Midcontinent Express Pipeline, LLC; Supplemental Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Midcontinent Express Project, Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of Public Site Visit, 46622-46625 [E7-16383]
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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 161 / Tuesday, August 21, 2007 / Notices
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.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Acting Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. E7–16422 Filed 8–20–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Project No. 2277]
AmerenUE; Notice of Availability of
Final Environmental Assessment
rmajette on PROD1PC64 with NOTICES
August 14, 2007.
In accordance with the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and
the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission (Commission or FERC)
regulations contained in the Code of
Federal Regulations (CFR) (18 CFR Part
380), the Office of Energy Projects has
prepared a Final Environmental
Assessment (FEA) regarding
AmerenUE’s request to rebuild the
upper reservoir of the Taum Sauk
Pumped Storage Project (FERC No.
2277), located on the East Fork Black
River, in Reynolds County, Missouri.
The FEA analyzes the environmental
effects of the reconstruction of the upper
reservoir and contains measures to
minimize those effects. The FEA
concludes that the proposed
reconstruction, with recommended
mitigation measures, would not
constitute a major federal action
significantly affecting the quality of the
human environment.
A copy of the FEA is available for
review at the Commission in the Public
Reference Room, or it may be viewed on
the Commission’s Web site at https://
www.ferc.gov using the e-Library link.
Enter the docket number ‘‘P–2277’’ in
the docket number field to access the
document. For assistance, call (202)
502–8222 or (202) 502–8659 (for TTY).
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For further information regarding this
notice, please contact Thomas LoVullo
at (202) 502–8900.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E7–16389 Filed 8–20–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. PF07–4–000]
Midcontinent Express Pipeline, LLC;
Supplemental Notice of Intent To
Prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement for the Proposed
Midcontinent Express Project, Request
for Comments on Environmental
Issues, and Notice of Public Site Visit
August 14, 2007.
The staff of the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) will prepare an
environmental impact statement (EIS)
that will identify and address the
environmental impacts that could result
from the construction and operation of
the Midcontinent Express Pipeline
Project (Project) proposed by
Midcontinent Express Pipeline, LLC
(MEP). On June 25, 2007, MEP filed
draft Resource Reports that identified a
modification to the Project in Richland
and Madison Parishes, Louisiana,
consisting of an approximately 4.2-milelong lateral pipeline (CenterPoint
Lateral). MEP subsequently filed
additional information clarifying the
location of the Project facilities
associated with the CenterPoint Lateral
on August 3, 2007.
On April 27, 2007, the FERC issued a
‘‘Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement for the
Proposed Midcontinent Express
Pipeline Project, Request for Comments
on Environmental Issues and Notice of
Public Scoping Meetings’’ (NOI). The
NOI was published in the Federal
Register and was also mailed to
interested parties, including Federal,
state and local officials, agency
representatives, conservation
organizations; Native American groups;
local libraries and newspapers; and
property owners affected by the
proposed facilities. This notice is being
issued because the CenterPoint Lateral
was not identified in the NOI, and
landowners potentially affected by that
facility were therefore not included on
the environmental mailing list for that
correspondence.
In order to assist staff with the
identification of environmental issues
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associated with the modified facilities
and to comply with the requirements of
the National Environmental Policy Act
of 1969 (NEPA), a 30-day scoping period
has been opened to receive comments
on the proposed Project, as modified by
the addition of the CenterPoint Lateral.
Please note that the scoping period for
this project will close on September 10,
2007.
Comments on the Project and the
issues that should be addressed in the
EIS may be submitted in written form.
Further details on how to submit
written comments are provided in the
Public Participation section of this
notice. Additionally, as part of the
scoping process, we will sponsor a
public site visit of the proposed
CenterPoint Lateral, as described below.
Please note that attendees at the site
visit must obtain their own
transportation for the site visit.
Date and time
Location
Tuesday, August 28,
2007, 9 am (CST).
Delhi Municipal Airport (parking lot),
Airport Road/Louisiana Highway 17,
Delhi, Louisiana
71232
This notice is being sent to
landowners affected by the CenterPoint
Lateral, as well as those that previously
requested to remain on the Project
environmental mailing list; federal,
state, and local government agencies;
elected officials; environmental and
public interest groups; Native American
tribes; other interested parties; and local
libraries and newspapers; all of which
are encouraged to submit comments on
the proposed Project. Details on how to
submit comments are provided in the
Public Participation section of this
notice.
If you are a landowner receiving this
notice, you may be contacted by an MEP
representative about the acquisition of
an easement to construct, operate, and
maintain the proposed project facilities.
