Caledonia Energy Partners, L.L.C.; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Caledonia Expansion Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, 9788-9789 [E8-3283]
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9788
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 36 / Friday, February 22, 2008 / Notices
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. CP08–52–000]
Caledonia Energy Partners, L.L.C.;
Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Assessment for the
Proposed Caledonia Expansion Project
and Request for Comments on
Environmental Issues
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES
February 14, 2008.
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 Caledonia Expansion Project
involving construction and operation of
natural gas storage, pipeline, and
compression facilities by Caledonia
Energy Partners, L.L.C. (Caledonia) in
Lowndes and Monroe Counties,
Mississippi. 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 process the Commission
will use to gather input from the public
and interested agencies on the project.
Your input will help determine which
issues need to be evaluated in the EA.
Please note that the scoping period will
close on March 17, 2008. Details on how
to submit comments are provided in the
Public Participation section of this
notice.
This notice is being sent to affected
landowners; federal, state, and local
government agencies; elected officials;
Native American tribes; other interested
parties; and local libraries and
newspapers. State and local government
representatives are asked to notify their
constituents of this proposed project
and to encourage them to comment on
their areas of concern.
Affected landowners includes all
landowners who are potential easement
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 are a
landowner receiving this notice, you
may be contacted by a Caledonia
representative about the acquisition of
an easement to construct, operate, and
maintain the proposed facilities.
Caledonia 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
VerDate Aug<31>2005
16:38 Feb 21, 2008
Jkt 214001
to produce an agreement, Caledonia
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), using the ‘‘For Citizens’’
link.
Summary of the Proposed Project
Caledonia proposes to expand its
existing natural gas storage facility in
Lowndes and Monroe Counties,
Mississippi, by developing a depleted
production reservoir (the ‘‘County Line
Field’’) into a natural gas storage field.
The County Line Field is located two
miles northeast of Caledonia’s existing
facilities and has an aerial extent of
approximately 300 acres. Since 1985,
the County Line Field has produced
nearly 2.7 billion cubic feet (Bcf) of
natural gas from four wells. Currently,
all wells in the County Line Field are
plugged and abandoned and the field is
substantially depleted. The field is
capable of storing approximately 1.9 Bcf
of working gas at the maximum
allowable operating pressure.
Caledonia would construct one new
injection/withdrawal well, associated
wellhead piping and meter facilities,
and 2.04 miles of 8-inch-diameter
pipeline to interconnect the County
Line Field with its existing facilities. In
addition, Caledonia would install
approximately 10,000 horsepower of
additional compression and ancillary
equipment in a new compressor
building within its existing compressor
station. The additional compressors
would allow Caledonia to increase the
operating pressure in both its existing
and the proposed storage fields from
2,110 pounds per square inch absolute
(psia) to 2,518 psia, thereby increasing
the storage capacity. In total, the
proposed project would increase the
maximum working gas storage capacity
of Caledonia’s facility from 11.7 Bcf to
approximately 16.9 Bcf. The maximum
daily withdrawal capability would
increase from 330 million cubic feet per
day (MMcf/d) to 477 MMcf/d.
The general location of the proposed
facilities is shown in Appendix 1.1
1 The appendices referenced in this notice are not
being printed in the Federal Register. Copies of all
appendices are available on the Commission’s
website at the ‘‘eLibrary’’ link or from the
Commission’s Public Reference Room, 888 First
Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426, or call (202)
PO 00000
Frm 00032
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Land Requirements for Construction
The proposed construction would
impact a total of 14.35 acres of
agricultural and forested lands, of which
9.87 acres would be maintained
permanently for facility operations.
Pipeline construction would require a
75-foot-wide right-of-way, of which 50
feet would be maintained as permanent
easement. Caledonia would utilize its
compressor station for pipe storage.
Access would be provided via existing
public roads and the temporary
construction right-of-way.
The EA Process
We 2 are preparing this EA to comply
with the National Environmental Policy
Act (NEPA) which requires the
Commission to take into account the
environmental impact that could result
if it authorizes Caledonia’s proposal. By
this notice, we are also asking 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.
NEPA also requires the FERC 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 to address in the EA. All
comments received will be considered
during the preparation of the EA.
The EA 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
• Land use and visual quality
• Cultural resources
• Vegetation and wildlife (including
threatened and endangered species)
• Air quality and noise
• Reliability and safety
• Cumulative impact
We will also evaluate reasonable
alternatives to the proposed project or
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 Caledonia
Energy Partners, L.L.C. by calling Jim Goetz at (972)
691–3332.
