[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 146 (Tuesday, July 29, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43924-43926]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-17302]



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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. PF07-13-000]


Palomar Gas Transmission, LLC; Supplemental Notice of Intent To 
Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Palomar Gas 
Transmission Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues 
Related to an Alternative Pipeline Route Under Consideration

July 18, 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 Palomar Gas Transmission 
Project that could result from the construction and operation of a new 
underground natural gas pipeline proposed by the Palomar Gas 
Transmission, LLC (PGT). This notice explains the scoping process that 
will be used to gather input from the public and interested agencies on 
the project. Your input will help determine which issues need to be 
evaluated in the EIS. Please note that the scoping period for the 
project will close on August 18, 2008. This is not your only 
opportunity to provide comments. Please refer to the Pre-filing 
Environmental Review Process flow chart in Appendix 1 for future public 
input opportunities.
    An initial Notice of Intent (NOI) for this Project was issued by 
the FERC on October 29, 2007. Since that time, PGT has been requested 
by the City of Molalla to consider an alternative route south of the 
City's study area for potential future expansion of the urban growth 
boundary. This route would also facilitate a horizontal directional 
drilling (HDD) crossing of the Molalla River. With this NOI, we \1\ are 
specifically requesting comments on this alternative, referred to as 
the Herman Road Alternative.
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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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    Comments may be submitted in written form or verbally. In lieu of, 
or in addition to, sending written comments, you are invited to attend 
a public scoping meeting that has been scheduled in the project area. 
This meeting is scheduled to be held at 7 p.m. on August 5, 2008, at 
the Molalla High School Commons in Molalla, Oregon. Further 
instructions on how to submit comments and additional details of the 
public scoping meetings are provided in the public participation 
section of this notice.
    The FERC is the lead federal agency in the preparation of the EIS, 
and is preparing the EIS to satisfy the requirements of the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The Commission will use the EIS in its 
decision-making processes to determine whether or not to authorize the 
Project.
    This NOI is being sent to landowners affected by the current 
proposed route; landowners affected by the Herman Road Alternative; 
federal, state, and local government agencies; elected officials; 
environmental and public interest groups; Native American tribes; other 
interested parties; and local libraries and newspapers. We encourage 
government representatives to notify their constituents of this planned 
Project and encourage them to comment on their areas of concern.
    If you are a landowner receiving this notice, you may be contacted 
by a PGT representative about the acquisition of an easement to 
construct, operate, and maintain the proposed Project facilities. 
Depending on the alternative selected as the certificated route, PGT 
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 number of fact sheets prepared by the FERC, including ``An 
Interstate Natural Gas Facility On My Land? What Do I Need To Know?'' 
and ``Guide to Electronic Information at FERC,'' are available for 
viewing on the FERC Internet Web site (www.ferc.gov), using the ``For 
Citizens'' link. These fact sheets address a number of typically asked 
questions including how to participate in the Commission's proceedings 
and how to access information on FERC-regulated projects in your area.

Involvement of Other Agencies

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, the Bureau of 
Land Management, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have agreed to 
participate as cooperating agencies in the preparation of the EIS to 
satisfy their respective NEPA responsibilities.