The pipeline company would seek to
negotiate a mutually acceptable
agreement. However, if the project is
approved by the FERC, 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
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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 161 / Tuesday, August 21, 2007 / Notices
pipeline, which would extend from an
interconnect with the Project mainline
pipeline in Madison Parish, Louisiana,
to the Delhi Booster Station and an
interconnect with a CenterPoint Energy
Gas Transmission Company pipeline in
Richland Parish, Louisiana;
Summary of the Proposed Project
• Four new mainline and one booster,
MEP proposes to construct, own and
natural gas-fired compressor stations,
operate approximately 495 miles of new including:
30-, 36-, and 42-inch-diameter interstate —The 38,555-hp Lamar Compressor
natural gas transmission pipeline, a total
Station at Milepost (MP) TX 28.5 in
of approximately 111,720 horsepower
Lamar County, Texas;
(hp) of compression at one booster and
—The 12,270-hp Atlanta Compressor
four new mainline compressor stations,
Station at MP TX 117.4 in Cass
and related appurtenant facilities
County, Texas;
—The 32,720-hp Perryville Compressor
located in portions of Oklahoma,
Station at MP LA 109.0 in Union
northeast Texas, northern Louisiana,
Parish, Louisiana;
central Mississippi, and Alabama. The
—The 18,405-hp Vicksburg Compressor
proposed pipeline route identified by
Station at MP MS 11.8 in Warren
MEP would extend from a receipt point
County, Mississippi;
with existing pipeline infrastructure
—The 9,470-hp Delhi Booster Station,
near Bennington in Bryan County,
which would be located along the
Oklahoma, to an interconnect with the
CenterPoint Lateral in Richland
existing Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line
Parish, Louisiana;
Corporation system near Butler in
• Meter stations at up to 13
Choctaw County, Alabama. The general
interconnects with existing pipeline
location of the proposed pipeline is
infrastructure in Bryan County,
shown in the figure included as
Oklahoma; Lamar and Cass Counties,
Appendix 1.1
In addition, as part of the
Texas; Ouachita, Richland, and
Midcontinent Express Pipeline Project,
Madison Parishes, Louisiana; Hinds,
MEP proposes to construct, own, and
Smith, Jasper, and Clarke Counties,
operate the approximately 4.2-mileMississippi; and Choctaw County,
long, 16-inch-diameter CenterPoint
Alabama;
• Various pig 2 launching and
Lateral in Richland and Madison
receiving facilities; and
Parishes, Louisiana.
• 29 mainline valves.
Specifically, the MEP Project facilities
MEP indicates that the proposed
under FERC jurisdiction would include
Project facilities would provide longthe following:
• Approximately 40 miles of 30-inch- haul takeaway capacity to facilitate the
transport of natural gas from production
diameter pipeline in Bryan County,
areas in Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas
Oklahoma, and Lamar County, Texas;
to markets in the Southeast, Northeast
• Approximately 262 miles of 42and Midwest regions of the United
inch-diameter pipeline in Lamar, Red
States that can be accessed through
River, Franklin, Titus, Morris, and Cass
interconnects with existing pipeline
Counties, Texas, and Caddo, Bossier,
infrastructure. The Project would
Webster, Claiborne, Lincoln, Union,
consist of two capacity zones. The
Ouachita, Morehouse, Richland, and
initial transport capacity of Zone 1,
Madison Parishes, Louisiana;
• Approximately 193 miles of 36which would include the 30- and 42inch-diameter pipeline in Madison
inch-diameter portions of the pipeline
Parish, Louisiana, and Warren, Hinds,
facilities, would be 1.4 billion cubic feet
Rankin, Simpson, Smith, Jasper, and
of natural gas per day (Bcf/d). However,
Clarke Counties, Mississippi, and
additional supporting contracts could
Choctaw County, Alabama;
provide for expansion of the Zone 1
• The newly proposed, approximately transport capacity to 1.5 Bcf/d. Zone 2,
4.2-mile-long, 16-inch-diameter lateral
which would include the balance of the
pipeline facilities, would have an initial
1 The appendices referenced in this notice are not
transport capacity of 1.0 Bcf/d, with the
being printed in the Federal Register. Copies of all
potential for expansion to 1.2 Bcf/d.
appendices, other than Appendix 1 (maps), are
MEP proposes to place the first 40
available on the Commission’s Web site at the
miles of 30-inch-diameter pipeline in
‘‘eLibrary’’ link or from the Commission’s Public
Reference Room, 888 First Street, NE., Washington,
service by October 31, 2008, with the
DC 20426, or call (202) 502–8371. For instructions
remainder of the pipeline constructed
on connecting to eLibrary refer to the Public
and operational by February 2009.
Participation section of this notice. Copies of the
rmajette on PROD1PC64 with NOTICES
the FERC Internet Web site
(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.
appendices were sent to all those receiving this
notice in the mail. Requests for detailed maps of the
proposed facilities should be made directly to MEP.
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2 A pig is a mechanical tool used to clean and
inspect the interior of a pipeline.
