[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 153 (Thursday, August 9, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44851-44852]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-15580]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[UT-920-07-5101-ER-J108; UTU-79766, NVN-82385]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
a Proposed Liquid Petroleum Products Pipeline From Woods Cross, UT, to 
Northeast Las Vegas, NV

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) and initiate public scoping for UNEV, LLC's proposal to 
construct and operate a liquid petroleum products pipeline from Woods 
Cross, Utah, to northeast Las Vegas, Nevada.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 4332, the National Environmental Policy 
Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) 
will be directing the preparation of an EIS and conducting public 
scoping meetings for the proposed construction of a 12'' liquid 
petroleum products pipeline. UNEV, LLC was established by Holly 
Corporation to construct and operate the pipeline. The proposed route 
for the UNEV Pipeline is approximately 400 miles in length and would, 
except for the northernmost portion of the route, generally follow the 
existing Kern River pipeline corridor. The pipeline inlet would be 
located near Holly Corporation's Woods Cross, Utah, refinery, which 
announced last year its intent to upgrade its crude oil processing 
capabilities, enabling the refinery to process high value, low priced 
black wax crude oil and heavy Canadian crude oils.
    The outlet terminals for the proposed pipeline would be located 
northwest of Cedar City, Utah, and northeast of Las Vegas, Nevada. In 
addition to the inlet pumping station, one additional pumping station 
is proposed with pressure reduction stations located at the terminals. 
The corridor contains two Kern River Pipeline Company natural gas 
pipelines, the newest of which was constructed in 2003. The Kern River 
Pipeline Environmental Impact Statement was completed in 2002. In Utah 
the proposed UNEV Pipeline would originate in Davis County and cross 
Salt Lake, Tooele, Juab, Millard, Beaver, Iron, and Washington 
Counties. In Nevada the pipeline would cross Lincoln County and 
terminate in Clark County. A map of the proposed project is available 
for viewing at http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/prog/more/lands_and_realty/unev_pipeline_eis.html and the Utah and Nevada State Offices.
    The UNEV Pipeline project as proposed would function as a ``common 
carrier'' pipeline. In general terms, common carrier is an entity that 
transports goods or products and offers its transportation services to 
others. This means that the UNEV Pipeline would provide an alternative 
means of transportation from other modes, i.e., truck or rail, etc., 
for refined products from other refineries in the area as well as 
Holly's refinery.

DATES: This notice initiates the 30-day public scoping process. Those 
having concerns, issues, or alternatives for consideration in the EIS 
should submit written comments by September 10, 2007. The BLM will host 
public scoping meetings in the following locations: Salt Lake City, 
Delta, and Cedar City, Utah, and Las Vegas, Nevada. Times and dates of 
these meetings will be announced through the Utah BLM Web site listed 
above, press releases, local newspapers, and other local media. At the 
scoping meetings, the public is invited to submit comments and resource 
information, and identify issues or concerns to be considered in the 
NEPA process. All comments received at the public scoping meetings or 
through written comments submitted will aid the BLM in identifying 
alternatives and mitigating measures and will help assure that all 
issues are analyzed in the EIS. The BLM will announce public meetings 
and other opportunities to submit comments on this project at least 15 
days prior to the event.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and issues related to the proposed EIS 
should be mailed to Rhonda Flynn, Bureau of Land Management, Utah State 
Office, Bureau of Land Management, Division of Lands and Minerals, P.O. 
Box 45155-0155, Salt Lake City, Utah 84145-0155. Comments may also be 
transmitted by facsimile to the attention of Rhonda Flynn at: (801) 
539-4200, sent via e-mail to: [email protected] or 
delivered by hand to the: Salt Lake Field Office, 2370 South 2300 West, 
Salt Lake City, Utah; Fillmore Field Office, 35 East 500 North, 
Fillmore, Utah; Cedar City Field Office, 176 East D.L. Sargent Drive, 
Cedar City, Utah; St. George Field Office, 345 East Riverside Drive, 
St. George, Utah; Utah State Office, 440 West 200 South, Suite 500, 
Salt Lake City, Utah; Ely Field Office, 702 N. Industrial Way, Ely, 
Nevada; Las Vegas Field Office, 4701 N. Torrey Pines Drive, Las Vegas, 
Nevada; or the Nevada State Office, 1340 Financial Blvd., Reno,

[[Page 44852]]

