[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 245 (Monday, December 22, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76319-76321]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-29872]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP15-8-000]
Northwest Pipeline, LLC; Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Kalama Lateral Project and
Request for Comments on Environmental Issues
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 Kalama Lateral Project
(Project), which would involve construction and operation of a new
natural gas pipeline and associated facilities by Northwest Pipeline,
LLC (Northwest) in Cowlitz County, Washington. The Commission will use
this EA 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 the Commission staff
determine what issues need to be evaluated in the EA. Please note that
the scoping period will close on January 10, 2015. You may submit
comments as described in the Public Participation section of this
notice.
This notice is being sent to the Commission's current environmental
mailing list for this project. State and local government
representatives should notify their constituents of this proposed
project and encourage them to comment on their areas of concern.
If you are a landowner receiving this notice, a pipeline company
representative may contact you about the acquisition of an easement to
construct, operate, and maintain the planned facilities. The company
would seek to negotiate a mutually acceptable agreement. However, if
the Commission approves the project, that approval conveys with it the
right of eminent domain. Therefore, if easement negotiations fail to
produce an agreement, the pipeline company could initiate condemnation
proceedings where compensation would be determined in accordance with
state law.
Northwest provided landowners with a fact sheet prepared by the
FERC entitled ``An Interstate Natural Gas Facility On My Land? What Do
I Need To Know?'' This fact sheet addresses a number of typically-asked
questions, including the use of eminent domain and how to participate
in the Commission's proceedings. It is also available for viewing on
the FERC Web site (www.ferc.gov).
Summary of the Proposed Project
Northwest plans to construct and operate approximately 3.1 miles of
24-inch- diameter natural gas pipeline to provide 320,000 Dekatherms
per day (Dth/d) of natural gas to a proposed methanol production
facility to be located within the north industrial area of the Port of
Kalama, in Cowlitz County, Washington. The proposed methanol plant is
not under the jurisdiction of the Commission and would not be
constructed or operated by Northwest. However, the environmental impact
of the plant would be part of the state of Washington's State
Environmental Policy Act review process.
The Kalama Lateral Project would transport natural gas to the
methanol plant from Northwest's existing Ignacio/Sumas mainline in
Cowlitz County, Washington. The project would require new appurtenances
to tie the new pipeline into the existing mainline including a new tap
and valve. Pig launcher facilities \1\ would be installed near the
proposed interconnection with the mainline and at a new meter station
facility constructed within the methanol plant. The new meter station
facility would include standard appurtenances, piping, and buildings
within an approximately 150-foot by 200-foot fenced area.
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\1\ A ``pig'' is a tool that is inserted into and moves through
the pipeline and is used for cleaning the pipeline, internal
inspections, or other purposes.
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The general location of the planned facilities 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 of appendices were sent to
all those receiving this notice in the mail and are available at
www.ferc.gov using the link called ``eLibrary'' 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 page 5 of this notice.
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Land Requirements for Construction
Construction of the pipeline and aboveground facilities would
disturb approximately 109.4 acres of land. Following construction,
about 19.4 acres would be maintained within permanent easements for
ongoing operation of the pipeline, aboveground facilities, and
permanent access roads. The remaining acreage disturbed during
construction would be restored and allowed to revert to former uses.
These acreage estimates are based on Northwest's general intention to
construct its pipeline using a 100-foot-wide right-of-way and to retain
a 50-foot-wide permanent right-of-way.
Background
Under Docket Nos. PF12-2-000 and CP13-18-000, FERC reviewed a
pipeline route that was substantially similar to the one currently
proposed by Northwest. A NOI was issued on June 22, 2012. On May 8,
2013, Northwest formally withdrew its Application of Certificate of
Public Convenience and Necessity for the Kalama Lateral Pipeline
Project because the project proponent, Veresen U.S. Power Inc.
terminated the Facilities Agreement with Northwest. Stakeholder
comments on the previous docket, if applicable to the Project, should
be resubmitted under Docket CP15-8.
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
\3\ 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, the Commission requests public
comments on the scope of the issues to address in the EA. We will
consider all filed comments during the preparation of the EA.
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\3\ ``We,'' ``us,'' and ``our'' refer to the environmental staff
of the Commission's Office of Energy Projects (OEP).
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In the EA we will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of
the construction and operation of the planned project under these
general headings:
geology and soils;
water resources, fisheries, and wetlands;
[[Page 76320]]
vegetation and wildlife;
endangered and threatened species;
cultural resources;
land use;
air quality and noise;
public safety.
We will also evaluate reasonable alternatives to the proposed
project or portions of the project, and make recommendations on how to
lessen or avoid impacts on the various resource areas. We will present
our independent analysis of the issues in the EA. The EA will be
available in the public record through eLibrary. Depending on the
comments received during the scoping process, we may also publish and
distribute the EA to the public for an allotted comment period. We will
consider all comments on the EA before we make our recommendations to
the Commission. To ensure we have the opportunity to consider your
comments, please carefully follow the instructions in the Public
Participation section beginning on page 5 of this notice.
