U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District; Dominion Cove Point LNG, LP; Dominion Transmission, Inc.; Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Cove Point Expansion Project, 26491-26493 [E6-6844]
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The final EIS addresses the potential
environmental effects of the
construction and operation of the
following LNG and natural gas pipeline
facilities:
• A ship unloading facility capable of
receiving LNG ships with capacities up
to 200,000 m3;
• Three 150,000 m3 (net capacity)
full-containment LNG storage tanks,
comprised of 9 percent nickel steel
inner tank, pre-stressed concrete outer
tank, and a concrete roof;
• A closed-loop shell and tube heat
exchanger vaporization system;
• Various ancillary facilities,
including administrative offices,
warehouse/maintenance building, main
control center, guardhouse, and a pier
control room;
• Three meter and regulation stations
located on the proposed LNG terminal
site; and
• Approximately 11.00 miles of 30inch-diameter natural gas pipeline (4.92
miles in Pennsylvania and 6.08 miles in
New Jersey), a pig launcher and receiver
facility at the beginning and end of the
pipeline, a mainline valve, and a meter
and regulation station at the end of the
pipeline.
Crown Landing and Texas Eastern
have applied concurrently to the COE
for two Department of the Army
Individual Permits pursuant to Section
404 of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C.
1344) and section 10 of the Rivers and
Harbors Act of 1899 (33 U.S.C. 403). The
COE solicited public comment on the
applications in their public notice
which was included as part of the draft
EIS notice for the projects published in
February 2005. The COE is now
soliciting public comment on the two
modifications to the original proposal
which are described above: (1) Texas
Eastern proposed open-cut contingency
for the construction of the proposed
Chester Creek pipeline crossing and; (2)
the Crown Landing berthing terminal
safety modification and related dredge
volume calculation.
The COE is soliciting comments from
the public; Federal, State and local
agencies and officials; Indian Tribes;
and other interested parties in order to
consider and evaluate any additional
impacts resulting from the proposed
minor design modifications. Any
comments received will be considered
by the COE to determine whether to
issue, modify, condition, or deny
permits for these proposals as modified.
To make this decision, comments are
used to assess impacts on endangered
species, historic properties, water
quality, general environmental effects,
and the other public interest factors
listed in the COE’s original notice
VerDate Aug<31>2005
19:52 May 04, 2006
Jkt 208001
included with the draft EIS. Comments
are used in determining the need for
and the preparation of any necessary
supplemental NEPA documentation.
Comments are also used to determine
the need for a public hearing on the
proposed design modifications and to
determine the overall public interest of
the proposed activities. 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 on the design modifications
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 1, PJ–11.1;
• Reference Docket Nos. (Crown
Landing) CP04–411–000 and (Texas
Eastern) CP04–416–000;
• Mail your comments so that they
will be received in Washington, DC on
or before June 27, 2006 (Copies will be
provided to the COE).
The final EIS has been placed in the
public files of the FERC and is 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 are also available at the
following locations:
Gloucester County Library, 415
Swedesboro Road, Gibbstown, NJ
08027.
Gloucester County Library, 101 Beckett
Road, Logan Township, NJ 08085.
J. Lewis Crozier Library, 620 Engle
Street, Chester, PA 19013.
Aston Public Library, 3720 Concord
Road, Aston, PA 19014.
Brandywine Hundred Branch of the
New Castle County Library, 1300
Foulk Road, Wilmington, DE 19803.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
Regulatory Branch, John Wanamaker
Building, 100 Penn Square East,
Philadelphia, PA 19107, 215–656–
5940.
A limited number of copies are
available from the Public Reference
Room identified above. In addition,
copies of the final EIS have been mailed
to Federal, State, and local agencies;
public interest groups; individuals and
affected landowners who requested a
copy of the final EIS; libraries;
newspapers; and parties to this
proceeding.
In accordance with the Council on
Environmental Quality’s (CEQ)
regulations implementing NEPA, no
agency decision on a proposed action
may be made until 30 days after the EPA
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Sfmt 4703
26491
publishes a notice of availability of a
final EIS. However, the CEQ regulations
provide an exception to this rule when
an agency decision is subject to a formal
internal process that allows other
agencies or the public to make their
views known. In such cases, the agency
decision may be made at the same time
the notice of the final EIS is published,
allowing both periods to run
concurrently. Should the FERC issue
Crown Landing and Texas Eastern
authorizations for the proposed projects,
it would be subject to a 30-day rehearing
period.
