[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 146 (Tuesday, July 31, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41733-41735]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-14743]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP07-406-000]


Monroe Gas Storage Company, LLC; Notice of Intent To Prepare an 
Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Monroe Gas Storage Project 
and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues

July 23, 2007.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) will prepare an environmental assessment (EA) that will 
discuss the environmental impacts of the Monroe Gas Storage Project 
involving construction and operation of facilities by Monroe Gas 
Storage Company, LLC (MGSC) in Monroe County, Mississippi and Lamar 
County, Alabama.\1\ MGSC proposes to convert an existing, but depleted, 
natural gas well field, the Four Mile Creek Field originally developed 
by Grace Petroleum, to natural gas storage service in Monroe County, 
Mississippi. The EA will be used by the Commission in its decision-
making process to determine whether the project is in the public 
convenience and necessity.
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    \1\ On June 26, 2007, MGSC filed its application with the 
Commission under section 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act, 15 United 
States Code section 717(b)(a), and Parts 157 and 284 of the 
Commission's regulations. The Commission filed its notice of 
application on July 3, 2007.
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    If you are a landowner receiving this notice, you may be contacted 
by a pipeline company 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 Commission, 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 entitled ``An Interstate Natural 
Gas Facility On My Land? What Do I Need To Know?'' was attached to the 
project notice MGSC provided to landowners. This fact sheet addresses a 
number of typically asked questions, including the use of eminent 
domain and how to participate in the Commission's proceedings. It is 
available for viewing on the FERC Internet Web site (http://www.ferc.gov).

Summary of the Proposed Project

    MGSC proposes to expand the capacity of its natural gas facilities 
in Mississippi and Alabama to provide approximately 12.0 billion cubic 
feet of working gas capacity, for the purpose of receiving, injecting, 
withdrawing and redelivering natural gas to its system. MGSC seeks 
authority to:
     Develop nine new natural gas injection/withdrawal wells;
     Convert five existing natural gas production wells to 
observation wells;
     Install approximately 2.0 miles of gathering pipelines of 
12- and 18-inch diameters;
     Build an integrated compressor station/control facility 
consisting of three 4,735 brake horsepower (bhp) natural gas fueled 
engines driving reciprocating compressors equipped with air intake 
filters/silencers, critical grade exhaust silencer/catalyst, a glycol

[[Page 41734]]

dehydration system, control and safety systems, and associated 
facilities;
     Install approximately 5.7 miles of 24-inch diameter 
lateral pipeline connecting the proposed compressor station with the 
Texas Eastern Transmission Corporation (TETCO) pipeline (TETCO 
lateral);
     Install approximately 17.2 miles of 24-inch diameter 
lateral pipeline connecting the compressor station with the Tennessee 
Gas Pipeline Company (TGP) pipeline (TGP lateral), including two 
isolation block valves within the pipeline right-of-way; and
     Build two metering and regulation stations, one at each 
interconnection point of the TETCO and TGP laterals with the TETCO and 
TGP pipeline systems.
    MGSC states that the only nonjurisdictional facility associated 
with the Monroe Gas Storage Project consists of the local electric 
distribution line that will supply power to the facility. This facility 
would be constructed and operated by local electric utility companies.
    The general location of the project facilities is shown in Appendix 
1.\2\
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    \2\ The appendices referenced in this notice are not being 
printed in the Federal Register. Copies of all appendices, other 
than Appendix 1 (maps), are available on the Commission's Web site 
at the ``eLibrary'' link or from the Commission's Public Reference 
Room, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426, or call (202) 
502-8371. For instructions on connecting to eLibrary, refer to the 
last page of this notice. Copies of the appendices were sent to all 
those receiving this notice in the mail.
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Land Requirements for Construction

    Construction of the proposed facilities would require about 262.8 
acres of land. Following construction, about 149.1 acres would be 
maintained as new aboveground facility sites or pipeline right-of-way. 
MGSC has proposed to locate the storage facilities within a depleted 
natural gas reservoir originally developed by Grace Petroleum. Land 
requirements for meter stations would be purchased, and the remainder 
of pipeline rights-of-way would be acquired by easement.