Summary of the Proposed Project

    PGT has announced its proposal to construct and operate a new 
natural gas pipeline and associated structures with a bi-directional 
flow capacity of 1.4 billion cubic feet per day. The project would be 
located in northwest Oregon and consist of a 211-mile-long, 36-inch-
diameter pipeline running from near Shaniko, Wasco County, Oregon, to 
the Bradwood sendout pipeline in Clatsop County, Oregon. The pipeline 
would travel across Wasco, Clackamas, Marion, Yamhill, Washington, 
Columbia, and Clatsop Counties in Oregon. The pipeline would connect 
the existing Gas Transmission Northwest Corporation (GTN) mainline 
pipeline system in central Oregon to the Northwest Natural Gas Company 
(NW Natural) distribution system near Molalla in Clackamas County. The 
pipeline is also proposed to extend to other potential interconnections 
with NW Natural's system and to an interconnection with NorthernStar 
Energy, LLC's proposed Bradwood Landing pipeline in Clatsop County, 
Oregon. The proposed project would also include a 3.8-mile-long, 36-
inch-diameter lateral pipeline \2\ near Molalla, Clackamas County, 
Oregon, to connect the PGT Project mainline to an existing NW Natural 
city gate. Certain associated aboveground facilities are also proposed, 
i.e., mainline valves spaced at intervals along the pipeline as defined 
by U.S. Department of Transportation regulations per the Code of 
Federal Regulations (CFR) 49 Part 192, at least three meter stations, 
and pig launcher and receiver facilities. At this time, PGT does not 
anticipate that compression will be required for this project.
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    \2\ A lateral pipeline typically takes gas from the main system 
to deliver it to a customer, local distribution system, or another 
interstate transmission system.
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    More specifically, PGT proposes the following primary project 
components:
     A 211-mile-long, 36-inch diameter underground natural gas 
mainline consisting of two segments:
     The Cascades Segment: A 108.5-mile of mainline from 
TransCanada's GTN pipeline system northwest of Madras in Wasco County 
to a location southwest of Molalla in Clackamas County; and a 3.8-mile, 
36-inch diameter accessory lateral pipeline, the Molalla Lateral, which 
will connect the main pipeline to NW Natural's distribution system;
     The Willamette Segment: A 102.5-mile segment commencing at 
the Molalla Lateral interconnect and terminating at the proposed 
connection to the Bradwood Landing sendout pipeline in Clatsop County; 
there is potential for additional interconnections with NW Natural 
along this route;
     Two meter stations, eight mainline valves, and two pig 
launchers/receivers on Segment I; one pig launcher/receiver

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on the Molalla Lateral; and one meter station, seven mainline valves, 
and one pig launcher/receiver on Section II;
     Temporary pipe storage and contractor yards at various 
locations along the pipeline for office trailers, parking, and pipe and 
equipment storage during construction; and
     Temporary construction roadways and short permanent roads 
from existing roads to meter station sites and other aboveground 
facilities.
    In addition, PGT is evaluating an alternative pipeline route south 
of the City of Molalla's study area for potential future expansion of 
the urban growth boundary, referred to as the Herman Road Alternative. 
The Herman Road Alternative is approximately 5.1 miles long, or 0.2 
mile longer than the corresponding current route segment and is located 
adjacent to an existing right-of-way (Herman Road) for about 0.9 mile. 
No addition valves, meter stations, or pig launchers/receivers would be 
required if this alternative is selected.
    A map depicting PGT's proposed facilities is attached to this NOI 
as Appendix 2. A map depicting the Herman Road Alternative and the 
corresponding current route segment is attached to this NOI as Appendix 
3.\3\
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    \3\ The appendices referenced in this notice are not being 
printed in the Federal Register. Copies can be obtained from the 
Commission's Web site (excluding maps) at the ``eLibrary'' link, 
from the Commission's Public Reference Room, or by calling (202) 
502-8371. For instructions on connecting to eLibrary, refer to the 
end of this notice. Copies of the appendices were sent to all those 
receiving this notice in the mail.
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The EIS Process