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 on the FERC Internet Web site also
provides access to the texts of formal
documents issued by the Commission,
such as orders, notices, and
rulemakings.
Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E6–6854 Filed 5–4–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket Nos. CP05–130–000, CP05–132–
000, Corps Application # CENAB–OP–
RMS200565510–4; Docket No. CP05–131–
000]
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
Baltimore District; Dominion Cove
Point LNG, LP; Dominion
Transmission, Inc.; Notice of
Availability of the Final Environmental
Impact Statement for the Cove Point
Expansion Project
April 28, 2006.
The staff of the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) in cooperation with the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps)
and U.S. Coast Guard, (Coast Guard) has
prepared a final Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) for a liquefied natural
gas (LNG) import terminal expansion
E:\FR\FM\05MYN1.SGM
05MYN1
cchase on PROD1PC60 with NOTICES
26492
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 87 / Friday, May 5, 2006 / Notices
and natural gas pipeline facilities
proposed by Dominion Cove Point LNG,
L.P. and Dominion Transmission, Inc.
(collectively referred to as Dominion) in
the above-referenced dockets. The final
EIS was prepared to satisfy the
requirements of the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The
final EIS addresses federally listed
species, cultural resources, and essential
fish habitat issues. A draft General
Conformity Determination was also
prepared by the FERC to assess the
potential air quality impacts associated
with construction and operation of the
proposed project and is included as
Appendix H of the final EIS.
The FERC staff concludes that
approval of the proposed project with
appropriate mitigating measures, as
recommended, would have limited
adverse environmental impact.
The final EIS addresses the potential
environmental effects of the
construction and operation of the
following LNG terminal and natural gas
(steel) pipeline facilities:
• Two new 160,000 cubic meter
single containment LNG storage tanks;
• Additional vaporization capacity
consisting of shell and tube vaporizers
and associated equipment;
• Additional power generation
equipment consisting of two 21.7
megawatt gas turbine generators and
three emergency generators;
• Infrastructure associated with the
LNG terminal expansion including
roads and storage and work areas at the
existing site;
• About 47.8 miles of 36-inchdiameter, loop pipeline in Calvert,
Prince Georges, and Charles County,
Maryland (TL–532 Pipeline);
• Ancillary areas for pipeline
construction, including access roads,
staging areas, and work spaces;
• About 81 miles of 24-inch-diameter
pipeline lateral in Juniata, Mifflin,
Huntingdon, Centre, and Clinton
Counties, Pennsylvania (PL–1 EXT2
Pipeline);
• Two new compressor stations in
Juniata County (Perulack Station) and
Centre County (Centre Relay Station),
Pennsylvania;
• About 11 miles of 24-inch diameter
pipeline loop in Wetzel County, West
Virginia and Greene County,
Pennsylvania (TL–492 EXT3 Pipeline);
• About 12 miles of 24-inch-diameter
pipeline loop in Potter County,
Pennsylvania (TL–453 EXT1 Pipeline);
• About 10 miles of 20-inch-diameter
pipeline loop in Potter County,
Pennsylvania (TL–536 Pipeline);
• Replacement of about 0.6 mile and
pressure testing and possible
replacement of about 0.4 mile of 30-
VerDate Aug<31>2005
18:48 May 04, 2006
Jkt 208001
inch-diameter pipeline in Franklin
County, Pennsylvania (PL–1 Pipeline
Pressure Restoration Sites);
• Minor modifications to the existing
Loudoun Measuring and Regulating
(M&R) Station in Loudoun County,
Virginia;
• About 2,800 horsepower (hp) of
additional compression at the existing
Mockingbird Hill Compressor Station in
Wetzel County, West Virginia;
• Minor modifications to the existing
Leesburg Compressor Station in
Loudoun County, Virginia;
• Minor modifications to the existing
Chambersburg Compressor Station in
Franklin County, Pennsylvania;
• Additional facilities and pipeline
replacement at the existing Leidy M&R
Station located at the Leidy Hub
complex in Clinton County,
Pennsylvania;
• About 3,550 hp of additional
compression at Dominion’s previously
approved Wolf Run Compressor Station
in Lewis County, West Virginia; and
• Minor modifications to Dominion’s
previously approved Quinlan
Compressor Station in Cattaraugus
County, New York.
