[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 34 (Wednesday, February 20, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9315-9316]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-3119]



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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP07-53-001]


Downeast Pipeline, LLC.; Supplemental Notice of Intent To Prepare 
an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Downeast LNG Project 
and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues Related to the 
Modification of the Proposed Pipeline Route

February 13, 2008.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) is preparing an environmental impact statement (EIS) that 
will discuss the environmental impacts of the Downeast Liquefied 
Natural Gas (LNG) Project proposed by Downeast LNG, Inc. and Downeast 
Pipeline, LLC (Downeast). The FERC is the lead federal agency in the 
preparation of the EIS, and is preparing the EIS in coordination with 
its cooperating agencies: the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; the U.S. 
Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Coast Guard; the U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency; the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration National Marine Fisheries Service; and the Maine 
Department of Environmental Protection. The EIS will be used by the 
Commission in its decision-making process to determine whether the 
project is in the public convenience and necessity.
    This project was originally noticed by the FERC on March 13, 2006, 
with supplemental Notices of Intent on September 18, 2006 and December 
1, 2006. This Supplemental Notice of Intent (NOI) discloses the 
modification of the proposed natural gas sendout pipeline route to 
avoid crossing the Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) and 
requests comments regarding the possible environmental impacts of this 
modification.
    We \1\ are specifically requesting comments on the new Proposed 
Route Option 6. Your input will help identify the issues that need to 
be evaluated in the EIS. Further details on how to submit comments are 
provided in the Public Participation section of this NOI. Please note 
that comments for this NOI are requested by March 14, 2008.
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    \1\ ``We,'' ``us,'' and ``our'' refer to the environmental staff 
of the FERC's Office of Energy Projects.
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    If you are a landowner receiving this notice, you may be contacted 
by a Downeast representative about the acquisition of a pipeline 
easement to construct, operate, and maintain the proposed facilities. 
Downeast would seek to negotiate a mutually acceptable agreement. 
However, if the pipeline is approved by the Commission, that approval 
conveys with it the right of eminent domain. Therefore, if easement 
negotiations fail to produce an agreement, Downeast 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?'' 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), using the 
``For Citizens'' link.
    This Supplemental NOI is being sent to Federal, State, and local 
government agencies; elected officials; affected landowners; 
environmental and public interest groups; Indian tribes; commentors and 
other interested parties; and local libraries and newspapers. We 
encourage government representatives to notify their constituents of 
this amendment to the planned project and encourage them to comment on 
their areas of concern.

Summary of the Proposed Project

    The project would consist of an onshore LNG import and storage 
terminal located on the south side of Mill Cove in the Town of 
Robbinston near the confluence of Passamaquoddy Bay and the St. Croix 
River in Washington County, Maine; and an approximately 30-mile-long 
natural gas sendout pipeline extending from the terminal to the 
existing Maritimes & Northeast (M&NE) pipeline system at the 
Baileyville, Maine Compressor Station.
    The proposed amended route (Option 6) consists of the following:
     Approximately 29.8 miles of 30-inch-diameter natural gas 
transmission pipeline;
     Natural gas metering facilities;
     Pigging facilities; and
     Three mainline block valves.
    The total length of Option 6 is approximately 1.2 miles shorter 
than the previously proposed route (Option 4). The new section of the 
pipeline around the Moosehorn NWR is approximately 7.5 miles in length.
    Option 6 would follow the Option 4 route from milepost (MP) 0.0 to 
MP 10.2. Option 6 would depart from the Option 4 alignment at MP 10.2 
and proceed northwest for approximately 1.4 miles, travel west for 
approximately 0.75 mile, and then run north for approximately 0.5 mile 
to Magurrewock Mountain. The route would then proceed on the south side 
of Magurrewock Mountain and cross U.S. Route 1. The route would then 
cross under the St. Croix River using a staged horizontal directional 
drill from MP 14.1 to MP 15.3. At MP 15.3, the alignment would parallel 
the Maine Central Railroad corridor along the St. Croix River. At MP 
16.2, the pipeline would turn south away from the railroad corridor, 
turn southwest, and parallel U.S. Route 1 for approximately 1.3 miles. 
At MP 17.7, the new route would intersect the Option 4 alignment along 
the existing Eastern Maine Electrical Cooperative electrical 
transmission line corridor. Thereafter, Option 6 follows the Option 4 
alignment to its endpoint at the existing M&NE Baileyville Compressor 
Station. In addition, Option 6 has minor route variations from the 
Option 4 alignment at MP 2.4, 8.5, 25.5, and 27.2.
    There would be three mainline valve (MLV) stations on the Option 6 
route. The MLV to be constructed on the LNG terminal site at the start 
of the sendout pipeline remains unchanged. The second MLV would be 
located at MP 16.85. This location is north of U.S. Route 1 and east of 
the intersection of U.S. Route 1 and Maine Route 191. It is an area 
that has been previously disturbed by commercial logging activities and 
would require only minimal clearing for construction of the facility. 
An access road to the MLV would be required from U.S. Route 1. The MLV 
and pigging facilities at the terminus of the sendout pipeline to be 
located at MP 29.8 within the Baileyville Compressor Station property 
boundary remains unchanged.
    A map depicting the original Option 4 route and the proposed Option 
6 route is included in Appendix 1.\2\
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    \2\ The appendices referenced in this notice are not being 
printed in the Federal Register. Copies are available on the 
Commission's Web site at the ``e-Library'' 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 e-Library, refer to the ``Additional Information'' 
section of this notice. Copies of the appendices were sent to all 
those receiving this notice in the mail.
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Public Participation

