Dominion Transmission, Inc.; Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Storage Factory Project, Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of Public Scoping Meetings and Site Visit, 51431-51433 [E7-17664]
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mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 173 / Friday, September 7, 2007 / Notices
Filed Date: 08/28/2007.
Accession Number: 20070829–0188.
Comment Date: 5 p.m. Eastern Time
on Monday, September 10, 2007.
Docket Numbers: RP07–620–000.
Applicants: TransColorado Gas
Transmission Company.
Description: TransColorado Gas
Transmission Co. submits Seventh
Revised Sheet 20 to its FERC Gas Tariff,
First Revised Volume 1 under RP07–
620.
Filed Date: 08/28/2007.
Accession Number: 20070829–0185.
Comment Date: 5 p.m. Eastern Time
on Monday, September 10, 2007.
Docket Numbers: RP07–621–000.
Applicants: Discovery Gas
Transmission LLC.
Description: Discovery Gas
Transmission LLC submits Twelfth
Revised Sheet 20 to FERC Gas Tariff,
Original Volume 1, effective 10/1/07
pursuant to Order 472 under RP07–621.
Filed Date: 08/28/2007.
Accession Number: 20070829–0190.
Comment Date: 5 p.m. Eastern Time
on Monday, September 10, 2007.
Docket Numbers: RP07–622–000.
Applicants: Black Marlin Pipeline
Company.
Description: Black Marlin Pipeline
Company’s CD containing Statement of
Rates—Sixteenth Revised Sheet 4 to
FERC Gas Tariff, Original Volume 1,
effective 10/1/07 under RP07–622.
Filed Date: 08/28/2007.
Accession Number: 20070828–4006.
Comment Date: 5 p.m. Eastern Time
on Monday, September 10, 2007.
Docket Numbers: RP99–301–162.
Applicants: ANR Pipeline Company.
Description: ANR Pipeline Co submits
an amendment to Rate Schedule FTS–1
negotiated rate agreement with Integrys
Energy Services, Inc under RP99–301.
Filed Date: 08/28/2007.
Accession Number: 20070829–0186.
Comment Date: 5 p.m. Eastern Time
on Monday, September 10, 2007.
Any person desiring to intervene or to
protest this filing must file in
accordance with Rules 211 and 214 of
the Commission’s Rules of Practice and
Procedure (18 CFR 385.211 and
385.214) on or before 5 p.m. Eastern
time on the specified comment date. It
is not necessary to separately intervene
again in a subdocket related to a
compliance filing if you have previously
intervened in the same docket. Protests
will be considered by the Commission
in determining the appropriate action to
be taken, but will not serve to make
protestants parties to the proceeding.
Any person wishing to become a party
must file a notice of intervention or
motion to intervene, as appropriate.
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Anyone filing an intervention or protest
must serve a copy of that document on
the Applicant. Anyone filing an
intervention or protest on or before the
intervention or protest date need not
serve motions to intervene or protests
on persons other than the Applicant.
The Commission encourages
electronic submission of protests and
interventions in lieu of paper using the
‘‘eFiling’’ link at https://www.ferc.gov.
Persons unable to file electronically
should submit an original and 14 copies
of the protest or intervention to the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC
20426.
This filing is accessible on-line at
https://www.ferc.gov, using the
‘‘eLibrary’’ link and is available for
review in the Commission’s Public
Reference Room in Washington, DC.
There is an ‘‘eSubscription’’ link on the
Web site that enables subscribers to
receive e-mail notification when a
document is added to a subscribed
docket(s). For assistance with any FERC
Online service, please e-mail
FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov, or call
(866) 208–3676 (toll free). For TTY, call
(202) 502–8659.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.
Acting Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. E7–17694 Filed 9–6–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. PF07–12–000]
Dominion Transmission, Inc.; Notice of
Intent to Prepare an Environmental
Assessment for the Proposed Storage
Factory Project, Request for
Comments on Environmental Issues,
and Notice of Public Scoping Meetings
and Site Visit
August 29, 2007.
The staff of the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) will prepare an
environmental assessment (EA) that will
discuss the environmental impacts of
the Storage Factory Project, involving
construction and operation of facilities
by Dominion Transmission, Inc.
(Dominion) in Clinton, Elk, and Tioga
Counties, Pennsylvania. The EA will be
used by the Commission in its decisionmaking process to determine whether
the project is in the public convenience
and necessity.
