[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 212 (Thursday, November 2, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55709-55710]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-27175]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
[Docket No. CP94-161-003]
Avoca Natural Gas Storage; Notice of Intent To Prepare a
Supplemental Environmental Assessment for the Avoca Gas Storage Field
Project, Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of
Field Visit
October 27, 1995.
On October 11, 1995, Avoca Natural Gas Storage (Avoca) filed a
request with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) to modify its certificated facilities in Steuben County,
New York. The FERC staff will prepare a supplemental environmental
assessment (EA) on Avoca's proposed modifications, and will consider
all relevant comments received in response to this notice.\1\ This
supplemental EA will be used by the Commission in its decision-making
process to determine whether an environmental impact statement is
necessary and whether to approve the proposed project modifications.
\1\ On August 5, 1994, the FERC issued the ``Avoca Gas Storage
Field Project EA'' for public comment. On September 20, 1994, the
FERC issued an Order approving the project in Docket No. CP94-161-
000.
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Summary of Proposed Project Modifications
Avoca proposes to make the following modifications to the Avoca Gas
Storage Field Project:
Modify the planned fresh water supply to include a direct
intake from the Cohocton River of up to 3 million gallons per day
between June 1 and October 31.
Replace the five certificated natural gas-fired compressor
engines with electric motors.
Contruct six gas storage caverns instead of five. Total
certificated gas storage volume would remain the same.
Install a triple header interconnecting pipe rather than
the single header currently authorized.
The location of the facilities is shown in appendix 1.\2\
\2\ The appendices referenced in this notice are not being
printed in the Federal Register. Copies are available from the
Commission's Public Reference and Files Maintenance Branch, 888
First Street, N.E., Washington, DC 20426, or call (202) 208-1371.
Copies of the appendices were sent to all those receiving this
notice in the mail.
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Additional Background Information and Environmental Overview
Freshwater Supply Alternative--Avoca proposes to modify its
freshwater supply source to include a direct surface water intake from
the Cohocton River as an alternative to groundwater withdrawals between
June and October. Surface water withdrawals would cease when discharge
at the stream gage, to be installed at the State Route 415 bridge in
the town of Avoca, drops to 14 cubic feet per second (cfs). Avoca
argues that a direct river withdrawal is environmentally desirable
because it would provide additional protection to fish habitat.
Avoca is currently authorized to withdraw up to 3 million gallons
per day of groundwater from wells located on the Slayton farm, about 1
mile north-northeast of the gas storage area. In accordance with the
FERC certificate, all withdrawals from these wells must cease when the
Cohocton River discharge drops to 18.65 cfs, as recorded at the Avoca
gage. The Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC) and the New York
State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYDEC) imposed higher
thresholds for phased reductions of groundwater withdrawal.
Direct withdrawal from the Cohocton River requires construction of
an intake structure in the river and approximately 1,800 feet of
additional water pipeline.
The NYDEC has already approved the direct river withdrawal concept
and a 14 cfs threshold for ceasing surface water withdrawals, but has
not yet approved the design of the intake structure or a protocol
identifying when and how withdrawals would be made and monitored. The
SRBC will not consider the matter before its November 15, 1995 meeting.
Avoca states that the intake qualifies for Nationwide Permit
authorization from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE); although
that still must be verified through a formal request for determination
to be submitted to the COE by Avoca.
Compressor Modifications--Avoca is currently authorized to
construct a 25,000-horsepower (hp) compressor station to facilitate
natural gas injections into the storage caverns. The station was to
consist of five 5,000-hp natural gas-fired gas compressor engines.
Avoca now proposes to use electric motors to drive the compressor
units. Avoca states that the switch to electric motors would eliminate
180 tons per year of criteria pollutant air emissions that would occur
using natural gas-fired engines. The electric transmission line to the
site is the same as previously proposed.
Six Cavern Layout--Construction of the five certificated storage
caverns was to be phased-in over 3 years: 2 caverns in 1997, 2 caverns
in 1998, and 1 cavern in 1999. Each cavern would have a storage
capacity of one billion cubic feet (Bcf).
Avoca states that to meet its storage service obligations, the
cavern construction phasing must be altered. It now proposes to
construct six smaller caverns rather than the authorized five. The
total storage volume would not exceed the authorized 5 Bcf. A 6-cavern
arrangement would require 12 storage wells instead of 10. The
associated structures, two additional 2,500 square foot (ft \2\) well
pads, two additional mud pits, about 2,000 feet of additional pipeline,
and a new 1,000 foot access road, would be constructed. The new cavern
wells would be located about 1,200 feet northeast of cavern well No.
