Equitrans, LP; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Big Sandy Pipeline Project, Request for Comments on Environmental Issues and Notice of Site Visit, 7028-7030 [E6-1856]
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7028
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 28 / Friday, February 10, 2006 / Notices
listed as a contact for an intervenor
must create and validate an
eRegistration account using the
eRegistration link. Select the eFiling
link to log on and submit the
intervention or protests.
Persons unable to file electronically
should submit an original and 14 copies
of the intervention or protest to the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
888 First St. NE., Washington, DC
20426.
The filings in the above proceedings
are accessible in the Commission’s
eLibrary system by clicking on the
appropriate link in the above list. They
are also 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 e-mail
notification when a document is added
to a subscribed dockets(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.
Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E6–1849 Filed 2–9–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
in Order No. 652, its indirect affiliation
with the San Juan Mesa Wind Project,
LLC and Storm Lake’s recent indirect
affiliation with the East Ridge Projects.
Comment Date: 5 p.m. eastern time on
February 16, 2006.
2. California Independent System
Operator Corporation; Pacific Gas and
Electric Company
[Docket Nos. ER04–115–006; EL04–47–006;
ER04–242–005; EL04–50–004]
Take notice that on January 27, 2006,
the California Independent System
Operator, pursuant to Commission’s
Order issued on February 2, 2005, is
filing its refund report.
Comment Date: 5 p.m. eastern time on
February 17, 2006.
3. American Electric Power Service
Corporation
[Docket No. ER06–533–000]
Take notice that on January 24, 2006,
American Electric Power Service
Corporation, as agent for Kentucky
Power Company (KPCo) tendered for
filing an interconnection and local
delivery service agreement between
KPCo and the city of Olive Hill,
Kentucky.
Comment Date: 5 p.m. eastern time on
February 14, 2006.
New England Power Company
[Docket No. ER06–555–000]
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket Nos. ER98–4643–004, et al.]
Storm Lake Power Partners I, LLC, et
al.; Electric Rate and Corporate Filings
February 3, 2006.
The following filings have been made
with the Commission. The filings are
listed in ascending order within each
docket classification.
1. Storm Lake Power Partners I, LLC;
DeGreeffpa, LLC; Bendwind, LLC;
Sierra Wind, LLC; Groen Wind, LLC;
Larswind, LLC; TAIR Windfarm, LLC;
Hillcrest Wind, LLC
rmajette on PROD1PC67 with NOTICES1
[Docket Nos. ER98–4643–004; ER06–215–
001; ER06–220–001; ER06–221–001; ER06–
222–001; ER06–223–001; ER06–224–001;
ER06–225–001]
Take notice that on January 26, 2006,
DeGreeffpa, LLC; Bendwind LLC; Sierra
Wind, LLC; Groen Wind, LLC;
Larswind, LLC; TAIR Windfarm, LLC;
Hillcrest Wind, LLC and Storm Lake
Power Partners I, LLC (collectively,
Edison Entities), each of which is an
indirect subsidiary of Edison
International, tendered for filing in
compliance with reporting requirements
VerDate Aug<31>2005
15:10 Feb 09, 2006
Jkt 208001
Take notice that on January 27, 2006,
New England Power Company (NEP)
tendered for filing a Fourth Revised
Service Agreement No. 6 between NEP
and its affiliate, Granite State Electric
Company.
Comment Date: 5 p.m. eastern time on
February 17, 2006.
Standard Paragraph
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, 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. On or before the
comment date, it is not necessary to
serve motions to intervene or protests
on persons other than the Applicant.
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
PO 00000
Frm 00027
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
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 e-mail 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.
Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E6–1850 Filed 2–9–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. PF06–12–000]
Equitrans, LP; Notice of Intent To
Prepare an Environmental Assessment
for the Proposed Big Sandy Pipeline
Project, Request for Comments on
Environmental Issues and Notice of
Site Visit
February 3, 2006.
The staff of the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) will prepare an
environmental assessment (EA) that will
discuss the environmental impacts of
Equitrans, LP’s (Equitrans) planned Big
Sandy Pipeline Project located in Floyd,
Johnson, Lawrence, and Carter County,
Kentucky.
