Questar Overthrust Pipeline Company; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Wamsutter Expansion Project, Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of Public Scoping Meeting, 18316-18318 [E6-5289]
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18316
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 69 / Tuesday, April 11, 2006 / Notices
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. E6–5301 Filed 4–10–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket Nos. ER06–804–000, et al.]
Great Lakes Hydro America, LLC et al.;
Electric Rate and Corporate Filings
April 5, 2005.
The following filings have been made
with the Commission. The filings are
listed in ascending order within each
docket classification.
1. Great Lakes Hydro America, LLC
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
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 online 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. E6–5321 Filed 4–10–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
[Docket No. ER06–804–000]
Take notice that on March 28, 2006,
Great Lakes America, LLC filed
revisions to its Market-Base Rate Tariff,
FERC Electric Tariff Second Revised
Volume No. 1, to completely update and
modernize its Tariff.
Comment Date: 5 p.m. Eastern Time
on April 7, 2006.
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. PF06–19–000]
[Docket No. ER06–805–000]
Take notice that on March 28, 2006,
Brookfield Energy Marketing Inc. filed
revisions to its Market-Based Rate Tariff,
FERC Electric Tariff Original Volume
No. 1, to completely update and
modernize its Tariff.
Comment Date: 5 p.m. Eastern Time
on April 7, 2006.
Questar Overthrust Pipeline Company;
Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement for
the Proposed Wamsutter Expansion
Project, Request for Comments on
Environmental Issues, and Notice of
Public Scoping Meeting
April 3, 2006.
2. Brookfield Energy Marketing Inc.
wwhite on PROD1PC61 with NOTICES
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
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19:37 Apr 10, 2006
Jkt 208001
The staff of the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) will prepare an
environmental impact statement (EIS)
that discusses the environmental
impacts of the proposed Wamsutter
Expansion Project (the Project). This
project involves the construction and
operation of facilities by Questar
Overthrust Pipeline Company
(Overthrust) in Lincoln and Sweetwater
Counties, Wyoming. These facilities
would include approximately 77 miles
of 36-inch-diameter natural gas
pipeline, two new compressor stations,
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
two new receipt points, and one new
delivery point.
The Wamsutter Expansion Project is a
necessary and supporting component of
the overall Rockies Express Pipeline
Project, Western Phase, currently under
review in the Commission’s Pre-Filing
Process in Docket No. PF06–3–000.
Therefore, the environmental analysis
for the Wamsutter Expansion Project
will be incorporated into the EIS being
prepared for the Rockies Express
Pipeline Project. The EIS will be used
by the Commission in its decisionmaking process to determine whether
the proposed facilities are in the public
convenience and necessity.
This notice explains the scoping
process that will be used to gather input
from the public and interested agencies
on the Project. Your input will help
FERC staff determine which issues/
impacts associated with the Project need
to be evaluated in the EIS. Please note
that the scoping period for the Project
will close on May 5, 2006.
Comments may be submitted in
written form or verbally. In lieu of or in
addition to sending written comments,
you are invited to attend the public
scoping meeting that has been
scheduled in the Project area. One
scoping meeting is scheduled for April
24, 2006, in Rock Springs, Wyoming.
Further instructions on how to submit
written comments and additional details
of the public scoping meeting are
provided in the public participation
section of this notice.
The Wamsutter Expansion Project is
currently in the preliminary stages of
design, and at this time a formal
application has not been filed with the
Commission. For this proposal, the
Commission is initiating the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
review prior to receiving the
application. This allows interested
stakeholders to become involved early
in Project planning and to identify and
resolve issues before an application is
filed with the FERC. A docket number
(PF06–19–000) has been established to
place information filed by Overthrust
and related documents issued by the
Commission into the public record. 1
Once a formal application is filed with
the FERC, a new docket number will be
established.
The Bureau of Land Management
(BLM) is participating as a cooperating
agency in the preparation of the EIS
because the Project would cross Federal
land under the jurisdiction of the
Rawlins, Rock Springs, and Kemmerer
1 To view information in the docket, follow the
instructions for using the eLibrary link at the end
of this notice.
