[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 145 (Monday, July 28, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43742-43743]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-17144]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP08-429-000]
Kern River Gas Transmission Company; Notice of Intent To Prepare
an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Kern River 2010 Expansion
Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues
July 21, 2008.
The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) will prepare an environmental assessment (EA) that will
discuss the potential environmental impacts of the Kern River 2010
Expansion Project (Project) involving construction and operation of
natural gas transmission facilities by Kern River Gas Transmission
Company (Kern River) in Lincoln and Uinta Counties, Wyoming and San
Bernardino County, California. The EA will be used by the Commission in
its decision-making process to determine whether the project is in the
public convenience and necessity.
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. Please note that the scoping period
will close on August 20, 2008. Details on how to submit comments are
provided in the Public Participation section of this notice.
This notice is being sent to affected landowners; federal, state,
and local government agencies; elected officials; other interested
parties; and newspapers. 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.
A fact sheet prepared by the FERC entitled ``An Interstate Natural
Gas Facility On My Land? What Do I Need To Know?'' addresses a number
of typically asked questions, including the use of eminent domain and
how to participate in the Commission's proceedings. It is available for
viewing on the FERC Internet Web site (www.ferc.gov).
Summary of the Proposed Project
Kern River proposes to design, construct, operate, and maintain (a)
one new 20,500-horsepower (hp) gas-driven compressor unit and restage
five compressor units at the existing Muddy Creek Compressor Station in
Lincoln County, Wyoming; (b) restage two compressor units at the
existing Painter Compressor Station in Uinta County, Wyoming; and (c)
install additional metering facilities at the Opal Meter Station in
Lincoln County, Wyoming and at the Kramer Junction Meter Station in San
Bernardino County, California. Kern River would also increase the
maximum allowable operating pressure (MAOP) of its 1,380 miles of
pipeline from 1,200 pounds per square inch gauge (psig) to 1,333 psig
and increase the MAOP of the meter stations and compressor stations
along its system from 1,250 psig to 1,350 psig. Kern River would
undertake the construction tasks related to the MAOP increase pursuant
to section 157.211(a) and its blanket authority. The proposed
modifications would increase summer design capacity on Kern River's
system by 1,731,126 dekatherms per day (Dth/d) to 1,876,126 Dth/d.
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 are available on the
Commission's Web site (www.ferc.gov) at the ``eLibrary'' link or
from the Commission's Public Reference Room, 888 First St., 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 Kern River.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Land Requirements for Construction
The construction of the proposed Project would occur entirely
within Kern River's existing compressor station and meter station
sites. Construction of the Project would affect a total of about 1.07
acre, of which 1 acre would be disturbed at the Muddy Creek Compressor
Station. No clearing of vegetation would be required for the Project.
The EA Process
We \2 \are preparing this EA to comply with the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), which requires the Commission
to take into account the environmental impact that could result if it
authorizes Kern River'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 important environmental issues. By this Notice,
we are requesting public comments on the scope of the issues to address
in the EA. All comments received are 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
Land use and visual quality
Cultural resources
Vegetation and wildlife (including threatened and
endangered species)
Air quality and noise
Reliability and safety
We will also evaluate possible alternatives to the proposed project
or portions of the 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 presented 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;
local libraries and newspapers; 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 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 Kern River 2010 Expansion Project. Your
comments should focus on the potential environmental effects,
reasonable alternatives, and measures to avoid or
[[Page 43743]]
lessen environmental impacts. The more specific your comments, the more
useful they will be. To ensure that your comments are timely and
properly recorded, please send in your comments so that they will be
received in Washington, DC, on or before August 20, 2008.
For your convenience, there are three methods in which you can use
to submit your comments to the Commission. In all instances please
reference the project docket number CP08-429-000 with your submission.
The docket number can be found on the front of this notice. The
Commission encourages electronic filing of comments and has dedicated
eFiling expert staff available to assist you at 202-502-8258 or
efiling@ferc.gov.
(1) You may file your comments electronically by using the Quick
Comment feature, which is located on the Commission's Internet Web site
at http://www.ferc.gov under the link to Documents and Filings. A Quick
Comment is an easy method for interested persons to submit text-only
comments on a project;
(2) You may file your comments electronically by using the eFiling
feature, which is located on the Commission's Internet Web site at
http://www.ferc.gov under the link to Documents and Filings. eFiling
involves preparing your submission in the same manner as you would if
filing on paper, and then saving the file on your computer's hard
drive. You will attach that file as your submission. 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. A comment on a particular project is considered a ``Comment on
a Filing''; or
(3) You may file your comments via mail to the Commission by
sending 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 of the comments for the attention of Gas Branch 1,
PJ11.1.
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.
Among other things, intervenors have the right to receive copies of
case-related Commission documents and filings by other intervenors.
Likewise, each intervenor must send one electronic copy (using the
Commission's eFiling system) or 14 paper copies of its filings to the
Secretary of the Commission and must send a copy of its filings to all
other parties on the Commission's service list for this proceeding.
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). Only intervenors have the right to seek
rehearing of the Commission's decision. Further instructions for
becoming an intervenor are included in the User's Guide under the ``e-
filing'' link on the Commission's Web site (http://www.ferc.gov).
The Notice of Application for this proposed project issued on July
7, 2008, identified the date for the filing of interventions as July
28, 2008. However, affected landowners and parties with environmental
concerns may be granted late 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.
Environmental Mailing List
As described above, we may mail the EA for comment. If you are
interested in receiving an EA for review and/or comment, please return
the Environmental Mailing List Mailer (appendix 2). If you do not
return the Environmental Mailing List Mailer, you will be taken off the
mailing list. All individuals who provide written comments will remain
on our environmental mailing list for this project.
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. 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 www.ferc.gov/esubscribenow.htm.
Finally, any 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. E8-17144 Filed 7-25-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P