[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 26 (Tuesday, February 8, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-2810]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: February 8, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP94-109-000]
Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corp.; Intent to Prepare an
Environmental Assessment for the Proposed 1995/1996 Southeast Expansion
Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues
February 2, 1994.
The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or the
Commission) will prepare an environmental assessment (EA) that will
discuss environmental impacts of the construction and operation of
facilities proposed in the 1995/1996 Southeast Expansion Project.\1\
This EA will be used by the Commission in its decision-making process
to determine whether an environmental impact statement is necessary and
whether or not to approve the project.
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\1\Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation's (TGPL)
application was filed with the Commission under section 7 of the
Natural Gas Act and Part 157 of the Commission's regulations.
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Summary of the Proposed Project
TGPL wants Commission authorization to construct, operate, and
modify the following facilities, on a phased basis. TGPL would use the
facilities to transport up to 165,000 Mcfd of natural gas (115,000 Mcfd
in 1995 [Phase I] and 50,000 Mcfd in 1996 [Phase II]) from the
interconnection of TGPL's main line and its Mobile Bay Lateral near
Butler in Choctaw County, Alabama, to certain points of delivery
upstream of TGPL's Compressor Station No. 165 near Chatham, Virginia:
Phase I Facilities (1995)
12,600-horsepower (HP) compressor addition at Compressor
Station No. 90 in Marengo County, Alabama.
Two 7,000-HP electric drive units to replace two existing
5,620-HP steam turbines on Units 1 and 2 at Compressor Station No. 100
in Chilton County, Alabama.
15.13 miles of 42-inch-diameter loop on Main Line E in
Chilton and Autauga Counties, Alabama.
Modifications to existing compressor equipment at
Compressor Station No. 110 in Randolph County, Alabama.
12,000-HP compressor addition at Compressor Station No.
120 in Henry County, Georgia.
12,600-HP compressor addition at Compressor Station No.
150 in Iredell County, North Carolina.
Phase II Facilities (1996)
6,500-HP compressor addition at Compressor Station No. 100
in Chilton County, Alabama.
12,000-HP compressor addition at Compressor Station No.
120 in Henry County, Georgia.
The general location of these facilities is shown in appendix 1.\2\
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\2\The appendices referenced in this notice are not being
printed in the Federal Register. Copies are available from the
Commission's Public Reference Branch, room 3104, 941 North Capitol
Street, NE., 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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Land Requirements for Construction
The proposed loop would be built adjacent and parallel to existing
rights-of-way. TGPL intends to use a 75-foot-wide construction right-
of-way. About 15 feet of the planned 75-foot width would use existing
right-of-way. Consequently, about 60 feet of new clearing would be
required in most areas. Following construction, about 35 feet of the
construction right-of-way would be allowed to revert to its former land
use. In agricultural areas, a 100-foot-wide construction right-of-way
is planned in order to segregate topsoil.
Also, additional working space would be required adjacent to the
planned construction right-of-way at road and stream crossings.
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. 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 EA. All comments received
are taken into account during the preparation of the EA.
The EA will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of the
construction and operation of the proposed project under these general
headings:
Geology and soils.
Water resources, fisheries, and wetlands.
Vegetation and wildlife.
Endangered and threatened species.
Land use.
Cultural resources.
Air quality and noise.
Hazardous waste.
We will also evaluate possible alternatives to the proposed project
or portions of the project, 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 EA. Depending
on the comments received during the scoping process, the 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 EA
is published. We will consider all comments on the EA before we
recommend that the Commission approve or not approve the project.
Currently Identified Environmental Issues
We have already identified several issues that we think deserve
attention based on a preliminary review of the proposed facilities and
the environmental information provided by TGPL. Keep in mind that this
is a preliminary list. The list of issues will be added to, subtracted
from, or changed based on your comments and our analysis. Issues are:
The loop would cross within 50 feet of 5 residences and a
church, and would cross 2 orchards.
The pipeline would cross 9 perennial streams, 2 ponds, and
50 wetlands.
The compressor stations are near residences.
The project may potentially impact federally listed
threatened or endangered species.
The pipeline may cross or be near cultural resource/
archeological sites.
Public Participation
You can make a difference by sending a letter addressing your
specific comments or concerns abut the project. You should focus on the
potential environmental effects of the proposal, alternatives to the
proposal (including alternative routes), 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, 825 North Capitol St., NE. Washington, DC
20426;
Reference Docket No. CP94-109-000;
Send a copy of your letter to: Mr. Philip Veres, EA
Project Manager, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 825 North
Capitol St., NE. room 7312, Washington, DC 20426; and
Mail your comments so that they will be received in
Washington, DC on or before March 3, 1994.
If you wish to receive a copy of the EA, you should request one from
Mr. Veres 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) attached
as appendix 2.
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 Sec. 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 scoping comments considered.
Additional information about the proposed project is available for
Mr. Philip Veres, EA Project Manager, at (202) 208-1073.
Lois D. Cashell,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 94-2810 Filed 2-7-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M
