Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Rockies Western Phase Project, 65805-65806 [E6-18986]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
• Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 217 (Thursday, November 9, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65805-65806]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-18986]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission


 Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Rockies Western Phase Project

November 3, 2006.
    Rockies Express Pipeline, LLC, Docket No. CP06-354-000; 
TransColorado Gas Transmission Company, Docket No. CP06-401-000; 
Questar Overthrust Pipeline Company, Docket No. CP06-423-000.

    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) has prepared a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) 
for the natural gas pipeline facilities proposed by Rockies Express 
Pipeline LLC (Rockies Express), TransColorado Gas Transmission Company 
(TransColorado), and Questar Overthrust Pipeline Company (Overthrust) 
in the above-referenced dockets. These individual corporate entities 
have submitted separate and distinct proposals to the Commission; 
however, the FERC views the proposed facilities as interconnected 
projects that are necessary components of a larger, combined natural 
gas transportation system. As such, all three project proposals have 
been included in this draft EIS, and are collectively referred to as 
the Rockies Western Phase Project (or the Project). The Project 
facilities would be located in Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, 
Missouri, and New Mexico.
    The draft EIS was prepared to satisfy the requirements of the 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Federal Land 
Management and Policy Act. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) are federal land management 
agencies with lands affected by this proposal and are cooperating 
agencies for the development of the EIS. A cooperating agency has 
jurisdiction by law or special expertise with respect to potential 
environmental impacts associated with the proposal, and is involved in 
the NEPA analysis. The Project would cross federal land under the 
jurisdiction of the BLM Rawlins, Kemmerer, and Rock Springs Field 
Offices. Lands administered by the FWS would also be crossed by the 
Project. Under section 185(f) of the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, the 
BLM has the authority to issue Right-of-Way Grants for all affected 
federal lands.
    The FERC staff has concluded that if the Rockies Western Phase 
Project is constructed and operated in accordance with applicable laws 
and regulations, the mitigation proposed by Rockies Express, 
TransColorado, and Overthrust, and the staffs' additional mitigation 
recommendations, the Project would have limited adverse environmental 
impact and would be an environmentally acceptable action.
    As currently proposed, the Rockies Western Phase Project would 
consist of the construction and operation of approximately 796 miles of 
natural gas pipeline and a total of 237,320 horsepower of new 
compression. Following completion of the proposed facilities, the 
Project would transport up to 1.5 billion cubic feet of natural gas per 
day. Specifically, the draft EIS addresses the potential environmental 
effects of the construction and operation of the following natural gas 
pipeline facilities proposed by Rockies Express, TransColorado, and 
Overthrust:

Rockies Express (REX-West Project)

     712.7 miles of 42-inch-diameter natural gas pipeline in 
Wyoming, Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, and Missouri;
     5.3 miles of 24-inch-diameter pipeline (Echo Springs 
Lateral) in Sweetwater and Carbon Counties, Wyoming;
     five new compressor stations (Cheyenne Compressor Station 
in Weld County, Colorado; Julesburg Compressor Station in Sedgwick 
County, Colorado;

[[Page 65806]]

Echo Springs Compressor Station in Sweetwater County, Wyoming; the 
Steele City Compressor Station in Gage County, Nebraska; and Turney 
Compressor Station in Clinton County, Missouri);
     four new compressor units at two previously certificated 
compressor stations (Meeker Compressor Station in Rio Blanco County, 
Colorado and Wamsutter Compressor Station in Sweetwater County, 
Wyoming); and
     8 new meter stations, 41 mainline valves, and associated 
facilities.

TransColorado (Blanco to Meeker Project)

     392 feet of discharge line and 478 feet of suction line, 
1,300 feet of 24-inch-diameter pipeline, and 60 feet of 16-inch-
diameter pipeline in San Juan County, New Mexico;
     two new compressor stations (Blanco Compression Station in 
San Juan County, New Mexico and the Conn Creek Compressor Station in 
Garfield County, Colorado);
     modifications at three existing compressor stations 
(Mancos Compressor Station in Montezuma County, Colorado; Redvale 
Compressor Station in Montrose County, Colorado; and Whitewater 
Compressor Station in Mesa County, Colorado); and
     one new meter station.

Overthrust (Wamsutter Expansion Project)

     77.2 miles of 36-inch-diameter natural gas pipeline in 
Sweetwater County, Wyoming;
     0.1 mile of 36-inch-diameter pipeline (Opal Extension) and 
0.1 mile of 20-inch-diameter pipeline (TL-90 Tie-in);
     two new compressor stations in Wyoming (Roberson 
Compressor Station in Lincoln County and Rock Springs Compressor 
Station in Sweetwater County); and
     two new meter stations, three new block valves, and 
associated facilities.

Comment Procedures and Public Meetings

    Any person wishing to comment on the draft EIS may do so. To ensure 
consideration prior to a Commission decision on the proposal, it is 
important that the Commission receives your comments before the date 
specified below. Please carefully follow these instructions to ensure 
that your comments are received and properly recorded:
     Send an original and two copies of your comments to:
    Magalie R. Salas, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 
888 First Street, NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426.
     Reference Docket Nos. CP06-354-000, CP06-401-000, and 
CP06-423-000.
     Label one copy of the comments for the attention of Gas 
Branch 1.
     Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, DC on or before December 28, 2006.
    The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing of any 
comments, 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 ``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.''
    In lieu of sending written comments, you are invited to attend 
public comment meetings the FERC will conduct in the project area to 
receive comments on the draft EIS. Date, time, and location of these 
meetings will be sent under separate cover. Interested groups and 
individuals are encouraged to attend and present oral comments on the 
draft EIS. Transcripts of the meetings will be prepared.
    After the comments are reviewed, any significant new issues are 
investigated, and modifications are made to the draft EIS, a final EIS 
will be published and distributed by the FERC staff. The final EIS will 
contain the staff's responses to timely comments received on the draft 
EIS.
    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). Only intervenors have the right to seek 
rehearing of the Commission's decision. Anyone may intervene in this 
proceeding based on this draft EIS. You must file your request to 
intervene as specified above.\1\ You do not need intervenor status to 
have your comments considered.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ Interventions may also be filed electronically via the 
Internet in lieu of paper. See the previous discussion on filing 
comments electronically.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The draft 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.
    CD-ROM copies of the draft EIS have been mailed to Federal, State, 
and local agencies; public interest groups; individuals and affected 
landowners who requested a copy of the draft EIS or provided comments 
during scoping; libraries and newspapers in the Project area; and 
parties to this proceeding. Hard copy versions of the draft EIS were 
mailed to those specifically requesting them. A limited number of hard 
copies and CD-ROMs are available from the Public Reference Room 
identified above.
    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. E6-18986 Filed 11-8-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P