Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement: Site Selection for the Expansion of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, 11895-11897 [E8-4242]
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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 44 / Wednesday, March 5, 2008 / Notices
The original programmatic consent
was approved in June 2006 (published
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A one-year extension was approved in
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the date of publication of this notice.
Dated: February 20, 2008.
For the Department of Energy.
Richard Goorevich,
Director, Office of International Regimes and
Agreements.
[FR Doc. E8–4215 Filed 3–4–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement: Site Selection for the
Expansion of the Strategic Petroleum
Reserve
Department of Energy.
Notice of Intent to Prepare a
Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement and Conduct Public Scoping
Meetings, and Notice of Floodplain and
Wetlands Involvement.
AGENCY:
jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES
ACTION:
SUMMARY: The Energy Policy Act of 2005
(EPACT, P.L. 109–58) required the
Department of Energy (DOE) to expand
the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR)
from its current 727 million-barrel
capacity to 1 billion barrels. In order to
fulfill the requirements of the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for
the expansion project, DOE prepared the
environmental impact statement (EIS)
Site Selection for the Expansion of the
Strategic Petroleum Reserve (DOE/EIS–
0385). In the Record of Decision (ROD),
published in the Federal Register on
February 22, 2007, DOE announced its
selection of Richton, Mississippi, as the
location of a new SPR facility as part of
the expansion project. The site was
selected for its large and undeveloped
salt dome, enhanced oil distribution
capabilities, and inland location that is
less vulnerable to the damaging effects
of hurricanes.
Since selecting the Richton site, DOE
has engaged in further consultations
with Federal and Mississippi state
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18:03 Mar 04, 2008
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agencies and is now considering
different locations from those addressed
in DOE/EIS–0385 for certain facilities
associated with the Richton SPR
expansion site. This Notice announces
DOE’s intent to prepare a supplemental
environmental impact statement (SEIS)
in accordance with NEPA, Council on
Environmental Quality (CEQ) NEPA
regulations (40 CFR parts 1500–1508),
and the DOE NEPA regulations (10 CFR
part 1021).
Some of the potential new locations
may be in floodplains or wetlands. DOE
hereby gives notice that it will include
in the SEIS a floodplain assessment and
a wetland assessment prepared in
accordance with the DOE Regulations
for Compliance with Floodplain and
Wetland Environmental Review
Requirements (10 CFR part 1022).
DOE invites interested agencies,
organizations, Native American tribes,
and members of the public to submit
comments or suggestions to assist in
identifying alternatives, significant
environmental issues, and the
appropriate scope of the SEIS.
DATES: The public scoping period starts
March 5, 2008 and will continue until
April 29, 2008. Written and oral
comments will be given equal weight
and DOE will consider all comments
received or postmarked by April 29,
2008, in defining the scope of the SEIS.
Written comments postmarked or sent
after this date will be considered to the
degree practicable. The dates for public
meetings are as follows:
April 8, 2008; 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.;
Leakesville, Mississippi (Greene
County)
April 9, 2008; 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.;
Lucedale, Mississippi (George
County)
April 10, 2008; 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.;
Pascagoula, Mississippi (Jackson
County)
The locations of the public scoping
meetings were selected based on their
proximity to the locations of proposed
facilities under consideration. If an
agency, organization, or a member of the
general public wishes to request that
DOE have an additional scoping
meeting at a specific location, please
contact Donald Silawsky at the address
listed in the ADDRESSES section of this
Notice. If DOE decides to hold public
meetings in addition to those listed
above, DOE will publish an amendment
to this Notice and make other public
announcements.
ADDRESSES: Written comments or
suggestions on the scope and content of
the SEIS should be directed to Donald
Silawsky at the Office of Petroleum
Reserves (FE–47), U.S. Department of
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11895
Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue,
SW., Washington, DC 20585–0301. Mr.
Silawsky may also be contacted by
telephone at 202–586–1892, by
facsimile at 202–586–4446, or by
electronic mail at
donald.silawsky@hq.doe.gov. Envelopes
and the subject line of e-mails or faxes
should be labeled ‘‘Scoping for the SPR
SEIS.’’ Please note that conventional
mail to DOE may be delayed by anthrax
screening.