This notice announces the opening of
the scoping period that will be used to
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51431
gather environmental input from the
public and interested agencies on the
project. Your input will help the
Commission staff determine which
issues need to be evaluated in the EA.
Please note that the scoping period will
close on September 28, 2007.
Comments may be submitted in
written or verbal form. Further details
on how to submit written comments are
provided in the Public Participation
section of this notice. In lieu of sending
written comments, you may choose to
attend the public scoping meeting
scheduled as follows:
Date and time
Location
Tuesday, September
18, 2007 7 p.m. to
9 p.m. (EDT).
Lawrenceville Fire
Department, 9–11
Mechanic St.,
Lawrenceville, PA
16901. Telephone:
(570) 827–2047.
This notice is being sent to affected
landowners; federal, state, and local
government representatives and
agencies; environmental and public
interest groups; Native American tribes;
other interested parties in this
proceeding; and local libraries and
newspapers. We 1 encourage
government representatives to notify
their constituents of this planned
project and encourage them to comment
on their areas of concern.
If you are a landowner receiving this
notice, you may be contacted by a
Dominion 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 Commission,
that approval conveys with it the right
of eminent domain. Therefore, if
easement negotiations fail to produce an
agreement, Dominion 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?’’ addresses a number of
typically asked questions, including the
use of eminent domain and how to
participate in the Commission’s
proceedings. It is available for viewing
on the FERC Internet Web site (https://
www.ferc.gov).
Summary of the Proposed Project
The Storage Factory Project would
involve the leaching of two salt caverns
1 ‘‘We,’’ ‘‘us,’’ and ‘‘our’’ refer to the
environmental staff of the Office of Energy Projects
(OEP), part of the Commission staff.
E:\FR\FM\07SEN1.SGM
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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 173 / Friday, September 7, 2007 / Notices
and placing the first cavern in service by
2014. The project consists of
constructing leaching/pumping
facilities, a brine processing facility,
water and brine pipelines, and a new
compressor station for gas storage
injection/withdrawal purposes in Tioga
County.
Dominion is also proposing on-system
enhancements to other existing facilities
in Pennsylvania, including piping
upgrades to the Sabinsville Storage
Pool. Proposed modifications to
transmission related facilities include
additional compression at Dominion’s
existing Ardell Station (approximately
4,000 horsepower located in Elk County,
Pennsylvania) and approximately 7.5
miles of new 30-inch-diameter pipeline
looping in Clinton County.
The Storage Factory Project is in the
preliminary design state. Dominion
anticipates filing an application with
the FERC in March 2008 and to seek the
Commission’s approval in time for
Dominion to begin construction by
March 2009, with a proposed in-service
date of January 2014.
Project location maps are included in
Appendix A.2
Land Requirements for Construction
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES
The Storage Factory Project is in the
preliminary planning stage. The precise
facility design, pipeline route, rights-ofway, and other details have not yet been
finalized. Specific information on the
proposed project location and the land
used by it will be made available to the
public when it is finalized.
Construction of the proposed project
would affect a total of about 250.7 acres
during construction. Following
construction, about 160 acres would be
allowed to revert to its previous
conditions. Disturbance associated with
aboveground facilities would
permanently impact 51.2 acres of land.
Dominion proposes to construct its
pipeline in Clinton County and the
pipelines associated with the
Sabinsville Storage Pool in existing
rights-of-way. Dominion has indicated
that it would seek 100-foot-wide
construction right-of-way for the
pipelines associated with the leaching
and gas storage areas.
2 The appendices referenced in this notice are not
being printed in the Federal Register. Copies of all
appendices, other than Appendix A (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 ‘‘Additional
Information’’ 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
Dominion.
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18:34 Sep 06, 2007
Jkt 211001
The EA Process
For this project, the FERC staff has
initiated its National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) review prior to
receiving the application. The purpose
of the Commission’s Pre-Filing Process
is to involve interested stakeholders
early in project planning and to identify
and resolve issues before an application
is filed with the FERC. A docket number
(PF07–12–000) has been established to
place information filed by Dominion,
and related documents issued by the
Commission, into the public record.
Once a formal application is filed with
the FERC, a new docket number will be
established. The FERC will be the lead
federal agency for the preparation of the
EA which will satisfy the requirements
of NEPA.
