[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 99 (Thursday, May 22, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28020-28022]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-13438]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket Nos. CP96-809-000, CP96-810-000]
Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline, L.L.C.; Notice of Intent to
Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Maritimes
Phase II Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues
May 16, 1997.
The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) that
will discuss the environmental impacts of the construction and
operation of about 350 miles of natural gas pipeline and compression
called the Maritimes Phase II Project.\1\ The facilities consist of 196
miles of 24- and 30-inch-diameter mainline between Westbrook and the
Canadian border at Woodland, 149.9 miles of 4- to 16-inch diameter
laterals, and 31,160 horsepower (hp) of compression. This EIS will be
used by the Commission in its decision-making process to determine
whether the project is in the public convenience and necessity.
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\1\ Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline, L.L.C.s application was
filed with the Commission under Section 7 of the Natural Gas Act and
Part 157 of the Commissions regulations.
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We are asking a number of Federal and state agencies to indicate
whether they wish to cooperate with us in the preparation of the EIS.
These agencies are listed in appendix 1 and may choose to participate
once they have evaluated each proposal relative to their agencies'
responsibilities.\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
Commissions 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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Summary of the Proposed Project
Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline, L.L.C. (Maritimes) wants to provide
markets in Maine and other parts of New England with access to new
natural gas supplies from Canada which are being developed for the
Sable Offshore Energy Project. The proposed facilities would have a
design delivery capacity of 440,000 million British thermal units per
day and would provide natural gas supply to four local distribution
companies, one electric company, nine pulp and paper companies, and
three natural gas marketing companies. Maritime seeks authority to
construct and operate:
1998 Facilities
17.5 miles of 24-inch-diameter mainline in Cumberland
County, Maine;
12.1 miles of 16-inch-diameter lateral (Cousins Island
Lateral) in Cumberland County, Maine; and
associated aboveground facilities, including a meter
station, pig launcher/receiver, and block valves.
1999 Facilities
176.7 miles of 24-inch-diameter mainline in Androscoggin,
Sagadahoc, Kennebec, Lincoln, Knox, Waldo, Hancock, Penobscot, and
Washington Counties, Maine;
1.8 miles of 30-inch-diameter mainline in Washington
County, Maine;
31,160 hp of compression at two compressor stations on the
mainline (compressor Station 2 in Richmond, Sagadahoc County and
Compressor Station 1 in Baileyville, Washington County, Maine);
41.1 miles 4- to 8-inch-diameter lateral pipeline (the
Skowhegan Lateral
[[Page 28021]]
in Kennebec and Somerset Counties, Maine);
8.6 miles of 6-inch-diameter lateral (the Bucksport
Lateral in Penobscot and Hancock Counties, Maine);
83.9 miles of 4- to 10-inch diameter lateral (the Old
Town/Millinocket Lateral in Penobscot County, Maine);
4.2 miles of 4-inch-diameter lateral (Woodland Lateral in
Washington County, Maine); and
associated aboveground facilities, including meter
stations, pig launcher/receivers, and block valves.
The general location of the project facilities is shown in figure 1
(appendix 2). If you are interested in obtaining detailed maps of a
specific portion of the project, please use the request form provided
(appendix 4). For procedural information, please write to the Secretary
of the Commission.
Land Requirements for Construction
Maritimes would use a 75-foot-wide construction right-of-way to
install the mainline and Cousins Island Lateral. A 65-foot-wide
construction right-of-way would be used to install the other laterals.
About 47 percent of the mainline and 67 percent of the laterals would
be constructed adjacent to or within existing rights-of-way.
Construction of the pipeline rights-of-ways would require about 2,977.5
acres of land. We estimate that about an additional 312 acres would be
needed for extra work areas for pipe installation at roads, railroads,
and wider rivers and wetlands. However, this is only our estimate and
workspace sizes and locations have not yet been identified by the
applicant.
Following construction, all disturbed areas would be restored and a
permanent right-of-way of 50 feet would be maintained for operation of
the mainline and Cousins Island Lateral. The other laterals would be
maintained on a 40-foot-wide permanent right-of-way. All land used for
temporary construction right-of-way and extra work areas would revert
to previous uses entirely. Some land uses on the permanent right-of-way
would also be allowed to continue following construction.
Maritimes would acquire about 20 acres for Compressor Station 1 and
about 100 acres for Compressor Station 2. Actual construction and
operation of these facilities would disturb only a portion of these
sites. Other above ground facilities would be on sites of less than 1
acre, either within or immediately adjacent to the permanent right-of-
way.
Facilities Included in Related EISs
Figure 2 (appendix 2) shows the proposed facilities for related
natural gas projects which the Commission staff has either prepared or
is preparing other environmental impact statements.
On February 10, 1997, Maritimes and Portland Natural Gas
Transmission Systems (PNGTS) filed an application in Docket No. CP97-
238-000 to construct and operate the PNGTS/Maritimes Joint Facilities
Project (Joint Facilities Project) between Dracut, Massachusetts and
Westbrook, Maine.
The Commission staff has published a DEIS on April 25, 1997 which
analyzes the 66.1 miles which constitute the Phase I Joint Facilities
Project between Dracut, Massachusetts and Wells, Maine. Comments on the
project are due June 9, 1997.
