99-21490. Northern Natural Gas Company; Notice of Availability of the Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Elk River Loop '99 Project

[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 160 (Thursday, August 19, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 45249]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-21490]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP99-191-000]


Northern Natural Gas Company; Notice of Availability of the 
Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Elk River Loop '99 Project

August 13, 1999.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) has prepared an environmental assessment (EA) on the 
natural gas pipeline facilities proposed by Northern Natural Gas 
Company (Northern) in the above-referenced docket. It also addresses 
alternative routes for the proposed pipeline.
    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. The EA concludes there is an environmentally 
preferable alternative and requests comments about it.
    The EA assesses the potential environmental effects of the 
construction and operation of about 15 miles of 16-inch-diameter 
pipeline loop and appurtenances in Anoka and Sherburne Counties, 
Minnesota.
    The purpose of the proposed facilities would be to provide about 
23,873 million British thermal units per day of natural gas to meet 
increased market demand served by Northern's Elk River Branchline. 
Minnegasco, a Division of NorAm Energy Corporation and Northern States 
Power Company--Minnesota have contracted with Northern for this 
incremental service.
    The EA has been placed in the public files of the FERC. A limited 
number of copies of the EA are available for distribution and public 
inspection at: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Public Reference 
and Files Maintenance Branch, 888 First Street NE, Room 2A, Washington, 
DC 20426, [phone].
    Copies of the EA have been mailed to Federal, state and local 
agencies, public interest groups, landowners crossed by the proposed 
route or the alternatives, interested individuals, newspapers, and 
parties to this proceeding.
    Any person wishing to comment on the EA may do so. To ensure 
consideration prior to a Commission decision on the proposal, it is 
important that we receive your comments before the date specified 
below. Please carefully follow these instructions to ensure that your 
comments are received in time and properly recorded:
     Send two copies of your comments to: Secretary, Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First St., NE, Room 1A, Washington, 
DC 20426;
     Label one copy of the comments for the attention of the 
Environmental Review and Compliance Branch, PR-112;
     Reference Docket No. CP99-191-000; and
     Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, DC on or before September 13, 1999.
    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 the proposed project is available from 
Paul McKee in the Commission's Office of External Affairs, at (202) 
208-1088 or on the FERC Internet website (www.ferc.fed.us) using the 
``RIMS'' link to information in this docket number. Click on the 
``RIMS'' link, select ``Docket #'' from the RIMS Menu, and follow the 
instructions. For assistance with access to RIMS, the RIMS helpline can 
be reached at [phone].
    Similarly, the ``CIPS'' link on the FERC Internet website provides 
access to the texts of formal documents issued by the Commission, such 
as orders, notices, and rulemakings. From the FERC Internet website, 
click on the ``CIPS'' link, select ``Docket #'' from the CIPS menu, and 
follow the instructions. For assistance with access to CIPS, the CIPS 
helpline can be reached at [phone].
Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 99-21490 Filed 8-18-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M