2 ‘‘We,’’ ‘‘us,’’ and ‘‘our’’ refer to the
environmental staff of the FERC’s Office of Energy
Projects.
E:\FR\FM\22FEN1.SGM
22FEN1
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 36 / Friday, February 22, 2008 / Notices
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES
portions of the project, where necessary,
and make recommendations on how to
lessen or avoid impacts on the various
resource areas.
Our independent analysis of the
issues will be in the EA. Depending on
the comments received during the
scoping process, the EA may be
published and mailed to federal, state,
and local agencies, public interest
groups, interested individuals, affected
landowners, newspapers, libraries, and
the Commission’s official service list for
this proceeding. A comment period will
be allotted for review if the EA is
published. We will consider all
comments on the EA before we make
our recommendations to the
Commission.
To ensure your comments are
received and considered, please
carefully follow the instructions in the
Public Participation section below.
Public Participation
You can make a difference by
providing us with your specific
comments or concerns about the project.
By becoming a commentor, your
concerns will be addressed in the EA
and considered by the Commission. You
should focus on the potential
environmental effects of the proposal
and alternatives to the proposal 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
Commission, 888 First St., NE., Room
1A, Washington, DC 20426;
• Label one copy of the comments for
the attention of Gas Branch 3, PJ–11.3;
• Reference Docket No. CP08–52–
000; and
• Mail your comments so that they
will be received in Washington, DC on
or before March 17, 2008.
The Commission encourages
electronic filing of comments. See 18
Code of Federal Regulations
385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions
on the Commission’s Internet Web site
at https://www.ferc.gov under the
‘‘Documents and Filing’’ link and the
link to ‘‘eFiling.’’ Prepare your
submission in the same manner as you
would if filing on paper and save it to
a file on your hard drive. You will be
asked to select the type of filing you are
making. This filing is considered a
‘‘Comment on Filing.’’
As described above, we may publish
and distribute the EA for comment. If
VerDate Aug<31>2005
16:38 Feb 21, 2008
Jkt 214001
you are interested in receiving the EA
for review and/or comment, please
return the Mailing List Retention Form
(Appendix 2). If you do not return the
Mailing List Retention Form, you will
be taken off the mailing list.
Becoming an Intervenor
In addition to involvement in the EA
scoping process, you may want to
become an official party to the
proceeding known as an ‘‘intervenor.’’
Intervenors play a more formal role in
the process. Intervenors have the right
to seek rehearing of the Commission’s
decision, and also receive copies of
case-related Commission documents
and filings by other intervenors.
If you want to become an intervenor,
you must file a motion to intervene
according to Rule 214 of the
Commission’s Rules of Practice and
Procedure (18 CFR 385.214). Motions to
Intervene should be electronically
submitted using the Commission’s
eFiling system at https://www.ferc.gov.
Persons without Internet access should
send an original and 14 copies of their
motion to the Secretary of the
Commission at the address indicated
previously. Persons filing Motions to
Intervene on or before the comment
deadline indicated above must send a
copy of the motion to the Applicant. All
filings, including late interventions,
submitted after the comment deadline
must be served on the Applicant and all
other intervenors identified on the
Commission’s service list for this
proceeding. Persons on the service list
with e-mail addresses may be served
electronically; others must be served a
hard copy of the filing.
Affected landowners and parties with
environmental concerns may be granted
intervenor status upon showing good
cause by stating that they have a clear
and direct interest in this proceeding
which would not be adequately
represented by any other parties. You do
not need intervenor status to have your
environmental comments considered.
Additional Information
Additional information about the
project is available from the
Commission’s Office of External Affairs,
at 1–866–208–FERC or on the FERC
Internet Web site (https://www.ferc.gov)
using the ‘‘eLibrary’’ link. Click on the
eLibrary link, then on ‘‘General Search’’
and enter the docket number excluding
the last three digits in the Docket
Number field (i.e., CP08–52). 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
PO 00000
Frm 00033
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
9789
(202) 502–8659. The eLibrary link also
provides access to the texts of formal
documents issued by the Commission,
such as Orders, notices, and
rulemakings.
In addition, the Commission now
offers a free service called eSubscription
which allows you to keep track of all
formal issuances and submittals in
specific dockets. This can reduce the
amount of time you spend researching
proceedings by automatically providing
you with notification of these filings,
document summaries, and direct links
to the documents. Go to https://
www.ferc.gov/esubscribenow.htm.
Finally, public meetings or site visits
will be posted on the Commission’s
calendar located at https://www.ferc.gov/
EventCalendar/EventsList.aspx along
with other related information.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E8–3283 Filed 2–21–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket Nos. ER08–325–000, ER08–325–
001]
Patriot Partnership, LLC; Notice of
Issuance of Order
February 14, 2008.
