CenterPoint Energy Gas Transmission Company; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Chiles Dome Storage Expansion Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, 13185-13187 [E5-1179]
Download as PDF
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 52 / Friday, March 18, 2005 / Notices
and interconnected operations services
in compliance with the Commission’s
order issued February 14, 2005 in
Docket No. ER05–652–002, et al., 110
FERC ¶ 61,142.
Comment Date: 5 p.m. eastern time on
March 29, 2005.
3. Tucson Electric Power Company and
UNS Electric, Inc.
[Docket No. ER05–610–001]
Take notice that on March 8, 2005,
Tucson Electric Power Company and
UNS Electric Inc. tendered for filing
revised tariff sheets as an addendum to
their joint February 18, 2005
compliance filing in Docket No. ER05–
610–000.
Comment Date: 5 p.m. eastern time on
March 29, 2005.
4. WPS Energy Services, Inc.
[Docket No. ER05–686–000]
Take notice that on March 8, 2005,
WPS Energy Services, Inc. (ESI)
tendered for filing a Notice of
Cancellation of the brokering and
dispatch agreement between ESI and
Sunbury Generation, LLC (Sunbury).
ESI requests an effective date of
December 31, 2004.
ESI states that copies of the filing
were served upon Sunbury.
Comment Date: 5 p.m. eastern time on
March 29, 2005.
5. Total Gas & Electricity (PA), Inc.
[Docket Nos. ER05–687–000]
Take notice that on March 8, 2005,
Total Gas & Electricity (PA), Inc. (TG&E
PA) tendered for filing a petition for
acceptance of TG&E PA’s proposed
FERC Rate Schedule No. 1; waiver of
certain requirements under Subparts B
and C of Part 35 of the regulations; and
the granting of blanket approvals
normally accorded to sellers at marketbased rates. TG&E PA states that it
intends to act as a power marketer and
that it and its affiliates do not own or
control any electric generation facilities,
transmission facilities, or any inputs to
generation and does not have any
franchised electric utility affiliates.
Comment Date: 5 p.m. eastern time on
March 29, 2005.
6. Southwest Power Pool, Inc.
[Docket No. ER05–688–000]
Take notice that on March 8, 2005,
Southwest Power Pool, Inc. (SPP)
submitted for filing a letter agreement
between Southwestern Public Service
Company d/b/a Xcel Energy (Xcel) and
Wildorado Wind, LP (Wildorado)
(collectively, Parties) providing for the
performance of certain engineering and
design activities by Xcel and the
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16:14 Mar 17, 2005
Jkt 205001
payment for such activities by
Wildorado relating to the proposed
interconnection of a generating facility
to be owned and constructed by
Wildorado. SPP states that while it is
not a party to the letter agreement, it is
submitting the letter agreement on
behalf of the Parties as the relevant
Transmission Provider. SPP seeks an
effective date of February 14, 2005.
Comment Date: 5 p.m. eastern time on
March 29, 2005.
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Standard Paragraph
13185
March 11, 2005.
Any person desiring to intervene or to
protest this filing must file in
accordance with Rules 211 and 214 of
the Commission’s Rules of Practice and
Procedure (18 CFR 385.211 and
385.214). Protests will be considered by
the Commission in determining the
appropriate action to be taken, but will
not serve to make protestants parties to
the proceeding. Any person wishing to
become a party must file a notice of
intervention or motion to intervene, as
appropriate. Such notices, motions, or
protests must be filed on or before the
comment date. Anyone filing a motion
to intervene or protest must serve a copy
of that document on the Applicant and
all parties to this proceeding.
The Commission encourages
electronic submission of protests and
interventions in lieu of paper using the
‘‘eFiling’’ link at https://www.ferc.gov.
Persons unable to file electronically
should submit an original and 14 copies
of the protest or intervention to the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC
20426.
This filing is accessible on-line at
https://www.ferc.gov, using the
‘‘eLibrary’’ link and is available for
review in the Commission’s Public
Reference Room in Washington, DC.
There is an ‘‘eSubscription’’ link on the
Web site that enables subscribers to
receive email notification when a
document is added to a subscribed
docket(s). For assistance with any FERC
Online service, please e-mail
FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov, or call
(866) 208–3676 (toll free). For TTY, call
(202) 502–8659.