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Land Requirements for Construction
As proposed, the typical construction
right-of-way width for the 30-, 36-, and
42-inch-diameter sections of Project
pipeline would be 100, 110, and 125
feet, respectively. The typical
construction right-of-way width for the
CenterPoint Lateral would be 75 feet.
Following construction, MEP would
generally retain a 50-foot-wide
permanent right-of-way for operation of
the Project, though MEP proposes to
expand the maintained permanent rightof-way width to 60 feet in limited areas
based on site-specific conditions.
Additionally, temporary extra
workspaces beyond the typical
construction right-of-way limits would
also be required at certain feature
crossings (e.g., roads, railroads,
wetlands, or waterbodies), in areas with
steep side slopes, in association with
special construction techniques, or at
pipe storage and contractor yards. In
residential areas, wetlands, and other
sensitive areas, the construction rightof-way width would be reduced as
necessary to protect homeowners and
environmental resources. Following
construction, all temporary workspaces
(including the temporary construction
rights-of-way and extra workspaces)
would be restored and allowed to revert
to its former use.
The EIS Process
NEPA requires the Commission to
take into account the environmental
impacts that could result from the
approval of an interstate natural gas
pipeline. The FERC will use the EIS to
consider the environmental impact that
could result if the Midcontinent Express
Pipeline Project is authorized under
Section 7 of the Natural Gas Act.
NEPA also requires us to discover and
address concerns the public may have
about proposals to be considered by the
Commission. This process is referred to
as ‘‘scoping.’’ The main goal of the
scoping process is to focus the analysis
in the EIS on the important
environmental issues. With this NOI,
the Commission staff is requesting
public comments on the scope of the
issues to be addressed in the EIS. All
comments received will be considered
during preparation of the EIS.
In the EIS we will discuss impacts
that could occur as a result of the
construction and operation of the
proposed project under these general
headings:
• Geology and soils;
• Water resources;
• Wetlands and vegetation;
• Fish and wildlife;
• Threatened and endangered
species;
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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 161 / Tuesday, August 21, 2007 / Notices
rmajette on PROD1PC64 with NOTICES
• Land use, recreation, and visual
resources;
• Air quality and noise;
• Cultural resources;
• Socioeconomics;
• Reliability and safety; and
• Cumulative environmental impacts.
In the EIS, we will also evaluate
possible alternatives to the proposed
project or portions of the project, and
make recommendations on how to
lessen or avoid impacts on affected
resources.
Our independent analysis of the
issues will be included in a draft EIS.
The draft EIS will be mailed to federal,
state, and local government agencies;
elected officials; environmental and
public interest groups; Native American
tribes; affected landowners;
commentors; other interested parties;
local libraries and newspapers; and the
FERC’s official service list for this
proceeding. A 45-day comment period
will be allotted for review of the draft
EIS. We will consider all comments on
the draft EIS and revise the document,
as necessary, before issuing a final EIS.
We will consider all comments on the
final EIS before we make our
recommendations to the Commission.
To ensure that your comments are
considered, please follow the
instructions in the Public Participation
section of this notice.
With this notice, we are asking
federal, state, and local governmental
agencies with jurisdiction and/or
special expertise with respect to
environmental issues, to express their
interest in becoming cooperating
agencies for the preparation of the EIS.
These agencies may choose to
participate once they have evaluated the
proposal relative to their
responsibilities.
Currently Identified Environmental
Issues
The EIS will discuss impacts that
could occur as a result of the
construction and operation of the
proposed project. We have already
identified several issues that we think
deserve attention based on a
preliminary review of the project site,
comments filed in response to the April
27, 2007 NOI, and the facility
information provided by MEP. This
preliminary list of issues may be
changed based on your comments and
our analysis.
• Potential impacts to water
resources, including groundwater and
ephemeral, intermittent, and perennial
waterbodies.
• Evaluation of temporary and
permanent impacts on wetlands and
development of appropriate mitigation.
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• Potential impacts to fish and
wildlife habitat, including potential
impacts to federal and state-listed
threatened and endangered species.
• Potential impacts to natural
vegetative communities, including
native prairie and forestland.
• Potential effects on prime farmland
soils and soils with a high potential for
compaction or erosion.
• Potential impacts to existing land
uses, including agricultural and
managed forested lands.
• Potential impacts to recreation and
special interest areas, including
Wetland Reserve Program lands and the
Natchez Trace Parkway.
• Potential impacts to residential
areas, planned developments, and
property values.
• Potential disruption to area
businesses associated with construction.
• Potential visual effects of the
pipeline easement and aboveground
facilities on surrounding areas.
• Potential impacts to local air and
noise quality associated with
construction and operation.
• Potential impacts to cultural
resources and Native American lands.
• Public safety and hazards
associated with the transport of natural
gas.
• Alternative alignments for the
pipeline route and alternative sites for
the compressor stations.
