Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company; Notice of Availability of the Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Northeast ConneXion Project-New England, 7756 [E6-2034]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
• Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 30 (Tuesday, February 14, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Page 7756]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-2034]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[ Docket No. CP05-412-000]


Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company; Notice of Availability of the 
Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Northeast ConneXion Project--
New England

February 6, 2006.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) has prepared an environmental assessment (EA) on the 
natural gas pipeline facilities proposed by Tennessee Gas Pipeline 
Company (Tennessee) in the above-referenced docket.
    The EA was prepared to satisfy the requirements of the National 
Environmental Policy Act. The staff concludes that approval of the 
proposed project, with appropriate mitigating measures, would not 
constitute a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality 
of the human environment.
    The EA assesses the potential environmental effects of the 
installation of 55,400 horsepower (hp) and replacement of 10,500 hp for 
a net total increase of 44,900 hp of compression at one new compressor 
station and upgrade at six existing compressor stations which includes:
     Installation of two additional 3,550-hp CAT 3612 
compressor units at each of the existing Compressor Stations 241, 245, 
and 249 located in Onondaga, Herkimer, and Schoharie Counties, New 
York;
     Replacement of an existing 4,500-hp compressor unit with a 
single 10,300-hp Solar Taurus 70S turbine-driven compressor unit at 
existing Compressor 254 in Columbia County, New York;
     Replacement of three existing compressor units totaling 
6,000 hp with the installation of two 6,275-hp Solar Centaur 50L 
turbine-driven compressor units (12,550 hp total) at existing 
Compressor Station 264 in Worcester County, Massachusetts;
     Installation of one additional 3,550-hp CAT 3612 
compressor unit at existing Compressor Station 313 in Potter County, 
Pennsylvania; and
     Construction of new Compressor Station 405A, with a single 
7,700-hp Solar Taurus 60S turbine-driven compressor unit in Steuben 
County, New York.
    Tennessee indicates that the proposed facilities would enable it to 
provide up to 136,300 decatherms per day of incremental firm 
transportation capacity on Tennessee's Lines 200 and 400.
    The EA has been placed in the public files of the FERC. A limited 
number of copies of the EA are available for distribution and public 
inspection at: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Public Reference 
Room, 888 First Street, NE., Room 2A, Washington, DC 20426. (202) 502-
8371.
    Copies of the EA have been mailed to Federal, State and local 
agencies, public interest groups, interested individuals, newspapers, 
and parties to this proceeding.
    Any person wishing to comment on the EA may do so. To ensure 
consideration prior to a Commission decision on the proposal, it is 
important that we receive your comments before the date specified 
below. 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 comments to: 
Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First St., NE., 
Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426;
     Label one copy of the comments for the attention of the 
Gas Branch 2, PJ11.2.
     Reference Docket No. CP05-412-000; and
     Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, DC on or before March 8, 2006.
    Please note that we are continuing to experience delays in mail 
deliveries from the U.S. Postal Service. As a result, we will include 
all comments that we receive within a reasonable time frame in our 
environmental analysis of this project. However, 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 Guide. Before you can 
file comments you will need to create a free account which can be 
created by clicking on ``Sign-up.''
    Comments will be considered by the Commission but will not serve to 
make the commentor a party to the proceeding. Any person seeking to 
become a party to the proceeding must file a motion to intervene 
pursuant to Rule 214 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and 
Procedures (18 CFR 385.214).\1\ Only intervenors have the right to seek 
rehearing of the Commission's decision.
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    \1\ 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 comments considered.
    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. E6-2034 Filed 2-13-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P