The locations of the scoping meetings
are as follows:
Greene County High School, 4336 High
School Road, Leakesville, Mississippi
George County Senior Center, 7102
Hwy. 198 E., Lucedale, Mississippi
B.E. Mac McGinty Civic Center, 2902
Shortcut Road, Pascagoula,
Mississippi
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
information on the proposed project or
to receive a copy of the Draft SEIS when
it is issued, contact Donald Silawsky by
any of the means listed in the
ADDRESSES section of this Notice.
Additional information may also be
found on the DOE Fossil Energy Web
site at https://www.fe.doe.gov.
For further information on the
expansion of the Strategic Petroleum
Reserve, contact David Johnson at the
Office of Petroleum Reserves (FE–42),
U.S. Department of Energy, 1000
Independence Avenue, SW.,
Washington, DC 20585–0301, by
telephone at 202–586–4733, by
facsimile at 202–586–7919, or by
electronic mail at
david.johnson@hq.doe.gov.
For general information on the DOE
NEPA process, contact Carol Borgstrom,
Director, Office of NEPA Policy and
Compliance (GC–20), U.S. Department
of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue,
SW., Washington, DC 20585–0103, by
telephone at 202–586–4600, or leave a
toll-free message at 800–472–2756.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background and Need for Agency
Action
The Energy Policy Act of 2005
(EPACT, Pub. L. 109–58) states (in
Section 303) that: ‘‘Not later than 1 year
after the date of enactment of this Act,
the Secretary shall complete a
proceeding to select, from sites that the
Secretary has previously studied, sites
necessary to enable acquisition by the
Secretary of the full authorized volume
of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.’’ In
order to fulfill the requirements of
NEPA for the expansion project, DOE
prepared the EIS Site Selection for the
Expansion of the Strategic Petroleum
Reserve (DOE/EIS–0385). In the ROD,
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jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES
11896
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 44 / Wednesday, March 5, 2008 / Notices
published in the Federal Register on
February 22, 2007 (72 FR 7964), DOE
announced its selection of Richton,
Mississippi, as the location of a new
SPR facility as part of the expansion
project. The site was selected for its
large and undeveloped salt dome,
enhanced oil distribution capabilities,
and inland location that is less
vulnerable to the damaging effects of
hurricanes.
The ROD stated that the raw water
intake structure to be used for oil
storage cavern development,
maintenance, and drawdown at the
Richton facility is to be located at the
Leaf River at New Augusta, Mississippi
(10 miles from the Richton Site), with a
secondary raw water intake structure at
the Gulf of Mexico (88 miles from the
Richton Site). The ROD also stated that
the oil terminal and tank farm are to be
located at the former Naval Station
Pascagoula, a Base Realignment and
Closure site on Singing River Island in
the Gulf of Mexico. The brine disposal
pipeline as described in DOE/EIS–0385
was to run roughly south from Singing
River Island into the Gulf of Mexico and
terminate in a diffuser about 11.5 miles
from the south shore of the island.
After selecting Richton, DOE engaged
in further consultations with the
Mississippi Department of
Environmental Quality, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, and other
governmental entities. As a result, DOE
is considering whether to select a new
location for the raw water intake
structure, from the location on the Leaf
River as described in the ROD, to a
location with greater water availability.
DOE will also assess a new location for
the marine oil terminal from the Singing
River Island location described in the
ROD. Relocating the oil terminal may
require a revised route for the offshore
brine disposal pipeline. DOE will assess
any changes to pipeline or powerline
rights-of-way that would be made as a
result of changing the raw water intake
structure and marine oil terminal
facilities.
DOE has determined that the potential
new locations of the raw water intake,
oil terminal, and brine disposal pipeline
and diffuser associated with the Richton
SPR expansion facility would be
substantial changes to the proposal
analyzed in DOE/EIS–0385 that are
relevant to environmental concerns.
DOE will therefore prepare a SEIS in
accordance with NEPA, the CEQ NEPA
regulations (40 CFR parts 1500–1508),
the DOE NEPA regulations (10 CFR part
1021), and 10 CFR part 1022.
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18:03 Mar 04, 2008
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Alternatives
DOE has identified the Pascagoula
River near Merrill as one alternative
location for the raw water intake for the
Richton SPR expansion facility. DOE
has identified Bayou Casotte Harbor as
an alternative site for the marine oil
terminal. Associated with this potential
new location of the oil terminal is a
revised route for the offshore brine
disposal pipeline that would run south
from Bayou Casotte Harbor into the Gulf
of Mexico and utilize an existing
underwater right of way. The
termination point of the revised
pipeline route at the diffuser would be
about 1.2 miles west of the diffuser
location that was identified in DOE/
EIS–0385. DOE will assess any changes
to pipeline or powerline rights-of-way
that would be made as a result of
changing the raw water intake structure
and marine oil terminal facilities. DOE
invites suggestions for alternative
locations for the raw water intake
structure, oil terminal, and brine
disposal.
