[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 167 (Thursday, August 28, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45643-45645]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-22913]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket Nos. CP96-809-000, et al. and CP96-810-000]
Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline, L.L.C.; Notice of Amended Route
by Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline, L.L.C. to be Included in the
Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Maritimes Phase II
Project and Second Request for Comments on Environmental Issues
August 22, 1997.
The purpose of this second notice of intent (NOI) to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is to inform the public of amended
pipeline routes that will be analyzed in the EIS and to request
comments on the current route. We are issuing this NOI to avoid any
confusion over the currently proposed route of the Maritimes Phase II
Project.
On July 11, 1997, Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline, L.L.C.
(Maritimes) amended its application to reflect reroutes along 104 miles
of its proposed mainline and 40 miles of its lateral facilities and the
relocation of one of the compressor stations. Maritimes states that
these reroutes were identified as a result of efforts to address and
resolve concerns and comments from landowners and others. Appendix 1
lists the proposed facilities by county; appendix 2 includes a general
location map and detailed maps showing the location of the original
route and the currently proposed route (labeled as the ``PRIMARY
ROUTE'') and alternate routes.\1\
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\1\ 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, NE., Washington, DC 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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Background
On May 16, 1997, we issued our first NOI stating that the staff of
the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or Commission) is
preparing an environmental impact statement (EIS) that will discuss the
environmental impacts of the Maritimes Phase II Project. The project
now involves construction and operation, in Maine, of about 346.1 miles
of natural gas pipeline and compression.\2\ The facilities consist of
198.7 miles of 24- and 30-inch-diameter mainline between Westbrook and
the Canadian border near Woodland (Baileyville), Maine; 147.4 miles of
4- to 16-inch-diameter laterals, 31,160 horsepower (hp) of compression
at two new compressor stations, 12 new meter stations, and 35 block
valves. This EIS will be used by the Commission in its decision-making
process to determine whether the project is in the public convenience
and necessity.
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\2\ Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline, L.L.C.'s application was
filed with the Commission under Section 7 of the Natural Gas Act and
Part 157 of the Commission's regulations.
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Summary of Proposed Route Changes
Maritimes identified reroutes along about 53 percent of the
mainline and 27 percent of the laterals. The most significant changes
include those at:
Mainline mileposts (MP) 138.0 to 151.0 in the towns of
Bowdoinham, Richmond, and Pittston in Sagadahoc and Kennebec Counties,
including the relocation of the Richmond Compressor Station from Beedle
to Pitts Road (Mainline MP 143.OR);
Mainline MPs 217.3 to 236.5 in the towns of Bucksport,
Holden, Clifton, and Mariaville in Hancock and Penobscot Counties;
Mainline MPs 247.7 to 290.7 in unnamed townships in
Hancock and Washington Counties;
[[Page 45644]]
Cousins Island Lateral MPs 8.5 to 10.3 in the town of
Yarmouth, Cumberland County;
Skowhegan Lateral MPs 13.3 to 16.6 in the towns of China
and Albion, Kennebec County;
Skowhegan Lateral MPs 34.4 to 35.7R in the town of
Skowhegan, Somerset County;
Brewer (Eastern Fine) Spur MPs 0.0 to 2.1R in the town of
Brewer, Penobscot County; and
Lincoln (Eastern Fine) Spur MPs 0.0 to 2.7R in the town of
Lincoln, Penobscot County.
The remaining reroutes are less than 2 miles in length and less
than 1,000 feet from the originally proposed route. We have not listed
them above, but they are all shown in Appendix 2. On the maps the
currently proposed route is the ``PRIMARY ROUTE''.
Land Requirements for Construction
Construction of the proposed mainline and Cousins Island Laterals
(75-foot-wide nominal construction right-of-way) and the other laterals
(65-foot-wide nominal construction right-of-way) would affect about
2,980 acres of land. About 71 percent of the mainline and 86 percent of
the laterals would be adjacent to or within existing powerline or road
rights-of-way. Appendix 3 identifies by milepost those locations where
all of the construction right-of-way would be within existing rights-
of-way. Additional land disturbance would be needed for extra work
spaces at road, railroad and certain waterbody and wetland crossings,
as well as for pipeyards and contractors yards, and temporary topsoil
storage.
Following construction, about 1,931 acres of the land affected by
the project would be retained for operation of the pipeline. A
permanent 50 foot-wide right-of-way would be maintained for the
mainline and Cousins Island Lateral; a permanent 40-foot-wide right-of-
way would be maintained for the remaining laterals. In addition, about
60 acres of land would be fenced for the Richmond and Baileyville
Compressor Stations and about 2.4 acres would be required for the meter
stations (0.2 acre for each meter station). Block valves would be
within the permanent right-of-way. Existing land uses on the remainder
of the disturbed area would continue following construction.
The EIS 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 EIS 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 EIS. All comments received
are considered during the preparation of the EIS. 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 EIS will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of the
construction and operation of the proposed project. We have already
identified a number of issues that we think deserve attention based on
a preliminary review of the proposed facilities, comments received, and
the environmental information provided by Maritimes. This preliminary
list of issues may be changed based on your comments and our analysis.
