[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 209 (Monday, October 30, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63305-63307]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-18099]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. PF06-32-000]


Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation; Notice of Intent To 
Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Sentinel Expansion 
Project; Request for Comments on Environmental Issues and Notice of 
Public Scoping Meeting

October 18, 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 Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line 
Corporation's (Transco's) planned Sentinel Expansion Project located in 
Pennsylvania and New Jersey. This notice explains the scoping process 
that will be used to gather input from the public and interested 
agencies on the project. Your input will help the Commission staff 
determine which issues need to be evaluated in the EA. Please note that 
the scoping period will close on November 18, 2006.
    Comments may be submitted in written form or verbally. In lieu of 
sending written comments, you are invited to attend the public scoping 
meeting that has been scheduled in the project area in Exton, 
Pennsylvania, on November 8, 2006. Further details on how to submit 
written comments and additional details of the public scoping meeting 
area are provided in the public participation section of this notice.
    The FERC will be the lead Federal agency for the preparation of the 
EA. The document will satisfy the requirements of the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and will be used by the FERC to 
consider the environmental impacts that could result if it issues 
Transco a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity under Section 
7 of the Natural Gas Act.
    With this notice, the FERC staff is asking other Federal, State, 
local, and tribal agencies with jurisdiction and/or special expertise 
with respect to environmental issues to cooperate with us in the 
preparation of the EA. These agencies may choose to participate once 
they have evaluated Transco's proposal relative to their 
responsibilities. Agencies that would like to request cooperating 
status should follow the instructions for filing comments described 
later in this notice.
    This notice is being sent to affected landowners; Federal, State, 
and local government representatives and agencies; environmental and 
public interest groups; Native American tribes; other interested 
parties in this proceeding; 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 Transco 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 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, ``An Interstate Natural Gas 
Facility on My Land? What Do I Need To Know?'' is available for viewing 
on the FERC Web site (http://www.ferc.gov). This fact sheet addresses a 
number of typically asked questions, including those focusing on the 
use of eminent domain and how to participate in the FERC's proceedings.

Summary of the Proposed Project

    Transco proposes to expand its natural gas transmission system to 
provide incremental firm service of 151,000 dekatherms per day (Dt/d) 
in Transco's market area. More specifically, Transco seeks authority to 
construct the following facilities in various counties in Pennsylvania 
and New Jersey:
     Construct approximately 10.58 miles of 42-inch-diameter 
pipeline loop in Chester County, Pennsylvania (Downingtown Loop);
     Construct approximately 5.48 miles of 42-inch-diameter 
extension in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania (Conygham Loop);

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     Construct approximately 5.27 miles of 42-inch-diameter 
pipeline extension in Northampton and Monroe Counties, Pennsylvania 
(Wind Gap Loop);
     Construct approximately 3.78 miles of 42-inch-diameter 
pipeline loop in Somerset County, New Jersey (Mountain View Loop);
     Construct approximately 1.25 miles of 42-inch-diameter 
pipeline extension in Union County, New Jersey (Turnpike Loop); and
     Modifications at two existing compressor stations in York 
and Chester Counties, Pennsylvania.
    Location maps depicting Transco's proposed facilities and alternate 
sites are provided in Appendix 1.\1\
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    \1\ The appendices referenced in this notice are not being 
printed in the Federal Register. Copies are available on the 
Commission's Web site (excluding maps) at the eLibrary link or from 
the Commission's Public Reference Room or by calling (202) 502-8371. 
For instructions on connecting to eLibrary, refer to the end of this 
notice. Copies of the appendices were sent to all those receiving 
this notice in the mail.
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The EA Process

    NEPA requires the FERC to take into account the environmental 
impacts that could result from an action whenever it considers the 
issuance of a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity. The EA 
will give the FERC the information needed to do that.
    Although no formal application has been filed, we have already 
initiated a NEPA review under the FERC's Pre-filing Process, which was 
established in Docket No. RM05-31-000 and Order No. 665. The purpose of 
the Pre-filing Process is to seek public and agency input early in the 
project planning phase and encourage involvement by interested 
stakeholders in a manner that allows for the early identification and 
resolution of environmental issues. We will work with all interested 
stakeholders to identify and attempt to address issues before Transco 
files its application with the FERC. A diagram depicting the 
environmental review process for the proposed project is attached to 
this notice as Appendix 2.
    As part of the Pre-filing Process review, FERC staff 
representatives participated in public open houses sponsored by Transco 
in the project area on August 21-23, 2006, to explain the environmental 
review process to interested stakeholders and take comments about the 
project. In November 2006, we plan to continue the Pre-filing Process 
review by conducting interagency scoping meetings in the project area 
to solicit comments and concerns about the project from other 
jurisdictional agencies.
    By this notice, the FERC Staff is formally announcing their 
preparation of the EA and requesting agency and public comments to help 
focus the analysis in the EA on the potentially significant 
environmental issues related to the proposed action. If you provide 
comments at an interagency scoping meeting, you do not need to resubmit 
the same comments in response to this notice.
    The FERC Staffs' independent analysis of the issues will be 
included in the EA. The EA will be mailed to Federal, State, and local 
government agencies; elected officials; environmental and public 
interest groups; Native American tribes; affected landowners; other 
interested parties; local libraries and newspapers; and the FERC's 
official service list for this proceeding. A 30-day comment period will 
be allotted for review of the EA. We will consider all comments 
submitted on the EA in any Commission Order that is issued for the 
project.