The No-Action Alternative would be
to not change the planned locations of
the raw water intake structure, marine
oil terminal, and brine disposal pipeline
and diffuser.
Identification of Environmental Issues
The purpose of this Notice is to solicit
comments and suggestions for
consideration in the preparation of the
SEIS. As background for public
comment, this Notice contains a list of
potential environmental issues that DOE
has tentatively identified for analysis.
This list, which DOE developed from
preliminary scoping of the proposed
changes, is not intended to be allinclusive or to imply any
predetermination of impacts. Instead, it
is presented to facilitate public
comment on the planned scope and
content of the SEIS. Additions to or
deletions from this list may occur as a
result of the public scoping process.
The following is a preliminary list of
potential environmental resource areas
that may be affected by construction and
operation of the raw water intake, oil
terminal, and brine pipeline and
diffuser at the proposed new locations
and that may be analyzed in the SEIS:
(1) Local and Regional Air Quality.
(2) Water Resources: The quantity and
quality of local and regional marine,
freshwater, and groundwater systems.
(3) Ecological Resources: Terrestrial
and aquatic plants and animals,
including state and Federally listed
threatened and endangered species, and
other protected resources (e.g., wetlands
and essential fish habitat).
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(4) Land Use: The effects of allocating
land resources at the proposed new
locations for the raw water intake and
oil terminal rather than for other uses
(e.g., commercial or recreation).
(5) Geological Resources: Local
geology and soils.
(6) Public Health and Safety
(including potential incidental spills
and releases).
(7) Socioeconomics: Potential influx
of workers and the potential increase in
demand for local services.
(8) Cultural Resources: Historical,
archaeological, and culturally important
sites.
(9) Environmental Justice: The
potential for disproportionately high
and adverse effects on populations
protected under Executive Order 12898
(Federal Actions to Address
Environmental Justice in Minority
Populations and Low-Income
Populations).
Scoping Process
To ensure that all issues related to
this proposal are addressed, DOE will
conduct an open process to define the
scope and content of the SEIS.
Interested agencies, organizations,
Native American tribes, and members of
the public are encouraged to submit
comments or suggestions concerning the
content of the SEIS, issues and impacts
to be addressed in the SEIS, and
alternatives that should be considered.
DOE invites oral comments and
suggestions at public scoping meetings
to which agencies, organizations, Native
American tribes, and the general public
are invited.
Written comments should be sent to
DOE as described in the ADDRESSES
section above. Public scoping meetings
will be held at the locations, dates and
times listed in the DATES and ADDRESSES
sections. These meetings will be
informal. A presiding officer designated
by DOE will establish procedures
governing the conduct of the meetings.
The meetings will not be conducted as
evidentiary hearings, and those who
choose to make statements will not be
cross-examined by other speakers. To
request time to speak at the public
scoping meetings, please contact Donald
Silawsky via mail, fax, or e-mail as
listed in the ADDRESSES section of this
Notice. Persons may also sign up to
speak before each meeting at the
reception desk at the entrance to the
meeting.
To ensure that everyone who wishes
to speak has a chance to do so, five
minutes will be allotted to each speaker.
Depending on the number of persons
requesting to speak, DOE may allow
longer times for representatives of
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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 44 / Wednesday, March 5, 2008 / Notices
organizations. Persons wishing to speak
on behalf of an organization should
identify that organization when they
sign up to speak.
A complete transcript of the public
scoping meetings will be retained by
DOE and made available to the public
for review via the DOE Web site at
https://www.fe.doe.gov and during
business hours at the Department of
Energy, Freedom of Information Reading
Room, Forrestal Building, 1000
Independence Avenue, SW.,
Washington, DC 20585–0173, and at the
Department of Energy SPR Project
Management Office, 900 Commerce
Road East, New Orleans, LA 70123–
3406. Additional copies of the public
scoping meetings transcripts will be
made available during normal business
hours at the following locations:
Jackson County, Pascagoula Public
Library, 3214 Pascagoula St.,
Pascagoula, MS 39567
Perry County, Richton Public Library,
210 N. Front St., Richton, MS 39476
Greene County, Leakesville Public
Library, 101 Lafayette, Leakesville,
MS 39451
George County, Lucedale-George County
Public Library, 507 Oak St., Lucedale,
MS 39452
Draft SEIS Schedule and Availability
The Draft SEIS is scheduled to be
issued in late Fall 2008. The availability
of the Draft SEIS and dates for public
hearings soliciting comments will be
announced in the Federal Register and
local media. The Draft SEIS will be
made available for public inspection at
the libraries identified above. Comments
on the Draft SEIS will be considered in
preparing the Final SEIS.
