[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 51 (Friday, March 14, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13890-13892]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-5110]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP08-72-000]
Northern Border Pipeline Company; Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Des Plaines Project and
Request for Comments on Environmental Issues
March 7, 2008.
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 proposed Des Plaines Project
(Project). The Project is proposed by Northern Border Pipeline Company
(Northern Border) and involves construction and operation of a new
natural gas compressor and meter station near Channahon in Will County,
Illinois. The EA will be used by the Commission in its decision-making
process to determine whether or not to authorize the Project.
This notice announces the opening of the scoping process the
Commission will use to gather input from the public and interested
agencies on the Project. Your input will help determine which issues
need to be evaluated in the EA. State and local government
representatives are asked to notify their constituents of this proposed
Project and to encourage them to comment on their areas of concern.
Details on how to submit comments are provided in the Public
Participation section of this notice. Please note that the scoping
period will close on April 7, 2008.
This notice is being sent to affected landowners; federal, state,
and local government agencies; elected officials; Native American
tribes; other interested parties; and local libraries and newspapers.
Affected landowners include all landowners who own land within 0.5 mile
of the proposed compressor facility. Northern Border's proposed
facilities would occupy a parcel of land owned by Northern Border.
Northern Border has not proposed to acquire any easements to construct,
operate, or maintain the proposed Project facilities.
A number of fact sheets prepared by the FERC, including ``An
Interstate Natural Gas Facility On My Land? What Do I Need To Know?''
and ``Guide to Electronic Information at FERC,'' are available for
viewing on the FERC Internet Web site (http://www.ferc.gov), using the
``For Citizens'' link. These fact sheets address a number of typically
[[Page 13891]]
asked questions including how to participate in the Commission's
proceedings and how to access information on FERC regulated projects in
your area.
Summary of the Proposed Project
Northern Border seeks authorization to construct, own, and operate
a new 1,600 horsepower compressor station, meter station, and
interconnecting and appurtenant facilities, collectively referred to as
the Des Plaines Project, in Will County, Illinois. The proposed
construction would include a new interconnect between ANR Pipeline
Company (ANR) and Northern Border. Northern Border currently does not
have the ability to receive gas directly from ANR due to Northern
Border's higher operating pressures. The proposed compressor facilities
would enable Northern Border to receive 59,681 dekatherms per day from
ANR for transport to an existing delivery point on Northern Border's
mainline system in Ventura, Iowa. Northern Border proposes to begin
construction in July 2008 in order to be in-service by November 1,
2008.
The general location of the proposed facilities is shown in
Appendix 1.\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The appendices referenced in this notice are not being
printed in the Federal Register. Copies of all appendices are
available on the Commission's Web site at the ``eLibrary'' link or
from the Commission's Public Reference Room, 888 First Street, NE.,
Washington, DC 20426, or call (202) 502-8371. For instructions on
connecting to eLibrary refer to the ``Additional Information''
section of this notice. Copies of the appendices were sent to all
those receiving this notice in the mail. Requests for detailed maps
of the proposed facilities should be made directly to Northern
Border Pipeline Company by calling Bambi Heckerman at (402) 492-
7575.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Land Requirements for Construction
The proposed construction would include an access road, piping
(above and below ground), and one or more buildings that would contain
meter equipment, appurtenant piping, and the natural gas compressor and
engine. Proposed construction would impact approximately 7.8 acres of
land owned by Northern Border. The site consists of undeveloped,
disturbed grassland and shrubs, bordered by railroad tracks and active
light industrial facilities. All proposed workspace for construction
and material/equipment staging would occur within Northern Border's 7.8
acre site or at a nearby site (owned by Northern Border or previously
disturbed commercial storage site). A new road would be installed
across the CSX rail spur to provide access to the site from Youngs
Road.
The EA Process
We \2\ are preparing this EA to comply with the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) which requires the Commission to take
into account the environmental impact that could result if it
authorizes Northern Border's proposal. By this notice, we are also
asking federal, state, and local agencies with jurisdiction and/or
special expertise with respect to environmental issues to formally
cooperate with us in the preparation of the EA. Agencies that would
like to request cooperating status should follow the instructions for
filing comments provided below.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ ''We,'' ``us,'' and ``our'' refer to the environmental staff
of the FERC's Office of Energy Projects.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
NEPA also requires the FERC to discover and address concerns the
public may have about proposals. This process is referred to as
``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, we are requesting public comments on the scope of the
issues to address in the EA. All comments received will be considered
during the preparation of the EA.
