[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 249 (Monday, December 29, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 79464-79466]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-30744]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. PF08-31-000; Docket No. PF08-32-000 ]


Florida Gas Transmission Company; Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line 
Corporation; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment 
for the Proposed Mobile Bay Lateral Extension Project and the 
Pascagoula Expansion Project and Request for Comments on Environmental 
Issues

December 18, 2008.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) will prepare an environmental assessment (EA) that will 
discuss the environmental impacts of the construction and operation of 
facilities proposed by Florida Gas Transmission Company's (FGT) Mobile 
Bay Lateral Extension Project in Mobile County, Alabama and 
Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation's (Transco) and FGT's 
Pascagoula Expansion Project in Jackson County, Mississippi and Mobile 
County, Alabama.
    This notice announces the opening of the scoping process we will 
use to gather input from the public and interested agencies on the 
project. Your input will help the Commission staff determine which 
issues need to be evaluated in the EA. Please note that the scoping 
period will close on January 15, 2009.
    This notice is being sent to affected landowners; federal, state, 
and local government representatives and agencies; environmental and 
public interest groups; Native American tribes; other interested 
parties in this proceeding; 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 pipeline company representative about the acquisition of an 
easement to construct, operate, and maintain the proposed facilities. 
The pipeline company would seek to negotiate a mutually acceptable 
agreement. However, if the project is approved by the Commission, 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?'' was attached to the 
project notice Transco and/or FGT provided to landowners. This fact 
sheet 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 Projects

    FGT's Mobile Bay Lateral Extension Project (Mobile Bay Project) 
would be located in Mobile County, Alabama. The existing Mobile Bay 
Lateral extends from FGT's mainlines near Citronelle, Alabama, to FGT's 
Compressor Station 44 (CS 44) in Mobile Bay, Alabama. FGT is requesting 
authorization to construct, own, and operate the facilities necessary 
to provide incremental firm transportation capacity of 342,610 million 
British thermal units per day (MMBtu/d) of natural gas from the 
proposed Gulf LNG Energy, LLC (Gulf LNG) Terminal Facility in 
Pascagoula, Mississippi to FGT's existing Mobile Bay Lateral. The new 
infrastructure would allow FGT to connect regassified liquefied natural 
gas (LNG) supply in south Alabama to the existing FGT system.

[[Page 79465]]

    The Mobile Bay Project would consist of the following facilities:
     Installation of approximately 8.9 miles of 24-inch-
diameter mainline pipeline, from near Grand Bay in Mobile County, 
Alabama to the existing FGT CS 44, (milepost [MP] 0.0);
     Installation of one new Meter and Regulation (M&R) Station 
(15-600 million cubic feet per day [mmcfd] with pig launcher at the 
tie-in with the proposed Pascagoula Expansion Project [MP 8.9]);
     Installation of one new Over Pressure Protection Regulator 
Station with pig receiver at the existing 30-inch Mobile Bay Lateral 
tie-in to the mainlines (located approximately 28.8 miles upstream from 
CS 44); and
     Station facility modifications at the existing FGT CS 44 
(MP 0.0).
    FGT and Transco jointly propose to construct the Pascagoula 
Expansion Project, which would connect to the approved Gulf LNG 
Facility in Pascagoula Mississippi. The project would involve the 
construction of about 15 miles of 26-inch-diameter pipeline extending 
from this receipt point interconnect to FGT's and Transco's existing 
Mobile Bay Lateral in Mobile County, Alabama (Pascagoula Supply Line) 
and modifications to FGT's and Transco's existing Compressor Station 82 
in Mobile County, Alabama. The Pascagoula Supply Line would have a 
total capacity of 810,000 dekatherms per day.
    The Pascagoula Expansion Project will consist of the following 
facilities:
     A receipt meter station near Pascagoula in Jackson County, 
Mississippi, at the terminus of the Gulf LNG Pipeline;
     Approximately 15 miles of 26-inch-diameter pipeline 
extending from this receipt point interconnect to FGT/Transco's 
existing Mobile Bay Lateral in Mobile County, Alabama (``Pascagoula 
Supply Line'');
     Modifications to FGT/Transco's existing Compressor Station 
82 in Mobile County, Alabama; and
     Minor above-ground facilities.
    The Pascagoula Expansion Project is directly related to FGT's 
proposed Mobile Bay Project in Docket No. PF08-31-000 and will be 
evaluated in a single environmental document. The Pascagoula Expansion 
Project would be the upstream pipeline delivering gas into FGT's 
proposed Mobile Bay Project.
    The location of the project facilities is shown in Appendix 1.\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \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 
last page of this notice. Copies of the appendices were sent to all 
those receiving this notice in the mail.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Land Requirements for Construction

