[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 162 (Tuesday, August 22, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48919-48920]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-13822]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP04-400-001]


Golden Pass Pipeline L.P.; Notice of Availability of the 
Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Optimized Pipeline Project

August 15, 2006.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) has prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) on the 
natural gas pipeline facilities proposed for the Optimized Pipeline 
Project (OP Project) in Jefferson and Orange Counties, Texas, in the 
above-referenced docket. The OP Project is an amendment to the Golden 
Pass Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Terminal and Pipeline Project proposed 
in Docket Nos. CP04-386-000 and CP04-400-000 and approved in an order 
issued by the Commission on July 6, 2005 (Order). The OP Project amends 
only certain pipeline facilities approved in Docket No. CP04-400-000. 
The OP project includes the Optimized Design Variation and the 
Optimized Route Variation.
    The EA was prepared to satisfy the requirements of the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The staff concludes that approval of 
the proposed project with appropriate mitigating measures as 
recommended, would not constitute a major federal action significantly 
affecting the quality of the human environment. The EA also evaluates 
alternatives to the proposal.
    The EA addresses the potential environmental effects of the 
construction and operation of the following amended natural gas 
pipeline facilities:
     The Optimized Design Variation would replace the two 36-
inch-diameter pipelines (Mainline and Loop) approved in the Order with 
a single 42-inch-diameter pipeline from the pipeline origin at milepost 
(MP) 0.0 at the Golden Pass LNG Terminal to the American Electric Power 
Texoma Pipeline interconnection at MP 42.8; and
     The Optimized Route Variation would incorporate a route 
change between MP 14.1 and MP 34.9 that would reduce the pipeline 
length between these two points from 20.8 miles to 11.9 miles; and
     The relocation of the interconnections to Kinder Morgan 
(KM) Tejas Pipeline, KM Texas Pipeline, and Centana Gas Pipeline due to 
construction of the amended facilities.
    The purpose of the proposed facilities would be the same as that 
authorized in the Order: to provide an additional source of firm, long-
term, and competitively priced natural gas to the Texas intrastate and 
interstate natural gas markets.
    The EA has been placed in the public files of the FERC. A limited 
number of copies of the EA are available for distribution and public 
inspection at: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Public Reference 
Room, 888 First Street, NE., Room 2A, Washington, DC 20426, (202) 502-
8371.
    Copies of the EA have been mailed to Federal, State and local 
agencies, public interest groups, interested individuals, newspapers, 
and parties to this proceeding.
    Any person wishing to comment on the EA may do so. To ensure 
consideration prior to a Commission decision on the proposal, it is 
important that we receive your comments before the date specified 
below. 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 comments to: 
Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First St., NE., 
Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426;
     Reference: Docket No. CP04-400-001;
     Label one copy of the comments for the attention of Gas 
Branch 2, PJ11.2; and
     Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, DC on or before September 14, 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 by clicking on ``Sign-up.''
    Comments will be considered by the Commission but will not serve to 
make the commentor a party to the proceeding. Any person seeking to 
become a party to the proceeding must file a motion to intervene 
pursuant to Rule 214 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and 
Procedures (18 CFR 385.214).\1\ Only intervenors have the right to seek 
rehearing of the Commission's decision.
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    \1\ Interventions may also be filed electronically via the 
Internet in lieu of paper. See the previous discussion on filing 
comments electronically.
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    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 comments considered.
    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) 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

[[Page 48920]]

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.

Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E6-13822 Filed 8-21-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P