The PNGTS and PNGTS/Maritimes Phase II Joint Facilities Project
DEIS that is also under preparation includes all joint facilities
between Wells and Westbrook, Maine, including the Westbrook Lateral
(Phase II Joint Facilities), and all facilities between Westbrook and
the U.S./Canada border at Pittsburgh, New Hampshire, including
laterals.
The EIS 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 EIS 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 EIS. All comments received
are considered during the preparation of the EIS. 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 EIS 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.
Public safety.
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 a Draft EIS which
will be mailed to Federal, state, and local agencies, public interest
groups, interested individuals, affected landowners, newspapers,
libraries, and the Commission's official service list for these
proceedings. A 45-day comment period will be allowed for review of the
Draft EIS. We will consider all comments on the Draft EIS and revise
the document, as necessary before issuing a Final EIS. The Final EIS
will include our responses to the comments received.
Currently Identified Environmental Issues
We have already identified several issues that we think deserve
attention based on a preliminary review of the proposed facilities,
interventions received, and the environmental information provided by
Maritimes. This preliminary list of issues may be changed based on your
comments and our analysis.
Effects on watersheds, including Floods Pond (Bangor Water
District), Hatcase Pond (Brewer Water District), and Sheetscot River;
Clearing of about 2,150 acres of forest;
Waterbody crossings over 100 feet wide including Casco
Bay, Androscoggin River, Sabattus River, Kennebec River (3 crossings),
Sheepscot River, Penobscot River (6 crossings), West Branch Union
River, St. Croix River, Sebasticook River, Passadumkeag River, West
Branch Penobscot River, tributary to the West Branch Sheepscot River,
Marsh Stream, Jordan Brook, Otter Stream, and Trout Brook;
16 river segments listed on both national and state
inventories (Abagadasset, West Branch Sheepscot, Sheepscot, St. George,
West Branch Union, Narragaugus, and Machias Rivers), or only on state
inventories (St. Croix, West Branch Machias, Middle Branch Union,
Kennebec, Penobscot, Passadumkeag, and Sebasticook Rivers; and
Millinocket and Marsh Streams);
150 coldwater fisheries crossed;
Effect on anadromous fisheries (including Atlantic
salmon), and waterfowl and wildlife habitat (including Sunkhaze Meadows
National Wildlife Refuge);
[[Page 28022]]
2 federally listed species (bald eagle and shortnose
sturgeon);
11 gravel pits adjacent to the right-of-way;
A total of 44.7 miles of wetlands crossed;
112 residences potentially within 100 feet of the pipeline
centerline;
Crossing of tribal land (Penobscot Indian Nation) and
impact on fishing rights (Passamaquoddy Natural Resources Committee);
Crossing of recreational areas including the Katahdin
Scout Reservation; and
Alterntive routes making greater use of existing rights-
of-way such as near Richmond, Maine and the mainline crossing of the
Kennebec River; and alternate alignments on private property.
Maritimes has stated that there are no nonjurisdictional facilities
that would be built as a direct result of this project.
Public Participation and Scoping Meetings
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 alternative routes or compressor station
sites), 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 two copies of your comments to: Lois Cashell,
Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First St., N.E.,
Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426;
Reference Docket No. CP96-089-000; and
Mail your comments so that they will be received in
Washington, DC on or before June 20, 1997.
In addition to sending written comments, you may attend public
scoping meetings that we will conduct at three locations. Meetings will
be held at the following times and locations:
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Date Time Location
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Tuesday, June 3, 1997.......... 7:00 p.m........... Woodland
Elementary
School, Fourth
Avenue, Woodland
(Baileyville),
Maine.
Wednesday, June 4, 1997........ 7:00 p.m........... Hichborn Middle
School, Cross
Street, Howland,
Maine.
Thursday, June 5, 1997......... 7:00 p.m........... Richmond High
School, Route
197, Richmond,
Maine.
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The purpose of the scoping meetings is to obtain input from state
and local governments and from the public. Federal agencies have formal
channels for input into the Federal process (including separate
meetings where appropriate) on an interagency basis. Federal agencies
are expected to transmit their comments directly to the FERC and not
use the scoping meetings for this purpose. Local agencies are requested
to provide information on other plans and projects which might conflict
with, or have cumulative effects, when considered in combination with
the Maritimes Phase II Project.
Maritimes will present a description of their proposals at the
scoping meeting. Interested groups and individuals encouraged to attend
the meetings and present oral comments on the environmental issues
which they believe should be addressed in the Draft EIS.
Becoming an Intervenor
In addition to involvement in the EIS 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 such as data
requests and filings by other intervenors. We will provide our EIS to
anyone who follows the instructions which appear later in this NOI.
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 3).
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.
Environmental Mailing List
This notice is being sent to individuals, organizations, and
government entities interested and/or potentially affected by the
proposed project. It is also being sent to all potential right-of-way
grantors (i.e., landowners whose property would be crossed) to solicit
focused comments regarding environmental considerations related to the
proposed project.
If you do not want to send comments at this time but still want to
remain on our mailing list and receive a copy of our DEIS, please
return the Information request (appendix 4). If you do not send
comments on the NOI or return the Information Request, you will be
taken off the mailing list.
Lois D. Cashell,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 97-13438 Filed 5-21-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M