Mobile Bay Project

    Construction of the Mobile Bay Project's proposed facilities would 
require about 116.0 acres of land including above-ground facilities, 
pipeline, and access roads. Following construction, about 54.9 acres 
would be used for operation of the project's facilities. Of the 
remaining 61.1 acres of land, 33.8 acres would be overlapping existing 
permanent right-of-way and 27.3 acres would be restored or allowed to 
revert to former use along the pipeline right-of-way and above-ground 
facility sites.

Pascagoula Expansion Project

    Construction of the proposed facilities for the Pascagoula 
Expansion Project would require about 191.7 acres of land including 
above-ground facilities, pipeline, and access roads. Following 
construction, about 97.7 acres would be used for operation of the 
project's facilities. The remaining 94.0 acres of land would be 
restored or allowed to revert to former use along the pipeline right-
of-way.

The EA Process

    The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires the 
Commission to take into account the environmental impacts that could 
result from an action whenever it considers the issuance of a 
Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity. 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 the 
scoping process is to focus the analysis in the EA on the important 
environmental issues. By this Notice of Intent, the Commission staff 
requests public comments on the scope of the issues to address in the 
EA. All comments received are considered during the preparation of the 
EA. State and local government representatives are encouraged to notify 
their constituents of this proposed action and encourage them to 
comment on their areas of concern.
    In the EA we \2\ will discuss impacts that could occur as a result 
of the construction and operation of the proposed project under these 
general headings:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ ``We'', ``us'', and ``our'' refer to the environmental staff 
of the Office of Energy Projects (OEP).

     Geology and soils
     Land use
     Water resources, fisheries, and wetlands
     Cultural resources
     Vegetation and wildlife
     Air quality and noise
     Endangered and threatened species
     Public safety

    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 the various resource areas.
    Our independent analysis of the issues will be 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, 
newspapers, libraries, 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 
considered, please carefully follow the instructions in the public 
participation section below.
    With this NOI, we are 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. These agencies may choose to participate once they have 
evaluated the proposal relative to their responsibilities. Additional 
agencies that would like to request cooperating agency status should 
follow the instructions for filing comments provided under the Public 
Participation section of this NOI.

Currently Identified Environmental Issues

    We have already identified several issues that we think deserve 
attention based on a preliminary review of the proposed facilities and 
the environmental information provided by Transco. This preliminary 
list of issues may be changed based on your comments and our analysis.
     Cultural resources may be affected by the project.
     Potential impacts may occur to streams and wetlands.
     The project could potentially affect threatened or 
endangered species.
     Nearby residences may be affected by construction 
activities.
     We received comments from the public during FGT's and 
Transco's open house meetings suggesting that an alternative route for 
the Pascagoula

[[Page 79466]]

Expansion Project should parallel Interstate Route 90 through the Grand 
Bay National Wildlife Refuge (GBNWR). We welcome additional comments on 
this alternative route, including from the GBNWR.

Public Participation

    You can make a difference by providing us with your specific 
comments or concerns about the Mobile Bay Lateral Extension Project and 
the Pascagoula Expansion Project. Your comments should focus on the 
potential environmental effects, reasonable alternatives, 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 send in your comments so that 
they will be received in Washington, DC on or before January 21, 2009.
    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 numbers PF08-31-000 and PF08-32-000 with 
your submission. The docket numbers 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 the comments for the attention of Gas Branch 2, 
PJ11.2.

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 who are 
potential right-of-way grantors, whose property may be used temporarily 
for project purposes, or who own homes within distances defined in the 
Commission's regulations of certain above-ground facilities.
    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 
taken off the mailing list.

Becoming an Intervenor

    Once FGT and Transco formally file its applications 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 formal applications 
are filed with the Commission.

Availability of 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, click 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, 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.

Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E8-30744 Filed 12-24-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P