96-11053. Northern Natural Gas Company; Notice of Availability of the Environmental Assessment for the Proposed 1996 Zone EF Expansion Project

[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 87 (Friday, May 3, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19925-19926]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-11053]



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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
[Docket No. CP96-57-000]


Northern Natural Gas Company; Notice of Availability of the 
Environmental Assessment for the Proposed 1996 Zone EF Expansion 
Project

April 29, 1996.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) has prepared an

[[Page 19926]]

environmental assessment (EA) on the natural gas pipeline facilities 
proposed by Northern Natural Gas Company (Northern) in the above-
referenced docket.
    The EA was prepared to satisfy the requirements of the National 
Environmental Policy Act. The staff concludes that approval of the 
proposed project, with appropriate mitigating measures, would not 
constitute a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality 
of the human environment.
    Northern wants to expand the capacity of its facilities in 
Minnesota and Wisconsin to transport an additional 46, 400 million 
British thermal units per day of natural gas to six local distribution 
companies. Northern seeks authority to:
     Abandon the 10,600-horsepower (hp) Owatonna Compressor 
Station in Steele County, Minnesota and construct and operate a new 
10,600-hp Fairbault Compressor Station in Rice County, Minnesota;
     Extend its 30-inch-diameter C-line Extension by about 2.24 
miles in Washington County, Minnesota;
     Increase the capacity of its Elk River system by extending 
the existing 20-inch-diameter Elk River Loop in two areas for a total 
of about 3.30 miles in Anoka County, Minnesota;
     Construct about 14.52 miles of 6-inch-diameter tie-over 
connecting the Paynesville and the Watkins branchlines in Stearns 
County, Minnesota;
     Install: (a) about 3.07 miles of 4-inch-diameter St. 
Michael Loop in Wright County, Minnesota; (b) about 5.01 miles of 8-
inch-diameter Princeton Loop in Mille Lacs and Sherburne counties, 
Minnesota; and (c) about 1.96 miles of 4-inch-diameter Monticello Loop 
in Wright County, Minnesota;
     Modify three meter stations in Anoka County, Minnesota and 
two meter stations in Wright County, Minnesota; and
     Modify a meter station in St. Croix County, Wisconsin and 
a meter station in Buffalo County, Wisconsin.
    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, 888 First 
Street, N.E., 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. Robert 
Kopka, Environmental Project Manager, Environmental Review and 
Compliance Branch I, Office of Pipeline Regulation, PR-11.1, 888 First 
Street, N.E., Washington, DC 20426, [phone].
    Any person wishing to comment on the EA may do so. Written comments 
must reference Docket No. CP96-57-000, and be addressed to: Office of 
the Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, 
N.E., Washington, DC 20426.
    Comments should be filed as soon as possible, but must be received 
no later than May 28, 1996, to ensure consideration prior to a 
Commission decision on this proposal. A copy of any comments should 
also be sent to Mr. Robert Kopka, Environmental Project Manager, 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. 
Robert Kopka, Environmental Project Manager.
Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 96-11053 Filed 5-2-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M