[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 46 (Thursday, March 7, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9159-9160]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-5362]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
[Docket No. CP95-76-002]
Texas Eastern Transmission Corporation; Notice of Intent to
Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Philadelphia
Lateral Expansion Project and Request for Comments on Environmental
Issues
March 1, 1996.
The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) will prepare an environmental assessment (EA) that will
discuss the environmental impacts of the construction and operation of
the facilities proposed in the Philadelphia Lateral 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 to approve the project.
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\1\ Texas Eastern Transmission Corporation's 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
Texas Eastern Transmission Corporation (Texas Eastern) wants to
increase the operating pressure of its existing gas pipeline 1-H
(Philadelphia Lateral). This would enable Texas Eastern to transport up
to 15,000 dekatherms per day (Dth/d) of natural gas to Sun Company,
Inc. (Sun), and up to 15,000 Dth/d to Trigen-Philadelphia Energy
Corporation (Trigen). Texas Eastern seeks authority to:
Increase the maximum allowable operating pressure (MAOP)
from 718 pounds per square inch-gauge (psig) to 811 psig of
approximately 23.6 miles of 20-inch-diameter pipeline in Chester and
Delaware Counties, Pennsylvania, including:
--Repair 14 anomaly sites (irregularities in the pipe wall which are
typically caused by mechanical damage or corrosion);
--Hydrostatically test the pipeline (with pressurized water at 1,485
psig); and
Construct the Harkness Point Metering and Regulating (M&R)
Station at approximate milepost (MP) 10.86 on Texas Eastern's Line 1-A
in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania.
The proposed facilities would cost about $3,983,000.
The location of the project 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 and Files Maintenance Branch, 888
First 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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Nonjurisdictional Facilities
The Harkness Point M&R station would serve as the delivery point
for Trigen, by way of Philadelphia Gas Works' (PGW) reactivation of an
existing liquids pipeline and converting it to transport natural gas.
Trigen is co-developing the nonjurisdictional Gray's Ferry Cogeneration
Project. PGW would also build a 2-mile-long lateral pipeline from its
existing Passyunk Station to Gray's Ferry.
Proposed Land Requirements for Construction
a. Line 1-H Upgrading
The repair of the anomaly sites would temporarily disturb 14 areas
about 20 feet wide by 60 feet long (0.03 acre), each within existing
permanent right-of-way, totalling about 0.42 acre. The hydrostatic
testing would also temporarily disturb 6 manifold sites about 20 feet
wide by 60 feet long (0.03 acre), each within existing permanent right-
of-way, totalling about 0.18 acre.
A 5.17-acre staging area, a 3.04-acre wareyard, and a 0.12-acre
staging area would be required at off-right-of-way locations. These
areas would be temporarily disturbed, and would be restored in
accordance with the landowners' approval.
b. Harkness Point M&R Station
A 200-foot by 200-foot (0.92 acre) area would be disturbed for
construction, with a 0.23-acre fenced area covered by gravel after
construction. No other land would be disturbed.
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 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
considered during the preparation of the 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 EA will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of the
construction and operation of the proposed project under these general
headings:
Soils.
Water resources, fisheries, and wetlands.
Vegetation and wildlife.
Endangered and threatened species.
Testing and disposal of pipe contaminated with
polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).
Land use.
Cultural resources.
[[Page 9160]]
Air quality and noise.
Public safety.
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 Texas Eastern. Keep in mind
that this is a preliminary list:
Earth would be disturbed at an anomaly site near milepost
(MP) 3.12 in a condominium development near Liongate Lane.
Earth would be disturbed in a herbaceous wetland at
anomaly sites near MPs 16.93 and 16.97 in Ridley Creek State Park.
Earth would be disturbed in a herbaceous wetland at an
anomaly site near MP 19.00 and Riddle Memorial Hospital.
MAOP would be increased.
Occupants of the 149 residents and businesses within 75
feet of Line 1-H would be offered temporary relocation during the
hydrostatic testing.
The list of issues may be added to, subtracted from, or changed
based on your comments and our analysis.
Also, we have made a preliminary decision to not address the
impacts of the nonjurisdictional facilities. We will briefly describe
their location and status in the EA.
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 including alternate 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, 888 First St., NE., Washington, DC 20426;
Reference Docket No. CP95-76-002;
Send a copy of your letter to: Mr. Jeff Gerber, EA Project
Manager, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First St., NE., PR-
11.2, Washington, DC 20426; and
Mail your comments so that they will be received in
Washington, DC on or before April 1, 1996.
If you wish to receive a copy of the EA, you should request one
from Mr. Gerber 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) (see
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 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 scoping comments considered.
Additional information about the proposed project is available from
Ms. Jennifer Goggin, Assistant EA Project Manager, at (202) 208-2226.
Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 96-5362 Filed 3-6-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M