Nevada. E-mails should include ``UNEV Pipeline EIS'' in the subject 
line.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joe Incardine at the Utah State 
Office, Bureau of Land Management, 440 West 200 South, Suite 500, Salt 
Lake City, Utah 84101; by phone: (801) 539-4118; or by e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The EIS will assess the potential impacts of 
granting a right-of-way (ROW) authorizing subsequent construction, 
installation, and operation of a liquid petroleum products pipeline and 
facilities in Davis, Salt Lake, Tooele, Juab, Millard, Beaver, Iron, 
and Washington Counties in Utah and Lincoln and Clark Counties in 
Nevada to increase the capacity and improve the efficiency of the fuel 
delivery system into southern Utah and the Las Vegas, Nevada, area. The 
pipeline will be available to accept shipments of refined products from 
multiple refineries in the Salt Lake City, Utah, area, as well as 
refineries in Wyoming and Montana.

Summary of the Proposed Project

    UNEV, LLC is seeking a ROW grant to undertake the following 
activities:
     Install 400 miles of 12-inch-diameter petroleum products 
line from Woods Cross, Utah, to Las Vegas, Nevada.
     Construct an inlet pumping station, one additional pumping 
station about midway along the line, and pressure reduction stations 
and terminals at Cedar City and Las Vegas.
     Install mainline valves at or near the existing valve 
locations on the existing Kern River pipeline, where feasible. New 
valves would be installed on the pipeline to reduce the distance 
between existing valves for operational and maintenance reasons.
     Install scraper stations, used for launching and receiving 
the cleaning and inspection ``pigs.'' New electrical service will be 
installed at each station.
     Install cathodic protection test stations at approximately 
1-mile intervals to maintain and monitor the mechanical integrity of 
the pipeline.
     Install visible pipeline markers at intervals to mark the 
approximate location of the pipeline centerline.

The EIS Process

    NEPA requires the BLM to take into account the environmental 
impacts of its actions. The BLM will use the EIS to consider the 
environmental impacts that could result if a ROW grant for the proposed 
action is issued pursuant to Section 28 of the Mineral Leasing Act of 
1920, as amended (30 U.S.C. 185). The main goal of the scoping process 
is to focus the analysis in the EIS on the important environmental 
issues. With this NOI, the BLM is requesting public comments on the 
scope of the issues to be addressed in the EIS. All comments received 
will be considered during preparation of the EIS.
    The EIS will discuss direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts that 
could occur as a result of the construction, operation, maintenance, 
and abandonment of the proposed project under these general headings:
     Geology and Minerals
     Soils
     Water Resources
     Biological Resources
     Threatened and Endangered Species
     Rangeland Resources
     Wilderness, Wilderness Study Areas, and Areas of Critical 
Environmental Concern
     Land Use and Access
     Recreation and Visual Resources
     Environmental Justice
     Socioeconomics
     Cultural and Paleontological Resources
     Native American Concerns
     Air Quality and Noise
     Hazardous and Solid Waste
     Transportation
     Public Safety
    The BLM will also evaluate possible alternatives to the proposed 
project or portions of the project, and make recommendations on how to 
lessen or avoid impacts on affected resources.
    Analysis of the issues will be included in a draft EIS. The draft 
EIS will be mailed to affected federal, state, and local government 
agencies; elected officials; landowners; environmental and public 
interest groups; Indian tribes and regional Native American 
organizations; commenters; and other interested parties. A 45-day 
comment period will be allotted for review of the draft EIS. The BLM 
will consider all comments on the draft EIS and revise the document, as 
necessary, before issuing a final EIS. To ensure that your comments are 
considered, please follow the instructions in the Public Participation 
section of this NOI.
    This EIS may also analyze a plan amendment for the Pony Express 
Resource Management Plan, should there be federal lands in the proposed 
action or alternatives not within a designated utility corridor.

Public Participation

    Public scoping meetings are planned at five locations. The meetings 
will provide the public an opportunity to present comments or issues 
for consideration in the EIS. The meetings will be held in an ``open 
house format'' beginning at 5 p.m. and ending at 8 p.m. Specific dates 
and locations for the public scoping meetings will be provided as noted 
above in the DATES section.
    Comments concerning the Proposed Action and EIS should address 
relevant issues, feasible alternatives, possible mitigation, and 
information having a bearing on the Proposed Action.
    Your response is important and will be considered in the EIS 
process. If you respond, the BLM will keep you informed of the 
availability of environmental documents that address impacts that might 
occur from this proposal.
    Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or 
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be 
aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying 
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can 
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying 
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so.

Selma Sierra,
State Director.
 [FR Doc. E7-15580 Filed 8-8-07; 8:45 am]
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