• Assessment of the effect of the
proposed Project when combined with
other past, present, or reasonably
foreseeable future actions in the Project
area, including the potential cumulative
effect of collocating multiple utility
rights-of-way.
• Use of the existing and proposed
rights-of-way to minimize the need for
additional temporary construction
workspace and/or reduce the width of
the permanent easement.
Public Participation
You can make a difference by
providing us with your specific
comments or concerns about the
proposed project. By becoming a
commenter, your concerns will be
addressed in the EIS and considered by
the Commission. Your comments
should focus on the potential
environmental effects, reasonable
alternatives (including alternative
facility sites and pipeline routes), and
measures to avoid or lessen
environmental impact. The more
specific your comments, the more useful
they will be. To ensure that your
comments are timely and properly
recorded, please carefully follow these
instructions:
• Send an original and two copies of
your letter to: Kimberly D. Bose,
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Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, 888 First St., NE., Room
1A, Washington, DC 20426.
• Label one copy of your comments
for the attention of Gas Branch 3, DG2E.
• Reference Docket No. PF07–4–000
on the original and both copies.
• Mail your comments so that they
will be received in Washington, DC on
or before September 10, 2007.
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. The Commission strongly
encourages electronic filing of any
comments in response to this Notice of
Intent. For information on electronically
filing comments, please see the
instructions on the Commission’s Web
site at www.ferc.gov.
Once MEP formally files its
application with the Commission, you
may want to become an official party to
the proceeding known as an
‘‘intervenor.’’ Intervenors play a more
formal role in the process and are able
to file briefs, appear at hearings, and be
heard by the courts if they choose to
appeal the Commission’s final ruling.
An intervenor formally participates in a
Commission proceeding by filing a
request to intervene. Instructions for
becoming an intervenor are included in
the User’s Guide under the ‘‘e-filing’’
link on the Commission’s Web site.
Please note that you may not request
intervenor status at this time. You must
wait until a formal application is filed
with the Commission.
Environmental Mailing List
An effort is being made to send this
notice to all individuals, organizations,
and government entities interested in
and/or potentially affected by the
proposed Project. This includes all
landowners along the CenterPoint
Lateral who are potential right-of-way
grantors, whose property may be used
temporarily for Project purposes, or who
own property within distances defined
in the Commission’s regulations of
certain aboveground facilities. In
addition, this notice is also being sent
to potentially affected landowners along
other portions of the Project that
previously requested to remain on the
Project environmental mailing list.
If you received this notice, you are on
the environmental mailing list for this
project. If you do not want to send
comments at this time, but still want to
remain on our mailing list, please return
the Information Request (Appendix 2). If
you do not return the Information
Request, you will be removed from the
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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 161 / Tuesday, August 21, 2007 / Notices
Commission’s environmental mailing
list. Please note that interested
individuals who previously responded
to the April 27, 2007 NOI with a request
to stay on the environmental mailing list
need not reply again.
Availability of Additional Information
rmajette on PROD1PC64 with NOTICES
Additional information about the
project is available from the
Commission’s Office of External Affairs,
at 1–866–208–FERC (3372). Additional
information can also be found on the
Internet at www.ferc.gov. The ‘‘eLibrary
link’’ on the FERC Web site provides
access to documents submitted to and
issued by the Commission, such as
comments, orders, notices and
rulemakings. Once on the FERC Web
site, click on the ‘‘eLibrary link,’’ select
‘‘General Search’’ and in the ‘‘Docket
Number’’ field enter the project docket
number excluding the last three digits
(i.e., PF07–4). When researching
information be sure to select an
appropriate date range. In addition, the
FERC now offers a free e-mail 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 www.ferc.gov/esubscribenow.htm.
For assistance, please contact FERC
Online Support at
FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or toll
free at 1–866–208–3676, or TTY, contact
1–202–502–8659.
Public meetings or site visits will be
posted on the Commission’s calendar
located at www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/
EventsList.aspx) along with other
related information.
Finally, MEP has established an
Internet Web site for this Project at
www.midcontinentexpress.com. The
Web site includes a description of the
Project, a map of the proposed pipeline
route, and answers to frequently asked
questions. You can also request
additional information or provide
comments directly to MEP at 1–877–
327–5515 or
pipelineinfo@midcontinentexpress.com.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E7–16383 Filed 8–20–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Project No. 12769–000]
Ice House Partners, Inc.; Notice of
Application Ready for Environmental
Analysis, and Soliciting Comments,
Terms and Conditions,
Recommendations, and Prescriptions
August 14, 2007.
