[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 55 (Thursday, March 22, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13491-13492]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-5200]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket Nos. CP06-354-000; CP06-401-000; CP06-423-000]


Rockies Express Pipeline, LLC; TransColorado Gas Transmission 
Company; Questar Overthrust Pipeline Company; Notice of Availability of 
the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Rockies Western Phase 
Project

March 16, 2007.

    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) has prepared a final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) 
for the construction and operation of the natural gas pipeline 
facilities proposed by Rockies Express Pipeline LLC (Rockies Express), 
TransColorado Gas Transmission Company (TransColorado), and Questar 
Overthrust Pipeline Company (Overthrust) in the above-referenced 
dockets. These individual project sponsors have submitted separate and 
distinct proposals to the Commission; however, the FERC views the 
proposed facilities as interconnected projects that are necessary 
components of a larger, combined natural gas transportation system. As 
such, all three project proposals have been included in the final EIS, 
and are collectively referred to as the Rockies Western Phase Project 
(or the Project). The Project facilities would be located in Colorado, 
Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, and New Mexico.
    The final EIS was prepared to satisfy the requirements of the 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Federal Land 
Management and Policy Act. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) are federal land management 
agencies with lands affected by this proposal and are cooperating 
agencies for the development of the EIS. A cooperating agency has 
jurisdiction by law or special expertise with respect to potential 
environmental impacts associated with the proposal, and is involved in 
the NEPA analysis. The Project would cross federal land under the 
jurisdiction of the BLM Rawlins, Kemmerer, and Rock Springs Field 
Offices. Lands administered by the FWS would also be crossed by the 
Project. Under section 185(f) of the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, the 
BLM has the authority to issue Right-of-Way Grants for all affected 
federal lands.
    The FERC staff has concluded that if the Project is constructed and 
operated in accordance with applicable laws and regulations, and each 
project sponsor's proposed mitigation, and the staffs' additional 
mitigation recommendations, it would have limited adverse environmental 
impact and would be an environmentally acceptable action.
    As currently proposed, the Rockies Western Phase Project would 
consist of the construction and operation of approximately 795.6 miles 
of natural gas pipeline and a total of 237,320 horsepower of new 
compression. Following completion of the proposed facilities, the 
Project would transport up to 1.5 billion cubic feet of natural gas per 
day. Specifically, the final EIS addresses the potential environmental 
effects of the construction and operation of the following natural gas 
pipeline facilities proposed by Rockies Express, TransColorado, and 
Overthrust:

Rockies Express (REX-West Project)

     712.7 miles of 42-inch-diameter natural gas pipeline in 
Wyoming, Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, and Missouri;
     5.3 miles of 24-inch-diameter pipeline (Echo Springs 
Lateral) in Sweetwater and Carbon Counties, Wyoming;
     Five new compressor stations (Cheyenne Compressor Station 
in Weld County, Colorado; Julesburg Compressor Station in Sedgwick 
County, Colorado; Echo Springs Compressor Station in Sweetwater County, 
Wyoming; the Steele City Compressor Station in Gage County, Nebraska; 
and Turney Compressor Station in Clinton County, Missouri);
     Four new compressor units at two previously certificated 
compressor stations (Meeker Compressor Station in Rio Blanco County, 
Colorado and Wamsutter Compressor Station in Sweetwater County, 
Wyoming); and
     8 new meter stations, 41 mainline valves, and associated 
facilities.

TransColorado (Blanco to Meeker Project)

     392 feet of discharge line and 478 feet of suction line, 
1,300 feet of 24-inch-diameter pipeline, and 60 feet of 16-inch-
diameter pipeline in San Juan County, New Mexico;
     Two new compressor stations (Blanco Compression Station in 
San Juan County, New Mexico and the Conn Creek Compressor Station in 
Garfield County, Colorado);
     Modifications at four existing compressor stations (Mancos 
Compressor Station in Montezuma County, Colorado; Redvale Compressor 
Station in Montrose County, Colorado; Whitewater Compressor Station in 
Mesa County, Colorado, and the Greasewood Compressor Station in Rio 
Blanco County, Colorado); and
     One new meter station, one mainline valve, and associated 
facilities.

Overthrust (Wamsutter Expansion Project)

     77.2 miles of 36-inch-diameter natural gas pipeline in 
Sweetwater County, Wyoming;
     0.1 mile of 20-inch-diameter pipeline (TL-90 Tie-in);
     Two new compressor stations in Wyoming (Roberson 
Compressor Station in Lincoln County and Rock Springs Compressor 
Station in Sweetwater County); and
     Two new meter stations, three mainline valves, and 
associated facilities.
    The final 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.
    CD-ROM copies of the final EIS have been mailed to federal, state, 
and local agencies; public interest groups; individuals and affected 
landowners who requested a copy of the final EIS or provided comments 
during scoping; libraries and newspapers in the Project area; and 
parties to this proceeding. Hard copy versions of the final EIS were 
mailed to those specifically requesting them. A limited number of hard 
copies and CD-ROMs are available from the Public Reference Room 
identified above.
    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 on the FERC Internet Web site 
also

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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 the eSubscription link on the FERC Internet Web 
site.

Philis J. Posey,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. E7-5200 Filed 3-21-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P