This notice announces the opening of
the scoping process we will use to
gather input from the public and
interested agencies on the project. Your
input will help the Commission staff
determine which issues need to be
evaluated in the EA. Please note that the
scoping period will close on March 24,
2006.
This notice is being sent to affected
landowners; federal, state, and local
government representatives and
agencies; environmental and public
interest groups; Native American tribes;
other interested parties in this
proceeding; and local libraries and
newspapers. We encourage government
representatives to notify their
constituents of this planned project and
E:\FR\FM\10FEN1.SGM
10FEN1
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 28 / Friday, February 10, 2006 / Notices
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.
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 Internet 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 FERC’s
proceedings.
Summary of the Proposed Project
rmajette on PROD1PC67 with NOTICES1
The project would consist of
construction of about 60 miles of 20inch-diameter pipeline. The pipeline
would originate at the discharge of the
existing Kentucky Hydrocarbon plant in
Langley, Kentucky and terminate at
Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company’s
Broad Run Lateral in Carter County,
Kentucky. Equitrans would also
construct one new 5,000 horsepower
compressor station on the south end of
the line. One pig launcher, one pig
receiver, eight mainline valves, and one
new metering and regulating station
would also be constructed along the
pipeline. Location maps depicting
Equitrans’ proposed facilities are
provided in Appendix 1.1
Equitrans indicates that these
facilities are needed to provide much
needed relief for the summer capacity
constraints that are currently restricting
gas production in the eastern Kentucky
basin.
Equitrans anticipates filing an
application with the FERC in June 2006.
If approved, Equitrans would seek
approval to begin construction by
September 2006, with a proposed inservice date of April 1, 2007.
1 The appendices referenced in this notice are not
being printed in the Federal Register. Copies are
available on the Commission’s website (excluding
maps) at the ‘‘eLibrary’’ link or from the
Commission’s Public Reference Room or call (202)
502–8371. For instructions on connecting to
eLibrary refer to the end of this notice. Copies of
the appendices were sent to all those receiving this
notice in the mail.
VerDate Aug<31>2005
15:10 Feb 09, 2006
Jkt 208001
Land Requirements
Construction of the project facilities
would disturb about 912 acres of land.
Following construction, about 550 acres
of the total would be retained for the
operation of the pipeline and the
aboveground facilities (compressor and
meter stations). Equitrans currently
proposes to use a nominal 100-foot-wide
right-of-way (ROW) to construct its
pipeline, with occasional increases in
width for additional workspace at
waterbody, wetland, road, and railroad
crossings. Temporary extra workspaces
may also be required in areas with sitespecific constraints, such as side-slope
construction. Other temporary land
requirements would include areas
needed for pipe storage and equipment
yards. For operation of the pipeline
facilities, Equitrans proposes a 50-footwide permanent ROW.
Currently Identified Environmental
Issues
We have already identified several
issues that we think deserve attention
based on a preliminary review of the
proposed facilities and information
provided by Equitrans. This list of
issues may be changed based on your
comments and our analysis:
• The effect of blasting on
groundwater;
• Difficult ROW restoration in areas
of side slope construction; and
• Impact on visual resources due to
vegetation clearing to create a new
ROW.
The EA Process
The FERC will be the lead federal
agency for the preparation of the EA.
The document will satisfy the
requirements of the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The
Big Sandy Pipeline Project is in the
preliminary design state.
For this project, the FERC staff has
initiated its National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) review prior to
receiving the application. The purpose
of the Commission’s Pre-Filing Process
is to involve interested stakeholders
early in project planning and to identify
and resolve issues before an application
is filed with the FERC. A docket number
(PF06–12–000) has been established to
place information filed by Equitrans,
and related documents issued by the
Commission, into the public record.
Once a formal application is filed with
the FERC, a new docket number will be
established.
NEPA requires the Commission to
take into account the environmental
impacts that could result from an action
whenever it considers the issuance of a
PO 00000
Frm 00028
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
7029
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, we are requesting
public comments on the scope of the
issues that should be addressed in the
EA. We will consider all comments
received during scoping in the
preparation of the EA.