Dominion’s proposed LNG terminal
expansion would increase the send-out
capability by 800,000 dekatherms per
day (Dth/d) and increase the storage
capacity by 6.8 MMDth/d. Dominion’s
proposed pipeline and related facilities
in Maryland and Virginia would allow
it to deliver an additional 800,000 Dth/
d from its LNG terminal to its
connections with other interstate
pipelines. Dominion’s proposed
pipelines and related facilities in
Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and New
York would allow it to transport an
additional 700,000 Dth/d to various
delivery points on its system, and offer
a new underground storage service of
6.0 MMDth, with an additional demand
of 100,000 Dth/d.
Dominion Cove Point LNG, LP has
applied, concurrently, to the Corps for
a Department of the Army Individual
Permit pursuant to Section 404 of the
Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1344) and
section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act
of 1899 (33 U.S.C. 403) for proposed
structures in and under navigable
waters and the discharge of dredged,
excavated, and/or fill material into
waters of the United States, including
wetlands to construct the preferred
alternative identified in the final EIS.
The decision whether to issue the
permits will be based on an evaluation
of the probable impacts, including
cumulative impacts, of the proposed
projects on the public interest. The
decision will reflect the national
concern for the protection and
PO 00000
Frm 00044
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
utilization of important resources. The
benefits, which would be reasonably
expected to accrue from the proposed
projects, must be balanced against its
reasonably foreseeable detriments. All
factors, which may be relevant to the
proposed work, will be considered,
including the cumulative effects thereof;
among those are conservation,
economics, aesthetics, general
environmental concerns, wetlands,
cultural values, fish and wildlife values,
flood hazards, floodplain values, land
use, navigation, shore erosion and
accretion, recreation, water supply, and
conservation, water quality, energy
needs, safety, food and fiber production,
consideration of property ownership,
and in general, the needs and welfare of
the people.
The Corps solicited comments from
the public; Federal, State, and local
agencies and officials; Indian tribes; and
other interested parties in order to
consider and evaluate the impacts of the
proposed project. Comments received
will be considered by the Corps to
determine whether to issue, modify,
condition or deny a permit for the
proposal. To make this decision, the
Corps uses comments received to access
impacts on endangered species, historic
properties, water quality, general
environmental effects, and the other
public interest factors listed above.
The evaluation of the impact of the
work described above on the public
interest will also include application, by
the Corps, of the guidelines [Section
404(b)(1)] promulgated by the
Administrator, U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, under authority of
Section 404 of the Clean Water Act.
For Corps permitting purposes, if
applicable, the applicant is required to
obtain a Water Quality Certification in
accordance with Section 401 of the
Clean Water Act from the Maryland
Department of the Environment (MDE),
the Pennsylvania Department of
Environmental Protection, and the State
of West Virginia Division of
Environmental Protection. The Section
401 certifying agencies have a statutory
limit of one year in which to make their
decisions. Additionally, for Corps
permitting purposes, the applicant is
required to obtain Coastal Zone
Management Consistency concurrence
from the MDE, as well. It should be
noted that the MDE has a statutory limit
of 6 months in which to make its
consistency determination.
The U.S. Coast Guard (Coast Guard)
within the U.S. Department of
Homeland Security is also participating
as a cooperating agency in the
preparation of the EIS because it
exercises regulatory authority over LNG
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05MYN1
cchase on PROD1PC60 with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 87 / Friday, May 5, 2006 / Notices
facilities that affect the safety and
security of port areas and navigable
waterways under Executive Order
10173; the Magnuson Act (50 U.S.C.
191); the Ports and Waterways Safety
Act of 1972, as amended (33 U.S.C.
1221, et seq.); and the Maritime
Transportation Security Act of 2002 (46
U.S.C. 701). The Coast Guard also has
authority for LNG facility plan review,
approval and compliance verification as
provided in title 33 CFR part 105, and
siting as it pertains to the management
of vessel traffic in and around the LNG
facility. As required by its regulations,
the Coast Guard is responsible for
issuing a Letter of Recommendation
(LOR) as to the suitability of the
waterway for LNG marine traffic.
