[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 217 (Thursday, November 9, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65804-65805]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-18987]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP06-403-000]


Northern Natural Gas Company, LLC; Notice of Availability of the 
Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Northern Lights Expansion 
Project

November 3, 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 by Northern Natural Gas 
Company, LLC (Northern) in the above-referenced docket.
    The EA was prepared to satisfy the requirements of the National 
Environmental Policy Act. The staff concludes that approval of the 
proposed project, with appropriate mitigating measures, would not 
constitute a major federal action significantly affecting the quality 
of the human environment.
    The EA assesses the potential environmental effects of the 
construction and operation of six pipeline loops and extensions (five 
in Minnesota and one in Iowa), two pipeline replacement segments (both 
in Minnesota), and a greenfield pipeline in Minnesota. Northern would 
also abandon and remove a segment of existing pipeline in Minnesota. 
The project would also require modifications at an existing compressor 
station and construction and modification at several town border 
stations (TBSs) (i.e., meter stations) and regulator stations. Northern 
states that the purpose of the project is to provide an estimated 
incremental firm service of 374,225 Decatherms per day (Dth/day) in 
Northern's market area. The project is designed to optimize the 
placement of facilities to meet customer growth requirements for a 2-
year period while taking into consideration a long-term design that 
meets customer growth needs thorughout an approximately 20-year period, 
to 2026.
    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:

[[Page 65805]]

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Public Reference Room, 888 First 
Street, N.E., Room 2A, Washington, DC 20426, (202) 502-8371.
    Copies of the EA have been mailed to federal; state; and local 
agencies; public interest groups; individuals who have requested the 
EA; libraries; 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., N.E., 
Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426;
     Label one copy of the comments for the attention of the 
Gas Branch 3;
     Reference Docket No. CP06-403-000; and
     Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, DC on or before December 4, 2006.
    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 commenter 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 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. E6-18987 Filed 11-8-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P