The NEPA requires the Commission
to take into account the environmental
impacts that could result from an action
whenever it considers the issuance of a
Certificate of Public Convenience and
Necessity. NEPA also requires us to
discover and address concerns the
public may have about proposals. This
process is referred to as ‘‘scoping.’’ The
main goal of the scoping process is to
focus the analysis in the EA on the
important environmental issues. By this
Notice of Intent, we are requesting
public comments on the scope of the
issues that should be addressed in the
EA. We will consider all comments
received during scoping in the
preparation of the EA.
Our independent analysis and
evaluation of the issues will be included
in the EA. The EA will also include
possible alternatives to the proposed
project or portions of the project, and
we will make recommendations on how
to lessen or avoid impacts on the
various resource areas of concern.
Depending on the comments received
during the scoping process, the EA may
be published and mailed to federal,
state, and local agencies; elected
officials; environmental and public
interest groups; other interested parties;
affected landowners; Native American
tribes; libraries, and newspapers; and
the Commission’s official service list for
this proceeding. A 30-day comment
period will be allotted for review of the
EA. We will consider all comments
submitted on the EA in any Commission
Order that is issued for the project.
We are currently involved in
discussions with other jurisdictional
agencies to identify their issues and
concerns. These agencies include the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service, U.S. EPA Region
III Groundwater and Enforcement
Branch, Susquehanna River Basin
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Commission, and the Pennsylvania
Department of Environmental
Protection.
By this notice, we are asking these
and other federal, state, and local
agencies with jurisdiction and/or
special expertise with respect to
environmental issues to formally
cooperate with us in the preparation of
the EA. Agencies that would like to
request cooperating status should follow
the instructions for filing comments
provided below.
Currently Identified Environmental
Issues
The EA 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
and the facility information provided by
Iroquois. This preliminary list of issues
and potential impacts may change based
on your comments and our analysis.
• Impacts on perennial and
intermittent streams and waterbodies.
• Water withdrawals from
Cowanesque Reservoir or other water
source.
• Evaluation of temporary and
permanent impacts on wetlands and
development of appropriate mitigation.
• Effect on federally and state-listed
species.
• Impacts on existing land uses.
• Visual effects of the aboveground
facilities on surrounding areas.
• Impacts on local air and noise
quality associated with construction and
operation.
• Public safety and potential hazards
associated with the transport of natural
gas and the proposed compressor
facilities.
Public Participation
You can make a difference by
providing us with your specific
comments or concerns about the project.
By becoming a commenter, your
concerns will be addressed in the EA
and considered by the Commission.
Your comments should focus on the
potential environmental effects of the
proposal, reasonable alternatives to the
proposal (including alternative locations
and routes), and measures to avoid or
lessen environmental impact. The more
specific your comments, the more useful
they will be. 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 to: Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory
E:\FR\FM\07SEN1.SGM
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mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 173 / Friday, September 7, 2007 / Notices
Commission, 888 First Street, NE.,
Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426.
• Label one copy of the comments for
the attention of Gas Branch 1;
• Reference Docket No. PF07–12–000;
• Mail your comments so that they
will be received in Washington, DC on
or before September 28, 2007.
Please note that the Commission
strongly encourages electronic filing of
comments. See 18 Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR) 385.2001(a)(1)(iii)
and the instructions on the
Commission’s Internet Web site at
https://www.ferc.gov under the ‘‘eFiling’’
link and the link to the User’s Guide.
Prepare your submission in the same
manner as you would if filing on paper
and save it to a file on your hard drive.
Before you can file comments you will
need to create an account 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.’’
The public scoping meeting (date,
time, and location is listed above) is
designed to provide state and local
agencies, interested groups, affected
landowners, and the general public with
another opportunity to offer your
comments on the project. Interested
groups and individuals are encouraged
to attend the meetings and to present
comments on the environmental issues
they believe should be addressed in the
EA. A transcript of each meeting will be
made so that your comments will be
accurately recorded.
All public meetings will be posted on
the Commission’s calendar located at
https://www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/
EventsList.aspx along with other related
information.
Once Dominion 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.
Site Visit
On September 18, 2007, the OEP staff
will conduct a pre-certification site visit
of the proposed Storage Factory Project.
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18:34 Sep 06, 2007
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We will view Dominion’s proposed
pipeline route, route variations, and
aboveground facilities that are being
considered for the proposed project.
Staff will tour the proposed project area
by automobile and on foot.
Representatives of Dominion will
accompany the OEP staff.