The final EIS has been placed in the
public files of the FERC and is available
for distribution and public inspection
at: Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, Public Reference Room,
888 First Street, NE., Room 2A,
Washington, DC 20426, (202) 208–1371.
Copies of the final EIS have been
mailed to Federal, State, and local
agencies; public interest groups;
individuals and affected landowners
who requested a copy of the final EIS or
provided comments during scoping;
libraries; newspapers; and parties to this
proceeding. A limited number of
documents and CD–ROMs are available
from the Public Reference Room
identified above. In addition, hardcopies of the document are also
available for reading at public libraries
along the proposed project route.
In accordance with the Council on
Environmental Quality’s (CEQ)
regulations implementing NEPA, no
agency decision on a proposed action
may be made until 30 days after the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency
publishes a notice of availability of a
final EIS. However, the CEQ regulations
provide an exception to this rule when
an agency decision is subject to a formal
internal appeal process which allows
other agency review or the public to
make their views known. In such cases,
the agency decision may be made at the
same time the notice of the final EIS is
published, allowing both periods to run
concurrently. The Commission decision
for this proposed action is subject to a
30-day rehearing period.
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
VerDate Aug<31>2005
18:48 May 04, 2006
Jkt 208001
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 on the FERC Internet Web site 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 the eSubscription
link on the FERC Internet Web site.
Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E6–6844 Filed 5–4–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
26493
The DEA is available for review and
reproduction at the Commission’s
Public Reference Room, located at 888
First Street, NE., Room 2A, Washington,
DC 20426. The DEA may also be viewed
on the Commission’s Web site at
https://www.ferc.gov using the ‘‘elibrary’’
link. Enter the dock number (prefaced
by P–) and 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 (866) 208–3676, or for TTY,
contact (202) 502–8659.
Comments on the DEA should be filed
within 30 days of the date of this notice
and should be addressed to Magalie
Roman Salas, Secretary, Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission, 888 First
Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426.
Please reference ‘‘Catawba-Wateree
Project, FERC Project No. 2232–485’’ on
all comments. Comments may be filed
electronically via the Internet in lieu of
paper. See, 18 CFR 385.2001(a)(1)(iii)
and the instructions on the
Commission’s Web site under the ‘‘eFiling’’ link.
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E6–6852 Filed 5–4–06; 8:45 am]
[Project No. 2232–485–NC]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
Duke Power, a Division of Duke Energy
Corporation; Notice of Availability of
Draft Environmental Assessment
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
April 28, 2006.
In accordance with the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and
the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission’s (Commission)
regulations, 18 CFR part 380 (Order No.
486, 52 FR 47897), the Office of Energy
Projects has reviewed an application for
non-project use of project lands and
waters at the Catawba-Wateree Project
(FERC No. 2232), and has prepared a
draft environmental assessment (DEA)
for the proposal. The proposed nonproject use would be located on Lake
James in McDowell County, North
Carolina.
In the application, Duke Power
(licensee) requests Commission
authorization to lease to Black Bear
Development, Inc. 6.57 acres of project
land for a commercial/non-residential
marina. The marina would be located on
Lake James at the Bear Cliff Community,
a planned lakefront development
combining a private residential
development and a public day-use area.
The DEA contains the Commission
staff’s analysis of the probable
environmental impacts of the proposed
marina.
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. CP05–83–000; Docket Nos.
CP05–84–000; CP05–85–000; CP05–86–000]
Port Arthur LNG, L.P.; Port Arthur
Pipeline, L.P.; Notice of Availability of
the Final Environmental Impact
Statement and Final General
Conformity Determination for the Port
Arthur LNG Project
April 28, 2006.
The staff of the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) has prepared this final
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
for the construction and operation of the
liquefied natural gas (LNG) import
terminal and natural gas pipeline
facilities (referred to as the Port Arthur
LNG Project or Project) as proposed by
Port Arthur LNG, L.P. and Port Arthur
Pipeline, L.P. (collectively Sempra) in
the above-referenced dockets.
The final EIS was prepared to satisfy
the requirements of the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The
staff concludes that approval of the Port
Arthur LNG Project, with appropriate
mitigating measures as recommended,
E:\FR\FM\05MYN1.SGM
05MYN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 87 (Friday, May 5, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26491-26493]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-6844]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket Nos. CP05-130-000, CP05-132-000, Corps Application
CENAB-OP-RMS200565510-4; Docket No. CP05-131-000]
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District; Dominion Cove
Point LNG, LP; Dominion Transmission, Inc.; Notice of Availability of
the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Cove Point Expansion
Project
April 28, 2006.
