[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 116 (Monday, June 16, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34008-34010]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-13418]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket Nos. CP05-45-002 and CP06-401-002]


TransColorado Gas Transmission Company; Amended Notice of Intent 
To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Transcolorado-
Meeker Compressor Station Project and Request for Comments on 
Environmental Issues

June 6, 2008.
    As previously noticed on March 18, 2008, and amended herein, the 
staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or Commission) 
will prepare an environmental assessment (EA) that will discuss the 
potential environmental impacts of TransColorado Gas Transmission 
Company's (TransColorado) relocation of previously authorized, but 
uninstalled, natural gas transmission system facilities in Rio Blanco 
County, Colorado. The proposed TransColorado-Meeker Compressor Station 
site replaces TransColorado's previously-filed site referred to as the 
Love Ranch Compressor Station. 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.
    This notice announces the opening of the scoping process the 
Commission will use to gather input from the public and interested 
agencies on the amended project. Your input will help determine which 
issues need to be evaluated in the EA. Please note that the scoping 
period will close on July 7, 2008. Details on how to submit comments 
are provided in the ``Public Participation'' section of this notice.
    This notice is being sent to affected landowners; federal, state, 
and local government agencies; elected officials; Native American 
tribes; other interested parties; and local libraries and newspapers. 
State and local government representatives are asked to notify their 
constituents of this proposed project and to encourage them to comment 
on their areas of concern.
    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).

Summary of the Proposed Project

    TransColorado proposes to relocate two compressor units previously 
authorized for installation at the existing Greasewood Compressor 
Station to an alternative site about 6 miles west (referred to as the 
TransColorado-Meeker Compressor Station site). Both the Greasewood 
Compressor Station and the proposed TransColorado-Meeker Compressor 
Station are in Rio Blanco County, Colorado. Specifically, TransColorado 
proposes to amend its authorizations for both the North Expansion 
Project in Docket No. CP05-45-000 and the Blanco-Meeker Expansion 
Project in Docket No. CP06-401-000 to relocate a 2,370-horsepower unit 
and a 3,550-horsepower unit, respectively, to the TransColorado-Meeker 
Compressor Station site. TransColorado further seeks authority to 
construct and operate a new interconnection with Rockies Express 
Pipeline, LLC (Rockies Express) at the existing Meeker Compressor 
Station.
    Both compressor units were originally authorized to allow 
TransColorado to deliver up to 300,000 dekatherms per day (Dth/d) to 
Williams Energy Marketing and Trading Company (Williams) through 
Wyoming Interstate Company's (WIC) pipeline system. Installation of the 
units was deferred to coincide with an increase in Williams' contract 
quantities beginning January 1, 2008. TransColorado states that 
relocating the compressor units and the new interconnect would 
accommodate the changing market needs of Williams on the TransColorado 
pipeline system and increases the overall delivery flexibility of the 
pipeline. Upon installation of the two compressors at the 
TransColorado-Meeker Compressor

[[Page 34009]]

Station site, TransColorado would be capable of delivering 130,000 Dth/
d to WIC at the Greasewood Compressor Station and 210,000 Dth/d to 
Rockies Express via the proposed interconnection at the Meeker 
Compressor Station.
    The TransColorado-Meeker Compressor Station site is located about 
1,760 feet north of TransColorado's originally proposed Love Ranch 
site, and would now be installed entirely within Rockies Express's 
existing Meeker Compressor Station. Construction and operation of the 
proposed facilities would occur within the existing Meeker Compressor 
Station and affect 3.3 acres of previously disturbed land.
    The general location of the proposed facilities is shown in 
appendix.\1\
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    \1\ The appendices referenced in this notice are not being 
printed in the Federal Register. Copies of all appendices 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 ``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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The EA Process

    We \2\ are preparing this EA to comply with the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) which requires the Commission 
to take into account the environmental impact that could result if it 
authorizes TransColorado's proposal. By this notice, we are also asking 
federal, state, and local agencies with jurisdiction and/or special 
expertise with respect to environmental issues to formally cooperate 
with us in the preparation of the EA. Agencies that would like to 
request cooperating status should follow the instructions for filing 
comments provided below.
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    \2\ ``We,'' ``us,'' and ``our'' refer to the environmental staff 
of the FERC's Office of Energy Projects.
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    NEPA also requires the FERC 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, we are requesting public comments on the scope of the 
issues to address in the EA. All comments received will be considered 
during the preparation of the EA.
    The EA 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
 Land use and visual quality
 Cultural resources
 Vegetation and wildlife (including threatened and endangered 
species)
 Air quality and noise
 Reliability and safety

    We will also evaluate possible alternatives to the proposed project 
or portions of the project, where necessary, and make recommendations 
on how to lessen or avoid impacts on the various resource areas.
    Our independent analysis of the issues will be presented 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, 
local libraries and newspapers, 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 received and considered, please 
carefully follow the instructions in the ``Public Participation'' 
section below.

Public Participation

    You can make a difference by providing us with your specific 
comments or concerns about the project. By becoming a commentor, your 
concerns will be addressed in the EA and considered by the Commission. 
You should focus on the potential environmental effects of the proposal 
and alternatives to the proposal, including alternative compressor 
station sites 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 Street, NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426;
     Label one copy of the comments for the attention of Gas 
Branch 1, PJ-11.1;
     Reference Docket Nos. CP05-45-002 and CP06-401-002; and
     Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, DC on or before July 7, 2008.
    Please note that the Commission strongly encourages electronic 
filing of any comments, interventions, or protests to this proceeding. 
See Title 18 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 
385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions on the Commission's Internet 
Web site at http://www.ferc.gov under the ``eFiling'' link and the link 
to the User's Guide. Prepare your submission in the same manner as you 
would if filing on paper and save it to a file on your computer's hard 
drive. Before you can file comments you will need to create an account 
by clicking on ``Login to File'' and then ``New User Account.'' You 
will be asked to select the type of filing you are making. This filing 
is considered a ``Comment on Filing.'' In addition, there is a ``Quick 
Comment'' option available, which is an easy method for interested 
persons to submit text-only comments on a project. The Quick-Comment 
User Guide can be viewed at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling/quick-comment-guide.pdf. Quick Comment does not require a FERC 
eRegistration account; however, you will be asked to provide a valid e-
mail address. All comments submitted under either eFiling or the Quick 
Comment option are placed in the public record for the specified 
docket.

Becoming an Intervenor

    In addition to involvement in the EA 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) (see appendix 2).\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

    As described above, we may publish and distribute the EA for 
comment. If

[[Page 34010]]

you are interested in receiving an EA for review and/or comment, please 
return the Environmental Mailing List Form (appendix 3). If you do not 
return the Environmental Mailing List Form, you will be taken off the 
mailing list. All individuals who provide written comments will remain 
on our environmental mailing list for this project.

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, then 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, any public meetings or site visits scheduled for this 
proposed project 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. E8-13418 Filed 6-13-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P