Our independent analysis and
evaluation of the issues will be included
in the EA. The EA will also include
possible alternatives to the proposed
project or portions of the project, and
we will make recommendations on how
to lessen or avoid impacts on the
various resource areas of concern.
Depending on the comments received
during the scoping process, the EA may
be published and mailed to federal,
state, and local agencies; elected
officials; environmental and public
interest groups; other interested parties;
affected landowners; Native American
tribes; libraries, and newspapers; and
the Commission’s official service list for
this proceeding. A 49-day comment
period will be allotted for review of the
EA. We will consider all comments
submitted on the EA in any Commission
Order that is issued for the project.
We are currently involved in
discussions with other jurisdictional
agencies to identify their issues and
concerns. These agencies include the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service, Kentucky
Department of Environmental
Protection—Division of Water,
Kentucky Department of Fish and
Wildlife, Kentucky Department of
Natural Resources, Kentucky State
Nature Preserve Commission, Kentucky
Heritage Council, and the Eastern Band
of Cherokee Indians. By this notice, we
are asking these and other 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
provided below.
Public Participation
You can make a difference by
providing us with your specific
comments or concerns about the
proposals. Your comments should focus
on the potential environmental effects,
reasonable alternatives and measures to
avoid or lessen environmental impact.
The more specific your comments, the
E:\FR\FM\10FEN1.SGM
10FEN1
7030
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 28 / Friday, February 10, 2006 / Notices
rmajette on PROD1PC67 with NOTICES1
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, DG2E;
• Reference Docket No. PF06–12–000
on the original and both copies; and
• Mail your comments so that they
will be received in Washington, DC on
or before March 24, 2006.
Please note that the Commission
encourages electronic filing of
comments. See 18 Code of Federal
Regulations 385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the
instructions on the Commission’s
Internet Web site at https://www.ferc.gov
under the ‘‘eFiling’’ link and the link to
the User’s Guide. Prepare your
submission in the same manner as you
would if filing on paper and save it to
a file on your hard drive. Before you can
file comments you will need to create an
account by clicking on ‘‘Login to File’’
and then ‘‘New User Account.’’ You will
be asked to select the type of filing you
are making. This filing is considered a
‘‘Comment on Filing.’’
When Equitrans submits its
application for authorization to
construct and operate the Big Sandy
Pipeline Project, the Commission will
publish a Notice of Application in the
Federal Register and will establish a
deadline for interested persons to
intervene in the proceeding. Because the
Commission’s Pre-Filing Process occurs
before an application to begin a
proceeding is officially filed, petitions
to intervene during this process are
premature and will not be accepted by
the Commission.
Site Visit
On February 22 and 23, 2006, the OEP
staff will conduct a pre-certification site
visit of the planned Big Sandy Pipeline
Project.
We will view the proposed route and
variations that are being considered for
the planned pipeline. Staff will view the
area by helicopter on February 22, 2006,
and by automobile and on foot on
February 23, 2006. Representatives of
Equitrans will be accompanying the
OEP staff.
All interested parties may attend the
site visit on February 23, 2006. Those
planning to attend must provide their
own transportation. If you are interested
in attending the site visit, please meet
us at 8 a.m. in the parking lot of the
Paintsville Ramada Inn, 624 James
Trimble Blvd, Paintsville, Kentucky.
VerDate Aug<31>2005
15:10 Feb 09, 2006
Jkt 208001
For additional information, please
contact the Commission’s Office of
External Affairs at 1–866–208–FERC
(3372).
Equitrans Sponsored Open Houses
You may have also been notified by
Equitrans that it plans on holding two
public open houses designed to provide
opportunities to explain the project to
stakeholders. OEP staff will be attending
these events and will be available to
answer questions about the NEPA
process. FERC staff may utilize these
open houses to determine the amount of
stakeholder interest in the project to
identify if a FERC sponsored public
scoping meeting would be necessary in
the project area at a later date. The
location and dates for Equitrans’ open
houses are as follows:
February 22, 2006 at 6:30 p.m. (EST);
Paintsville Ramada Inn, 624 James
Trimble Blvd., Paintsville,
Kentucky.
