[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 98 (Monday, May 20, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25219-25220]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-12552]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP96-297-000]
Great Lakes Gas Transmission Limited Partnership; Notice of
Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Security
Loop II Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues
May 14, 1996.
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 construction and operation of
the facilities proposed by the Great Lakes Gas Transmission Limited
Partnership (Great Lakes) for its Security Loop II 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.
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\1\ Great Lakes' application was filed with the Commission on
April 4, 1996 under Section 7 of the Natural Gas Act and Part 157 of
the Commission's regulations.
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Summary of the Proposed Project
Great Lakes wants to complete the looping of its entire mainline
system which is fully subscribed with firm service, to provide greater
reliability and operating flexibility for its shippers.\2\ Great Lakes
seeks authority to construct and operate three segments of 36-inch-
diameter pipeline loop in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan:
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\2\ The only portions of Great Lakes' existing 968-mile-long 36-
inch-diameter mainline which have not been looped are the three
segments, totalling 24.5 miles, addressed in this proposal. A loop
is a segment of pipeline which is usually installed adjacent to an
existing pipeline and connected to it at both ends. The loop allows
more gas to be moved through that segment of the pipeline system.
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Loop Segment 1 would be about 2.4-miles-long, wholly
within Delta County, Michigan. It would begin at milepost (MP) 560.3
along Great Lakes' existing mainline and end at Great Lakes' existing
Rapid River Compressor Station at MP 562.7.
Loop Segment 2 would be about 12.5-miles-long, also within
Delta County, Michigan, extending from MP 562.7 to MP 575.2.
Loop Segment 3 would be about 9.6-miles-long, in Mackinac
County, Michigan. It would begin at Great Lakes' existing Naubinway
Compressor Station at MP 640.1 and end at MP 649.7.
As part of this project, Great Lakes would modify existing piping
and install additional above-ground facilities at its Rapid River and
Naubinway Compressor Stations, and Rapid River Meter Station.\3\ The
proposed loop construction would also necessitate the abandonment and
removal of the existing tie-ins at the beginning of Loop Segment 1, the
end of Loop Segment 2, and the end of Loop Segment 3.
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\3\ The proposed above-ground facilities would consist of a pig
launcher and receiver at the Rapid River Compressor Station, a
launcher at the Naubinway Compressor Station, and a valve at the
Rapid River Meter Station.
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The general location of the proposed project facilities are shown
in appendix 1.\4\
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\4\ The appendices referenced in this notice are not being
printed in the Federal Register. Copies are available from the
Commission's Public Reference and Files Maintenance Branch, 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.
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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. Federal agencies can request to be cooperating agencies in 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, fisheries and wetlands.
[[Page 25220]]
Vegetation and wildlife.
Endangered and threatened species.
Cultural resources.
Land use.
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 in the EA based on a preliminary review of the proposed
facilities and information provided by Great Lakes. Keep in mind that
this is a preliminary list.
Loop Segment 1 would cross lands managed by the Escanaba
River State Forest. Loop Segments 1 and 2 would cross lands managed by
the Hiawatha National Forest. Loop Segment 3 would cross lands managed
by the Lake Superior State Forest.
Loop Segment 2 would cross the Bay de Noc--Grand Island
recreational trail and the Nahma snowmobile trail.
The three loop segments combined would cross about 12.2
miles of forested land, and about 1.1 mile of agricultural land.
One residence is located within 50 feet of the proposed
construction right-of-way for Loop Segment 1.
Loop Segment 2 would cross the Whitefish River, which is
federally listed as a Wild and Scenic River. The three loops combined
would cross 17 other perennial streams, 13 of which have been
classified as cold water fisheries.
The three loops combined would cross 32 wetlands,
totalling about 10.6 miles.
A total of 12 cultural resource sites have been identified
along all three loops segments combined, of which 9 have been
recommended for additional investigation.
The list of issues may be added to, subtracted from, or changed
based on your comments and our analysis.
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), 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 your letter to: Lois Cashell, Secretary, Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First St., N.E., Washington, D.C.
20426;
Reference Docket No. CP96-297-000;
Send a copy of your letter to: Paul Friedman, EA Project
Manager, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, OPR/DEER/ERCI--PR11.1,
888 First St., N.E., Washington, D.C. 20426; and
Mail your comments so that they will be received in
Washington, D.C. on or before June 17, 1996.
Additional information about the proposed project is available from
Paul Friedman, EA Project Manager, at (202) 208-1108. If you wish to
receive a copy of the EA, you should request one from Mr. Friedman at
the above address.
Becoming an Intervenor
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 timely motions to intervene in this proceeding
has passed. Therefore, parties 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 later intervention. You do not need intervenor status to
have your scoping comments considered.
Lois D. Cashell,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 96-12552 Filed 5-17-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M