All interested parties may attend the
site visit. Those planning to attend must
provide their own transportation. If you
are interested in attending the site visit,
please meet us at 1 p.m. in the parking
lot of the Lawrenceville Fire Department
at 9–11 Mechanic St., Lawrenceville, PA
16901.
For additional information, please
contact the Commission’s Office of
External Affairs at 1–866–208–FERC
(3372).
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 who are potential right-ofway grantors, whose property may be
used temporarily for project purposes,
or who own homes within distances
defined in the Commission’s regulations
of certain aboveground facilities. If you
do not return the attached form
(Appendix B), you will be removed from
the Commission’s environmental
mailing list. All individuals who
provide written comments, attend the
scoping meeting, or return the
Information Request will remain on our
environmental mailing list for this
project.
Additional Information
Additional information about the
project is available from the
Commission’s Office of External Affairs
at 1–866–208 FERC (3372) or on the
FERC Internet Web site (https://
www.ferc.gov). Using the ‘‘eLibrary’’
link, select ‘‘General Search’’ from the
eLibrary menu, enter the selected date
range and ‘‘Docket Number’’ excluding
the last three digits (i.e., PF07–12), and
follow the instructions. For assistance
with access to eLibrary, the helpline can
be reached at 1–866–208–3676, TTY
(202) 502–8659, or at
FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov. 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 rule makings.
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
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51433
amount of time you spend researching
proceedings by automatically providing
you with notification of these filings,
document summaries and direct links to
the documents. Go to https://
www.ferc.gov/esubscribenow.htm.
Finally, Dominion has established an
Internet Web site for this project at
https://www.dom.com/about/gastransmission/storage/index.jsp. The
Web site includes a project overview,
status, and answers to frequently asked
questions. You can also request
additional information by calling
Dominion at 1–880–882–5055.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E7–17664 Filed 9–6–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. CP07–430–000]
Kinder Morgan Interstate Gas
Transmission LLC; Notice of Intent To
Prepare an Environmental Assessment
for the Proposed Colorado Lateral
Expansion Project and Request for
Comments on Environmental Issues
August 29, 2007.
The staff of the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) will prepare an
environmental assessment (EA) that will
discuss the environmental impacts of
the Colorado Lateral Expansion Project,
involving construction and operation of
natural gas facilities by Kinder Morgan
Interstate Gas Transmission LLC (Kinder
Morgan) in Weld County, Colorado. The
EA will be used by the Commission in
its decision-making process to
determine whether the project is in the
public convenience and necessity.
This notice announces the opening of
the scoping period that will be used to
gather environmental input from the
public and interested agencies on the
project. Your input will help the
Commission staff determine which
issues need to be evaluated in the EA.
Please note that the scoping period will
close on October 1, 2007. 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 a
Kinder Morgan 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
E:\FR\FM\07SEN1.SGM
07SEN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 173 (Friday, September 7, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51431-51433]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-17664]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. PF07-12-000]
Dominion Transmission, Inc.; Notice of Intent to Prepare an
Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Storage Factory Project,
Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of Public
Scoping Meetings and Site Visit
August 29, 2007.
The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) will prepare an environmental assessment (EA) that will
discuss the environmental impacts of the Storage Factory Project,
involving construction and operation of facilities by Dominion
Transmission, Inc. (Dominion) in Clinton, Elk, and Tioga Counties,
Pennsylvania. The EA will be used by the Commission in its decision-
making process to determine whether the project is in the public
convenience and necessity.
This notice announces the opening of the scoping period that will
be used to gather environmental input from the public and interested
agencies on the project. Your input will help the Commission staff
determine which issues need to be evaluated in the EA. Please note that
the scoping period will close on September 28, 2007.
Comments may be submitted in written or verbal form. Further
details on how to submit written comments are provided in the Public
Participation section of this notice. In lieu of sending written
comments, you may choose to attend the public scoping meeting scheduled
as follows:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date and time Location
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tuesday, September 18, 2007 7 p.m. to 9 Lawrenceville Fire
p.m. (EDT). Department, 9-11 Mechanic
St., Lawrenceville, PA
16901. Telephone: (570) 827-
2047.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
This notice is being sent to affected landowners; federal, state,
and local government representatives and agencies; environmental and
public interest groups; Native American tribes; other interested
parties in this proceeding; and local libraries and newspapers. We \1\
encourage government representatives to notify their constituents of
this planned project and encourage them to comment on their areas of
concern.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ ``We,'' ``us,'' and ``our'' refer to the environmental staff
of the Office of Energy Projects (OEP), part of the Commission
staff.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you are a landowner receiving this notice, you may be contacted
by a Dominion 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 Commission, that
approval conveys with it the right of eminent domain. Therefore, if
easement negotiations fail to produce an agreement, Dominion 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?'' addresses a number
of typically asked questions, including the use of eminent domain and
how to participate in the Commission's proceedings. It is available for
viewing on the FERC Internet Web site (https://www.ferc.gov).