Interested parties who do not wish to
submit comments at this time, but who
would like to receive a copy of the Draft
SEIS and other project materials, should
contact Donald Silawsky as provided in
the ADDRESSES section of this Notice.
Issued in Washington, DC, on February 29,
2008.
James A. Slutz,
Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary,
Office of Fossil Energy.
[FR Doc. E8–4242 Filed 3–4–08; 8:45 am]
jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES
BILLING CODE 6450–01–P
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket Nos. CP05–45–001; CP06–401–001]
TransColorado Gas Transmission
Company, LLC; Notice of Application
February 27, 2008.
Take notice that on February 12, 2008
TransColorado Gas Transmission
Company, LLC (TransColorado) P.O.
Box 281304, Lakewood, Colorado
80228–8304, filed an application
pursuant to section 7(c) of the NGA and
the Commission’s regulations to amend
its certificates of public convenience
and necessity issued in Docket Nos.
CP05–45–000 (111 FERC ¶ 62,224) and
CP06–401–000 (119 FERC ¶ 61,069).
TransColorado seeks authority to
relocate two previously authorized
compressor stations pending at the
Greasewood Compressor Station in Rio
Blanco County, Colorado to a new site
approximately six miles west called the
Love Ranch Compressor Station, also in
Rio Blanco County. TransColorado
further seeks authority to construct and
operate a new interconnect with Rockies
Express Pipeline, LLC. TransColorado
states that the reconfiguration will
permit TransColorado better to meet the
current market needs of producers and
shippers.
These filings are available for review
at the Commission’s Washington, DC
offices or may be viewed on the
Commission’s Web site at https://
www.ferc.gov/ using the ‘‘e-Library’’
link. Enter the docket number,
excluding the last three digits, in the
docket number field to access the
document. For assistance, please contact
FERC Online Support at
ferconlinesupport@ferc.gov or
Telephone: 202–502–6652; Toll-free: 1–
866–208–3676; or for TTY, contact (202)
502–8659.
Any questions regarding these
applications should be directed to Skip
George, Manager of Certificates,
TransColorado Gas Transmission
Company, LLC, P.O. Box 281304,
Lakewood, Colorado 80228–8304,
phone (303) 914–4969.
Pursuant to section 157.9 of the
Commission’s rules, 18 CFR 157.9,
within 90 days of this Notice the
Commission staff will either: Complete
its environmental assessment (EA) and
place it into the Commission’s public
record (eLibrary) for this proceeding; or
issue a Notice of Schedule for
Environmental Review. If a Notice of
Schedule for Environmental Review is
issued, it will indicate, among other
milestones, the anticipated date for the
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11897
Commission staff’s issuance of the final
environmental impact statement (FEIS)
or EA for this proposal. The filing of the
EA in the Commission’s public record
for this proceeding or the issuance of a
Notice of Schedule for Environmental
Review will serve to notify federal and
state agencies of the timing for the
completion of all necessary reviews, and
the subsequent need to complete all
federal authorizations within 90 days of
the date of issuance of the Commission
staff’s FEIS or EA.
There are two ways to become
involved in the Commission’s review of
this Project. First, any person wishing to
obtain legal status by becoming a party
to the proceeding for this project should
file with the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, 888 First Street, NE.,
Washington, DC 20426, a motion to
intervene in accordance with the
requirements of the Commission’s Rules
of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR
385.214 or 385.211) and the Regulations
under the NGA (18 CFR 157.10) by the
comment date, below. A person
obtaining party status will be placed on
the service list maintained by the
Secretary of the Commission and will
receive copies of all documents filed by
the applicant and by all other parties. A
party must submit 14 copies of filings
made with the Commission and must
mail a copy to the applicant and to
every other party in the proceeding.
Only parties to the proceeding can ask
for court review of Commission orders
in the proceeding.
However, a person does not have to
intervene to have comments considered.
