[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 142 (Tuesday, July 23, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38195-38196]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-18570]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
[Docket No. CP96-339-000]
Total Peaking Services, L.L.C.; Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Total Peaking Services
Milford LNG Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues
July 17, 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 operation of facilities
proposed in the Total Peaking Services Milford LNG Project. 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.\1\
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\1\ Total Peaking Services', L.L.C. application was filed under
Section 7 of the National Gas Act and Part 157 of the Commission's
regulations.
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Summary of the Proposed Project
Total Peaking Services, L.L.C. (TPS) is seeking approval to acquire
and operate in interstate commerce an existing liquefied natural gas
(LNG) peak-shaving facility located in Milford, Connecticut that is
presently used by The Southern Connecticut Gas Company (Southern
Connecticut). The purpose of the project is to enable TPS to make
interstate gas sales to satisfy the Northeast's growing demand for
peaking gas. Southern Connecticut would sublease the Milford LNG Plant
to CNE Energy Services Group, Inc. which in turn would sublease the
plant to TPS.
Exisiting Facilities
The Milford LNG Plant was constructed in 1972 and consists of
natural gas liquefaction, LNG storage, and LNG revaporization
facilities. The plant was designed to supply Southern Connecticut's gas
utility needs by liquefying and storing natural gas in the summer for
revaporization during peak periods in the winter heating season. The
Milford LNG Plant has a design liquefaction rate of 6 million cubic
feet per day (MMCFD) and a sendout capacity of 72 MMCFD. The LNG is
stored in a 348,000-barrel LNG storage tank.
The Milford LNG Plant receives gas for liquefaction and storage
through facilities of Southern Connecticut that are connected to the
interstate pipeline system of Iroquois Gas Transmission System, L.P.
The plant has also received significant amounts of LNG by transport
trailer.
Proposed Facilities
TPS does not propose any new facilities or any modifications to
existing facilities. The Milford LNG Plant would continue to be
operated by Southern Connecticut on behalf of TPS.
The location of the Milford LNG Plant 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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Land Requirements for Construction
No additional land is required since TPS does not propose any
additions or modifications to the existing facility.
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 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.
Because the LNG plant is an existing facility and no new additions
or modifications are proposed, the EA will focus on the operation of
the proposed project, the cryogenic design aspects of the plant, and
the public safety including LNG trucking.
Prior to finalizing the EA, the FERC staff will meet with
representatives of TPS (time and location to be noticed at a later
date) to conduct a cryogenic design and engineering review of the LNG
facility at Milford, Connecticut.
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
[[Page 38196]]
published. We will consider all comments on the EA before we recommend
that the Commission approve or not approve the project.
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, 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 receive
and properly recorded:
Address your letter to: Lois Cashell, Secretary, Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First St., NE., Washington, DC 20426;
Reference Docket No. CP96-339-000;
Send a copy of your letter to: Mr. James Dashukewich, EA
Project Manager, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First St.,
NE., Room 72-56, Washington, DC 20426; and
Mail your comments so that they are received in
Washington, DC on or before August 14, 1996.
Becoming an Intervenor
In addition to involvement in the EA scoping process, you may want
to become an official party to the proceeding or 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 a 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).
Filing of timely motions to intervene in this proceeding should be
made on or before July 24, 1996. Once this date has passed, parties
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
Mr. James Dashukewich, EA Project Manager, at (202) 208-0117.
Lois D. Cashell,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 96-18570 Filed 7-22-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M
