[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 15 (Monday, January 26, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4427-4428]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-1474]



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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP09-29-000]


Centerpoint Energy Gas Transmission Company; Notice of Intent To 
Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Carthage to 
Perryville Project--Phase IV and Request for Comments on Environmental 
Issues

January 15, 2009.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) will prepare an environmental assessment (EA) that will 
address the environmental impacts of the Carthage to Perryville 
Project--Phase IV involving construction and operation of facilities by 
Centerpoint Energy Gas Transmission Company (Centerpoint) in Red River 
and Jackson Parishes, LA.\1\ The Commission will use the EA in its 
decision-making process to determine whether the project is in the 
public convenience and necessity.
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    \1\ On December 5, 2008, Centerpoint filed its application with 
the Commission under section 7 of the Natural Gas Act and Part 157 
of the Commission's regulations. The Commission issued its Notice of 
Application on December 17, 2008
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    This notice explains the scoping process we \2\ will use to gather 
environmental input from the public and interested agencies on the 
projects. Your input will help the Commission determine the issues that 
need to be evaluated in the EA. Please note that the scoping period 
will close on February 17, 2009. Details on how to submit comments are 
provided in the ``Public Participation'' section of this notice.
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    \2\ 2 ``We,'' ``us,'' and ``our'' refer to the environmental 
staff of the FERC's Office of Energy Projects.
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    This notice is being sent to affected landowners; Federal, State, 
and local government agencies; elected officials; environmental and 
public interest groups; 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.
    If you are a landowner receiving this notice, you may be contacted 
by a pipeline company representative about survey permission and/or the 
acquisition of an easement to construct, operate, and maintain the 
proposed facilities. The pipeline company would seek to negotiate a 
mutually acceptable agreement for its project. 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?'' is available for 
viewing on the FERC Internet Web site (http://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

    The purpose of the project is to increase the capacity of Line CP 
in meeting producer and shipper demand for Haynesville Shale natural 
gas in northwestern Louisiana that is planned for development. The 
proposed facilities would increase the capacity of Line CP by 274,000 
dekatherms per day to a total capacity of 1.87 Billion cubic feet per 
day. Centerpoint specifically proposes to:
     Install one 15,000-horsepower compressor unit, 11 air-
cooled heat exchanger units, and minor yard and station piping at its 
existing Westdale Compressor Station in Red River Parish, LA; and
     Install one 15,000-horsepower compressor unit, 11 air-
cooled heat exchanger units, and minor yard and station piping at its 
existing Vernon Compressor Station in Jackson Parish, LA.
    Centerpoint plans to begin constructing the project in June 2009, 
and to place the project in service in time for the winter 2009-2010 
heating season.

Land Requirements for Construction

    All proposed facilities would be constructed entirely within the 
existing fenced-in 6.1-acre Vernon Compressor Station and 12.2-acre 
Westdale Compressor Station. All temporary work areas within the 
compressor stations disturbed for the project would be restored to a 
vegetative, gravel, or paved cover following construction. Centerpoint 
may require the use of contractor/pipe yards outside of the compressor 
stations. Contractor/pipeyards would be located on commercial or 
industrial property and there would be no below-ground disturbance.
    The general location of the proposed facilities is shown in 
appendix 1.\3\
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    \3\ 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. Requests for detailed maps 
of the proposed facilities should be made directly to Centerpoint.
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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 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, Fisheries and Wetlands.
     Vegetation and Wildlife.
     Threatened and Endangered Species.
     Land Use and Visual Quality.
     Cultural Resources.
     Air Quality and Noise.
     Reliability and 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 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

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Commission. To ensure your comments are received and considered, please 
carefully follow the instructions in the ``Public Participation'' 
section below.

Currently Identified Environmental Issues

    We have already identified two issues that we think deserve 
attention based on a preliminary review of the proposed facilities and 
the environmental information provided by Centerpoint. This preliminary 
list of issues may be changed based on your comments and our analysis.
     Potential impacts on air quality and noise emissions may 
occur.
     Potential water quality impacts on two streams adjacent to 
the Vernon Compressor Station.

Public Participation

    You can make a difference by providing us with your specific 
comments or concerns about the Carthage to Perryville Project--Phase 
IV. Your comments should focus on the potential environmental effects 
of the proposal, reasonable alternatives, and measures to avoid or 
lessen the 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 February 17, 2009.
    For your convenience, there are three methods which you can use to 
submit your comments to the Commission. In all instances please 
reference the project docket number CP09-29-000 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.''
    (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 aboveground 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

    In addition to involvement in the EA scoping process, 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.

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. E9-1474 Filed 1-23-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P