With this notice, we are asking agencies with jurisdiction by law
and/or special expertise with respect to the environmental issues
related to this project to formally cooperate with us in the
preparation of the EA. Agencies that would like to request cooperating
agency status should follow the instructions for filing comments
provided under the Public Participation section of this notice.
Consultations Under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation
Act
In accordance with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation's
implementing regulations for Section 106 of the National Historic
Preservation Act, we are using this notice to initiate consultation
with the Washington State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), and to
solicit the SHPO's views and those of other government agencies,
interested Indian tribes, and the public on the project's potential
effects on historic properties.\4\ We will define the project-specific
Area of Potential Effects (APE) in consultation with the SHPO as the
project develops. On natural gas facility projects, the APE at a
minimum encompasses all areas subject to ground disturbance (examples
include construction right-of-way, contractor/pipe storage yards, and
access roads). Our EA for this project will document our findings on
the impacts on historic properties and summarize the status of
consultations under Section 106.
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\4\ The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation's regulations
are at Title 36, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 800. Historic
properties are defined in those regulations as any prehistoric or
historic district, site, building, structure, or object included in
or eligible for inclusion in the National Register for Historic
Places.
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Currently Identified Environmental Issues
We have already identified several issues that we think deserve
attention based on a preliminary review of the planned facilities and
the environmental information provided by Northwest and public
comments. This preliminary list of issues may change based on your
comments and our analysis.
These issues identified include impacts on geology and soils, land
use, and public safety.
This preliminary list of issues may be changed based on your
comments and our analysis.
Public Participation
You can make a difference by providing us with your specific
comments or concerns about the project. Your comments should focus on
the potential environmental effects, reasonable alternatives, and
measures to avoid or 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 your comments so
that they will be received in Washington, DC on or before January 9,
2015.
For your convenience, there are three methods which you can use to
submit your comments to the Commission. In all instances please
reference the project docket number (CP15-8-000) with your submission.
The Commission encourages electronic filing of comments and has expert
eFiling staff available to assist you at (202) 502-8258 or
[email protected].
(1) You can file your comments electronically by using the eComment
feature, which is located on the Commission's Web site at www.ferc.gov
under the link to Documents and Filings. This is an easy method for
interested persons to submit brief, text-only comments on a project;
(2) You can file your comments electronically by using the eFiling
feature which is located on the Commission's Web site at www.ferc.gov
under the link to Documents and Filings. With eFiling, you can provide
comments in a variety of formats by attaching them as a file with your
submission. New eFiling users must first create an account by clicking
on ``eRegister.'' You will be asked to select the type of filing you
are making. If you are filing a comment on a particular project, please
select ``Comment on a Filing''; or
(3) You can file a paper copy of your comments by mailing them to
the following address: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC
20426.
Environmental Mailing List
The environmental mailing list includes federal, state, and local
government representatives and agencies; elected officials;
environmental and public interest groups; Native American Tribes; other
interested parties; and local libraries and newspapers. This list also
includes all affected landowners (as defined in the Commission's
regulations) who are potential right-of-way grantors, whose property
may be used temporarily for project purposes, or who own homes within
certain distances of aboveground facilities, and anyone who submits
comments on the project. We will update the environmental mailing list
as the analysis proceeds to ensure that we send the information related
to this environmental review to all individuals, organizations, and
government entities interested in and/or potentially affected by the
planned project.
When the EA is published, copies may be sent to the environmental
mailing list for public review and comment. If you would prefer to
receive a paper copy of the document instead of the CD version or would
like to remove your name from the mailing list, please return the
attached Information Request (Appendix 2).
Becoming an Intervenor
In addition to involvement in the EA scoping process, you may want
to become an ``intervenor'' which is an official party to the
Commission's proceeding. Intervenors play a more formal role in the
process and are able to file briefs, appear at hearings, and be heard
by the courts if they choose to appeal the Commission's final ruling.
An intervenor formally participates in the proceeding by filing a
request to intervene. Instructions for becoming an intervenor are in
the User's Guide under the ``e-filing'' link on the Commission's Web
site.
Additional Information
Additional information about the project is available from the
Commission's Office of External Affairs, at (866) 208-FERC, or on the
FERC Web site at www.ferc.gov using the ``eLibrary'' link. Click on the
eLibrary link, click on ``General Search'' and enter the docket number,
excluding the
[[Page 76321]]
last three digits in the Docket Number field (i.e., CP15-8). Be sure
you have selected an appropriate date range. For assistance, please
contact FERC Online Support at [email protected] or toll free
at (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 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/docs-filing/esubscription.asp.
Finally, public meetings or site visits will be posted on the
Commission's calendar located at www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/EventsList.aspx along with other related information.
Dated: December 11, 2014.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2014-29872 Filed 12-19-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P