February 23, 2006 at 6:30 p.m. (EST);
Louisa Community Center, 101
West Pike St., Louisa, Kentucky.
Environmental Mailing List
The determination of whether to
distribute the EA for public comment
will be based on the response to this
notice. If you are interested in receiving
it, please return the Information Request
(Appendix 2).
Availability of Additional Information
Additional information about the
project is available from the
Commission’s Office of External Affairs
at 1–866–208 FERC (3372) or on the
FERC Internet Web site (https://
www.ferc.gov). Using the ‘‘eLibrary’’
link, select ‘‘General Search’’ from the
eLibrary menu, enter the selected date
range and ‘‘Docket Number’’ (i.e., PF06–
12–000), and follow the instructions.
Searches may also be done using the
phrase ‘‘Big Sandy Pipeline’’ in the
‘‘Text Search’’ field. For assistance with
access to eLibrary, the helpline can be
reached at 1–866–208–3676, TTY (202)
502–8659, or at
FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov. The
eLibrary link on the FERC Internet Web
site also provides access to the texts of
formal documents issued by the
Commission, such as orders, notices,
and rule makings.
In addition, the FERC now offers a
free service called eSubscription that
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
PO 00000
Frm 00029
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
documents. To register for this service,
go to https://www.ferc.gov/
esubscribenow.htm.
Public meetings or site visits will be
posted on the Commission’s calendar
located at https://www.ferc.gov/
EventCalendar/EventsList.aspx along
with other related information.
You can also contact David J.
Spigelmyer, Equitrans Representative,
by phone at (412) 553–5739 or by e-mail
at dspigelmyer@eqt.com with your
specific concerns or comments
regarding this project.
Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E6–1856 Filed 2–9–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. PF06–10–000]
Cameron LNG L.L.C.; Notice of Intent
to Prepare an Environmental
Assessment for the Proposed Terminal
Expansion Project and Request for
Comments on Environmental Issues
February 3, 2006.
The staff of the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) will prepare an
environmental assessment (EA) that will
discuss the environmental impacts of
Cameron LNG L.L.C.’s (Cameron)
proposed Terminal Expansion Project
involving construction and operation of
facilities in Cameron Parish, Louisiana.
This EA will be used by the
Commission in its decision-making
process to determine whether to
authorize the project.
This notice announces the opening of
the scoping process that the
Commission will use to gather
environmental input from the public
and interested agencies on the Terminal
Expansion Project. Your input will help
determine which issues need to be
evaluated in the EA. Please note that the
scoping period will close on March 6,
2006. Details on how to submit
comments are provided in the Public
Participation section of this notice.
This notice is being sent to affected
landowners; federal, state, and local
government agencies; elected officials;
environmental and public interest
groups; Native American tribes; other
interested parties; and local libraries
and newspapers. State and local
government representatives are asked to
notify their constituents of this planned
E:\FR\FM\10FEN1.SGM
10FEN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 28 (Friday, February 10, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7028-7030]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-1856]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. PF06-12-000]
Equitrans, LP; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental
Assessment for the Proposed Big Sandy Pipeline Project, Request for
Comments on Environmental Issues and Notice of Site Visit
February 3, 2006.
The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) will prepare an environmental assessment (EA) that will
discuss the environmental impacts of Equitrans, LP's (Equitrans)
planned Big Sandy Pipeline Project located in Floyd, Johnson, Lawrence,
and Carter County, Kentucky.
This notice announces the opening of the scoping process we will
use to gather input from the public and interested agencies on the
project. Your input will help the Commission staff determine which
issues need to be evaluated in the EA. Please note that the scoping
period will close on March 24, 2006.
This notice is being sent to affected landowners; federal, state,
and local government representatives and agencies; environmental and
public interest groups; Native American tribes; other interested
parties in this proceeding; and local libraries and newspapers. We
encourage government representatives to notify their constituents of
this planned project and
[[Page 7029]]
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.
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 Internet 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 FERC's proceedings.