Linda Mitry,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. E5–1180 Filed 3–17–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
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Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. CP05–58–000]
CenterPoint Energy Gas Transmission
Company; Notice of Intent To Prepare
an Environmental Assessment for the
Proposed Chiles Dome Storage
Expansion 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 Chiles Dome Storage Expansion
Project involving construction and
operation of facilities by CenterPoint
Energy Gas Transmission Company
(CenterPoint) in Coal, Atoka, Pittsburg,
and Latimer Counties, Oklahoma.
CenterPoint’s project purpose is to
increase its Chiles Dome storage
reservoir working gas capacity by three
billion cubic feet and its deliverability
by 43,000,000 cubic feet per day. In
general, the project consists of three
wells, about 23.5 miles of pipeline, and
auxiliary facilities at Centerpoint’s
existing Chiles Dome and Chandler
Compressor Stations.
This notice announces the opening of
the scoping period that will be used to
gather environmental input from the
public and interested agencies on the
project. Please note that the scoping
period will close on April 11, 2005.
This notice is being sent to potentially
affected landowners; federal, state, and
local government agencies; elected
officials; environmental and public
interest groups; Native American Tribes,
other interested parties; local libraries
and newspapers. State and local
government representatives are asked to
notify their constituents of this planned
project and encourage them to comment
on their areas of concern.
If you are a landowner receiving this
notice, you may be contacted by a
pipeline company representative about
the acquisition of an easement to
construct, operate, and maintain the
proposed facilities. The pipeline
company would seek to negotiate a
mutually acceptable agreement.
However, if the project is approved by
the Commission, 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 in accordance with state
law.
E:\FR\FM\18MRN1.SGM
18MRN1
13186
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 52 / Friday, March 18, 2005 / Notices
A fact sheet prepared by the FERC
entitled ‘‘An Interstate Natural Gas
Facility On My Land? What Do I Need
To Know?’’ is available for viewing on
the FERC Web site (https://
www.ferc.gov). 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
available for viewing on the FERC
Internet Web site (https://www.ferc.gov).
Summary of the Proposed Project
Centerpoint proposes to construct and
operate: 1
(1) Three vertical wells in its Chiles
Dome Storage Reservoir in Coal County,
Oklahoma;
(2) About 23.4 miles of 24-inchdiameter pipeline that would extend
eastward from the Chiles Dome Storage
Reservoir to an existing CenterPoint 24inch-diameter pipeline in Pittsburg
County, Oklahoma. This would include:
• Two 24-inch mainline valve
assemblies,
• Two blowdown stacks, and
• A pig launcher and receiver at each
terminal;
(3) within its existing Chiles Dome
Compressor Station in Coal County,
Oklahoma:
• A pipeline liquid removal scrubber,
• A glycol dehydrator and reboiler,
• A gas cooler, filter-separator, and
pressure reducing valve,
• About 400 feet of 20-inch-diameter
pipe and 100 feet of 16-inch-diameter
pipe, and
• Valves, fittings, and supports to
connect to the proposed 24-inchdiameter pipeline; and
(4) Within its existing Chandler
Compressor Station in Latimer County,
Oklahoma:
• A 16-inch meter,
• An 8-inch pressure reducing valve,
• A 20-inch cross-over line, and
• About 450 feet of 20-inch-diameter
pipe.
The general location of Centerpoint’s
proposed facilities is shown on the map
attached as Appendix 1.2
Land Requirements for Construction
Construction of CenterPoint’s
proposed facilities would require about
1 CenterPoint’s application was filed with the
Commission under section 7 of the Natural Gas Act
and Part 157 of the Commission’s regulations.
2 The appendices referenced in this notice are not
being printed in the Federal Register. Copies of all
appendices, other than appendix 1 (maps), are
available on the Commission’s Web site at the
‘‘eLibrary’’ link 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 the last page of
this notice. Copies of the appendices were sent to
all those receiving this notice in the mail.
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16:14 Mar 17, 2005
Jkt 205001
255.0 acres of land for the well pads,
construction right-of-way for the
pipelines, additional temporary
workspaces, and staging areas. The
wells would require about 2.1 acres
each for both construction and
operation. The construction right-of-way
for the pipelines would typically be 75
feet wide, except in agricultural areas or
where specifically requested by
landowners it could be 100 feet wide, to
allow for topsoil segregation. Following
construction, a 50-foot wide permanent
right-of-way would be maintained.
The construction of the auxiliary
facilities at the Chiles Dome and
Chandler Compressor Stations would be
performed within the existing
CenterPoint facilities and would not
require the clearing of additional land.