Patriot Partnership, LLC (Patriot
Partnership) filed an application for
market-based rate authority, with an
accompanying tariff. The proposed
market-based rate tariff provides for the
sale of energy and capacity. Patriot
Partnership also requested waivers of
various Commission regulations. In
particular, Patriot Partnership requested
that the Commission grant blanket
approval under 18 CFR part 34 of all
future issuances of securities and
assumptions of liability by Patriot
Partnership.
On February 1, 2008, pursuant to
delegated authority, the Director,
Division of Tariffs and Market
Development-West, granted the requests
for blanket approval under part 34
(Director’s Order). The Director’s Order
also stated that the Commission would
publish a separate notice in the Federal
Register establishing a period of time for
the filing of protests. Accordingly, any
person desiring to be heard concerning
the blanket approvals of issuances of
securities or assumptions of liability by
Patriot Partnership, should file a protest
with the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, 888 First Street, NE.,
E:\FR\FM\22FEN1.SGM
22FEN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 36 (Friday, February 22, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9788-9789]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-3283]
[[Page 9788]]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP08-52-000]
Caledonia Energy Partners, L.L.C.; Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Caledonia Expansion Project
and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues
February 14, 2008.
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 Caledonia Expansion Project
involving construction and operation of natural gas storage, pipeline,
and compression facilities by Caledonia Energy Partners, L.L.C.
(Caledonia) in Lowndes and Monroe Counties, Mississippi. 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 process the
Commission will use to gather input from the public and interested
agencies on the project. Your input will help determine which issues
need to be evaluated in the EA. Please note that the scoping period
will close on March 17, 2008. Details on how to submit comments are
provided in the Public Participation section of this notice.
This notice is being sent to affected landowners; federal, state,
and local government agencies; elected officials; Native American
tribes; other interested parties; and local libraries and newspapers.
State and local government representatives are asked to notify their
constituents of this proposed project and to encourage them to comment
on their areas of concern.
Affected landowners includes all landowners who are potential
easement 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 are a landowner
receiving this notice, you may be contacted by a Caledonia
representative about the acquisition of an easement to construct,
operate, and maintain the proposed facilities. Caledonia 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, Caledonia 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), using the
``For Citizens'' link.
Summary of the Proposed Project
Caledonia proposes to expand its existing natural gas storage
facility in Lowndes and Monroe Counties, Mississippi, by developing a
depleted production reservoir (the ``County Line Field'') into a
natural gas storage field. The County Line Field is located two miles
northeast of Caledonia's existing facilities and has an aerial extent
of approximately 300 acres. Since 1985, the County Line Field has
produced nearly 2.7 billion cubic feet (Bcf) of natural gas from four
wells. Currently, all wells in the County Line Field are plugged and
abandoned and the field is substantially depleted. The field is capable
of storing approximately 1.9 Bcf of working gas at the maximum
allowable operating pressure.
Caledonia would construct one new injection/withdrawal well,
associated wellhead piping and meter facilities, and 2.04 miles of 8-
inch-diameter pipeline to interconnect the County Line Field with its
existing facilities. In addition, Caledonia would install approximately
10,000 horsepower of additional compression and ancillary equipment in
a new compressor building within its existing compressor station. The
additional compressors would allow Caledonia to increase the operating
pressure in both its existing and the proposed storage fields from
2,110 pounds per square inch absolute (psia) to 2,518 psia, thereby
increasing the storage capacity. In total, the proposed project would
increase the maximum working gas storage capacity of Caledonia's
facility from 11.7 Bcf to approximately 16.9 Bcf. The maximum daily
withdrawal capability would increase from 330 million cubic feet per
day (MMcf/d) to 477 MMcf/d.
The general location of the proposed facilities is shown in
Appendix 1.\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The appendices referenced in this notice are not being
printed in the Federal Register. Copies of all appendices are
available on the Commission's website 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 Caledonia
Energy Partners, L.L.C. by calling Jim Goetz at (972) 691-3332.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Land Requirements for Construction
The proposed construction would impact a total of 14.35 acres of
agricultural and forested lands, of which 9.87 acres would be
maintained permanently for facility operations. Pipeline construction
would require a 75-foot-wide right-of-way, of which 50 feet would be
maintained as permanent easement. Caledonia would utilize its
compressor station for pipe storage. Access would be provided via
existing public roads and the temporary construction right-of-way.