The EA 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
Land use and visual quality
Cultural resources
Vegetation and wildlife (including threatened and
endangered species)
Air quality and noise
Reliability and safety
Cumulative impact
We will also evaluate reasonable alternatives to the proposed
Project, where necessary, and make recommendations on how to lessen or
avoid impacts on the various resource areas.
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 published. We will consider all comments on the EA before we make
our recommendations to the Commission. To ensure your comments are
received and considered, please carefully follow the instructions in
the Public Participation section below.
Public Participation
You can make a difference by providing us with your specific
comments or concerns about the Project. By becoming a commentor, your
concerns will be addressed in the EA and considered by the Commission.
You should focus on the potential environmental effects of the proposal
and alternatives to the proposal and measures to avoid or lessen
environmental impact. The more specific your comments, the more useful
they will be. Please carefully follow these instructions to ensure that
your comments are received in time and properly recorded:
Send an original and two copies of your letter to:
Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888
First St., NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426;
Label one copy for the attention of Gas Branch 3, PJ-11.3;
Reference Docket No. CP08-72-000; and
Mail your comments so that they will be received in
Washington, DC on or before April 7, 2008.
The Commission encourages electronic filing of comments. See 18
Code of Federal Regulations 385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions on
the Commission's Internet Web site at http://www.ferc.gov under the
link to ``Documents and Filings'' and ``eFiling.'' eFiling is a file
attachment process and requires that you prepare your submission in the
same manner as you would if filing on paper, and save it to a file on
your hard drive. New eFiling users must first create an account by
clicking on ``Sign up'' or ``eRegister.'' You will be asked to select
the type of filing you are making. This filing is considered a
``Comment on Filing.'' In addition, there is a ``Quick Comment'' option
available, which is an easy method for interested persons to submit
text only comments on a project. The Quick-Comment User Guide can be
viewed at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling/quick-comment-
guide.pdf. Quick Comment does not require a FERC eRegistration account;
however, you will be asked to provide a valid e-mail address. All
comments submitted under either eFiling or the Quick Comment option are
placed in the public record for the specified docket or project
number(s).
As described above, we may publish and distribute the EA for
comment. If you are interested in receiving the EA for review and/or
comment, please return the Mailing List Retention Form
[[Page 13892]]
(Appendix 2). If you do not return the Mailing List Retention Form, you
will be taken off the mailing list.
Becoming an Intervenor
In addition to involvement in the EA scoping process, you may want
to become an official party to the proceeding known as an
``intervenor.'' Intervenors play a more formal role in the process.
Intervenors have the right to seek rehearing of the Commission's
decision, and also receive copies of case-related Commission documents
and filings by other intervenors.
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). Motions to Intervene should be
electronically submitted using the Commission's eFiling system at
http://www.ferc.gov. Persons without Internet access should send an
original and 14 copies of their motion to the Secretary of the
Commission at the address indicated previously. Persons filing Motions
to Intervene on or before the comment deadline indicated above must
send a copy of the motion to the Applicant. All filings, including late
interventions, submitted after the comment deadline must be served on
the Applicant and all other intervenors identified on the Commission's
service list for this proceeding. Persons on the service list with e-
mail addresses may be served electronically; others must be served a
hard copy of the filing.
Affected landowners and parties with environmental concerns may be
granted intervenor status upon showing good cause by stating that they
have a clear and direct interest in this proceeding which would not be
adequately represented by any other parties. You do not need intervenor
status to have your environmental comments considered.
Additional Information
Additional information about the Project is available from the
Commission's Office of External Affairs, at 1-866-208-FERC or on the
FERC Internet Web site (www.ferc.gov) using the ``eLibrary'' link.
Click on the eLibrary link, then on ``General Search'' and enter the
docket number excluding the last three digits in the Docket Number
field (i.e., CP08-72). Be sure you have selected an appropriate date
range. For assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at
FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or toll free at 1-866-208-3676, or for TTY,
contact (202) 502-8659. The eLibrary link also provides access to the
texts of formal documents issued by the Commission, such as Orders,
notices, and rulemakings.
In addition, the Commission now offers a free service called
eSubscription which allows you to keep track of all formal issuances
and submittals in specific dockets. This can reduce the amount of time
you spend researching proceedings by automatically providing you with
notification of these filings, document summaries, and direct links to
the documents. Go to http://www.ferc.gov/esubscribenow.htm.
Finally, public meetings or site visits will be posted on the
Commission's calendar located at http://www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/
EventsList.aspx along with other related information.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E8-5110 Filed 3-13-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P