The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
(Corps) and U.S. Coast Guard, (Coast Guard) has prepared a final
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a liquefied natural gas (LNG)
import terminal expansion
[[Page 26492]]
and natural gas pipeline facilities proposed by Dominion Cove Point
LNG, L.P. and Dominion Transmission, Inc. (collectively referred to as
Dominion) in the above-referenced dockets. The final EIS was prepared
to satisfy the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA). The final EIS addresses federally listed species, cultural
resources, and essential fish habitat issues. A draft General
Conformity Determination was also prepared by the FERC to assess the
potential air quality impacts associated with construction and
operation of the proposed project and is included as Appendix H of the
final EIS.
The FERC staff concludes that approval of the proposed project with
appropriate mitigating measures, as recommended, would have limited
adverse environmental impact.
The final EIS addresses the potential environmental effects of the
construction and operation of the following LNG terminal and natural
gas (steel) pipeline facilities:
Two new 160,000 cubic meter single containment LNG storage
tanks;
Additional vaporization capacity consisting of shell and
tube vaporizers and associated equipment;
Additional power generation equipment consisting of two
21.7 megawatt gas turbine generators and three emergency generators;
Infrastructure associated with the LNG terminal expansion
including roads and storage and work areas at the existing site;
About 47.8 miles of 36-inch-diameter, loop pipeline in
Calvert, Prince Georges, and Charles County, Maryland (TL-532
Pipeline);
Ancillary areas for pipeline construction, including
access roads, staging areas, and work spaces;
About 81 miles of 24-inch-diameter pipeline lateral in
Juniata, Mifflin, Huntingdon, Centre, and Clinton Counties,
Pennsylvania (PL-1 EXT2 Pipeline);
Two new compressor stations in Juniata County (Perulack
Station) and Centre County (Centre Relay Station), Pennsylvania;
About 11 miles of 24-inch diameter pipeline loop in Wetzel
County, West Virginia and Greene County, Pennsylvania (TL-492 EXT3
Pipeline);
About 12 miles of 24-inch-diameter pipeline loop in Potter
County, Pennsylvania (TL-453 EXT1 Pipeline);
About 10 miles of 20-inch-diameter pipeline loop in Potter
County, Pennsylvania (TL-536 Pipeline);
Replacement of about 0.6 mile and pressure testing and
possible replacement of about 0.4 mile of 30-inch-diameter pipeline in
Franklin County, Pennsylvania (PL-1 Pipeline Pressure Restoration
Sites);
Minor modifications to the existing Loudoun Measuring and
Regulating (M&R) Station in Loudoun County, Virginia;
About 2,800 horsepower (hp) of additional compression at
the existing Mockingbird Hill Compressor Station in Wetzel County, West
Virginia;
Minor modifications to the existing Leesburg Compressor
Station in Loudoun County, Virginia;
Minor modifications to the existing Chambersburg
Compressor Station in Franklin County, Pennsylvania;
Additional facilities and pipeline replacement at the
existing Leidy M&R Station located at the Leidy Hub complex in Clinton
County, Pennsylvania;
About 3,550 hp of additional compression at Dominion's
previously approved Wolf Run Compressor Station in Lewis County, West
Virginia; and
Minor modifications to Dominion's previously approved
Quinlan Compressor Station in Cattaraugus County, New York.
Dominion's proposed LNG terminal expansion would increase the send-
out capability by 800,000 dekatherms per day (Dth/d) and increase the
storage capacity by 6.8 MMDth/d. Dominion's proposed pipeline and
related facilities in Maryland and Virginia would allow it to deliver
an additional 800,000 Dth/d from its LNG terminal to its connections
with other interstate pipelines. Dominion's proposed pipelines and
related facilities in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and New York would
