[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 243 (Tuesday, December 19, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65318-65319]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-30719]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
[Docket No. CP96-16-000]
Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation; Notice of Intent To
Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Sunbelt Expansion
Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues
December 13, 1995.
The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or the
Commission) will prepare an environmental assessment (EA) that will
discuss the environmental impacts of the construction and operation of
the facilities proposed in the SunBelt Expansion Project.\1\ 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\ Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation's application was
filed with the Commission under Section 7 of the Natural Gas Act and
Part 157 of the Commission's regulations.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Summary of the Proposed Project
Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation (Transco) wants to
expand the capacity of its facilities in Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia,
and South Carolina to transport an additional 145,666 thousand cubic
feet per day of natural gas to nine local distribution companies and
one electric cogeneration plant. Transco seeks authority to construct
and operate:
14.9 miles of 42-inch-diameter pipeline loop (Loop D) from
milepost (MP) 1222.66 to MP 1237. 58 in Cherokee County, South
Carolina;
15,000 horsepower (hp) of compression (gas turbine) at a
new station, to be known as Compressor Station 105 in Coosa County,
Alabama;
15,000 hp of compression (gas turbine) at a new station to
be known as Compressor Station 125 in Walton County, Georgia; and
15,000 hp of compression (gas turbine) at the existing
Compressor Station 80 in Jones and Jasper Counties, Mississippi.
Transco also seeks to uprate:
A compressor (gas turbine) from 14,100 hp to 15,000 hp at
Compressor Station 100 in Chilton County, Alabama; and
One compressor (gas turbine) from 12,600 hp to 15,000 hp
at each of three stations: Compressor Station 110 in Randolph County,
Alabama; Compressor Station 130 in Madison County, Georgia; and
Compressor Station 140 in Spartanburg County, South Carolina.
The general location of the project facilities and specific
locations for Loop D and the new compressor stations are shown in
appendix 1.\2\
\2\ The appendices referenced in this notice are not being
printed in the Federal Register. Copies are available from the
Commission's Public Reference Room, 888 First Street, N.E.,
Washington, D.C. 20426, or call (202) 208-1371. Copies of the
appendices were sent to all those receiving this notice in the mail.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Land Requirements for Construction
Loop D would be constructed adjacent to Transco's existing right-
of-way. Transco has proposed an 85-foot-wide construction right-of-way,
which includes 35 feet of its existing right-of-way. Consequently,
about 50 feet of new clearing would be required in most areas.
Following construction, about 25 feet of the newly cleared right-of-way
would be allowed to revert to former uses and 25 feet would be retained
as new permanent right-of-way.
Additional work space would be required adjacent to the
construction right-of-way at crossings of roads, railroads, streams,
wetlands, and other utility lines. In addition, Transco proposes to use
two off-right-of-way parcels of land for staging and pipe fabrication
and storage. Construction of Loop D would require about 171.9 acres,
including 63.3 acres of existing maintained right-of-way. Following
construction, about 45.2 acres would be maintained as new permanent
right-of-way. The remaining 126.7 acres would be allowed to revert to
former land uses.
Transco currently owns the properties that would be developed for
the two new compressor stations. Construction would require a total of
about 28.0 acres of land, of which about 16.0 acres would be fenced for
operation of the new compressor stations. All additions and
modifications at the other compressor stations would occur inside the
fencelines on existing compressor station property.
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.
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, fisheries, and wetlands.
Vegetation and wildlife.
Endangered and threatened species.
Land use.
Cultural resources.
Air quality and noise.
Safety.
We will also evaluate possible 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.
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
recommend that the Commission approve or not approve the project.
Currently Identified Environmental Issues
We have already identified several issues that we think deserve
attention
[[Page 65319]]
based on a preliminary review of the proposed facilities and the
environmental information provided by Transco. Keep in mind that this
is a preliminary list:
Blasting is expected to be required at the crossings of
the Broad River and Peoples Creek and possibly at occasional locations
along the proposed pipeline route.
The proposed pipeline would cross a number of waterbodies,
including the 546-foot-wide Broad River. In addition, several wetlands
would be crossed.
Four federally listed endangered or threatened species
potentially occur in the counties in which the proposed facilities
would be constructed.
The proposed Loop D crosses the Cooperville Ironworks, a
National Register of Historic Places District (District) and one of the
sites that makes up the District.
Twelve residences are within 50 feet of the proposed
construction right-of-way.
New compression at new and existing compressor stations
would result in impacts on air and noise quality.
The list of issues may be added to, subtracted from, or changed
based on your comments and our analysis.
Also, we have made a preliminary decision to not address the
impacts of the nonjurisdictional electric cogeneration plant. We will
briefly describe its location and status in the EA. This facility is in
Cherokee County, South Carolina, and it has received most of the
relevant permits. Its construction should begin in January 1996.
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 (including alternative routes or locations), 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 received and properly recorded:
Address and send your letter to: Lois Cashell, Secretary,
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, N.E.,
Washington, D.C. 20426;
Reference Docket No. CP96-16-000;
Send a copy of your letter to: Mr. Mark Jensen, EA Project
Manager, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, N.E.,
11.2, Washington, D.C. 20426; and
Mail your comments so that they will be received in
Washington, D.C. on or before January 15, 1996.
If you wish to receive a copy of the EA, you should request one
from Mr. Jensen at the above address.
Becoming an Intervener
In addition to involvement in the EA scoping process, you may want
to become an official party to the proceeding or become 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 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) (see
appendix 2).
The date for filing of 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 scoping comments considered.
Additional information about the proposed project is available from
Mr. Mark Jensen, EA Project Manager, at (202) 208-0828.
Lois D. Cashell,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 95-30719 Filed 12-18-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M