The EA Process

    The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires the 
Commission 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. NEPA also requires us 
to discover and address concerns the public may have about proposals. 
This process is referred to as ``scoping.'' The main goal of the 
scoping process is to focus the analysis in the EA on the important 
environmental issues. By this Notice of Intent, the Commission staff 
requests public comments on the scope of the issues to address in the 
EA. All comments received are considered during the preparation of the 
EA. State and local government representatives are encouraged to notify 
their constituents of this proposed action and encourage them to 
comment on their areas of concern.
    In the EA, we \3\ will discuss impacts that could occur as a result 
of the construction and operation of the proposed project under these 
general headings:

    \3\ ``We'', ``us'', and ``our'' refer to the environmental staff 
of the Office of Energy Projects (OEP).
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 Geology and Soils
 Land Use
 Water Resources, Fisheries, and Wetlands
 Cultural Resources
 Vegetation and Wildlife
 Threatened and Endangered Species
 Air Quality and Noise

    We will also evaluate reasonable alternatives to the proposed 
project or portions of the project, and make recommendations on how to 
lessen or avoid impacts on the various resource areas.
    Our independent analysis of the issues will be in the EA. Depending 
on the comments received during the scoping process, the EA may be 
published and mailed to federal, state, and local agencies, public 
interest groups, interested individuals, affected landowners, 
newspapers, libraries, and the Commission's official service list for 
this proceeding. A comment period will be allotted for review if the EA 
is published. We will consider all comments on the EA before we make 
our recommendations to the Commission.
    To ensure your comments are considered, please carefully follow the 
instructions in the public participation section below.

Currently Identified Environmental Issues

    We have already identified several issues that we think deserve 
attention based on a preliminary review of the proposed facilities and 
the environmental information provided by MGSC. This preliminary list 
of issues may be changed based on your comments and our analysis.
     A total of 118.7 acres of forested land would be cleared 
during construction.
     Air and noise quality may be affected by added facilities.
     Aboveground facilities would be located in wetlands.
    Also, we have made a preliminary decision to not address the 
impacts of the nonjurisdictional facility. We will briefly describe its 
location and summarize the status of state and local environmental 
reviews in the EA.

Public Participation

    You can make a difference by providing us with your specific 
comments or concerns about the project. By becoming a commenter, your 
concerns will be addressed in the EA and considered by the Commission. 
You should focus on the potential environmental effects of the 
proposal, alternatives to the proposal (including alternative 
locations), and measures to avoid or lessen environmental impact. The 
more specific your comments, the more useful they will be. 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 letter to: 
Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 
First St., NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426.
     Label one copy of the comments for the attention of OEP/
DG2E, Gas Branch 3.
     Reference Docket No. CP07-406-000.
     Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, DC on or before August 24, 2007.
    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 on-line.
    We may mail the EA for comment. If you are interested in receiving 
it, please return the Information Request (Appendix 3). If you do not 
return the Information Request, you will be taken off the mailing list.

Site Visit

    On August 10, 2007, the OEP staff will conduct a site visit of the 
planned MGSC Gas Storage Project. We will view the proposed facility 
locations and pipeline route. Examination will be by automobile and on 
foot. Representatives of MGSC will be accompanying the OEP staff.
    All interested parties may attend. Those planning to attend must 
provide

[[Page 41735]]

their own transportation and should meet at 9 a.m. (CST) at the Amory 
City Hall, 109 South Front Street, Amory, MS on August 10, 2007.
    For additional information, please contact the Commission's Office 
of External Affairs at 1-866-208-FERC (3372).

Becoming an Intervenor

    In addition to involvement in the EA scoping process, you may want 
to become an official party to the proceeding, or ``intervenor''. To 
become an intervenor you must file a motion to intervene according to 
Rule 214 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 
385.214). Intervenors have the right to seek rehearing of the 
Commission's decision. Motions to Intervene should be electronically 
submitted using the Commission's eFiling system at http://www.ferc.gov. 
Persons without Internet access should send an original and 14 copies 
of their motion to the Secretary of the Commission at the address 
indicated previously. Persons filing Motions to Intervene on or before 
the comment deadline indicated above must send a copy of the motion to 
the Applicant. All filings, including late interventions, submitted 
after the comment deadline must be served on the Applicant and all 
other intervenors identified on the Commission's service list for this 
proceeding. Persons on the service list with e-mail addresses may be 
served electronically; others must be served a hard copy of the filing.
    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 environmental comments considered.

Environmental Mailing List

    An effort is being made to send this notice to all individuals, 
organizations, and government entities interested in and/or potentially 
affected by the proposed project. This includes all landowners who are 
potential right-of-way grantors, whose property may be used temporarily 
for project purposes, or who own homes within distances defined in the 
Commission's regulations of certain aboveground facilities. By this 
notice we are also asking governmental agencies, especially those in 
Appendix 2, to express their interest in becoming cooperating agencies 
for the preparation of the EA.

Additional Information

    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.
    Finally, 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.

Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E7-14743 Filed 7-30-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P