Effects on watersheds, including Floods Pond (Bangor Water
District), Hatcase Pond (Brewer Water District), Sheepscot River, and
China Lake;
Effects of proposed open trench crossings on waterbody
over 100 feet wide including the Androscoggin River, Kennebec River,
Penobscot River, West Branch Union River, Jordan Brook, and St. Croix
River on the mainline; and Casco Bay, Sebasticook River, Kennebec River
(2 crossings), Otter Stream (2 crossings), Passadumkeag River,
Penobscot River (3 crossings), West Branch Penobscot River (2
crossings) and Millinocket Stream on the laterals;
Effects on river segments listed on either national or
state inventories of sensitive waterbodies, or both (Abagadasset,
Kennebec, West Branch Sheepscot, Sheepscot, St. George, West Branch
Union, Middle Branch Union, Narragaugus, Machias, West Branch Machias,
West Branch Penobscot, and St. Croix Rivers and Marsh Stream);
Crossing of 240 perennial waterbodies, including 33
waterbodies considered important for their commercial or recreational
fisheries, or protected species habitat;
Effect on anadromous fisheries (including Atlantic
salmon), deer wintering areas, waterfowl and wildlife habitat
(including a proposed crossing of Sunkhaze Meadows National Wildlife
Refuge);
Effects on 2 federally listed species (bald eagle,
shortnose sturgeon);
Effects of crossing 4 active gravel pits;
Clearing of about 2,061 acres of forest;
Crossing of about 26.5 miles of wetlands;
Effects of 62 residences within 100 feet of the pipeline
centerline;
Crossings of tribal land (Penobscot Indian Nation) and
impact on fishing rights (Passamaquoddy Natural Resource Committee);
Alternatives including the Northern Alternate near
Richmond and Gardiner, Maine, minor route changes for site-specific
concerns, and compressor station site alternatives.
Our independent analysis of the issues will be in a Draft EIS which
will be mailed to Federal, state, and local agencies, newspapers,
libraries, the Commission's official service list for these
proceedings, and individuals and public interest groups who requested
to remain on our mailing list. A 45-day comment period will be allotted
for review of the Draft EIS. We will consider all comments on the Draft
EIS and revise the document, as necessary, before issuing a Final EIS.
The Final EIS will include our response to each comment received.
Public Participation and Scoping Meetings
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 compressor station
sites), 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:
Send two copies of your letter to: Lois Cashell,
Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First St., N.E.,
Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426;
Label one copy of the comments for the attention of the
Environmental Review and Compliance Branch II, PR 11.2;
Reference Docket No. CP96-809-000; and
Mail your comments so that they will be received in
Washington, DC on or before September 26, 1997.
In addition to sending written comments, you may attend a public
scoping meeting that we will conduct in Gardiner, Maine at the
following time and location:
Date: Tuesday, Sept. 16, 1997.
Time: 7:00 p.m.
[[Page 45645]]
Location: Middle School Gymnasium, State Route 126 (near Water
Street), Gardiner, Maine, (207) 582-1326.
The purpose of the scoping meeting is to obtain additional input
from state and local governments and from the public, especially about
the Northern Alternative. See the map in Appendix 2. Federal agencies
have formal channels for input into the Federal process (including
separate meetings where appropriate) on an interagency basis. Federal
agencies are expected to transmit their comments directly to the FERC
and not use the scoping meetings for this purpose. Local agencies are
requested to provide information on other plans and projects which
might conflict with, or have cumulative effects, when considered in
combination with the Maritimes Phase II Project.
Interested groups and individuals are encouraged to attend the
meetings and present oral comments on the environmental issues which
they believe should be addressed in the Draft EIS. A list will be
available at the public meetings to allow speakers to sign up. Priority
will be given to those persons representing groups. A transcript will
be made on the meetings and comments will be used to help determine the
scope of the Draft EIS.
Becoming an Intervenor
In addition to involvement in the EIS 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 such as data
requests and filings by other intervenors. We will provide our EIS to
anyone who follows the instructions which appear later in this NOI.
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 3). If you
already intervened in this proceeding you do not need to do so again
because of the amended routes.
The date for filing 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 comments considered.
Environmental Mailing List
This notice is being sent to individuals, organizations, and
government entities interested and/or potentially affected by the
proposed project. To solicit focused comments regarding environmental
considerations related to the proposed project and alternatives, it is
also being sent to all potential right-of-way grantors (i.e.,
landowners whose property would be crossed), landowners along the
alternative routes, landowners and abuttors at the aboveground facility
sites, and abuttors along powerline rights-of-way that would be used
for installation of the pipeline.
If you do not want to send comments at this time but still want to
remain on our mailing list and receive a copy of our Draft and Final
EISs, please return the form in appendix 4. PLEASE NOTE: IF WE HAVE NOT
HEARD FROM YOU, EITHER BY COMMENT LETTER, RESPONSE TO ONE OF THE TWO
NOIs, OR REGISTERING AT THE SCOPING MEETINGS, YOU WILL BE DROPPED FROM
THE MAILING LIST. If you have previously provided us with your name and
address, you do not need to send in the form in appendix 4.
Lois D. Cashell,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 97-22913 Filed 8-27-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M