Summary of the Proposed Project
The Storage Factory Project would involve the leaching of two salt
caverns
[[Page 51432]]
and placing the first cavern in service by 2014. The project consists
of constructing leaching/pumping facilities, a brine processing
facility, water and brine pipelines, and a new compressor station for
gas storage injection/withdrawal purposes in Tioga County.
Dominion is also proposing on-system enhancements to other existing
facilities in Pennsylvania, including piping upgrades to the
Sabinsville Storage Pool. Proposed modifications to transmission
related facilities include additional compression at Dominion's
existing Ardell Station (approximately 4,000 horsepower located in Elk
County, Pennsylvania) and approximately 7.5 miles of new 30-inch-
diameter pipeline looping in Clinton County.
The Storage Factory Project is in the preliminary design state.
Dominion anticipates filing an application with the FERC in March 2008
and to seek the Commission's approval in time for Dominion to begin
construction by March 2009, with a proposed in-service date of January
2014.
Project location maps are included in Appendix A.\2\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ The appendices referenced in this notice are not being
printed in the Federal Register. Copies of all appendices, other
than Appendix A (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
``Additional Information'' 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 Dominion.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Land Requirements for Construction
The Storage Factory Project is in the preliminary planning stage.
The precise facility design, pipeline route, rights-of-way, and other
details have not yet been finalized. Specific information on the
proposed project location and the land used by it will be made
available to the public when it is finalized.
Construction of the proposed project would affect a total of about
250.7 acres during construction. Following construction, about 160
acres would be allowed to revert to its previous conditions.
Disturbance associated with aboveground facilities would permanently
impact 51.2 acres of land.
Dominion proposes to construct its pipeline in Clinton County and
the pipelines associated with the Sabinsville Storage Pool in existing
rights-of-way. Dominion has indicated that it would seek 100-foot-wide
construction right-of-way for the pipelines associated with the
leaching and gas storage areas.
The EA Process
For this project, the FERC staff has initiated its National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review prior to receiving the
application. The purpose of the Commission's Pre-Filing Process is to
involve interested stakeholders early in project planning and to
identify and resolve issues before an application is filed with the
FERC. A docket number (PF07-12-000) has been established to place
information filed by Dominion, and related documents issued by the
Commission, into the public record. Once a formal application is filed
with the FERC, a new docket number will be established. The FERC will
be the lead federal agency for the preparation of the EA which will
satisfy the requirements of NEPA.
The NEPA requires the Commission to take into account the
environmental impacts that could result from an action whenever it
considers the issuance of a Certificate of Public Convenience and
Necessity. NEPA also requires us to discover and address concerns the
public may have about proposals. This process is referred to as
``scoping.'' The main goal of the scoping process is to focus the
analysis in the EA on the important environmental issues. By this
Notice of Intent, we are requesting public comments on the scope of the
issues that should be addressed in the EA. We will consider all
comments received during scoping in the preparation of the EA.
Our independent analysis and evaluation of the issues will be
included in the EA. The EA will also include possible alternatives to
the proposed project or portions of the project, and we will make
recommendations on how to lessen or avoid impacts on the various
resource areas of concern. Depending on the comments received during
the scoping process, the EA may be published and mailed to federal,
state, and local agencies; elected officials; environmental and public
interest groups; other interested parties; affected landowners; Native
American tribes; libraries, and newspapers; and the Commission's
official service list for this proceeding. A 30-day comment period will
be allotted for review of the EA. We will consider all comments
submitted on the EA in any Commission Order that is issued for the
project.
We are currently involved in discussions with other jurisdictional
agencies to identify their issues and concerns. These agencies include
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S.
EPA Region III Groundwater and Enforcement Branch, Susquehanna River
Basin Commission, and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental
Protection.
By this notice, we are asking these and other federal, state, and
local agencies with jurisdiction and/or special expertise with respect
to environmental issues to formally cooperate with us in the
preparation of the EA. Agencies that would like to request cooperating
status should follow the instructions for filing comments provided
below.