Construction access to CenterPoint’s
project would be via existing public and
private roads. CenterPoint has identified
13 existing private access roads
necessary for the construction of its
project.
The EA Process
We 3 are preparing the EA to comply
with the National Environmental Policy
Act (NEPA) which 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. 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 of Intent, the
Commission staff requests public
comments on the scope of the issues to
address in the EA. All comments
received are considered during the
preparation of the EA. 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
below.
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
3 ‘‘We’’, ‘‘us’’, and ‘‘our’’, refer to the
environmental staff of the Office of Energy Projects
(OEP).
PO 00000
Frm 00028
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
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.
Currently Identified Environmental
Issues
In the EA, we will discuss impacts
that could occur as a result of the
construction and operation of the
project. We will also evaluate possible
alternatives to the proposed project or
portions of the project.
We have already identified some
issues that we think deserve attention
based on a preliminary review of the
proposed facilities and the
environmental information provided by
CenterPoint. This preliminary list of
issues may be changed based on your
comments and our analysis.
Project-related impact on:
• Pipeline crossings of 12 perennial
waterbodies.
• Five federally-listed threatened and
endangered species potentially in the
project area.
Public Participation
You can make a difference by
providing us with your specific
comments or concerns about the project.
By becoming a commentor, your
concerns will be addressed in the EA
and considered by the Commission. You
should focus on the potential
environmental effects of the proposal,
alternatives to the proposal (including
alternative locations and routes), and
measures to avoid or lessen
environmental impact. The more
specific your comments, the more useful
they will be. Please carefully follow
these instructions to ensure that your
comments are received in time and
properly recorded:
• Send an original and two copies of
your letter to: Magalie R. Salas,
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.
• Reference Docket No. CP05–58–
000.
• Mail your comments so that they
will be received in Washington, DC on
or before April 11, 2005.
Please note that the Commission
strongly encourages electronic filing of
any comments or interventions or
protests to this proceeding. See 18 CFR
385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions
on the Commission’s Web site at
https://www.ferc.gov under the ‘‘eFiling’’ link and the link to the User’s
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Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 52 / Friday, March 18, 2005 / Notices
Guide. Before you can file comments
you will need to create an account
which can be created on-line.
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 e-Filing 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, see Appendix 2).4 Only
intervenors have the right to seek
rehearing of the Commission’s decision.
Affected landowners and parties with
environmental concerns may be granted
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.
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 (https://www.ferc.gov)
using the eLibrary link. Click on the
eLibrary link, click 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
4 Interventions may also be filed electronically via
the Internet in lieu of paper. See the previous
discussion on filing comments electronically.
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16:14 Mar 17, 2005
Jkt 205001
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 https://
www.ferc.gov/esubscribenow.htm.
Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E5–1179 Filed 3–17–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
Notice of Scoping Meetings, Technical
Conference, Site Visit and Soliciting
Scoping Comments
March 11, 2005.
Take notice that the following
hydroelectric application has been filed
with Commission and are available for
public inspection:
a. Type of Application: New major
license.
b. Project No.: 11882–002.
c. Date filed: May 27, 2004.
d. Applicant: Fall River Rural Electric
Cooperative, Inc.
e. Name of Project: Hebgen Dam
Hydroelectric Project.
f. Location: On the Madison River,
near the town of West Yellowstone,
Gallatin County, Montana. The project
is located in the Gallatin National Forest
and is within close proximity to
Yellowstone National Park.
g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power
Act, 16 U.S.C. 791(a)–825(r).
h. Applicant Contact: Brent L. Smith,
Northwest Power Services, Inc. PO Box
535, Rigby, Idaho 83442; telephone
(208) 745–0834 or by e-mail at
bsmith@nwpwrservices.com.
i. FERC Contact: Kim A. Nguyen,
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC
20426; telephone (202) 502–6105 or by
e-mail at kim.nguyen@ferc.gov.
j. Deadline for filing scoping
comments: May 13, 2005.
All documents (original and eight
copies) should be filed with: Magalie R.
Salas, Secretary, Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission, 888 First
Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426.
The Commission’s Rules of Practice
and Procedure require all intervenors
filing documents with the Commission
to serve a copy of that document on
each person on the official service list
for the project. Further, if an intervenor
files comments or documents with the
Commission relating to the merits of an
issue that may affect the responsibilities
of a particular resource agency, they
PO 00000
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13187
must also serve a copy of the document
on that resource agency.