E:\FR\FM\11APN1.SGM
11APN1
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 69 / Tuesday, April 11, 2006 / Notices
Field Offices. The EIS will be used by
the BLM to meet its NEPA
responsibilities in considering
Overthrust’s application for the portion
of the Project on Federal land.
With this notice, we 2 are asking other
Federal, State, and local agencies with
jurisdiction and/or special expertise
with respect to environmental issues in
the Project area to formally cooperate
with us in the preparation of the EIS.
These agencies may choose to
participate once they have evaluated the
proposal relative to their
responsibilities. Agencies that would
like to request cooperating status should
follow the instructions for filing
comments described later in this notice.
We encourage government
representatives to notify their
constituents of this planned Project and
encourage them to comment on their
areas of concern.
This notice is being sent to
landowners within 0.5 mile of the
proposed compressor stations;
landowners along the pipeline route
under consideration; Federal, State, and
local government agencies; elected
officials; environmental and public
interest groups; Native American tribes;
local libraries and newspapers; and
other interested parties.
Some affected landowners may be
contacted by a Project representative
about the acquisition of an easement to
construct, operate, and maintain the
proposed facilities. If so, Overthrust and
the affected landowners should seek to
negotiate a mutually acceptable
agreement. In the event that the Project
is certificated by the Commission, that
approval conveys the right of eminent
domain for securing easements for the
facilities. Therefore, if easement
negotiations fail to produce an
agreement, Overthrust could initiate
condemnation proceedings in
accordance with Wyoming state law.
A fact sheet prepared by the FERC
entitled ‘‘An Interstate Natural Gas
Facility On My Land? What Do I Need
To Know?’’ 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).
wwhite on PROD1PC61 with NOTICES
Summary of the Proposed Project
Overthrust proposes to construct and
operate the following facilities as part of
its proposed Wamsutter Expansion
Project:
2 ‘‘We,’’ ‘‘us,’’ and ‘‘our’’ refer to the
environmental staff of the Office of Energy Projects.
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19:37 Apr 10, 2006
Jkt 208001
• Construct approximately 77 miles
of buried 36-inch-diameter pipeline
extending from the eastern terminus of
Overthrust’s existing transmission
system at Kanda in Sweetwater County,
Wyoming, to an interconnect with the
Entrega Gas Pipeline, Inc. (Entrega)
system near Wamsutter in Sweetwater
County.
• Construct two new compressor
stations:
Æ Roberson Compressor Station—
20,000 horsepower (hp) in Lincoln
County.
Æ Rock Springs Compressor
Station—15,000 hp in Sweetwater
County.
• Install two new receipt points with
metering facilities in Lincoln County
and one new delivery point in
Sweetwater County.
Maps depicting the general location of
the Project facilities are shown in
appendix 1.3
Overthrust is requesting approval
such that the facilities are completed
and placed into service by December 31,
2007. Construction of the facilities
would take about 8 months.
The EIS Process
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 under Section 7 of the Natural
Gas Act. NEPA also requires us to
identify and address concerns the
public would have about proposals.
This process is referred to as ‘‘scoping.’’
The main goal of the scoping process is
to focus the analysis in the EIS on
important environmental issues and
reasonable alternatives. By this Notice
of Intent, the Commission staff requests
agency and public comments on the
scope of the issues to be addressed in
the EIS. All comments received are
considered during the preparation of the
EIS.
We have already started to meet with
Overthrust, agencies, and other
interested stakeholders to discuss the
Project and identify issues/impacts and
concerns. On April 6, 2006, FERC staff
will participate in the public open
house sponsored by Overthrust in the
Project area to explain the NEPA
environmental review process to
interested stakeholders and take
comments about the Project.
3 The appendices referenced in this notice are not
being printed in the Federal Register. Copies are
available from the Commisson’s Public Reference
and Files Maintenance Branch, at (202) 502–8371.
For instructions on connecting to eLibrary refer to
the last page of this Notice.
