[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 161 (Tuesday, August 21, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46622-46625]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-16383]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. PF07-4-000]


Midcontinent Express Pipeline, LLC; Supplemental Notice of Intent 
To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed 
Midcontinent Express Project, Request for Comments on Environmental 
Issues, and Notice of Public Site Visit

August 14, 2007.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) that 
will identify and address the environmental impacts that could result 
from the construction and operation of the Midcontinent Express 
Pipeline Project (Project) proposed by Midcontinent Express Pipeline, 
LLC (MEP). On June 25, 2007, MEP filed draft Resource Reports that 
identified a modification to the Project in Richland and Madison 
Parishes, Louisiana, consisting of an approximately 4.2-mile-long 
lateral pipeline (CenterPoint Lateral). MEP subsequently filed 
additional information clarifying the location of the Project 
facilities associated with the CenterPoint Lateral on August 3, 2007.
    On April 27, 2007, the FERC issued a ``Notice of Intent To Prepare 
an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Midcontinent Express 
Pipeline Project, Request for Comments on Environmental Issues and 
Notice of Public Scoping Meetings'' (NOI). The NOI was published in the 
Federal Register and was also mailed to interested parties, including 
Federal, state and local officials, agency representatives, 
conservation organizations; Native American groups; local libraries and 
newspapers; and property owners affected by the proposed facilities. 
This notice is being issued because the CenterPoint Lateral was not 
identified in the NOI, and landowners potentially affected by that 
facility were therefore not included on the environmental mailing list 
for that correspondence.
    In order to assist staff with the identification of environmental 
issues associated with the modified facilities and to comply with the 
requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), a 
30-day scoping period has been opened to receive comments on the 
proposed Project, as modified by the addition of the CenterPoint 
Lateral. Please note that the scoping period for this project will 
close on September 10, 2007.
    Comments on the Project and the issues that should be addressed in 
the EIS may be submitted in written form. Further details on how to 
submit written comments are provided in the Public Participation 
section of this notice. Additionally, as part of the scoping process, 
we will sponsor a public site visit of the proposed CenterPoint 
Lateral, as described below. Please note that attendees at the site 
visit must obtain their own transportation for the site visit.

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               Date and time                          Location
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Tuesday, August 28, 2007, 9 am (CST)......  Delhi Municipal Airport
                                             (parking lot), Airport Road/
                                             Louisiana Highway 17,
                                             Delhi, Louisiana 71232
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    This notice is being sent to landowners affected by the CenterPoint 
Lateral, as well as those that previously requested to remain on the 
Project environmental mailing list; federal, state, and local 
government agencies; elected officials; environmental and public 
interest groups; Native American tribes; other interested parties; and 
local libraries and newspapers; all of which are encouraged to submit 
comments on the proposed Project. Details on how to submit comments are 
provided in the Public Participation section of this notice.
    If you are a landowner receiving this notice, you may be contacted 
by an MEP representative about the acquisition of an easement to 
construct, operate, and maintain the proposed project facilities. The 
pipeline company would seek to negotiate a mutually acceptable 
agreement. However, if the project is approved by the FERC, 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?'' is available for 
viewing on

[[Page 46623]]

the FERC Internet Web site (www.ferc.gov). This fact sheet addresses a 
number of typically asked questions, including the use of eminent 
domain and how to participate in the FERC's proceedings.