The second way to participate is by
filing with the Secretary of the
Commission, as soon as possible, an
original and two copies of comments in
support of or in opposition to this
project and/or associated pipeline. The
Commission will consider these
comments in determining the
appropriate action to be taken, but the
filing of a comment alone will not serve
to make the filer a party to the
proceeding. The Commission’s rules
require that persons filing comments in
opposition to the project provide copies
of their protests only to the party or
parties directly involved in the protest.
Persons who wish to comment only
on the environmental review of this
project should submit an original and
two copies of their comments to the
Secretary of the Commission.
Environmental commenters will be
placed on the Commission’s
environmental mailing list, will receive
copies of the environmental documents,
and will be notified of meetings
associated with the Commission’s
environmental review process.
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 44 (Wednesday, March 5, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11895-11897]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-4242]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement: Site Selection for
the Expansion of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve
AGENCY: Department of Energy.
ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement and Conduct Public Scoping Meetings, and Notice of Floodplain
and Wetlands Involvement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT, P.L. 109-58) required
the Department of Energy (DOE) to expand the Strategic Petroleum
Reserve (SPR) from its current 727 million-barrel capacity to 1 billion
barrels. In order to fulfill the requirements of the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for the expansion project, DOE prepared
the environmental impact statement (EIS) Site Selection for the
Expansion of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (DOE/EIS-0385). In the
Record of Decision (ROD), published in the Federal Register on February
22, 2007, DOE announced its selection of Richton, Mississippi, as the
location of a new SPR facility as part of the expansion project. The
site was selected for its large and undeveloped salt dome, enhanced oil
distribution capabilities, and inland location that is less vulnerable
to the damaging effects of hurricanes.
Since selecting the Richton site, DOE has engaged in further
consultations with Federal and Mississippi state agencies and is now
considering different locations from those addressed in DOE/EIS-0385
for certain facilities associated with the Richton SPR expansion site.
This Notice announces DOE's intent to prepare a supplemental
environmental impact statement (SEIS) in accordance with NEPA, Council
on Environmental Quality (CEQ) NEPA regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-
1508), and the DOE NEPA regulations (10 CFR part 1021).
Some of the potential new locations may be in floodplains or
wetlands. DOE hereby gives notice that it will include in the SEIS a
floodplain assessment and a wetland assessment prepared in accordance
with the DOE Regulations for Compliance with Floodplain and Wetland
Environmental Review Requirements (10 CFR part 1022).
DOE invites interested agencies, organizations, Native American
tribes, and members of the public to submit comments or suggestions to
assist in identifying alternatives, significant environmental issues,
and the appropriate scope of the SEIS.
DATES: The public scoping period starts March 5, 2008 and will continue
until April 29, 2008. Written and oral comments will be given equal
weight and DOE will consider all comments received or postmarked by
April 29, 2008, in defining the scope of the SEIS. Written comments
postmarked or sent after this date will be considered to the degree
practicable. The dates for public meetings are as follows:
April 8, 2008; 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.; Leakesville, Mississippi (Greene
County)
April 9, 2008; 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.; Lucedale, Mississippi (George County)
April 10, 2008; 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.; Pascagoula, Mississippi (Jackson
County)
The locations of the public scoping meetings were selected based on
their proximity to the locations of proposed facilities under
consideration. If an agency, organization, or a member of the general
public wishes to request that DOE have an additional scoping meeting at
a specific location, please contact Donald Silawsky at the address
listed in the ADDRESSES section of this Notice. If DOE decides to hold
public meetings in addition to those listed above, DOE will publish an
amendment to this Notice and make other public announcements.
ADDRESSES: Written comments or suggestions on the scope and content of
the SEIS should be directed to Donald Silawsky at the Office of
Petroleum Reserves (FE-47), U.S. Department of Energy, 1000
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585-0301. Mr. Silawsky may
also be contacted by telephone at 202-586-1892, by facsimile at 202-
586-4446, or by electronic mail at donald.silawsky@hq.doe.gov.
Envelopes and the subject line of e-mails or faxes should be labeled
``Scoping for the SPR SEIS.'' Please note that conventional mail to DOE
may be delayed by anthrax screening.
