[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 47 (Thursday, March 12, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10729-10730]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-5247]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP09-22-000]


Atmos Pipeline and Storage, LLC; Notice of Availability of the 
Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Fort Necessity Gas Storage 
Project

March 4, 2009.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) has prepared an environmental assessment (EA) on the 
natural gas pipeline facilities proposed by Atmos Pipeline and Storage, 
LLC (Atmos) in the above-referenced docket.
    The EA was prepared to satisfy the requirements of the National 
Environmental Policy Act. The staff concludes that approval of the 
proposed project, with appropriate mitigating measures, would not 
constitute a major federal action significantly affecting the quality 
of the human environment.
    The EA assesses the potential environmental effects of the 
construction and operation of the proposed natural gas storage and 
pipeline facilities including:
    Storage facilities:
     Three 8.25 billion cubic feet (Bcf) salt dome storage 
caverns (24.75 Bcf total) with a total working capacity of 15.0 Bcf of 
natural gas, each with a well and well pad for solution mining and 
subsequent gas injection/withdrawal;
     One leaching plant with associated pumps, tanks, and 
piping;
     Nine water supply wells;
     Nine brine disposal wells;
     Two collocated 0.9-mile-long, 30-inch-diameter gas 
pipelines from the compressor station to the three cavern wells;
     0.4 mile of 2-inch-diameter diesel injection pipeline 
extending from the leaching plant to the three cavern wells;
     0.4 mile of 2-inch-diameter instrument air pipeline 
extending from the leaching plant to the three cavern wells;
     1.7 miles of varying diameter high density polyethylene 
(HDPE) water supply pipeline extending from the water supply wells to 
the leaching plant;
     0.4 mile of 20-inch-diameter steel pipeline feeding high 
pressure water extending from the leaching plant to the three cavern 
wells;
     0.4 mile of 22-inch-diameter HDPE pipeline to return brine 
from the three cavern wells to the leaching plant;
     5.5 miles of varying diameter steel brine disposal 
pipeline extending from the leaching plant to the brine disposal;
     Related delivery piping, line heaters, pressure vessels, 
and valves along with other appurtenant facilities; and
     One electrical substation consisting of two 15/20 mega 
volt ampere transformers.
    Interconnect pipeline facilities:
     One compressor station with nine 4,700 horsepower (hp)-
rated natural gas driven reciprocating compressors, totaling 42,300 hp;
     One dehydration facility;
     Four meter stations;
     Two collocated 0.01-mile-long (70-foot-long), 36-inch-
diameter interconnect gas pipelines with one metering station to tie in 
to Tennessee Gas Pipeline's (TGP) existing 30-inch-diameter pipeline;
     Two collocated 0.8-mile-long, 36-inch-diameter 
interconnect gas pipelines with one metering station to tie into 
Columbia Gulf Transmission's (CGT) existing 30- and 36-inch-diameter 
pipelines, continuing northwest from the proposed TGP metering station 
site;
     Two collocated 6.5-mile-long 30-inch-diameter interconnect 
gas pipelines with two metering stations collocated within the same 
fenced area to tie into ANR Pipeline Company's (ANR) existing 30- and 
36-inch-diameter pipelines and to the existing 30-inch-diameter 
Winnsboro Extension of the Regency Energy Partners' (Regency) pipeline, 
continuing north from the proposed CGT metering station site; and
     All related facilities.
    Atmos states that the project would provide new storage. It would 
interconnect with the existing interstate pipelines operated by TGP, 
CGT, and ANR, and the intrastate pipeline operated by Regency. All 
proposed facilities would be constructed and operated in Franklin 
Parish, Louisiana. Atmos proposes beginning construction in 2009 and to 
have Cavern No. 1 in service by 2011, Cavern No. 2 in service by 2013, 
and Cavern No. 3 in service by 2015.
    The EA has been placed in the public files of the FERC. A limited 
number of copies of the EA are available for distribution and public 
inspection at: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Public Reference 
Room, 888 First Street, NE., Room 2A, Washington, DC 20426, (202) 502-
8371.
    Copies of the EA have been mailed to federal, state, and local 
agencies; public interest groups; interested individuals and affected 
landowners; Native American tribes; newspapers and libraries; and 
parties to this proceeding.
    Any person wishing to comment on the EA may do so. To ensure 
consideration prior to a Commission decision on the proposal, it is 
important that we receive your comments before the date specified 
below.
    You can make a difference by providing us with your specific 
comments or concerns about the Fort Necessity Gas Storage 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 April 3, 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 number CP09-22-000 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

[[Page 10730]]

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.
    Comments will be considered by the Commission but will not serve to 
make the commentor a party to the proceeding. Any person seeking to 
become a party to the proceeding must file a motion to intervene 
pursuant to Rule 214 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and 
Procedures (18 CFR 385.214).\1\ Only intervenors have the right to seek 
rehearing of the Commission's decision.
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    \1\ 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 comments considered.
    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.

Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E9-5247 Filed 3-11-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P