Scoping comments may be filed
electronically via the Internet in lieu of
paper. The Commission strongly
encourages electronic filings. See 18
CFR 385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the
instructions on the Commission’s Web
site (https://www.ferc.gov) under the ‘‘eFiling’’ link.
k. This application is not ready for
environmental analysis at this time.
l. The Hebgen Dam Hydroelectric
Project will consist of a powerhouse
with a single turbine generator unit of
approximately 6.7 megawatt capacity at
the area downstream of the dam and
immediately north of the present outlet
discharge. The Applicant also proposes
to install a new 9.4-mile, 25-kilovolt
underground power transmission line to
connect the powerhouse with the
existing Fall River Rural Electric
Cooperative’s Hebgen substation located
near Grayline, Montana. The Applicant
proposes to utilize the existing Hebgen
Dam, Hebgen Resevoir, outlet works,
and spillway, currently owned and
operated by Pennsylvania Power and
Light Montana, LLC (PPL Montana) as a
regulating reservoir under the MissouriMadison Hydroelectric Project, FERC
No. 2188.
m. A copy of the application is
available for review at the Commission
in the Public Reference Room or may be
viewed on the Commission’s Web site at
https://www.ferc.gov using the
‘‘eLibrary’’ link. Enter the docket
number excluding the last three digits in
the docket number field to access the
document. For assistance, contact FERC
Online Support at
FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or tollfree at 1–866–208–3676, or for TTY,
(202) 502–8659. A copy is also available
for inspection and reproduction at the
address in item h above.
You may also register online at
https://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/
esubscription.asp to be notified via email of new filings and issuances
related to this or other pending projects.
For assistance, contact FERC Online
Support.
n. Scoping Process. The Commission
intends to prepare an Environmental
assessment (EA) on the project in
accordance with the National
Environmental Policy Act. The EA will
consider both site-specific and
cumulative environmental impacts and
reasonable alternatives to the proposed
action.
Scoping Meetings
FERC staff will conduct one daytime
scoping meeting and one evening
meeting. The daytime scoping meeting
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 52 (Friday, March 18, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13185-13187]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-1179]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP05-58-000]
CenterPoint Energy Gas Transmission Company; Notice of Intent To
Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Chiles Dome
Storage Expansion Project and Request for Comments on Environmental
Issues
March 11, 2005.
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 Chiles Dome Storage Expansion
Project involving construction and operation of facilities by
CenterPoint Energy Gas Transmission Company (CenterPoint) in Coal,
Atoka, Pittsburg, and Latimer Counties, Oklahoma. CenterPoint's project
purpose is to increase its Chiles Dome storage reservoir working gas
capacity by three billion cubic feet and its deliverability by
43,000,000 cubic feet per day. In general, the project consists of
three wells, about 23.5 miles of pipeline, and auxiliary facilities at
Centerpoint's existing Chiles Dome and Chandler Compressor Stations.
This notice announces the opening of the scoping period that will
be used to gather environmental input from the public and interested
agencies on the project. Please note that the scoping period will close
on April 11, 2005.
This notice is being sent to potentially affected landowners;
federal, state, and local government agencies; elected officials;
environmental and public interest groups; Native American Tribes, other
interested parties; local libraries and newspapers. State and local
government representatives are asked to notify their constituents of
this planned project and encourage them to comment on their areas of
concern.
If you are a landowner receiving this notice, you may be contacted
by a pipeline company representative about the acquisition of an
easement to construct, operate, and maintain the proposed facilities.
The pipeline company would seek to negotiate a mutually acceptable
agreement. However, if the project is approved by the Commission, 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 in accordance with
state law.
[[Page 13186]]
A fact sheet prepared by the FERC entitled ``An Interstate Natural
Gas Facility On My Land? What Do I Need To Know?'' is available for
viewing on the FERC Web site (https://www.ferc.gov). 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 available for viewing on the FERC Internet Web site (https://
www.ferc.gov).
Summary of the Proposed Project
Centerpoint proposes to construct and operate: \1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ CenterPoint's application was filed with the Commission
under section 7 of the Natural Gas Act and Part 157 of the
Commission's regulations.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Three vertical wells in its Chiles Dome Storage Reservoir in
Coal County, Oklahoma;
(2) About 23.4 miles of 24-inch-diameter pipeline that would extend
eastward from the Chiles Dome Storage Reservoir to an existing
CenterPoint 24-inch-diameter pipeline in Pittsburg County, Oklahoma.