Summary of the Proposed Project
The project would consist of construction of about 60 miles of 20-
inch-diameter pipeline. The pipeline would originate at the discharge
of the existing Kentucky Hydrocarbon plant in Langley, Kentucky and
terminate at Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company's Broad Run Lateral in
Carter County, Kentucky. Equitrans would also construct one new 5,000
horsepower compressor station on the south end of the line. One pig
launcher, one pig receiver, eight mainline valves, and one new metering
and regulating station would also be constructed along the pipeline.
Location maps depicting Equitrans' proposed facilities are provided in
Appendix 1.\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The appendices referenced in this notice are not being
printed in the Federal Register. Copies are available on the
Commission's website (excluding maps) at the ``eLibrary'' link or
from the Commission's Public Reference Room or call (202) 502-8371.
For instructions on connecting to eLibrary refer to the end of this
notice. Copies of the appendices were sent to all those receiving
this notice in the mail.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Equitrans indicates that these facilities are needed to provide
much needed relief for the summer capacity constraints that are
currently restricting gas production in the eastern Kentucky basin.
Equitrans anticipates filing an application with the FERC in June
2006. If approved, Equitrans would seek approval to begin construction
by September 2006, with a proposed in-service date of April 1, 2007.
Land Requirements
Construction of the project facilities would disturb about 912
acres of land. Following construction, about 550 acres of the total
would be retained for the operation of the pipeline and the aboveground
facilities (compressor and meter stations). Equitrans currently
proposes to use a nominal 100-foot-wide right-of-way (ROW) to construct
its pipeline, with occasional increases in width for additional
workspace at waterbody, wetland, road, and railroad crossings.
Temporary extra workspaces may also be required in areas with site-
specific constraints, such as side-slope construction. Other temporary
land requirements would include areas needed for pipe storage and
equipment yards. For operation of the pipeline facilities, Equitrans
proposes a 50-foot-wide permanent ROW.
Currently Identified Environmental Issues
We have already identified several issues that we think deserve
attention based on a preliminary review of the proposed facilities and
information provided by Equitrans. This list of issues may be changed
based on your comments and our analysis:
The effect of blasting on groundwater;
Difficult ROW restoration in areas of side slope
construction; and
Impact on visual resources due to vegetation clearing to
create a new ROW.
The EA Process
The FERC will be the lead federal agency for the preparation of the
EA. The document will satisfy the requirements of the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The Big Sandy Pipeline Project is in
the preliminary design state.
For this project, the FERC staff has initiated its National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review prior to receiving the
application. The purpose of the Commission's Pre-Filing Process is to
involve interested stakeholders early in project planning and to
identify and resolve issues before an application is filed with the
FERC. A docket number (PF06-12-000) has been established to place
information filed by Equitrans, and related documents issued by the
Commission, into the public record. Once a formal application is filed
with the FERC, a new docket number will be established.
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. 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, we are
requesting public comments on the scope of the issues that should be
addressed in the EA. We will consider all comments received during
scoping in the preparation of the EA.
Our independent analysis and evaluation of the issues will be
included in the EA. The EA will also include possible alternatives to
the proposed project or portions of the project, and we will make
recommendations on how to lessen or avoid impacts on the various
resource areas of concern. Depending on the comments received during
the scoping process, the EA may be published and mailed to federal,
state, and local agencies; elected officials; environmental and public
interest groups; other interested parties; affected landowners; Native
American tribes; libraries, and newspapers; and the Commission's
official service list for this proceeding. A 49-day comment period will
be allotted for review of the EA. We will consider all comments
submitted on the EA in any Commission Order that is issued for the
project.
We are currently involved in discussions with other jurisdictional
agencies to identify their issues and concerns. These agencies include
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
Kentucky Department of Environmental Protection--Division of Water,
Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife, Kentucky Department of
Natural Resources, Kentucky State Nature Preserve Commission, Kentucky
Heritage Council, and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. By this
notice, we are asking these and other 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 provided below.