Summary of the Proposed Project

    MEP proposes to construct, own and operate approximately 495 miles 
of new 30-, 36-, and 42-inch-diameter interstate natural gas 
transmission pipeline, a total of approximately 111,720 horsepower (hp) 
of compression at one booster and four new mainline compressor 
stations, and related appurtenant facilities located in portions of 
Oklahoma, northeast Texas, northern Louisiana, central Mississippi, and 
Alabama. The proposed pipeline route identified by MEP would extend 
from a receipt point with existing pipeline infrastructure near 
Bennington in Bryan County, Oklahoma, to an interconnect with the 
existing Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation system near Butler 
in Choctaw County, Alabama. The general location of the proposed 
pipeline is shown in the figure included as Appendix 1.\1\
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    \1\ 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 
Public Participation section of this notice. Copies of the 
appendices were sent to all those receiving this notice in the mail. 
Requests for detailed maps of the proposed facilities should be made 
directly to MEP.
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    In addition, as part of the Midcontinent Express Pipeline Project, 
MEP proposes to construct, own, and operate the approximately 4.2-mile-
long, 16-inch-diameter CenterPoint Lateral in Richland and Madison 
Parishes, Louisiana.
    Specifically, the MEP Project facilities under FERC jurisdiction 
would include the following:
     Approximately 40 miles of 30-inch-diameter pipeline in 
Bryan County, Oklahoma, and Lamar County, Texas;
     Approximately 262 miles of 42-inch-diameter pipeline in 
Lamar, Red River, Franklin, Titus, Morris, and Cass Counties, Texas, 
and Caddo, Bossier, Webster, Claiborne, Lincoln, Union, Ouachita, 
Morehouse, Richland, and Madison Parishes, Louisiana;
     Approximately 193 miles of 36-inch-diameter pipeline in 
Madison Parish, Louisiana, and Warren, Hinds, Rankin, Simpson, Smith, 
Jasper, and Clarke Counties, Mississippi, and Choctaw County, Alabama;
     The newly proposed, approximately 4.2-mile-long, 16-inch-
diameter lateral pipeline, which would extend from an interconnect with 
the Project mainline pipeline in Madison Parish, Louisiana, to the 
Delhi Booster Station and an interconnect with a CenterPoint Energy Gas 
Transmission Company pipeline in Richland Parish, Louisiana;
     Four new mainline and one booster, natural gas-fired 
compressor stations, including:

--The 38,555-hp Lamar Compressor Station at Milepost (MP) TX 28.5 in 
Lamar County, Texas;
--The 12,270-hp Atlanta Compressor Station at MP TX 117.4 in Cass 
County, Texas;
--The 32,720-hp Perryville Compressor Station at MP LA 109.0 in Union 
Parish, Louisiana;
--The 18,405-hp Vicksburg Compressor Station at MP MS 11.8 in Warren 
County, Mississippi;
--The 9,470-hp Delhi Booster Station, which would be located along the 
CenterPoint Lateral in Richland Parish, Louisiana;

 Meter stations at up to 13 interconnects with existing 
pipeline infrastructure in Bryan County, Oklahoma; Lamar and Cass 
Counties, Texas; Ouachita, Richland, and Madison Parishes, Louisiana; 
Hinds, Smith, Jasper, and Clarke Counties, Mississippi; and Choctaw 
County, Alabama;
     Various pig \2\ launching and receiving facilities; and
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    \2\ A pig is a mechanical tool used to clean and inspect the 
interior of a pipeline.
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     29 mainline valves.
    MEP indicates that the proposed Project facilities would provide 
long-haul takeaway capacity to facilitate the transport of natural gas 
from production areas in Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas to markets in 
the Southeast, Northeast and Midwest regions of the United States that 
can be accessed through interconnects with existing pipeline 
infrastructure. The Project would consist of two capacity zones. The 
initial transport capacity of Zone 1, which would include the 30- and 
42-inch-diameter portions of the pipeline facilities, would be 1.4 
billion cubic feet of natural gas per day (Bcf/d). However, additional 
supporting contracts could provide for expansion of the Zone 1 
transport capacity to 1.5 Bcf/d. Zone 2, which would include the 
balance of the pipeline facilities, would have an initial transport 
capacity of 1.0 Bcf/d, with the potential for expansion to 1.2 Bcf/d.
    MEP proposes to place the first 40 miles of 30-inch-diameter 
pipeline in service by October 31, 2008, with the remainder of the 
pipeline constructed and operational by February 2009.

