[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 122 (Thursday, June 25, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34646-34647]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-16897]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket Nos. CP96-809-000, et al. and CP96-810-000]
Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline, L.L.C.; Notice of Availability of
the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Maritimes
Phase II Project
June 19, 1998
The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) has prepared this final environmental impact statement
(FEIS) on the natural gas pipeline facilities proposed by Maritimes &
Northeast Pipeline, L.L.C. in the above-references dockets and referred
to as the Maritimes Phase II Project.
The staff prepared the FEIS to satisfy the requirements of the
National Environmental Policy Act. The staff concludes that approval of
the proposed project, with appropriate mitigating measures as proposed
and recommended, would have limited adverse environmental impact.
The FEIS assesses the potential environmental effects of
construction and operation of the following facilities in Maine:
A total of about 347.0 miles of pipeline, consisting of
200.1 miles of 24- and 30-inch-diameter mainline between Westbrook in
York County and Woodland (Baileyville) in Washington County, and five
laterals totaling 146.9 miles of 4- to 16-inch-diameter pipeline;
About 31,160 horsepower of new compression at two new
compressor stations;
Twelve new meter stations; and
Associated aboveground facilities, including 35 block
valves and remote blow-off valves.
The purpose of the proposed facilities would be to transport
440,000 thousand cubic feet per day of natural gas to existing and new
natural gas markets in Maine and the northeast. These natural gas
supplies would come from new reserves being developed in offshore Nova
Scotia, Canada.
The FEIS 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, D.C. 20426, (202) 208-1371.
A limited number of copies are available at this location.
Copies of the FEIS have been mailed to Federal, state, and local
agencies, public interest groups, interested individuals, newspapers,
and parties to this proceeding.
In accordance with Council of Environmental Quality (CEQ)
regulations implementing National Environmental Policy Act, no agency
decision on the proposed action may be made until 30 days after the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency publishes a notice of availability
of the FEIS. However, the CEQ regulations provide an exception to this
rule on timing when an agency decision is subject to a formal internal
appeal process which allows other agencies or the public to make their
views known. In such cases, the agency decision may be made at the same
time that the notice of the FEIS is published, allowing both
[[Page 34647]]
appeal periods to run concurrently. Should the Commission issue
Maritimes a Certificate for the proposed action, it would be subject to
a 30-day rehearing period.
Additional information about the proposed project is available from
Paul McKee in the Commission's Office of External Affairs, at (202)
208-1088.
David P. Boergers,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 98-16897 Filed 6-24-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M