The locations of the scoping meetings are as follows:
Greene County High School, 4336 High School Road, Leakesville,
Mississippi
George County Senior Center, 7102 Hwy. 198 E., Lucedale, Mississippi
B.E. Mac McGinty Civic Center, 2902 Shortcut Road, Pascagoula,
Mississippi
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the proposed
project or to receive a copy of the Draft SEIS when it is issued,
contact Donald Silawsky by any of the means listed in the ADDRESSES
section of this Notice. Additional information may also be found on the
DOE Fossil Energy Web site at https://www.fe.doe.gov.
For further information on the expansion of the Strategic Petroleum
Reserve, contact David Johnson at the Office of Petroleum Reserves (FE-
42), U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW.,
Washington, DC 20585-0301, by telephone at 202-586-4733, by facsimile
at 202-586-7919, or by electronic mail at david.johnson@hq.doe.gov.
For general information on the DOE NEPA process, contact Carol
Borgstrom, Director, Office of NEPA Policy and Compliance (GC-20), U.S.
Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC
20585-0103, by telephone at 202-586-4600, or leave a toll-free message
at 800-472-2756.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background and Need for Agency Action
The Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT, Pub. L. 109-58) states (in
Section 303) that: ``Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Secretary shall complete a proceeding to select, from
sites that the Secretary has previously studied, sites necessary to
enable acquisition by the Secretary of the full authorized volume of
the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.'' In order to fulfill the requirements
of NEPA for the expansion project, DOE prepared the EIS Site Selection
for the Expansion of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (DOE/EIS-0385). In
the ROD,
[[Page 11896]]
published in the Federal Register on February 22, 2007 (72 FR 7964),
DOE announced its selection of Richton, Mississippi, as the location of
a new SPR facility as part of the expansion project. The site was
selected for its large and undeveloped salt dome, enhanced oil
distribution capabilities, and inland location that is less vulnerable
to the damaging effects of hurricanes.
The ROD stated that the raw water intake structure to be used for
oil storage cavern development, maintenance, and drawdown at the
Richton facility is to be located at the Leaf River at New Augusta,
Mississippi (10 miles from the Richton Site), with a secondary raw
water intake structure at the Gulf of Mexico (88 miles from the Richton
Site). The ROD also stated that the oil terminal and tank farm are to
be located at the former Naval Station Pascagoula, a Base Realignment
and Closure site on Singing River Island in the Gulf of Mexico. The
brine disposal pipeline as described in DOE/EIS-0385 was to run roughly
south from Singing River Island into the Gulf of Mexico and terminate
in a diffuser about 11.5 miles from the south shore of the island.
After selecting Richton, DOE engaged in further consultations with
the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, and other governmental entities. As a result, DOE is
considering whether to select a new location for the raw water intake
structure, from the location on the Leaf River as described in the ROD,
to a location with greater water availability. DOE will also assess a
new location for the marine oil terminal from the Singing River Island
location described in the ROD. Relocating the oil terminal may require
a revised route for the offshore brine disposal pipeline. DOE will
assess any changes to pipeline or powerline rights-of-way that would be
made as a result of changing the raw water intake structure and marine
oil terminal facilities.
DOE has determined that the potential new locations of the raw
water intake, oil terminal, and brine disposal pipeline and diffuser
associated with the Richton SPR expansion facility would be substantial
changes to the proposal analyzed in DOE/EIS-0385 that are relevant to
environmental concerns. DOE will therefore prepare a SEIS in accordance
with NEPA, the CEQ NEPA regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), the DOE
NEPA regulations (10 CFR part 1021), and 10 CFR part 1022.
Alternatives
DOE has identified the Pascagoula River near Merrill as one
alternative location for the raw water intake for the Richton SPR
expansion facility. DOE has identified Bayou Casotte Harbor as an
alternative site for the marine oil terminal. Associated with this
potential new location of the oil terminal is a revised route for the
offshore brine disposal pipeline that would run south from Bayou
Casotte Harbor into the Gulf of Mexico and utilize an existing
underwater right of way. The termination point of the revised pipeline
route at the diffuser would be about 1.2 miles west of the diffuser
location that was identified in DOE/EIS-0385. DOE will assess any
changes to pipeline or powerline rights-of-way that would be made as a
result of changing the raw water intake structure and marine oil
terminal facilities. DOE invites suggestions for alternative locations
for the raw water intake structure, oil terminal, and brine disposal.
The No-Action Alternative would be to not change the planned
locations of the raw water intake structure, marine oil terminal, and
brine disposal pipeline and diffuser.