The EA Process
We \2\ are preparing this EA to comply with the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) which requires the Commission to take
into account the environmental impact that could result if it
authorizes Caledonia's proposal. By this notice, we are also asking
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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ ``We,'' ``us,'' and ``our'' refer to the environmental staff
of the FERC's Office of Energy Projects.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
NEPA also requires the FERC 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 to address in the EA. All comments received will be considered
during the preparation of the EA.
The EA 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
Land use and visual quality
Cultural resources
Vegetation and wildlife (including threatened and
endangered species)
Air quality and noise
Reliability and safety
Cumulative impact
We will also evaluate reasonable alternatives to the proposed
project or
[[Page 9789]]
portions of the project, where necessary, and make recommendations on
how to lessen or avoid impacts on the various resource areas.
Our independent analysis of the issues will be in the EA. Depending
on the comments received during the scoping process, the EA may be
published and mailed to federal, state, and local agencies, public
interest groups, interested individuals, affected landowners,
newspapers, libraries, and the Commission's official service list for
this proceeding. A comment period will be allotted for review if the EA
is published. We will consider all comments on the EA before we make
our recommendations to the Commission.
To ensure your comments are received and considered, please
carefully follow the instructions in the Public Participation section
below.
Public Participation
You can make a difference by providing us with your specific
comments or concerns about the project. By becoming a commentor, your
concerns will be addressed in the EA and considered by the Commission.
You should focus on the potential environmental effects of the proposal
and alternatives to the proposal 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 Commission, 888
First St., NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426;
Label one copy of the comments for the attention of Gas
Branch 3, PJ-11.3;
Reference Docket No. CP08-52-000; and
Mail your comments so that they will be received in
Washington, DC on or before March 17, 2008.
The Commission encourages electronic filing of comments. See 18
Code of Federal Regulations 385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions on
the Commission's Internet Web site at https://www.ferc.gov under the
``Documents and Filing'' link and the link to ``eFiling.'' Prepare your
submission in the same manner as you would if filing on paper and save
it to a file on your hard drive. You will be asked to select the type
of filing you are making. This filing is considered a ``Comment on
Filing.''
As described above, we may publish and distribute the EA for
comment. If you are interested in receiving the EA for review and/or
comment, please return the Mailing List Retention Form (Appendix 2). If
you do not return the Mailing List Retention Form, you will be taken
off the mailing list.
Becoming an Intervenor
In addition to involvement in the EA scoping process, you may want
to become an official party to the proceeding known as an
``intervenor.'' Intervenors play a more formal role in the process.
Intervenors have the right to seek rehearing of the Commission's
decision, and also receive copies of case-related Commission documents
and filings by other intervenors.
If you want to become an intervenor, you must file a motion to
intervene according to Rule 214 of the Commission's Rules of Practice
and Procedure (18 CFR 385.214). Motions to Intervene should be
electronically submitted using the Commission's eFiling system at
https://www.ferc.gov. Persons without Internet access should send an
original and 14 copies of their motion to the Secretary of the
Commission at the address indicated previously. Persons filing Motions
to Intervene on or before the comment deadline indicated above must
send a copy of the motion to the Applicant. All filings, including late
interventions, submitted after the comment deadline must be served on
the Applicant and all other intervenors identified on the Commission's
service list for this proceeding. Persons on the service list with e-
mail addresses may be served electronically; others must be served a
hard copy of the filing.
Affected landowners and parties with environmental concerns may be
granted intervenor status upon showing good cause by stating that they
have a clear and direct interest in this proceeding which would not be
adequately represented by any other parties. You do not need intervenor
status to have your environmental comments considered.
Additional Information
Additional information about the project is available from the
Commission's Office of External Affairs, at 1-866-208-FERC or on the
FERC Internet Web site (https://www.ferc.gov) using the ``eLibrary''
link. Click on the eLibrary link, then on ``General Search'' and enter
the docket number excluding the last three digits in the Docket Number
field (i.e., CP08-52). Be sure you have selected an appropriate date
range. For assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at
FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or toll free at 1-866-208-3676, or for TTY,
contact (202) 502-8659. The eLibrary link also provides access to the
texts of formal documents issued by the Commission, such as Orders,
notices, and rulemakings.
In addition, the Commission now offers a free service called
eSubscription which allows you to keep track of all formal issuances
and submittals in specific dockets. This can reduce the amount of time
you spend researching proceedings by automatically providing you with
notification of these filings, document summaries, and direct links to
the documents. Go to https://www.ferc.gov/esubscribenow.htm.
Finally, public meetings or site visits will be posted on the
Commission's calendar located at https://www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/
EventsList.aspx along with other related information.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E8-3283 Filed 2-21-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P