    If you are a landowner receiving this notice, you may be contacted 
by a SESH 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 (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

    SESH proposes to construct, own and operate a new 36-inch-diameter 
natural gas pipeline and associated facilities that would be capable of 
receiving and transporting about 1.0 billion cubic feet of natural gas 
per day in Richland and Madison Parishes, Louisiana; Warren, Claiborne, 
Hinds, Copiah, Simpson, Lawrence, Jefferson Davis, Covington, Jones, 
Forrest, Perry, Greene, George, and Jackson Counties, Mississippi; and 
Mobile County, Alabama.
    The general location of the proposed pipeline is shown in the 
figure included as Appendix 1.\1\
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    \1\ The appendices referenced in this notice are not being 
printed in the Federal Register.
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    Specifically, SESH proposes to construct and operate the following 
facilities:
     Approximately 270 miles of 36-inch-diameter pipeline 
beginning in Richland Parish, Louisiana and ending in Mobile County, 
Alabama;
     Three natural gas compressor stations: Delhi Compressor 
Station in Richland Parish (30,000 hp), Louisiana; Gwenville Compressor 
Station in Jefferson Davis County, Mississippi (15,000 hp) and the 
Lucedale Compressor Station in George County, Mississippi (15,000 hp);
     Three booster compressor stations at the Texas Eastern 
Transmission LP (TETLP) meter and regulation (M&R) Station, at the 
Transcontinental Gas Pipeline Corporation (Transco) M&R Station, and at 
the Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company (Tennessee Gas) M&R Station in 
Copiah, Jefferson Davis and Forrest Counties, Mississippi;
     Twelve natural gas pipeline interconnects and M&R 
Stations; and
     Three pig launching and receiving facilities and several 
mainline valves.
    SESH proposes to have the project constructed and operational by 
June 2008.

Land Requirements for Construction

    As proposed, the typical construction right-of-way for the project 
pipeline would be 100 feet wide. Following construction, SESH has 
proposed to retain a 50-foot-wide permanent right-of-way for operation 
of the project.

[[Page 44686]]

Additional, temporary extra workspaces beyond the typical construction 
right-of-way limits may also 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. In 
residential areas, wetlands, and other sensitive areas, the 
construction right-of-way width would be reduced as necessary to 
protect homeowners and environmental resources.
    Based on preliminary information, construction and operation of the 
proposed project facilities would affect about 3,789 acres of land. 
Following construction, about 1,616 acres would be maintained as 
permanent right-of-way, and about 120 acres of land would be maintained 
as new aboveground facility sites. The remaining 2,053 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

    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 consider the environmental impact that could 
result if the CEGT 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, 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;
     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 the Commission's 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, especially those identified in 
Appendix 2, 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 follow the instructions for filing comments provided in 
Appendix 2.

Currently Identified Environmental Issues

    The EIS will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of the 
construction and operation 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 CEGT. This preliminary list of issues may be changed based 
on your comments and our analysis.
     Potential effects on prime farmland and erodable soils.
     Potential impacts to perennial and intermittent 
waterbodies, including waterbodies with Federal and/or State 
designations/protections.
     Evaluation of temporary and permanent impacts on wetlands 
and development of appropriate mitigation.
     Potential impacts to fish and wildlife habitat, including 
potential impacts to federally and state-listed threatened and 
endangered species.
     Potential visual effects of the aboveground facilities on 
surrounding areas.
     Potential impacts and potential benefits of construction 
workforce on local housing, infrastructure, public services, and 
economy.
     Potential impacts to local air and noise quality 
associated with construction and operation.
     Public safety and potential hazards associated with the 
transport of natural gas.
     Alternative alignments for the pipeline route and 
alternative sites for the compressor stations.

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. PF06-28-000 on the original and both 
copies.
     Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, DC on or before August 28, 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 timeframe in our 
environmental analysis of this project. The Commission strongly 
encourages electronic filing of any

[[Page 44687]]

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 www.ferc.gov.
    The public scoping meetings are designed to provide another 
opportunity to offer comments on the proposed project. Interested 
groups and individuals are encouraged to attend the 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 SESH 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 3). 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). 
Additional information can also be found on the Internet at 
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 Web site, 
click on the ``eLibrary link,'' select ``General Search'' and in the 
``Docket Number'' field enter the project docket number excluding the 
last three digits (PF06-28). 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 www.ferc.gov/esubscribenow.htm.
    Public meetings or site visits will be posted on the Commission's 
calendar located at 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.
    Finally, SESH has established an Internet Web site for this project 
at www.duke-energy.com/companies/degt/projects/sesh/. The 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 SESH at 1-888-
312-7374.

Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E6-12720 Filed 8-4-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P