Take notice that the following
hydroelectric application has been filed
with the Commission and is available
for public inspection:
a. Type of Application: Exemption
from Licensing.
b. Project No.: 12769–000.
c. Date Filed: January 22, 2007.
d. Applicant: Ice House Partners, Inc.
e. Name of Project: Ice House Power
Project.
f. Location: On the Nashua River in
the Town of Ayer, Middlesex County,
Massachusetts. The project would
occupy United States land administered
by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
g. Filed Pursuant to: Public Utility
Regulatory Policies Act of 1978, 16
U.S.C. Sections 2705 and 2708.
h. Applicant Contact: Liisa Dowd, Ice
House Partners, Inc., 323 West Main
Street, Ayer, MA 01432, (978) 772–3303.
i. FERC Contact: Tom Dean, (202)
502–6041.
j. Deadline for Filing Comments,
Recommendations, Terms and
Conditions, and Prescriptions: 60 days
from the issuance date of this notice;
reply comments are due 105 days from
the issuance date of this notice.
All documents (original and eight
copies) should be filed with: Secretary,
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC
20426.
The Commission’s Rules of Practice
require all intervenors filing documents
with the Commission to serve a copy of
that document on each person whose
name appears on the official service list
for the project. Further, if an intervenor
files comments or documents with the
Commission relating to the merits of an
issue that may affect the responsibilities
of a particular resource agency, they
must also serve a copy of the document
on that resource agency.
Comments, recommendations, terms
and conditions, and prescriptions may
be filed electronically via the Internet in
lieu of paper. The Commission strongly
encourages electronic filings. See 18
CFR 385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the
instructions on the Commission’s Web
site (https://www.ferc.gov) under the
‘‘eFiling’’ link.
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46625
k. This application has been accepted
and is now ready for environmental
analysis at this time.
l. Description of Project: The Ice
House Power Project would consist of:
(1) The existing 190-foot-long, 12-foothigh Ice House dam and spillway
topped with 24-inch-high flashboards
impounding; (2) the existing 965-acrefoot reservoir with a normal full pond
elevation of 216.45 feet National
Geodetic Vertical Datum; (3) the existing
headgate structure equipped with four
8-foot-high, 10-foot-wide gates of which
two are operational and two are
stationary leading to; (4) the existing 50foot-wide, 109-foot-long power canal
connected to; (5) a restored powerhouse
containing two generating units with a
total installed capacity of 280 kilowatts
discharging flow to; (6) the existing 50foot-wide, 365-foot-long tailrace; (7) the
existing 480-volt, 100-foot-long
underground transmission cable; and (8)
appurtenant facilities.
m. A copy of the application is
available for review at the Commission
in the Public Reference Room or may be
viewed on the Commission’s Web site at
https://www.ferc.gov using the
‘‘eLibrary’’ link. Enter the docket
number 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 1–866–208–3676, or for TTY,
(202) 502–8659. A copy is also available
for inspection and reproduction at the
address in item h. above.
All filings must: (1) Bear in all capital
letters the title ‘‘COMMENTS’’, ‘‘REPLY
COMMENTS’’,
‘‘RECOMMENDATIONS’’, ‘‘TERMS
AND CONDITIONS’’, or
‘‘PRESCRIPTIONS’’; (2) set forth in the
heading the name of the applicant and
the project number of the application to
which the filing responds; (3) furnish
the name, address, and telephone
number of the person submitting the
filing; and (4) otherwise comply with
the requirements of 18 CFR 385.2001
through 385.2005. All comments,
recommendations, terms and conditions
or prescriptions must set forth their
evidentiary basis and otherwise comply
with the requirements of 18 CFR 4.34(b).
Agencies may obtain copies of the
application directly from the applicant.
Each filing must be accompanied by
proof of service on all persons listed on
the service list prepared by the
Commission in this proceeding, in
accordance with 18 CFR 4.34(b), and
385.2010.
You may also register online at
https://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/
esubscription.asp to be notified via
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 161 (Tuesday, August 21, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46622-46625]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-16383]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. PF07-4-000]
Midcontinent Express Pipeline, LLC; Supplemental Notice of Intent
To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed
Midcontinent Express Project, Request for Comments on Environmental
Issues, and Notice of Public Site Visit
August 14, 2007.
The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) that
will identify and address the environmental impacts that could result
from the construction and operation of the Midcontinent Express
Pipeline Project (Project) proposed by Midcontinent Express Pipeline,
LLC (MEP). On June 25, 2007, MEP filed draft Resource Reports that
identified a modification to the Project in Richland and Madison
Parishes, Louisiana, consisting of an approximately 4.2-mile-long
lateral pipeline (CenterPoint Lateral). MEP subsequently filed
additional information clarifying the location of the Project
facilities associated with the CenterPoint Lateral on August 3, 2007.
On April 27, 2007, the FERC issued a ``Notice of Intent To Prepare
an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Midcontinent Express
Pipeline Project, Request for Comments on Environmental Issues and
Notice of Public Scoping Meetings'' (NOI). The NOI was published in the
Federal Register and was also mailed to interested parties, including
Federal, state and local officials, agency representatives,
conservation organizations; Native American groups; local libraries and
newspapers; and property owners affected by the proposed facilities.