PO 00000
Frm 00050
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
18317
Our independent analysis of the
issues will be included in the draft EIS.
The draft EIS will be published and
mailed to Federal, State, and local
agencies, Native American tribes, 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 of the draft EIS. We will consider
all timely comments on the draft EIS
and revise the document, as necessary,
before issuing a final EIS.
To ensure your comments are
considered, please carefully follow the
instructions in the public participation
section beginning on page 5.
Currently Identified Environmental
Issues
We have identified several issues that
we think deserve attention based on a
preliminary review of the proposed
facilities and the information provided
by Overthrust. This preliminary list of
issues may be changed based on your
comments and our analysis.
• Soils:
—Erosion control.
—Introduction or spread of noxious
weeds.
• Fish, Wildlife, and Vegetation:
—Impact on migratory birds and big
game species.
—Impact on fish from stream crossings.
• Endangered and Threatened
Species:
—Potential impact on federally listed
species.
• Cultural Resources:
—Impact on known and undiscovered
cultural resources.
—Native American and tribal concerns.
• Air Quality and Noise:
—Effects on local air quality and
ambient noise from construction and
operation of the proposed facilities.
We will make recommendations on
how to lessen or avoid impacts on these
and other resource areas and evaluate
possible alternatives to the proposed
Project or portions of the Project.
Public Participation
You are encouraged to become
involved in this process and provide
your specific comments or concerns
about Overthrust’s proposal. Your
comments should focus on the potential
environmental effects, reasonable
alternatives, and measures to avoid or
lessen environmental impacts. The more
specific your comments, the more useful
they will be. To expedite the receipt and
consideration of your comments,
electronic submission of comments is
strongly encouraged. See Title 18 CFR
385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions
E:\FR\FM\11APN1.SGM
11APN1
18318
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 69 / Tuesday, April 11, 2006 / Notices
wwhite on PROD1PC61 with NOTICES
on the FERC Internet Web site (https://
www.ferc.gov) under the eFiling link
and the link to the User’s Guide. Before
you can submit comments you will need
to create a free account by clicking on
‘‘Sign-up’’ under ‘‘New User.’’ You will
be asked to select the type of submission
you are making. This type of submission
is considered a ‘‘Comment on Filing.’’
Comments submitted electronically
must be submitted by May 5, 2006.
If you wish to mail comments, please
carefully follow these instructions:
• 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. PF06–19–000
on the original and both copies.
• Mail your comments so that they
will be received in Washington, DC on
or before May 5, 2006.
In addition to or in lieu of sending
written comments, we invite you to
attend the public scoping meeting we
will conduct in the Project area. The
location and time for this meeting is as
follows:
April 24, 2006 (7 p.m.) Quality Inn,
1670 Sunset Dr., Rock Springs, WY
82901, 307–382–9490.
The public scoping meeting is
designed to provide State and local
agencies, interested groups, affected
landowners, and the general public with
another opportunity to offer your
comments on the proposed Project.
Interested groups and individuals are
encouraged to attend the meeting and to
present comments on the environmental
issues they believe should be addressed
in the EIS. A transcript of the meeting
will be made so that your comments
will be accurately recorded.
All public meetings are posted on the
Commission’s calendar located at
https://www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/
EventsList.aspx along with other related
information.
Environmental Mailing List
If you received this notice, you are on
the environmental mailing list for this
Project and will continue to receive
Project updates including the draft and
final EISs. If you want your contact
information corrected or you do not
want to remain on our mailing list,
please return the Correct or Remove
From Mailing List Form included as
Appendix 2.
To reduce printing and mailing costs
the draft and final EISs will be issued
in both CD–ROM and hard copy
formats. The FERC strongly encourages
the use of the CD–ROM format in its
VerDate Aug<31>2005
19:37 Apr 10, 2006
Jkt 208001
publication of large documents. If you
wish to receive a paper copy of the draft
EIS instead of a CD–ROM, you must
indicate that choice on the return
postcard (Appendix 2).