This would include:
Two 24-inch mainline valve assemblies,
Two blowdown stacks, and
A pig launcher and receiver at each terminal;
(3) within its existing Chiles Dome Compressor Station in Coal
County, Oklahoma:
A pipeline liquid removal scrubber,
A glycol dehydrator and reboiler,
A gas cooler, filter-separator, and pressure reducing
valve,
About 400 feet of 20-inch-diameter pipe and 100 feet of
16-inch-diameter pipe, and
Valves, fittings, and supports to connect to the proposed
24-inch-diameter pipeline; and
(4) Within its existing Chandler Compressor Station in Latimer
County, Oklahoma:
A 16-inch meter,
An 8-inch pressure reducing valve,
A 20-inch cross-over line, and
About 450 feet of 20-inch-diameter pipe.
The general location of Centerpoint's proposed facilities is shown
on the map attached as Appendix 1.\2\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ The appendices referenced in this notice are not being
printed in the Federal Register. Copies of all appendices, other
than appendix 1 (maps), are available on the Commission's Web site
at the ``eLibrary'' link 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 the
last page of this notice. Copies of the appendices were sent to all
those receiving this notice in the mail.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Land Requirements for Construction
Construction of CenterPoint's proposed facilities would require
about 255.0 acres of land for the well pads, construction right-of-way
for the pipelines, additional temporary workspaces, and staging areas.
The wells would require about 2.1 acres each for both construction and
operation. The construction right-of-way for the pipelines would
typically be 75 feet wide, except in agricultural areas or where
specifically requested by landowners it could be 100 feet wide, to
allow for topsoil segregation. Following construction, a 50-foot wide
permanent right-of-way would be maintained.
The construction of the auxiliary facilities at the Chiles Dome and
Chandler Compressor Stations would be performed within the existing
CenterPoint facilities and would not require the clearing of additional
land.
Construction access to CenterPoint's project would be via existing
public and private roads. CenterPoint has identified 13 existing
private access roads necessary for the construction of its project.
The EA Process
We \3\ are preparing the EA to comply with the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) which 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. 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 of Intent, the Commission staff requests public comments on
the scope of the issues to address in the EA. All comments received are
considered during the preparation of the EA. 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 below.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ ``We'', ``us'', and ``our'', refer to the environmental
staff of the Office of Energy Projects (OEP).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 make
our recommendations to the Commission.
Currently Identified Environmental Issues
In the EA, we will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of
the construction and operation of the project. We will also evaluate
possible alternatives to the proposed project or portions of the
project.
We have already identified some issues that we think deserve
attention based on a preliminary review of the proposed facilities and
the environmental information provided by CenterPoint. This preliminary
list of issues may be changed based on your comments and our analysis.
Project-related impact on:
Pipeline crossings of 12 perennial waterbodies.
Five federally-listed threatened and endangered species
potentially in the project area.
Public Participation
You can make a difference by providing us with your specific
comments or concerns about the project. By becoming a commentor, your
concerns will be addressed in the EA and considered by the Commission.
You should focus on the potential environmental effects of the
proposal, alternatives to the proposal (including alternative locations
and routes), and measures to avoid or lessen environmental impact. The
more specific your comments, the more useful they will be. Please
carefully follow these instructions to ensure that your comments are
received in time and properly recorded:
Send an original and two copies of your letter to: Magalie
R. Salas, 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.
Reference Docket No. CP05-58-000.
Mail your comments so that they will be received in
Washington, DC on or before April 11, 2005.
Please note that the Commission strongly encourages electronic
filing of any comments or interventions or protests to this proceeding.
See 18 CFR 385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions on the Commission's
Web site at https://www.ferc.gov under the ``e-Filing'' link and the
link to the User's
[[Page 13187]]
Guide. Before you can file comments you will need to create an account
which can be created on-line.
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 e-Filing 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, see Appendix 2).\4\ Only intervenors have
the right to seek rehearing of the Commission's decision.
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\4\ Interventions may also be filed electronically via the
Internet in lieu of paper. See the previous discussion on filing
comments electronically.
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Affected landowners and parties with environmental concerns may be
granted 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.
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 (https://www.ferc.gov) using the eLibrary link.
Click on the eLibrary link, click 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 https://www.ferc.gov/esubscribenow.htm.
Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E5-1179 Filed 3-17-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P