[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 62 (Thursday, April 1, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16450-16451]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-7301]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP10-14-000]


Kern River Gas Transmission Company; Notice of Availability of 
the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Apex 
Expansion Project

March 26, 2010.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) has prepared a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) 
for the Apex Expansion Project proposed by Kern River Gas Transmission 
Company (Kern River) in the above-referenced docket. Kern River 
requests authorization to expand its natural gas pipeline system in 
Wyoming, Utah, and Nevada, to transport an additional 266 million cubic 
feet per day of natural gas from existing receipt points in 
southwestern Wyoming, to existing delivery connections in southern 
Nevada.
    The draft EIS assesses the potential environmental effects of the 
construction and operation of the Apex Expansion Project in accordance 
with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
(NEPA). The FERC staff concludes that approval of the proposed project 
would have some adverse environmental impact; however, these impacts 
would be reduced to less-than-significant levels with the 
implementation of Kern River's proposed mitigation and the additional 
measures we recommend in the draft EIS.
    The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the Forest Service (USFS), and 
the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) participated as cooperating 
agencies in the preparation of the 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 cooperating agencies will adopt and use the EIS to 
consider the issuance of right-of-way grants on federally administered 
lands. While the conclusions and recommendations presented in the draft 
EIS were developed with input from the cooperating agencies, the 
agencies will present their own conclusions and recommendations in 
their respective Records of Decision for the project.
    The draft EIS addresses the potential environmental effects of the 
construction and operation of the following project facilities:
     Approximately 28 miles of 36-inch-diameter natural gas 
pipeline loop \1\ extending southwest in Utah from Morgan County, 
through Davis to Salt Lake County;
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    \1\ A loop is a segment of pipe that is usually installed 
adjacent to an existing pipeline and connected to it at both ends. 
The loop allows more gas to be moved through the system.
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     One new 30,000 horsepower compressor station (known as the 
Milford Compressor Station) in Beaver County, Utah;
     Modifications to four existing compressor stations to add 
additional compression: The Coyote Creek Compressor Station located in 
Uinta County, Wyoming; the Elberta Compressor Station located in Utah 
County, Utah; the Fillmore Compressor Station located in Millard 
County, Utah;

[[Page 16451]]

and the Dry Lake Compressor Station located in Clark County, Nevada;
     Six mainline valves; and
     Three pig \2\ launcher and two pig receiver facilities.
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    \2\ A pig is an internal tool that can be used to clean and dry 
a pipeline and/or to inspect it for damage or corrosion.
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    The draft EIS has been placed in the public files of the FERC and 
is available for public viewing on the FERC's Web site at http://www.ferc.gov. A limited number of copies 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 draft EIS have been mailed to federal, state, and 
local government representatives and agencies; elected officials; 
environmental and public interest groups; Native American tribes; local 
newspapers and libraries in the project area; intervenors to the FERC's 
proceeding; and potentially affected landowners and other interested 
individuals and groups. Paper copy versions of this EIS were mailed to 
those specifically requesting them; all others received a CD version.

Route Variations Recommended by FERC in the Draft EIS

    Some landowners are receiving the draft EIS because their property 
has been identified as potentially being affected by the Mueller Park 
or Salt Lake III Route Variations recommended by FERC staff to avoid or 
lessen environmental impacts along Kern River's proposed pipeline 
route. Refer to sections 3.5.6 and 3.5.7 of the draft EIS for 
discussions of the Mueller Park and Salt Lake III Route Variations, 
respectively. The Commission staff wants to ensure that all potentially 
affected landowners have the opportunity to participate in the 
environmental review process. Therefore, staff is soliciting comments 
to assist with the environmental analysis of these route variations, 
which will be presented in the final EIS.

Comment Procedures and Public Meetings

    Any person wishing to comment on the draft EIS may do so. To ensure 
consideration of your comments on the proposal in the final EIS, it is 
important that the Commission receive your comments before May 17, 
2010.
    For your convenience, there are four methods you can use to submit 
your comments to the Commission. In all instances, please reference the 
project docket number (CP10-14-000) 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 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 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 a paper copy of your comments at the following 
address: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission, 888 First Street, NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426.
    (4) In lieu of sending written or electronic comments, the 
Commission invites you to attend one of the public comment meetings its 
staff will conduct in the project area to receive comments on the draft 
EIS. Interested groups and individuals are encouraged to attend and 
present oral comments on the draft EIS. Transcripts of the meetings 
will be prepared. All meetings will begin at 7 p.m., and are scheduled 
as follows:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                  Date                               Location
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Tuesday, April 27, 2010................  Millcreek Junior High School,
                                          245 East 1000 South,
                                          Bountiful, UT 84010
                                         801-402-6200
Wednesday, April 28, 2010..............  Morgan County Courthouse
                                          Auditorium, 48 West Young
                                          Street, Morgan, UT 84050, 801-
                                          845-4027
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    Although your comments will be considered by the Commission, simply 
filing comments will not serve to make the commenter 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 part 385.214).\3\ Only 
intervenors have the right to seek rehearing of the Commission's 
decision.
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    \3\ 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.

Questions?

    Additional information about the project is available from the 
Commission's Office of External Affairs, at (866) 208-FERC or on the 
FERC 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., CP10-14-000). Be sure you have selected an appropriate date 
range. For assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at 
[email protected] or toll free at (866) 208-3676; 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 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. Go to http://www.ferc.gov/esubscribenow.htm.

Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2010-7301 Filed 3-31-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P