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. E6–5289 Filed 4–10–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. PF06–20–000]
TransColorado Gas Transmission
Company; Notice of Intent to Prepare
an Environmental Impact Statement for
the Proposed Blanco to Meeker Project
and Request for Comments on
Environmental Issues
April 3, 2006.
The staff of the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) will prepare an
environmental impact statement (EIS)
that discusses the environmental
impacts of the proposed Blanco to
Meeker Project (the Project). This
project involves the construction and
operation of facilities by TransColorado
Gas Transmission Company
(TransColorado) in San Juan County,
PO 00000
Frm 00051
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
New Mexico and Zuma, Montrose,
Mesa, Garfield, and Rio Blanco
Counties, Colorado. These facilities
would include two new compressor
stations, modifications at four existing
compressor stations, and installation of
approximately 1,000 feet of 24-inchdiameter natural gas pipeline.
The Blanco to Meeker Project is a
necessary and supporting component of
the overall Rockies Express Pipeline
Project, Western Phase, currently under
review in the Commission’s Pre-Filing
Process in Docket No. PF06–3–000.
Therefore, the environmental analysis
for the Blanco to Meeker Project will be
incorporated into the EIS being
prepared for the Rockies Express
Pipeline Project. The EIS will be used
by the Commission in its decisionmaking process to determine whether
the proposed facilities are in the public
convenience and necessity.
This notice explains the scoping
process that will be used to gather input
from the public and interested agencies
on the Project. Your input will help
FERC staff determine which issues/
impacts associated with the Project need
to be evaluated in the EIS. Please note
that the scoping period for the Project
will close on May 5, 2006. Instructions
on how to submit written comments are
provided in the public participation
section of this notice.
The Blanco to Meeker Project is
currently in the preliminary stages of
design, and at this time a formal
application has not been filed with the
Commission. For this proposal, the
Commission is initiating the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
review prior to receiving the
application. This allows interested
stakeholders to become involved early
in Project planning and to identify and
resolve issues before an application is
filed with the FERC. A docket number
(PF06–20–000) has been established to
place information filed by
TransColorado and related documents
issued by the Commission into the
public record 1. Once a formal
application is filed with the FERC, a
new docket number will be established.
The Bureau of Land Management
(BLM) and U.S. Forest Service (Forest
Service) are participating as cooperating
agencies in the preparation of the EIS
because certain Project facilities would
be located on Forest Service and other
Federal lands. The EIS will be used by
the BLM and the Forest Service to meet
their NEPA responsibilities in
1 To view information in the docket, follow the
instructions for using the eLibrary link at the end
of this notice.
E:\FR\FM\11APN1.SGM
11APN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 69 (Tuesday, April 11, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18316-18318]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-5289]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. PF06-19-000]
Questar Overthrust Pipeline Company; Notice of Intent To Prepare
an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Wamsutter Expansion
Project, Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of
Public Scoping Meeting
April 3, 2006.
The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) that
discusses the environmental impacts of the proposed Wamsutter Expansion
Project (the Project). This project involves the construction and
operation of facilities by Questar Overthrust Pipeline Company
(Overthrust) in Lincoln and Sweetwater Counties, Wyoming. These
facilities would include approximately 77 miles of 36-inch-diameter
natural gas pipeline, two new compressor stations, two new receipt
points, and one new delivery point.
The Wamsutter Expansion Project is a necessary and supporting
component of the overall Rockies Express Pipeline Project, Western
Phase, currently under review in the Commission's Pre-Filing Process in
Docket No. PF06-3-000. Therefore, the environmental analysis for the
Wamsutter Expansion Project will be incorporated into the EIS being
prepared for the Rockies Express Pipeline Project. The EIS will be used
by the Commission in its decision-making process to determine whether
the proposed facilities are in the public convenience and necessity.
This notice explains the scoping process that will be used to
gather input from the public and interested agencies on the Project.
Your input will help FERC staff determine which issues/impacts
associated with the Project need to be evaluated in the EIS. Please
note that the scoping period for the Project will close on May 5, 2006.
Comments may be submitted in written form or verbally. In lieu of
or in addition to sending written comments, you are invited to attend
the public scoping meeting that has been scheduled in the Project area.
