95-25452. Texas Eastern Transmission Corporation; Notice of Availability of the Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Brazos River Crossing Project

[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 198 (Friday, October 13, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Page 53366]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-25452]



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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP95-595-000]


Texas Eastern Transmission Corporation; Notice of Availability of 
the Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Brazos River Crossing 
Project

October 6, 1995.
    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 Texas Eastern Transmission 
Corporation (Texas Eastern) in the above-referenced docket. The EA was 
prepared to satisfy the requirements of the National Environmental 
Policy Act.
    Texas Eastern's proposal would move the existing Brazos River 
crossing to the north, and would require entirely new right-of-way. The 
staff recommends that Texas Eastern use the original river crossing 
location for the project, as part of its Alternate Route 2, as shown in 
figure 2 of the EA. The staff concludes that approval of the modified 
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 of the following facilities:
     about 1.56 miles of new 24-inch-diameter mainline between 
mileposts (MP) 52.25 and 53.81 of Texas Eastern's existing Line No. 11, 
including a new crossing of the Brazos River by directional drill, in 
Austin and Waller Counties, Texas; and
     abandonment by removal of about 166 feet of 24-inch-
diameter Line No. 11, and 128 feet of an auxiliary 16-inch-diameter 
pipeline at the existing crossing of the Brazos River in Austin and 
Waller Counties, Texas.
    It also examines one route variation and two alternate routes to 
use the existing right-of-way, and avoid impacts to wetlands and pecan 
trees.
    The purpose of the proposed facilities would be to replace the 
existing Brazos River crossing because the two existing pipelines have 
been exposed by erosion in the river channel. River scour has also 
eroded the bank to within 150 feet of the existing pipeline.
    The EA has been placed in the public files of the FERC and is 
available for public inspection at: Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission, Public Reference and Files Maintenance Branch, 941 North 
Capitol Street, N.E., Room 3104, Washington, DC 20426, [phone].
    Copies of the EA have been mailed to Federal, state and local 
agencies, public interest groups, interested individuals, newspapers, 
and parties to this proceeding.
    A limited number of copies of the EA are available from: Mr. Jeff 
Gerber, Environmental Project Manager, Environmental Review and 
Compliance Branch II, Office of Pipeline Regulation, Room 7312, 825 
North Capitol Street, N.E., Washington, DC 20426, [phone].
    Any person wishing to comment on the EA may do so. Written comments 
must reference Docket No. CP95-595-000, and be addressed to: Office of 
the Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 825 North Capitol 
Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20426.
    Comments should be filed as soon as possible, but must be received 
no later than November 6, 1995, to ensure consideration prior to a 
Commission decision on this proposal. A copy of any comments should 
also be sent to Mr. Jeff Gerber, Environmental Project Manager, Room 
7312, at the above address.
    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).
    The date for filing timely motions to intervene in this proceeding 
has passed. Therefore, parties now seeking to file late interventions 
must show good cause, as required by section 385.214(b)(3), why this 
time limitation should be waived. Environmental issues have been viewed 
as good cause for late intervention. You do not need intervenor status 
to have your comments considered.
    Additional information about this project is available from Mr. 
Jeff Gerber, Environmental Project Manager, [phone].
Lois D. Cashell,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 95-25452 Filed 10-12-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M