Land Requirements for Construction

    As proposed, the typical construction right-of-way width for the 
30-, 36-, and 42-inch-diameter sections of Project pipeline would be 
100, 110, and 125 feet, respectively. The typical construction right-
of-way width for the CenterPoint Lateral would be 75 feet. Following 
construction, MEP would generally retain a 50-foot-wide permanent 
right-of-way for operation of the Project, though MEP proposes to 
expand the maintained permanent right-of-way width to 60 feet in 
limited areas based on site-specific conditions. Additionally, 
temporary extra workspaces beyond the typical construction right-of-way 
limits would also be required at certain feature crossings (e.g., 
roads, railroads, wetlands, or waterbodies), in areas with steep side 
slopes, in association with special construction techniques, or at pipe 
storage and contractor yards. In residential areas, wetlands, and other 
sensitive areas, the construction right-of-way width would be reduced 
as necessary to protect homeowners and environmental resources. 
Following construction, all temporary workspaces (including the 
temporary construction rights-of-way and extra workspaces) would be 
restored and allowed to revert to its former use.

The EIS Process

    NEPA requires the Commission to take into account the environmental 
impacts that could result from the approval of an interstate natural 
gas pipeline. The FERC will use the EIS to consider the environmental 
impact that could result if the Midcontinent Express Pipeline Project 
is authorized under Section 7 of the Natural Gas Act.
    NEPA also requires us to discover and address concerns the public 
may have about proposals to be considered by the Commission. This 
process is referred to as ``scoping.'' The main goal of the scoping 
process is to focus the analysis in the EIS on the important 
environmental issues. With this NOI, the Commission staff 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.
    In the EIS we will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of 
the construction and operation of the proposed project under these 
general headings:
     Geology and soils;
     Water resources;
     Wetlands and vegetation;
     Fish and wildlife;
     Threatened and endangered species;

[[Page 46624]]

     Land use, recreation, and visual resources;
     Air quality and noise;
     Cultural resources;
     Socioeconomics;
     Reliability and safety; and
     Cumulative environmental impacts.
    In the EIS, we 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.
    Our independent analysis of the issues will be included in a draft 
EIS. The draft EIS will be mailed to federal, state, and local 
government agencies; elected officials; environmental and public 
interest groups; Native American tribes; affected landowners; 
commentors; other interested parties; local libraries and newspapers; 
and the FERC's official service list for this proceeding. A 45-day 
comment period will be allotted for review of the draft EIS. We will 
consider all comments on the draft EIS and revise the document, as 
necessary, before issuing a final EIS. We will consider all comments on 
the final EIS before we make our recommendations to the Commission. To 
ensure that your comments are considered, please follow the 
instructions in the Public Participation section of this notice.
    With this notice, we are asking federal, state, and local 
governmental agencies with jurisdiction and/or special expertise with 
respect to environmental issues, to express their interest in becoming 
cooperating agencies for the preparation of the EIS. These agencies may 
choose to participate once they have evaluated the proposal relative to 
their responsibilities.

Currently Identified Environmental Issues

    The EIS will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of the 
construction and operation of the proposed project. We have already 
identified several issues that we think deserve attention based on a 
preliminary review of the project site, comments filed in response to 
the April 27, 2007 NOI, and the facility information provided by MEP. 
This preliminary list of issues may be changed based on your comments 
and our analysis.
     Potential impacts to water resources, including 
groundwater and ephemeral, intermittent, and perennial waterbodies.
     Evaluation of temporary and permanent impacts on wetlands 
and development of appropriate mitigation.
     Potential impacts to fish and wildlife habitat, including 
potential impacts to federal and state-listed threatened and endangered 
species.
     Potential impacts to natural vegetative communities, 
including native prairie and forestland.
     Potential effects on prime farmland soils and soils with a 
high potential for compaction or erosion.
     Potential impacts to existing land uses, including 
agricultural and managed forested lands.
     Potential impacts to recreation and special interest 
areas, including Wetland Reserve Program lands and the Natchez Trace 
Parkway.
     Potential impacts to residential areas, planned 
developments, and property values.
     Potential disruption to area businesses associated with 
construction.
     Potential visual effects of the pipeline easement and 
aboveground facilities on surrounding areas.
     Potential impacts to local air and noise quality 
associated with construction and operation.
     Potential impacts to cultural resources and Native 
American lands.
     Public safety and hazards associated with the transport of 
natural gas.
     Alternative alignments for the pipeline route and 
alternative sites for the compressor stations.
     Assessment of the effect of the proposed Project when 
combined with other past, present, or reasonably foreseeable future 
actions in the Project area, including the potential cumulative effect 
of collocating multiple utility rights-of-way.
     Use of the existing and proposed rights-of-way to minimize 
the need for additional temporary construction workspace and/or reduce 
the width of the permanent easement.

