[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 22 (Friday, February 2, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5042-5043]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-1669]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP06-449-000]


Kinder Morgan Louisiana Pipeline LLC; Notice of Availability of 
the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Kinder Morgan 
Louisiana Pipeline Project

January 26, 2007.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) has prepared a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) 
on the natural gas pipeline facilities proposed by Kinder Morgan 
Louisiana Pipeline LLC (KMLP) in the above-referenced docket.
    The draft EIS was prepared to satisfy the requirements of the 
National Environmental Policy Act. The staff concludes that approval of 
the proposed project with the appropriate mitigating measures as 
recommended, would have limited adverse environmental impact. The draft 
EIS also evaluates alternatives to the proposal, including system 
alternatives, major route alternatives, and route variations, and 
requests comments on them.
    The draft EIS addresses the potential environmental effects of the 
construction and operation of the following facilities in southwest 
Louisiana:
     Leg 1--132 miles of 42-inch-diameter pipeline beginning 
within the Sabine Pass Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Terminal in Cameron 
Parish and extending northward and easterly through Calcasieu, 
Jefferson Davis, and Acadia Parishes until it connects with an existing 
Columbia Gulf Transmission interstate pipeline in Evangeline Parish, 
Louisiana.
     Leg 2--1.22 miles of 36-inch-diameter pipeline beginning 
within the Sabine Pass LNG Terminal and extending to a point of 
interconnection with the existing Natural Gas Pipeline Company of 
America pipeline just south of State Highway 82 in Cameron Parish, 
Louisiana.
     The Florida Gas Transmission (FGT) Lateral--2.3 miles of 
24-inch-diameter pipeline extending eastwardly from Leg 1 at 
approximately milepost 110.60 until it connects with the existing FGT 
Company's Compressor Station No. 7 near the town of Williams in Acadia 
Parish, Louisiana.
     Associated mainline block valves, metering, tie-in, and 
pigging facilities.
    The purpose of the proposed facilities is to deliver at least 
3,395,000 decatherms (Dth) per day of regasified natural gas from the 
Sabine Pass LNG Terminal into the national pipeline and underground 
storage grid.

Specific Comment Request

    The staff has identified and evaluated in detail two system 
alternatives, four major route alternatives, and 15 route variations. 
The staff concludes that the proposed system and route are 
environmentally least damaging, and therefore prefers the proposed 
system and route. Any route variation considered to be an environmental 
improvement has been incorporated into the proposed route. Area 
residents, local or state governments, intervenors, Kinder Morgan, and 
other interested parties are asked to provide specific comments on our 
analysis of alternatives. Comments should also address any effect on 
project timing and related cost/benefits.

Comment Procedures and Public Meetings

    Any person wishing to comment on the draft EIS 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 note that 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 online.
    If you are filing written comments, 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: 
Magalie R. Salas, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 
First Street, NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426.
     Label one copy of your comments for the attention of Gas 
Branch 2, DG2E;
     Reference Docket No. CP06-449-000 on the original and both 
copies; and
     Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, DC on or before March 19, 2007.
    We will announce in a future notice, the location and time of two 
local public meetings to receive comments on the draft EIS. These 
meetings will be posted on the Commission's calendar located at http://www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/EventsList.aspx along with other related 
information.
    After these comments are reviewed, any significant new issues are 
investigated, and modifications are made to the draft EIS, a final EIS 
will be published and distributed by the staff. The final EIS will 
contain the staff's responses to timely comments filed on the draft 
EIS.
    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).
    Anyone may intervene in this proceeding based on this draft EIS. 
You must file your request to intervene as specified above.\1\ You do 
not need intervenor status to have your comments considered.
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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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    The draft EIS has been placed in the public files of the FERC and 
is 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.
    A limited number of copies are available from the Public Reference 
Room identified above. In addition, copies of the draft EIS have been 
mailed to federal, state and local agencies, public interest groups, 
individuals who have requested the draft EIS, newspapers, and parties 
to this proceeding.
    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

[[Page 5043]]

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. E7-1669 Filed 2-1-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P