Currently Identified Environmental Issues

    We have already identified several issues that we think deserve 
attention based on a preliminary review of the proposed facilities, 
environmental information provided by Transco, and comments gathered 
from concerned citizens at Transco's open houses. This preliminary list 
of issues may be changed based on your comments and our analysis:
     Potential impacts on the Brandywine Creek;
     Potential impacts on the coastal zone in New Jersey;
     Potential impacts on wetlands;
     Potential impacts on threatened or endangered species;
     Potential impacts on the Appalachian Trail;
     Safety concerns of the pipeline;
     Potential impacts on residential areas; and
     Potential impacts on historic resources.

Public Participation

    You can make a difference by providing us with your specific 
comments or concerns about the proposals. Your comments should focus on 
the potential environmental effects and reasonable alternatives and 
measures to avoid or lessen environmental impacts. The more specific 
your comments, the more useful they will be. To expedite our receipt 
and consideration of your comments, electronic submission of them is 
strongly encouraged. See Title 18 CFR 385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the 
instructions on the FERC Web site (http://www.ferc.gov) under the 
eFiling link and the link to the User's Guide. Before you can submit 
comments you will need to create a free account by clicking on Sign-up 
under New User. You will be asked to select the type of submission you 
are making. This type of submission is considered a Comment on Filing. 
Comments submitted electronically must be submitted by November 18, 
2006.
    If you wish to mail your comments, please mail them so that they 
will be received in Washington, DC, on or before November 18, 2006, and 
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 the comments for the attention of Gas 
Branch 2, DG2E; and
     Reference Docket No. PF06-32-000 on the original and both 
copies.
    The public scoping meeting is designed to provide another 
opportunity to offer comments on the proposed project. Interested 
groups and individuals are encouraged to attend the meeting and present 
comments on the environmental issues they believe should be addressed 
in the EA. A transcript of the meeting will be generated so that your 
comments will be accurately recorded. The meeting is scheduled for 
November 8, 2006, at 7 p.m. (EST) and will be held at: The Inn at 
Chester Springs, The Pickering II Room, 815 North Pottstown Pike, 
Exton, PA 19341; (610) 363-1100.
    When Transco submits its application for authorization to construct 
and operate the Sentinel Expansion Project, the Commission will publish 
a Notice of Application in the Federal Register and will establish a 
deadline for interested persons to intervene in the proceeding. Because 
the Commission's Pre-filing Process occurs before an application to 
begin a proceeding is officially filed, petitions to intervene during 
this process are premature and will not be accepted by the Commission.

Environmental Mailing List

    Everyone who responds to this notice or provides comments 
throughout the EA process will be retained on the mailing list. If you 
do not want to send comments at this time but still want to stay 
informed and receive copies of the EA, you must return the Mailing List 
Retention Form (Appendix 3). If you do not send comments or return the 
Mailing List Retention Form asking to

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remain on the mailing list, you will be taken off the 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 Web site (http://www.ferc.gov). Using the eLibrary link, 
select General Search from the eLibrary menu, enter the selected date 
range and Docket Number (i.e., PF06-32-000), and follow the 
instructions. Searches may also be done using the phrase ``Sentinel 
Expansion'' in the Text Search field. For assistance with access to 
eLibrary, the helpline can be reached at 1-866-208-3676, TTY (202) 502-
8659, or at FERCOnlineSupport@ ferc.gov. The eLibrary link on the FERC 
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, Transco has established 
a Web site for its project at http://www.williams.com/sentinel. The 
site includes a project overview, contact information, regulatory 
overview, and construction procedures. Transco will continue to update 
its Web site with information about the project. You can also request 
additional information by calling Transco directly, toll-free at 1-866-
455-9103.

Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E6-18099 Filed 10-27-06; 8:45am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P