This notice is being issued because the CenterPoint Lateral was not
identified in the NOI, and landowners potentially affected by that
facility were therefore not included on the environmental mailing list
for that correspondence.
In order to assist staff with the identification of environmental
issues associated with the modified facilities and to comply with the
requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), a
30-day scoping period has been opened to receive comments on the
proposed Project, as modified by the addition of the CenterPoint
Lateral. Please note that the scoping period for this project will
close on September 10, 2007.
Comments on the Project and the issues that should be addressed in
the EIS may be submitted in written form. Further details on how to
submit written comments are provided in the Public Participation
section of this notice. Additionally, as part of the scoping process,
we will sponsor a public site visit of the proposed CenterPoint
Lateral, as described below. Please note that attendees at the site
visit must obtain their own transportation for the site visit.
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Date and time Location
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Tuesday, August 28, 2007, 9 am (CST)...... Delhi Municipal Airport
(parking lot), Airport Road/
Louisiana Highway 17,
Delhi, Louisiana 71232
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This notice is being sent to landowners affected by the CenterPoint
Lateral, as well as those that previously requested to remain on the
Project environmental mailing list; federal, state, and local
government agencies; elected officials; environmental and public
interest groups; Native American tribes; other interested parties; and
local libraries and newspapers; all of which are encouraged to submit
comments on the proposed Project. Details on how to submit comments are
provided in the Public Participation section of this notice.
If you are a landowner receiving this notice, you may be contacted
by an MEP representative about the acquisition of an easement to
construct, operate, and maintain the proposed project facilities. The
pipeline company would seek to negotiate a mutually acceptable
agreement. However, if the project is approved by the FERC, 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
[[Page 46623]]
the FERC Internet Web site (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
MEP proposes to construct, own and operate approximately 495 miles
of new 30-, 36-, and 42-inch-diameter interstate natural gas
transmission pipeline, a total of approximately 111,720 horsepower (hp)
of compression at one booster and four new mainline compressor
stations, and related appurtenant facilities located in portions of
Oklahoma, northeast Texas, northern Louisiana, central Mississippi, and
Alabama. The proposed pipeline route identified by MEP would extend
from a receipt point with existing pipeline infrastructure near
Bennington in Bryan County, Oklahoma, to an interconnect with the
existing Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation system near Butler
in Choctaw County, Alabama. The general location of the proposed
pipeline is shown in the figure included as Appendix 1.\1\
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\1\ The appendices referenced in this notice are not being
printed in the Federal Register. Copies of all appendices, other
than Appendix 1 (maps), are available on the Commission's Web site
at the ``eLibrary'' link or from the Commission's Public Reference
Room, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426, or call (202)
502-8371. For instructions on connecting to eLibrary refer to the
Public Participation section of this notice. Copies of the
appendices were sent to all those receiving this notice in the mail.
Requests for detailed maps of the proposed facilities should be made
directly to MEP.
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In addition, as part of the Midcontinent Express Pipeline Project,
MEP proposes to construct, own, and operate the approximately 4.2-mile-
long, 16-inch-diameter CenterPoint Lateral in Richland and Madison
Parishes, Louisiana.
Specifically, the MEP Project facilities under FERC jurisdiction
would include the following:
Approximately 40 miles of 30-inch-diameter pipeline in
Bryan County, Oklahoma, and Lamar County, Texas;
Approximately 262 miles of 42-inch-diameter pipeline in
Lamar, Red River, Franklin, Titus, Morris, and Cass Counties, Texas,
and Caddo, Bossier, Webster, Claiborne, Lincoln, Union, Ouachita,
Morehouse, Richland, and Madison Parishes, Louisiana;
Approximately 193 miles of 36-inch-diameter pipeline in
Madison Parish, Louisiana, and Warren, Hinds, Rankin, Simpson, Smith,
Jasper, and Clarke Counties, Mississippi, and Choctaw County, Alabama;
The newly proposed, approximately 4.2-mile-long, 16-inch-
diameter lateral pipeline, which would extend from an interconnect with
the Project mainline pipeline in Madison Parish, Louisiana, to the
Delhi Booster Station and an interconnect with a CenterPoint Energy Gas
Transmission Company pipeline in Richland Parish, Louisiana;
Four new mainline and one booster, natural gas-fired
compressor stations, including:
--The 38,555-hp Lamar Compressor Station at Milepost (MP) TX 28.5 in
Lamar County, Texas;
--The 12,270-hp Atlanta Compressor Station at MP TX 117.4 in Cass
County, Texas;
--The 32,720-hp Perryville Compressor Station at MP LA 109.0 in Union
Parish, Louisiana;
--The 18,405-hp Vicksburg Compressor Station at MP MS 11.8 in Warren
County, Mississippi;
--The 9,470-hp Delhi Booster Station, which would be located along the
CenterPoint Lateral in Richland Parish, Louisiana;
Meter stations at up to 13 interconnects with existing
pipeline infrastructure in Bryan County, Oklahoma; Lamar and Cass
Counties, Texas; Ouachita, Richland, and Madison Parishes, Louisiana;
Hinds, Smith, Jasper, and Clarke Counties, Mississippi; and Choctaw
County, Alabama;
Various pig \2\ launching and receiving facilities; and
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\2\ A pig is a mechanical tool used to clean and inspect the
interior of a pipeline.