Public Participation
You can make a difference by providing us with your specific
comments or concerns about the proposals. Your comments should focus on
the potential environmental effects, reasonable alternatives and
measures to avoid or lessen environmental impact. The more specific
your comments, the
[[Page 7030]]
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, DG2E;
Reference Docket No. PF06-12-000 on the original and both
copies; and
Mail your comments so that they will be received in
Washington, DC on or before March 24, 2006.
Please note that the Commission encourages electronic filing of
comments. See 18 Code of Federal Regulations 385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and
the instructions on the Commission's Internet Web site at https://
www.ferc.gov under the ``eFiling'' link and the link to the User's
Guide. Prepare your submission in the same manner as you would if
filing on paper and save it to a file on your hard drive. Before you
can file comments you will need to create an account by clicking on
``Login to File'' and then ``New User Account.'' You will be asked to
select the type of filing you are making. This filing is considered a
``Comment on Filing.''
When Equitrans submits its application for authorization to
construct and operate the Big Sandy Pipeline Project, the Commission
will publish a Notice of Application in the Federal Register and will
establish a deadline for interested persons to intervene in the
proceeding. Because the Commission's Pre-Filing Process occurs before
an application to begin a proceeding is officially filed, petitions to
intervene during this process are premature and will not be accepted by
the Commission.
Site Visit
On February 22 and 23, 2006, the OEP staff will conduct a pre-
certification site visit of the planned Big Sandy Pipeline Project.
We will view the proposed route and variations that are being
considered for the planned pipeline. Staff will view the area by
helicopter on February 22, 2006, and by automobile and on foot on
February 23, 2006. Representatives of Equitrans will be accompanying
the OEP staff.
All interested parties may attend the site visit on February 23,
2006. Those planning to attend must provide their own transportation.
If you are interested in attending the site visit, please meet us at 8
a.m. in the parking lot of the Paintsville Ramada Inn, 624 James
Trimble Blvd, Paintsville, Kentucky.
For additional information, please contact the Commission's Office
of External Affairs at 1-866-208-FERC (3372).
Equitrans Sponsored Open Houses
You may have also been notified by Equitrans that it plans on
holding two public open houses designed to provide opportunities to
explain the project to stakeholders. OEP staff will be attending these
events and will be available to answer questions about the NEPA
process. FERC staff may utilize these open houses to determine the
amount of stakeholder interest in the project to identify if a FERC
sponsored public scoping meeting would be necessary in the project area
at a later date. The location and dates for Equitrans' open houses are
as follows:
February 22, 2006 at 6:30 p.m. (EST); Paintsville Ramada Inn, 624
James Trimble Blvd., Paintsville, Kentucky.
February 23, 2006 at 6:30 p.m. (EST); Louisa Community Center, 101
West Pike St., Louisa, Kentucky.
Environmental Mailing List
The determination of whether to distribute the EA for public
comment will be based on the response to this notice. If you are
interested in receiving it, please return the Information Request
(Appendix 2).
Availability of Additional Information
Additional information about the project is available from the
Commission's Office of External Affairs at 1-866-208 FERC (3372) or on
the FERC Internet Web site (https://www.ferc.gov). Using the
``eLibrary'' link, select ``General Search'' from the eLibrary menu,
enter the selected date range and ``Docket Number'' (i.e., PF06-12-
000), and follow the instructions. Searches may also be done using the
phrase ``Big Sandy Pipeline'' in the ``Text Search'' field. For
assistance with access to eLibrary, the helpline can be reached at 1-
866-208-3676, TTY (202) 502-8659, or at FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov. The
eLibrary link on the FERC Internet Web site also provides access to the
texts of formal documents issued by the Commission, such as orders,
notices, and rule makings.
In addition, the FERC now offers a free service called
eSubscription that 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. To register for this service, go to https://www.ferc.gov/
esubscribenow.htm.
Public meetings or site visits will be posted on the Commission's
calendar located at https://www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/EventsList.aspx
along with other related information.
You can also contact David J. Spigelmyer, Equitrans Representative,
by phone at (412) 553-5739 or by e-mail at dspigelmyer@eqt.com with
your specific concerns or comments regarding this project.
Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E6-1856 Filed 2-9-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