    You can make a difference by providing us with your specific 
comments or concerns about this amendment to the planned project. By 
becoming a commentor, your concerns will be addressed in the EIS and 
considered by the Commission. Your comments should focus on the 
potential

[[Page 9316]]

environmental effects, reasonable alternatives (including alternative 
facility sites and pipeline routes), and measures to avoid or lessen 
environmental impacts. The more specific your comments, the more useful 
they will be. To ensure that your comments are timely and properly 
recorded, please follow these instructions:
     Send an original and two copies of your letter to: 
Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 
First Street, NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426.
     Label one copy of your comments for the attention of OEP/
DG2E/Gas Branch 3.
     Reference Docket No. CP07-53-001 on the original and both 
copies.
     Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, DC on or before March 14, 2008.
    The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing of any 
comments in response to this NOI. For information on electronically 
filing comments, please see 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 as well as information in 18 CFR 385.2001(a)(1)(iii). 
Before you can file comments, you will need to create a free account, 
which can be accomplished on-line.

Becoming an Intervenor

    In addition to involvement in the EIS scoping process, you may want 
to become an official party to the proceeding known as an 
``intervenor.'' Intervenors play a more formal role in the process. 
Among other things, intervenors have the right to receive copies of 
case-related Commission documents and filings by other intervenors. 
Likewise, each intervenor must send one electronic copy (using the 
Commission's eFiling system) or 14 paper copies of its filings to the 
Secretary of the Commission and must send a copy of its filings to all 
other parties on the Commission's service list for this proceeding.
    If you want 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).\3\ Only intervenors have the right to 
seek rehearing of the Commission's decision.
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    \3\ 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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    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

    All commentors will be retained on our mailing list. If you do not 
want to send comments at this time but still want to keep informed and 
receive copies of the Draft and Final EISs, you must return the Mailing 
List Retention Form (Appendix 2). Also, indicate on the form your 
preference for receiving a paper version in lieu of an electronic 
version of the EIS on CD-ROM. If you do not return this form, we will 
remove your name from our mailing list.
    Please note, if you have previously submitted comments or returned 
a Mailing List Retention Form, you are already on our mailing list and 
do not need to re-submit comments or a Mailing List Retention Form.

Additional Information

    Additional information about the project is available from the 
Commission's Office of External Affairs at 1-866-208-FERC (3372) or on 
the FERC Internet Web site (http://www.ferc.gov) using the ``eLibrary 
link.'' Click on the eLibrary link, select ``General Search'' and enter 
the project docket number excluding the last three digits (i.e., CP07-
53) in the ``Docket Number'' field. Be sure you have selected an 
appropriate date range. For assistance with eLibrary, the eLibrary 
helpline can be reached at 1-866-208-3676, TTY (202) 502-8659, or by e-
mail at [email protected]. The eLibrary link on the FERC 
Internet Web site also provides access to the texts of formal documents 
issued by the Commission, such as orders, notices, and rule makings.
    In addition, the FERC now offers a free 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 http://www.ferc.gov/esubscribenow.htm.
    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.
    Finally, Downeast has established an Internet Web site for this 
project at http://www.downeastlng.com. The Web site includes a project 
overview, status, and answers to frequently asked questions. You can 
also request additional information by emailing Downeast at 
[email protected].

Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E8-3119 Filed 2-19-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P