Currently Identified Environmental Issues
The EA 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 and the facility information
provided by Iroquois. This preliminary list of issues and potential
impacts may change based on your comments and our analysis.
Impacts on perennial and intermittent streams and
waterbodies.
Water withdrawals from Cowanesque Reservoir or other water
source.
Evaluation of temporary and permanent impacts on wetlands
and development of appropriate mitigation.
Effect on federally and state-listed species.
Impacts on existing land uses.
Visual effects of the aboveground facilities on
surrounding areas.
Impacts on local air and noise quality associated with
construction and operation.
Public safety and potential hazards associated with the
transport of natural gas and the proposed compressor facilities.
Public Participation
You can make a difference by providing us with your specific
comments or concerns about the project. By becoming a commenter, your
concerns will be addressed in the EA and considered by the Commission.
Your comments should focus on the potential environmental effects of
the proposal, reasonable alternatives to the proposal (including
alternative locations and routes), and measures to avoid or lessen
environmental impact. The more specific your comments, the more useful
they will be. 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 to:
Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory
[[Page 51433]]
Commission, 888 First Street, NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426.
Label one copy of the comments for the attention of Gas
Branch 1;
Reference Docket No. PF07-12-000;
Mail your comments so that they will be received in
Washington, DC on or before September 28, 2007.
Please note that the Commission strongly encourages electronic
filing of comments. See 18 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)
385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions on the Commission's Internet
Web site at https://www.ferc.gov under the ``eFiling'' link and the link
to the User's Guide. Prepare your submission in the same manner as you
would if filing on paper and save it to a file on your hard drive.
Before you can file comments you will need to create an account 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.''
The public scoping meeting (date, time, and location is listed
above) is designed to provide state and local agencies, interested
groups, affected landowners, and the general public with another
opportunity to offer your comments on the project. Interested groups
and individuals are encouraged to attend the meetings and to present
comments on the environmental issues they believe should be addressed
in the EA. A transcript of each meeting will be made so that your
comments will be accurately recorded.
All public meetings will be posted on the Commission's calendar
located at https://www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/EventsList.aspx along with
other related information.
Once Dominion 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.
Site Visit
On September 18, 2007, the OEP staff will conduct a pre-
certification site visit of the proposed Storage Factory Project. We
will view Dominion's proposed pipeline route, route variations, and
aboveground facilities that are being considered for the proposed
project. Staff will tour the proposed project area by automobile and on
foot. Representatives of Dominion will accompany the OEP staff.
All interested parties may attend the site visit. Those planning to
attend must provide their own transportation. If you are interested in
attending the site visit, please meet us at 1 p.m. in the parking lot
of the Lawrenceville Fire Department at 9-11 Mechanic St.,
Lawrenceville, PA 16901.
For additional information, please contact the Commission's Office
of External Affairs at 1-866-208-FERC (3372).
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 who are
potential right-of-way grantors, whose property may be used temporarily
for project purposes, or who own homes within distances defined in the
Commission's regulations of certain aboveground facilities. If you do
not return the attached form (Appendix B), you will be removed from the
Commission's environmental mailing list. All individuals who provide
written comments, attend the scoping meeting, or return the Information
Request will remain on our environmental mailing list for this project.
Additional Information
Additional information about the project is available from the
Commission's Office of External Affairs at 1-866-208 FERC (3372) or on
the FERC Internet Web site (https://www.ferc.gov). Using the
``eLibrary'' link, select ``General Search'' from the eLibrary menu,
enter the selected date range and ``Docket Number'' excluding the last
three digits (i.e., PF07-12), and follow the instructions. For
assistance with access to eLibrary, the helpline can be reached at 1-
866-208-3676, TTY (202) 502-8659, or at FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov. 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 rule makings.
In addition, the Commission now offers a free service called
eSubscription which allows you to keep track of all formal issuances
and submittals in specific dockets. This can reduce the amount of time
you spend researching proceedings by automatically providing you with
notification of these filings, document summaries and direct links to
the documents. Go to https://www.ferc.gov/esubscribenow.htm.
Finally, Dominion has established an Internet Web site for this
project at https://www.dom.com/about/gas-transmission/storage/index.jsp.
The Web site includes a project overview, status, and answers to
frequently asked questions. You can also request additional information
by calling Dominion at 1-880-882-5055.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E7-17664 Filed 9-6-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P