[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 80 (Tuesday, April 28, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19216-19218]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-9600]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP09-17-000]


Florida Gas Transmission Company, LLC; Notice of Availability of 
the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Phase VIII 
Expansion Project

April 17, 2009.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission 
or FERC) has prepared a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) on 
the natural gas pipeline facilities proposed by Florida Gas 
Transmission Company, LLC (FGT) in the above-referenced docket. FGT's 
Phase VIII Expansion Project (Project) would be located in Alabama and 
Florida.
    The draft EIS was prepared to satisfy the requirements of the 
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). The FERC staff 
concludes that the proposed project, with the appropriate mitigation 
measures as recommended, would have limited adverse environmental 
impact.
    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE) and U.S. Department of 
Agriculture Forest Service (USFS) are cooperating agencies for this 
EIS. Cooperating agencies have jurisdiction by law or special expertise 
with respect to resources potentially affected by the proposal and 
participate in the NEPA analysis. The Project would require permits 
from the cooperating agencies pursuant to Section 404 of the Clean 
Water Act (33 United States Code [U.S.C.] 1344), Section 10 of the 
Rivers and Harbors Act (33 U.S.C. 403), right-of-way grants within the 
Apalachicola National Forest (ANF), and/or temporary use permits. The 
COE would adopt the EIS per Title 40 Code of Federal Regulations Sec.  
1506.3 (40 CFR 1506.3) if, after an independent review of the document, 
it concludes that its comments and suggestions have been satisfied. The 
USFS manages all Federal lands (ANF) that would be crossed by this 
Project. A special-use permit would be issued by the USFS for the 
existing right-of-way for two existing pipelines (a 30-inch and a 36-
inch-diameter) and the proposed additional 36-inch-diameter pipeline. 
This additional pipeline would require an additional 40 feet of right-
of-way adjacent to the existing right-of-way. By participating as a 
cooperating agency, the USFS will obtain the views of the public prior 
to reaching an easement decision.

[[Page 19217]]

    The draft EIS addresses the potential environmental effects of the 
following Project facilities:
     Construction and operation of about 357.3 miles of mixed-
diameter looping segments in Mobile, Baldwin, and Escambia Counties, 
Alabama and Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Washington, 
Jackson, Bay, Calhoun, Gadsden, Leon, Jefferson, Taylor, Lafayette, 
Suwannee, Gilchrist, Levy, Citrus, Hernando, Pasco, Hillsborough, and 
Miami-Dade Counties, Florida;
     Construction and operation of about 125.9 miles of three 
mixed-diameter segments of greenfield pipeline in Lafayette, Madison, 
Manatee, DeSoto, Highlands, Okeechobee, Martin, and Suwannee Counties, 
Florida;
     Acquisition from Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) one 
22.7 mile 20-inch-diameter segment of pipeline, located in Martin 
County, Florida, as an ``in service'' pipeline;
     Installation of about 198,000 horsepower (hp) of 
compression at 8 existing compressor stations;
     Installation of one new 15,600 hp compressor station in 
Highlands County, Florida;
     Acquisition of additional property directly adjacent to 
four existing compressor stations for expansion, expand four compressor 
stations within their right-of-way, and acquire the property for one 
new compressor station; and
     Construction and operation of new meter and regulator 
(M&R) Stations in Suwannee County, Manatee County, and Martin County, 
Florida; upgrade two M&R Stations in Mobile County, Alabama and Martin 
County, Florida; and construct one new regulator station in Lafayette 
County, Florida.

Comment Procedures and Public Meetings

    You can make a difference by providing us with your specific 
comments or concerns about the Phase VIII 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 consideration of your comments on the proposal in the final 
EIS, it is important that the Commission receive your comments before 
June 8, 2009.
    For your convenience, there are four methods in which you can use 
to submit your comments to the Commission. In all instances please 
reference the project docket number CP09-17-000 with your submission. 
The Commission encourages electronic filing of comments and has 
dedicated eFiling expert staff available to assist you at (202) 502-
8258. or [email protected]. Please carefully follow these instructions 
so that your comments are properly recorded:
    (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 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 your 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 your comments for the 
attention of the Gas Branch 1, PJ11.1 and reference Docket No. CP09-17-
000 on the original and both copies; and
    (4) In lieu of sending written or electronic comments, the FERC 
invites you to attend one of the public comment meetings the staff will 
conduct in the project area to receive comments on the draft EIS. All 
meetings will begin at 7 p.m., and are scheduled as follows:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
             Date                               Location
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Tuesday, May 12, 2009, 7 p.m.  Crestview Community Center, 1446 Commerce
                                Drive, Crestview, Florida, 850-682-0647.
Thursday, May 14, 2009, 7 p.m  Catholic Church Parish Hall, 2750 S.
                                Byron Butler Parkway Perry, Florida 850-
                                584-8853.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009, 7 p.m.  Residence Inn by Marriott, 2101
                                Northpointe Parkway, Lutz, Florida, 813-
                                792-8400.
Thursday, May 21, 2009, 7 p.m  Holliday Inn Express, 608 South Lakeview
                                Road, Lake Placid, Florida, 863-465-
                                9916.
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    Interested groups and individuals are encouraged to attend and 
present oral comments on the draft EIS. Transcripts of the meetings 
will be prepared.
    After the comments are reviewed, any significant new issues are 
investigated, and modifications are made to the draft EIS, a final EIS 
will be published and distributed. The final EIS will contain the 
staff's responses to timely comments received on the draft EIS.
    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). Anyone may intervene in this proceeding 
based on this draft EIS. You must file your request to intervene as 
specified above.\1\ Only intervenors have the right to seek rehearing 
of the Commission's decision. You do not need intervenor status to have 
your comments considered.
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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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    The draft EIS has been placed in the public files of the FERC and 
the COE, and is available for public inspection at:

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Federal Energy Regulatory     U.S. Army Corps of    U.S. Forest Service,
 Commission Public Reference   Engineers,            Apalachicola
 Room 888 First Street, NE,    Jacksonville          National Forest, 57
 Room 2A Washington, DC        District, 701 San     Taft Drive,
 20426 (202) 502-8371.         Marco Boulevard,      Crawfordville,
                               Jacksonville,         Florida 32327, 850-
                               Florida 32207, 904-   926-3561.
                               232-1472.
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[[Page 19218]]

    A limited number of copies are available from the FERC's Public 
Reference Room identified above. This draft EIS is also available for 
public viewing on the FERC's Internet Web site at http://www.ferc.gov. 
In addition, copies of the draft EIS have been mailed to Federal, 
State, and local government agencies; elected officials; Native 
American Tribes; local libraries and newspapers; intervenors in the 
FERC's proceeding; individuals who provided scoping comments; and 
affected landowners and individuals who requested the draft EIS.
    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, select ``General Search'' from the eLibrary menu, 
enter the selected date range and ``Docket Number,'' excluding the last 
three digits in the Docket Number field (i.e., CP09-17), and follow the 
instructions. You may also search using the phrase ``FGT Phase VIII 
Expansion Project'' in the ``Text Search'' field. For assistance with 
access to eLibrary, the helpline can be reached at 1-866-208-3676, TTY 
(202) 502-8659, or at [email protected]. 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 Commission 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.
    Information concerning the involvement of the COE is available from 
Bev Lawrence at 904-232-2517 and information concerning the involvement 
of the ANF is available from Harold Shenk at 850-926-3561.

Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E9-9600 Filed 4-27-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P