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29 mainline valves.
MEP indicates that the proposed Project facilities would provide
long-haul takeaway capacity to facilitate the transport of natural gas
from production areas in Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas to markets in
the Southeast, Northeast and Midwest regions of the United States that
can be accessed through interconnects with existing pipeline
infrastructure. The Project would consist of two capacity zones. The
initial transport capacity of Zone 1, which would include the 30- and
42-inch-diameter portions of the pipeline facilities, would be 1.4
billion cubic feet of natural gas per day (Bcf/d). However, additional
supporting contracts could provide for expansion of the Zone 1
transport capacity to 1.5 Bcf/d. Zone 2, which would include the
balance of the pipeline facilities, would have an initial transport
capacity of 1.0 Bcf/d, with the potential for expansion to 1.2 Bcf/d.
MEP proposes to place the first 40 miles of 30-inch-diameter
pipeline in service by October 31, 2008, with the remainder of the
pipeline constructed and operational by February 2009.
Land Requirements for Construction
As proposed, the typical construction right-of-way width for the
30-, 36-, and 42-inch-diameter sections of Project pipeline would be
100, 110, and 125 feet, respectively. The typical construction right-
of-way width for the CenterPoint Lateral would be 75 feet. Following
construction, MEP would generally retain a 50-foot-wide permanent
right-of-way for operation of the Project, though MEP proposes to
expand the maintained permanent right-of-way width to 60 feet in
limited areas based on site-specific conditions. Additionally,
temporary extra workspaces beyond the typical construction right-of-way
limits would also be required at certain feature crossings (e.g.,
roads, railroads, wetlands, or waterbodies), in areas with steep side
slopes, in association with special construction techniques, or at pipe
storage and contractor yards. In residential areas, wetlands, and other
sensitive areas, the construction right-of-way width would be reduced
as necessary to protect homeowners and environmental resources.
Following construction, all temporary workspaces (including the
temporary construction rights-of-way and extra workspaces) would be
restored and allowed to revert to its former use.
The EIS Process
NEPA requires the Commission to take into account the environmental
impacts that could result from the approval of an interstate natural
gas pipeline. The FERC will use the EIS to consider the environmental
impact that could result if the Midcontinent Express Pipeline Project
is authorized under Section 7 of the Natural Gas Act.
NEPA also requires us to discover and address concerns the public
may have about proposals to be considered by the Commission. This
process is referred to as ``scoping.'' The main goal of the scoping
process is to focus the analysis in the EIS on the important
environmental issues. With this NOI, the Commission staff is requesting
public comments on the scope of the issues to be addressed in the EIS.
All comments received will be considered during preparation of the EIS.
In the EIS we will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of
the construction and operation of the proposed project under these
general headings:
Geology and soils;
Water resources;
Wetlands and vegetation;
Fish and wildlife;
Threatened and endangered species;
[[Page 46624]]
Land use, recreation, and visual resources;
Air quality and noise;
Cultural resources;
Socioeconomics;
Reliability and safety; and
Cumulative environmental impacts.
In the EIS, we will also evaluate possible alternatives to the
proposed project or portions of the project, and make recommendations
on how to lessen or avoid impacts on affected resources.
Our independent analysis of the issues will be included in a draft
EIS. The draft EIS will be mailed to federal, state, and local
government agencies; elected officials; environmental and public
interest groups; Native American tribes; affected landowners;
commentors; other interested parties; local libraries and newspapers;
and the FERC's official service list for this proceeding. A 45-day
comment period will be allotted for review of the draft EIS. We will
consider all comments on the draft EIS and revise the document, as
necessary, before issuing a final EIS. We will consider all comments on
the final EIS before we make our recommendations to the Commission. To
ensure that your comments are considered, please follow the
instructions in the Public Participation section of this notice.
With this notice, we are asking federal, state, and local
governmental agencies with jurisdiction and/or special expertise with
respect to environmental issues, to express their interest in becoming
cooperating agencies for the preparation of the EIS. These agencies may
choose to participate once they have evaluated the proposal relative to
their responsibilities.
Currently Identified Environmental Issues
The EIS will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of the
construction and operation of the proposed project. We have already
identified several issues that we think deserve attention based on a
preliminary review of the project site, comments filed in response to
the April 27, 2007 NOI, and the facility information provided by MEP.
This preliminary list of issues may be changed based on your comments
and our analysis.