Public Participation

    You can make a difference by providing us with your specific 
comments or concerns about the proposed project. By becoming a 
commenter, your concerns will be addressed in the EIS and considered by 
the Commission. Your comments should focus on the potential 
environmental effects, reasonable alternatives (including alternative 
facility sites and pipeline routes), and measures to avoid or lessen 
environmental impact. The more specific your comments, the more useful 
they will be. To ensure that your comments are timely and properly 
recorded, please carefully follow these instructions:
     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 your comments for the attention of Gas 
Branch 3, DG2E.
     Reference Docket No. PF07-4-000 on the original and both 
copies.
     Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, DC on or before September 10, 2007.
    Please note that we are continuing to experience delays in mail 
deliveries from the U.S. Postal Service. As a result, we will include 
all comments that we receive within a reasonable time frame in our 
environmental analysis of this project. The Commission strongly 
encourages electronic filing of any comments in response to this Notice 
of Intent. For information on electronically filing comments, please 
see the instructions on the Commission's Web site at www.ferc.gov.
    Once MEP formally files its application with the Commission, you 
may want to become an official party to the proceeding known as an 
``intervenor.'' Intervenors play a more formal role in the process and 
are able to file briefs, appear at hearings, and be heard by the courts 
if they choose to appeal the Commission's final ruling. An intervenor 
formally participates in a Commission proceeding by filing a request to 
intervene. Instructions for becoming an intervenor are included in the 
User's Guide under the ``e-filing'' link on the Commission's Web site. 
Please note that you may not request intervenor status at this time. 
You must wait until a formal application is filed with the Commission.

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 along 
the CenterPoint Lateral who are potential right-of-way grantors, whose 
property may be used temporarily for Project purposes, or who own 
property within distances defined in the Commission's regulations of 
certain aboveground facilities. In addition, this notice is also being 
sent to potentially affected landowners along other portions of the 
Project that previously requested to remain on the Project 
environmental mailing list.
    If you received this notice, you are on the environmental mailing 
list for this project. If you do not want to send comments at this 
time, but still want to remain on our mailing list, please return the 
Information Request (Appendix 2). If you do not return the Information 
Request, you will be removed from the

[[Page 46625]]

Commission's environmental mailing list. Please note that interested 
individuals who previously responded to the April 27, 2007 NOI with a 
request to stay on the environmental mailing list need not reply again.

Availability of Additional Information

    Additional information about the project is available from the 
Commission's Office of External Affairs, at 1-866-208-FERC (3372). 
Additional information can also be found on the Internet at 
www.ferc.gov. The ``eLibrary link'' on the FERC Web site provides 
access to documents submitted to and issued by the Commission, such as 
comments, orders, notices and rulemakings. Once on the FERC Web site, 
click on the ``eLibrary link,'' select ``General Search'' and in the 
``Docket Number'' field enter the project docket number excluding the 
last three digits (i.e., PF07-4). When researching information be sure 
to select an appropriate date range. In addition, the FERC now offers a 
free e-mail service called eSubscription that 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. To register for 
this service, go to www.ferc.gov/esubscribenow.htm. For assistance, 
please contact FERC Online Support at [email protected] or 
toll free at 1-866-208-3676, or TTY, contact 1-202-502-8659.
    Public meetings or site visits will be posted on the Commission's 
calendar located at www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/EventsList.aspx) along 
with other related information.
    Finally, MEP has established an Internet Web site for this Project 
at www.midcontinentexpress.com. The Web site includes a description of 
the Project, a map of the proposed pipeline route, and answers to 
frequently asked questions. You can also request additional information 
or provide comments directly to MEP at 1-877-327-5515 or 
[email protected].

Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E7-16383 Filed 8-20-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P