    Although no formal application has been filed with the FERC, we 
have initiated our NEPA review under the FERC's Pre-Filing Process. The 
purpose of the Pre-Filing Process is to encourage the early involvement 
of interested stakeholders and to identify and resolve issues before an 
application is filed with the FERC.
    NEPA requires the Commission to take into account the environmental 
impacts that could result from an action when it considers whether or 
not a natural gas pipeline should be approved. FERC will use the EIS to 
consider the environmental impacts that could result if it issues 
project authorizations to PGT under Sections 3 and 7 of the Natural Gas 
Act. 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 scoping 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, operation, and maintenance of the proposed project 
under these general headings:
     Geology and soils.
     Water resources.
     Aquatic resources.
     Vegetation and wildlife.
     Threatened and endangered species.
     Land use, recreation, and visual resources.
     Cultural resources.
     Socioeconomics.
     Air quality and noise.
     Reliability and safety.
     Cumulative impacts.
    In the EIS, we will also evaluate possible alternatives to the 
proposed project or portions of the project (including the Herman Road 
Alternative), 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; affected landowners; 
environmental and public interest groups; Indian tribes and regional 
Native American organizations; commentors; other interested parties; 
local libraries and newspapers; and FERC's official service list for 
this proceeding. There will be, at a minimum, a 45-day comment period 
allotted for review of the draft EIS. We will consider all comments on 
the draft EIS and revise the document, if 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 NOI.

Public Participation

    You can make a difference by providing us with your specific 
comments or concerns about the Herman Road Alternative. Your comments 
should focus on the potential environmental effects, reasonable 
alternatives, and measures to avoid or lessen the environmental impact 
of the Herman Road Alternative. The more specific your comments, the 
more useful they will be. To ensure that your comments are timely and 
properly recorded, please send in you comments so that they will be 
received in Washington, DC, on or before August 15, 2008.
    For your convenience, there are three methods in which you can use 
to submit your comments to the Commission. In all instances please 
reference the project docket number Docket No. PF07-13-000 with your 
submission. The docket number can be found on the front of this notice. 
The Commission encourages electronic filing of comments and has 
dedicated eFiling expert staff available to assist you at 202-502-8258 
or [email protected].
    1. You may file your comments electronically by using the Quick 
Comment feature, which is located on the Commission's internet Web site 
at http://www.ferc.gov under the link to Documents and Filings. A Quick 
Comment is an easy method for interested persons to submit text-only 
comments on a project;
    2. You may file your comments electronically by using the eFiling 
feature, which is located on the Commission's internet Web site at 
http://www.ferc.gov under the link to Documents and Filings. eFiling 
involves preparing your submission in the same manner as you would if 
filing on paper, and then saving the file on your computer's hard 
drive. You will attach that file as your submission. New eFiling users 
must first create an account by clicking on ``Sign up'' or 
``eRegister.'' You will be asked to select the type of filing you are 
making. A comment on a particular project is considered a ``Comment on 
a Filing;'' or
    3. You may file your comments via mail to the Commission by sending 
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 OEP/
DG2E/Gas Branch, PJ-11.2.
     Reference Docket No. PF07-13-000 on the original and both 
copies.
    The scoping meeting is scheduled to be held at 7 p.m. on August 5, 
2008 at: Molalla High School Commons, 357 Frances Street, Molalla, OR 
97083.

Environmental Mailing List

    Everyone who provides comments on this Supplemental NOI will be 
retained on the mailing list. If you do not want to send comments at 
this time but still want to stay informed and receive copies of the 
draft and final EISs, you must return the Mailing List Retention Form 
(Appendix 4). Also, indicate on the form your preference for receiving 
a

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paper version of the EIS in lieu of an electronic version of the EIS on 
CD-ROM. 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 resubmit comments or a Mailing List Retention Form.

Additional Information

    Once PGT formally files its application with the Commission, you 
may want to become an ``intervenor,'' which is an official party to the 
proceeding. 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.
    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, click on ``General Search,'' and 
enter the docket number excluding the last three digits in the Docket 
Number field (i.e., PF07-15). 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 on the FERC Internet Web site 
also provides access to the texts of formal documents issued by the 
Commission, such as Orders, notices, and rulemakings.
    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, PGT has established a Web site for this project at http://www.palomargas.com/project.html. The Web site includes a project 
overview, timeline, safety and environmental information, and answers 
to frequently asked questions. You can also request additional 
information by e-mailing PGT directly at [email protected] or writing 
to: Palomar Gas Transmission, 1400 SW. Fifth Avenue, Suite 900, 
Portland, Oregon 97225.

Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E8-17302 Filed 7-28-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P