allow it to transport an additional 700,000 Dth/d to various delivery
points on its system, and offer a new underground storage service of
6.0 MMDth, with an additional demand of 100,000 Dth/d.
Dominion Cove Point LNG, LP has applied, concurrently, to the Corps
for a Department of the Army Individual Permit pursuant to Section 404
of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1344) and section 10 of the Rivers
and Harbors Act of 1899 (33 U.S.C. 403) for proposed structures in and
under navigable waters and the discharge of dredged, excavated, and/or
fill material into waters of the United States, including wetlands to
construct the preferred alternative identified in the final EIS. The
decision whether to issue the permits will be based on an evaluation of
the probable impacts, including cumulative impacts, of the proposed
projects on the public interest. The decision will reflect the national
concern for the protection and utilization of important resources. The
benefits, which would be reasonably expected to accrue from the
proposed projects, must be balanced against its reasonably foreseeable
detriments. All factors, which may be relevant to the proposed work,
will be considered, including the cumulative effects thereof; among
those are conservation, economics, aesthetics, general environmental
concerns, wetlands, cultural values, fish and wildlife values, flood
hazards, floodplain values, land use, navigation, shore erosion and
accretion, recreation, water supply, and conservation, water quality,
energy needs, safety, food and fiber production, consideration of
property ownership, and in general, the needs and welfare of the
people.
The Corps solicited comments from the public; Federal, State, and
local agencies and officials; Indian tribes; and other interested
parties in order to consider and evaluate the impacts of the proposed
project. Comments received will be considered by the Corps to determine
whether to issue, modify, condition or deny a permit for the proposal.
To make this decision, the Corps uses comments received to access
impacts on endangered species, historic properties, water quality,
general environmental effects, and the other public interest factors
listed above.
The evaluation of the impact of the work described above on the
public interest will also include application, by the Corps, of the
guidelines [Section 404(b)(1)] promulgated by the Administrator, U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, under authority of Section 404 of the
Clean Water Act.
For Corps permitting purposes, if applicable, the applicant is
required to obtain a Water Quality Certification in accordance with
Section 401 of the Clean Water Act from the Maryland Department of the
Environment (MDE), the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental
Protection, and the State of West Virginia Division of Environmental
Protection. The Section 401 certifying agencies have a statutory limit
of one year in which to make their decisions. Additionally, for Corps
permitting purposes, the applicant is required to obtain Coastal Zone
Management Consistency concurrence from the MDE, as well. It should be
noted that the MDE has a statutory limit of 6 months in which to make
its consistency determination.
The U.S. Coast Guard (Coast Guard) within the U.S. Department of
Homeland Security is also participating as a cooperating agency in the
preparation of the EIS because it exercises regulatory authority over
LNG
[[Page 26493]]
facilities that affect the safety and security of port areas and
navigable waterways under Executive Order 10173; the Magnuson Act (50
U.S.C. 191); the Ports and Waterways Safety Act of 1972, as amended (33
U.S.C. 1221, et seq.); and the Maritime Transportation Security Act of
2002 (46 U.S.C. 701). The Coast Guard also has authority for LNG
facility plan review, approval and compliance verification as provided
in title 33 CFR part 105, and siting as it pertains to the management
of vessel traffic in and around the LNG facility. As required by its
regulations, the Coast Guard is responsible for issuing a Letter of
Recommendation (LOR) as to the suitability of the waterway for LNG
marine traffic.
The final EIS has been placed in the public files of the FERC and
is available for distribution and public inspection at: Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission, Public Reference Room, 888 First Street, NE.,
Room 2A, Washington, DC 20426, (202) 208-1371.
Copies of the final EIS have been mailed to Federal, State, and
local agencies; public interest groups; individuals and affected
landowners who requested a copy of the final EIS or provided comments
during scoping; libraries; newspapers; and parties to this proceeding.
A limited number of documents and CD-ROMs are available from the Public
Reference Room identified above. In addition, hard-copies of the
document are also available for reading at public libraries along the
proposed project route.
In accordance with the Council on Environmental Quality's (CEQ)
regulations implementing NEPA, no agency decision on a proposed action
may be made until 30 days after the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency publishes a notice of availability of a final EIS. However, the
CEQ regulations provide an exception to this rule when an agency
decision is subject to a formal internal appeal process which allows
other agency review or the public to make their views known. In such
cases, the agency decision may be made at the same time the notice of
the final EIS is published, allowing both periods to run concurrently.
The Commission decision for this proposed action is subject to a 30-day
rehearing period.
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 on the FERC Internet Web site
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 the eSubscription link on the FERC Internet Web
site.
Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E6-6844 Filed 5-4-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P