One scoping meeting is scheduled for April 24, 2006, in Rock Springs,
Wyoming. Further instructions on how to submit written comments and
additional details of the public scoping meeting are provided in the
public participation section of this notice.
The Wamsutter Expansion Project is currently in the preliminary
stages of design, and at this time a formal application has not been
filed with the Commission. For this proposal, the Commission is
initiating the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review prior to
receiving the application. This allows interested stakeholders to
become involved early in Project planning and to identify and resolve
issues before an application is filed with the FERC. A docket number
(PF06-19-000) has been established to place information filed by
Overthrust and related documents issued by the Commission into the
public record. \1\ Once a formal application is filed with the FERC, a
new docket number will be established.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ To view information in the docket, follow the instructions
for using the eLibrary link at the end of this notice.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is participating as a
cooperating agency in the preparation of the EIS because the Project
would cross Federal land under the jurisdiction of the Rawlins, Rock
Springs, and Kemmerer
[[Page 18317]]
Field Offices. The EIS will be used by the BLM to meet its NEPA
responsibilities in considering Overthrust's application for the
portion of the Project on Federal land.
With this notice, we \2\ are asking other Federal, State, and local
agencies with jurisdiction and/or special expertise with respect to
environmental issues in the Project area to formally cooperate with us
in the preparation of the EIS. These agencies may choose to participate
once they have evaluated the proposal relative to their
responsibilities. Agencies that would like to request cooperating
status should follow the instructions for filing comments described
later in this notice. We encourage government representatives to notify
their constituents of this planned Project and encourage them to
comment on their areas of concern.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ ``We,'' ``us,'' and ``our'' refer to the environmental staff
of the Office of Energy Projects.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
This notice is being sent to landowners within 0.5 mile of the
proposed compressor stations; landowners along the pipeline route under
consideration; Federal, State, and local government agencies; elected
officials; environmental and public interest groups; Native American
tribes; local libraries and newspapers; and other interested parties.
Some affected landowners may be contacted by a Project
representative about the acquisition of an easement to construct,
operate, and maintain the proposed facilities. If so, Overthrust and
the affected landowners should seek to negotiate a mutually acceptable
agreement. In the event that the Project is certificated by the
Commission, that approval conveys the right of eminent domain for
securing easements for the facilities. Therefore, if easement
negotiations fail to produce an agreement, Overthrust could initiate
condemnation proceedings in accordance with Wyoming state law.
A fact sheet prepared by the FERC entitled ``An Interstate Natural
Gas Facility On My Land? What Do I Need To Know?'' 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
Overthrust proposes to construct and operate the following
facilities as part of its proposed Wamsutter Expansion Project:
Construct approximately 77 miles of buried 36-inch-
diameter pipeline extending from the eastern terminus of Overthrust's
existing transmission system at Kanda in Sweetwater County, Wyoming, to
an interconnect with the Entrega Gas Pipeline, Inc. (Entrega) system
near Wamsutter in Sweetwater County.
Construct two new compressor stations:
[cir] Roberson Compressor Station--20,000 horsepower (hp) in
Lincoln County.
[cir] Rock Springs Compressor Station--15,000 hp in Sweetwater
County.
Install two new receipt points with metering facilities in
Lincoln County and one new delivery point in Sweetwater County.
Maps depicting the general location of the Project facilities are
shown in appendix 1.\3\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ The appendices referenced in this notice are not being
printed in the Federal Register. Copies are available from the
Commisson's Public Reference and Files Maintenance Branch, at (202)
502-8371. For instructions on connecting to eLibrary refer to the
last page of this Notice.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Overthrust is requesting approval such that the facilities are
completed and placed into service by December 31, 2007. Construction of
the facilities would take about 8 months.
The EIS Process
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 under
Section 7 of the Natural Gas Act. NEPA also requires us to identify and
address concerns the public would have about proposals. This process is
referred to as ``scoping.'' The main goal of the scoping process is to
focus the analysis in the EIS on important environmental issues and
reasonable alternatives. By this Notice of Intent, the Commission staff
requests agency and public comments on the scope of the issues to be
addressed in the EIS. All comments received are considered during the
preparation of the EIS.