Potential impacts to water resources, including
groundwater and ephemeral, intermittent, and perennial waterbodies.
Evaluation of temporary and permanent impacts on wetlands
and development of appropriate mitigation.
Potential impacts to fish and wildlife habitat, including
potential impacts to federal and state-listed threatened and endangered
species.
Potential impacts to natural vegetative communities,
including native prairie and forestland.
Potential effects on prime farmland soils and soils with a
high potential for compaction or erosion.
Potential impacts to existing land uses, including
agricultural and managed forested lands.
Potential impacts to recreation and special interest
areas, including Wetland Reserve Program lands and the Natchez Trace
Parkway.
Potential impacts to residential areas, planned
developments, and property values.
Potential disruption to area businesses associated with
construction.
Potential visual effects of the pipeline easement and
aboveground facilities on surrounding areas.
Potential impacts to local air and noise quality
associated with construction and operation.
Potential impacts to cultural resources and Native
American lands.
Public safety and hazards associated with the transport of
natural gas.
Alternative alignments for the pipeline route and
alternative sites for the compressor stations.
Assessment of the effect of the proposed Project when
combined with other past, present, or reasonably foreseeable future
actions in the Project area, including the potential cumulative effect
of collocating multiple utility rights-of-way.
Use of the existing and proposed rights-of-way to minimize
the need for additional temporary construction workspace and/or reduce
the width of the permanent easement.
Public Participation
You can make a difference by providing us with your specific
comments or concerns about the proposed project. By becoming a
commenter, your concerns will be addressed in the EIS and considered by
the Commission. Your comments should focus on the potential
environmental effects, reasonable alternatives (including alternative
facility sites and pipeline routes), and measures to avoid or lessen
environmental impact. The more specific your comments, the more useful
they will be. To ensure that your comments are timely and properly
recorded, please carefully follow these instructions:
Send an original and two copies of your letter to:
Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888
First St., NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426.
Label one copy of your comments for the attention of Gas
Branch 3, DG2E.
Reference Docket No. PF07-4-000 on the original and both
copies.
Mail your comments so that they will be received in
Washington, DC on or before September 10, 2007.
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. The Commission strongly
encourages electronic filing of any comments in response to this Notice
of Intent. For information on electronically filing comments, please
see the instructions on the Commission's Web site at www.ferc.gov.
Once MEP formally files its application with the Commission, you
may want to become an official party to the proceeding known as an
``intervenor.'' Intervenors play a more formal role in the process and
are able to file briefs, appear at hearings, and be heard by the courts
if they choose to appeal the Commission's final ruling. An intervenor
formally participates in a Commission proceeding by filing a request to
intervene. Instructions for becoming an intervenor are included in the
User's Guide under the ``e-filing'' link on the Commission's Web site.
Please note that you may not request intervenor status at this time.
You must wait until a formal application is filed with the Commission.
Environmental Mailing List
An effort is being made to send this notice to all individuals,
organizations, and government entities interested in and/or potentially
affected by the proposed Project. This includes all landowners along
the CenterPoint Lateral who are potential right-of-way grantors, whose
property may be used temporarily for Project purposes, or who own
property within distances defined in the Commission's regulations of
certain aboveground facilities. In addition, this notice is also being
sent to potentially affected landowners along other portions of the
Project that previously requested to remain on the Project
environmental mailing list.
If you received this notice, you are on the environmental mailing
list for this project. If you do not want to send comments at this
time, but still want to remain on our mailing list, please return the
Information Request (Appendix 2). If you do not return the Information
Request, you will be removed from the
[[Page 46625]]
Commission's environmental mailing list. Please note that interested
individuals who previously responded to the April 27, 2007 NOI with a
request to stay on the environmental mailing list need not reply again.
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).
Additional information can also be found on the Internet at
www.ferc.gov. The ``eLibrary link'' on the FERC Web site provides
access to documents submitted to and issued by the Commission, such as
comments, orders, notices and rulemakings. Once on the FERC Web site,
click on the ``eLibrary link,'' select ``General Search'' and in the
``Docket Number'' field enter the project docket number excluding the
last three digits (i.e., PF07-4). When researching information be sure
to select an appropriate date range. In addition, the FERC now offers a
free e-mail 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 www.ferc.gov/esubscribenow.htm. For assistance,
please contact FERC Online Support at FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or
toll free at 1-866-208-3676, or TTY, contact 1-202-502-8659.
Public meetings or site visits will be posted on the Commission's
calendar located at www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/EventsList.aspx) along
with other related information.
Finally, MEP has established an Internet Web site for this Project
at www.midcontinentexpress.com. The Web site includes a description of
the Project, a map of the proposed pipeline route, and answers to
frequently asked questions. You can also request additional information
or provide comments directly to MEP at 1-877-327-5515 or
pipelineinfo@midcontinentexpress.com.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E7-16383 Filed 8-20-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