10.
Triple Header Interconnection--Avoca proposes to modify the design
of the gas metering and receipt station to allow for the potential
interconnection with two additional gas pipelines in addition to the
authorized interconnection with Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company
(Tennessee). The new design would consist of three separate metering
skids; one for each of the interconnecting pipelines. All three
metering skids would be located on the site originally designated for
the Tennessee metering station. However, the footprint of the new
interconnection would be 5,000 ft \2\ larger than originally designed.
Avoca argues that installing the three interconnections at the same
time would reduce potential environmental impact associated with
redisturbing the same area in the future.
Directional Drilling--On August 11, 1995, the Director of the
FERC's Office of Pipeline Regulation authorized Avoca to drill an
experimental directional well from a location near its brine disposal
[[Page 55710]]
well (BDW-1, or Mitchell 1). The intent was to determine if the six
authorized brine disposal wells could be constructed using directional
drilling technology from a single location near the gas storage area.
Drilling continues as of this date. If successful, directional drilling
would substantially reduce the environmental impact of the project by
eliminating the need to drill six brine disposal wells at the
previously approved locations and approximately 5 miles of brine
pipeline. The Director of OPR must still give his final approval for
constructing directionally drilled brine disposal wells.
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, or as in this case, an
amendment to an existing certificate. NEPA also requires us to discover
and address concerns the public may have about proposals. We call this
``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 requests public comments on the scope
of the issues it will address in the supplemental EA. All comments
received are considered during the preparation of the supplemental 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.
The supplemental EA will discuss only those impacts associated with
the proposed modifications to the project, and how these impacts differ
from those associated with the currently authorized project.
At this time it appears that the most substantive environmental
issue is the protection of the Cohocton River fishery resource.
Specific issues we will address include:
Whether the direct surface water withdrawal would be
environmentally less disruptive than groundwater use;
reduced air and noise emissions from conversion to
electric motor-driven compressors; and
other changes and impacts due to construction of:
> 1,800 feet of additional pipeline and a river intake structure;
> 6 caverns instead of 5 caverns; and
> a larger (tripleheader) meter station.
We will also evaluate reasonable alternatives to the proposed
project modifications, and make recommendations on how to lessen or
avoid impacts on the various resource areas.
Our independent analysis of the issues will be in the supplemental
EA. Depending on the comments received during the scoping process, the
supplemental EA may be published and mailed to Federal, state, and
local agencies, public interest groups, interested individuals,
affected landowners, newspapers, libraries, and the Commission's
official service list for this proceeding. A comment period will be
allotted for review if the supplemental EA is published. We will
consider all comments on the supplemental EA before we recommend that
the Commission approve or not approve the project modifications.
Site Visit
The FERC staff will conduct a site visit on November 8, 1995, to
inspect the locations of the newly proposed facilities. Anyone who
desires to accompany the FERC staff on this site visit is welcome to
participate. Any interested parties must provide their own
transportation. Call Lonnie Lister, Project Manager, at (202) 208-2191
for details on when and where to meet.
Public Participation
You can make a difference by sending a letter addressing your
specific comments or concerns about the project. You should focus on
the potential environmental effects of the proposal, alternatives to
the proposal and measures to avoid or lessen environmental impact. The
more specific your comments, the more useful they will be. Please
follow the instructions below to ensure that your comments are received
and properly recorded:
Address your letter to: Lois Cashell, Secretary, Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, N.E., Washington, D.C.
20426;
Reference Docket No. CP94-161-003;
Send a copy of your letter to: Mr. Lonnie Lister, EA
Project Manager, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 825 North
Capitol St., N.E., Room 7312, Washington, D.C. 20426; and
Mail your comments so that they will be received in
Washington, D.C. on or before November 27, 1995.
If you wish to receive a copy of the supplemental EA, you should
request one from Mr. Lister at the above address.
Becoming an Intervenor
In addition to involvement in the EA scoping process, you may want
to become an official party to the proceeding or become an
``intervenor''. Among other things, intervenors have the right to
receive copies of case-related Commission documents and filings by
other intervenors. Likewise, each intervenor must provide copies of its
filings to all other parties. If you want to become an intervenor you
must file a motion to intervene according to Rule 214 of the
Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.214). You do
not need intervenor status to have your scoping comments considered.
Additional information about the proposed project is available from
Mr. Lonnie Lister, EA Project Manager, at (202) 208-2191.
Lois D. Cashell,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 95-27175 Filed 11-1-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M