We have already started to meet with Overthrust, agencies, and
other interested stakeholders to discuss the Project and identify
issues/impacts and concerns. On April 6, 2006, FERC staff will
participate in the public open house sponsored by Overthrust in the
Project area to explain the NEPA environmental review process to
interested stakeholders and take comments about the Project.
Our independent analysis of the issues will be included in the
draft EIS. The draft EIS will be published and mailed to Federal,
State, and local agencies, Native American tribes, 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 of the draft
EIS. We will consider all timely comments on the draft EIS and revise
the document, as necessary, before issuing a final EIS.
To ensure your comments are considered, please carefully follow the
instructions in the public participation section beginning on page 5.
Currently Identified Environmental Issues
We have identified several issues that we think deserve attention
based on a preliminary review of the proposed facilities and the
information provided by Overthrust. This preliminary list of issues may
be changed based on your comments and our analysis.
Soils:
--Erosion control.
--Introduction or spread of noxious weeds.
Fish, Wildlife, and Vegetation:
--Impact on migratory birds and big game species.
--Impact on fish from stream crossings.
Endangered and Threatened Species:
--Potential impact on federally listed species.
Cultural Resources:
--Impact on known and undiscovered cultural resources.
--Native American and tribal concerns.
Air Quality and Noise:
--Effects on local air quality and ambient noise from construction and
operation of the proposed facilities.
We will make recommendations on how to lessen or avoid impacts on
these and other resource areas and evaluate possible alternatives to
the proposed Project or portions of the Project.
Public Participation
You are encouraged to become involved in this process and provide
your specific comments or concerns about Overthrust's proposal. Your
comments should focus on the potential environmental effects,
reasonable alternatives, and measures to avoid or lessen environmental
impacts. The more specific your comments, the more useful they will be.
To expedite the receipt and consideration of your comments, electronic
submission of comments is strongly encouraged. See Title 18 CFR
385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions
[[Page 18318]]
on the FERC Internet Web site (https://www.ferc.gov) under the eFiling
link and the link to the User's Guide. Before you can submit comments
you will need to create a free account by clicking on ``Sign-up'' under
``New User.'' You will be asked to select the type of submission you
are making. This type of submission is considered a ``Comment on
Filing.'' Comments submitted electronically must be submitted by May 5,
2006.
If you wish to mail comments, please carefully follow these
instructions:
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. PF06-19-000 on the original and both
copies.
Mail your comments so that they will be received in
Washington, DC on or before May 5, 2006.
In addition to or in lieu of sending written comments, we invite
you to attend the public scoping meeting we will conduct in the Project
area. The location and time for this meeting is as follows:
April 24, 2006 (7 p.m.) Quality Inn, 1670 Sunset Dr., Rock Springs,
WY 82901, 307-382-9490.
The public scoping meeting is designed to provide State and local
agencies, interested groups, affected landowners, and the general
public with another opportunity to offer your comments on the proposed
Project. Interested groups and individuals are encouraged to attend the
meeting and to present comments on the environmental issues they
believe should be addressed in the EIS. A transcript of the meeting
will be made so that your comments will be accurately recorded.
All public meetings are posted on the Commission's calendar located
at https://www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/EventsList.aspx along with other
related information.
Environmental Mailing List
If you received this notice, you are on the environmental mailing
list for this Project and will continue to receive Project updates
including the draft and final EISs. If you want your contact
information corrected or you do not want to remain on our mailing list,
please return the Correct or Remove From Mailing List Form included as
Appendix 2.
To reduce printing and mailing costs the draft and final EISs will
be issued in both CD-ROM and hard copy formats. The FERC strongly
encourages the use of the CD-ROM format in its publication of large
documents. If you wish to receive a paper copy of the draft EIS instead
of a CD-ROM, you must indicate that choice on the return postcard
(Appendix 2).
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. E6-5289 Filed 4-10-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P