Identification of Environmental Issues
The purpose of this Notice is to solicit comments and suggestions
for consideration in the preparation of the SEIS. As background for
public comment, this Notice contains a list of potential environmental
issues that DOE has tentatively identified for analysis. This list,
which DOE developed from preliminary scoping of the proposed changes,
is not intended to be all-inclusive or to imply any predetermination of
impacts. Instead, it is presented to facilitate public comment on the
planned scope and content of the SEIS. Additions to or deletions from
this list may occur as a result of the public scoping process.
The following is a preliminary list of potential environmental
resource areas that may be affected by construction and operation of
the raw water intake, oil terminal, and brine pipeline and diffuser at
the proposed new locations and that may be analyzed in the SEIS:
(1) Local and Regional Air Quality.
(2) Water Resources: The quantity and quality of local and regional
marine, freshwater, and groundwater systems.
(3) Ecological Resources: Terrestrial and aquatic plants and
animals, including state and Federally listed threatened and endangered
species, and other protected resources (e.g., wetlands and essential
fish habitat).
(4) Land Use: The effects of allocating land resources at the
proposed new locations for the raw water intake and oil terminal rather
than for other uses (e.g., commercial or recreation).
(5) Geological Resources: Local geology and soils.
(6) Public Health and Safety (including potential incidental spills
and releases).
(7) Socioeconomics: Potential influx of workers and the potential
increase in demand for local services.
(8) Cultural Resources: Historical, archaeological, and culturally
important sites.
(9) Environmental Justice: The potential for disproportionately
high and adverse effects on populations protected under Executive Order
12898 (Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority
Populations and Low-Income Populations).
Scoping Process
To ensure that all issues related to this proposal are addressed,
DOE will conduct an open process to define the scope and content of the
SEIS. Interested agencies, organizations, Native American tribes, and
members of the public are encouraged to submit comments or suggestions
concerning the content of the SEIS, issues and impacts to be addressed
in the SEIS, and alternatives that should be considered. DOE invites
oral comments and suggestions at public scoping meetings to which
agencies, organizations, Native American tribes, and the general public
are invited.
Written comments should be sent to DOE as described in the
ADDRESSES section above. Public scoping meetings will be held at the
locations, dates and times listed in the DATES and ADDRESSES sections.
These meetings will be informal. A presiding officer designated by DOE
will establish procedures governing the conduct of the meetings. The
meetings will not be conducted as evidentiary hearings, and those who
choose to make statements will not be cross-examined by other speakers.
To request time to speak at the public scoping meetings, please contact
Donald Silawsky via mail, fax, or e-mail as listed in the ADDRESSES
section of this Notice. Persons may also sign up to speak before each
meeting at the reception desk at the entrance to the meeting.
To ensure that everyone who wishes to speak has a chance to do so,
five minutes will be allotted to each speaker. Depending on the number
of persons requesting to speak, DOE may allow longer times for
representatives of
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organizations. Persons wishing to speak on behalf of an organization
should identify that organization when they sign up to speak.
A complete transcript of the public scoping meetings will be
retained by DOE and made available to the public for review via the DOE
Web site at https://www.fe.doe.gov and during business hours at the
Department of Energy, Freedom of Information Reading Room, Forrestal
Building, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585-0173, and
at the Department of Energy SPR Project Management Office, 900 Commerce
Road East, New Orleans, LA 70123-3406. Additional copies of the public
scoping meetings transcripts will be made available during normal
business hours at the following locations:
Jackson County, Pascagoula Public Library, 3214 Pascagoula St.,
Pascagoula, MS 39567
Perry County, Richton Public Library, 210 N. Front St., Richton, MS
39476
Greene County, Leakesville Public Library, 101 Lafayette, Leakesville,
MS 39451
George County, Lucedale-George County Public Library, 507 Oak St.,
Lucedale, MS 39452
Draft SEIS Schedule and Availability
The Draft SEIS is scheduled to be issued in late Fall 2008. The
availability of the Draft SEIS and dates for public hearings soliciting
comments will be announced in the Federal Register and local media. The
Draft SEIS will be made available for public inspection at the
libraries identified above. Comments on the Draft SEIS will be
considered in preparing the Final SEIS.
Interested parties who do not wish to submit comments at this time,
but who would like to receive a copy of the Draft SEIS and other
project materials, should contact Donald Silawsky as provided in the
ADDRESSES section of this Notice.
Issued in Washington, DC, on February 29, 2008.
James A. Slutz,
Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Fossil Energy.
[FR Doc. E8-4242 Filed 3-4-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
