[Federal Register: October 28, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 209)]
[Notices]
[Page 63964-63966]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr28oc08-54]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP08-476-000]
Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation; Notice of Intent To
Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Mobile Bay South
Expansion Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues
October 21, 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 construction and operation of
facilities proposed by Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation
(Transco) in Choctaw County, Alabama.
This notice announces the opening of the scoping process we will
use to gather 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 November 20, 2008.
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
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 pipeline company representative about the acquisition of an
easement to construct, operate, and maintain the proposed 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
[[Page 63965]]
to produce an agreement, the pipeline company could initiate
condemnation proceedings in accordance with state law.
A fact sheet prepared by the FERC entitled ``An Interstate Natural
Gas Facility On My Land? What Do I Need To Know?'' was attached to the
project notice Transco provided to landowners. This fact sheet
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 (http://
www.ferc.gov).
Summary of the Proposed Project
The proposed Mobile Bay South Expansion Project would involve the
construction and operation of Compressor Station 85, a new 9,470
horsepower (hp) compressor station to be located at the interconnection
of the Mobile Bay Lateral and Transco's main line in Choctaw County,
Alabama. Specifically, the Project will include all necessary piping,
auxiliary systems, and appurtenant facilities, including:
Two 4,735 hp Caterpillar 3636; internal combustion engine-
driven compressor units;
Approximately 2,400 feet of 30-inch diameter piping
extending from Transco's mainline to the compressor station and from
the compressor station to the Mobile Bay Lateral; and
Station yard piping and appurtenances.
Construction of the project facilities would enable Transco to
provide firm transportation service from Compressor Station 85 and
interconnects with party pipelines at Station 85 southward to delivery
points located on the Mobile Bay Lateral.
The location of the project facilities is shown in Appendix 1.\1\
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\1\ The appendices referenced in this notice are not being
printed in the Federal Register. Copies of all appendices, other
than Appendix 1 (maps), are available on the Commission's 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
last page of this notice. Copies of the appendices were sent to all
those receiving this notice in the mail.
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Nonjurisdictional Facilities
Non-jurisdictional facilities associated with this project would
include electrical service provided to the compressor station from the
local utility, Black Warrior Electrical Membership Cooperative. A water
pipeline would also be constructed by North Choctaw Water to supply
water to the station.
Land Requirements for Construction
Transco would purchase a 126.8-acre parcel of land to site the
facilities. Construction of the proposed facilities would require about
32.9 acres of land including aboveground facilities, outlet pipeline,
and access roads. Following construction, about 10 acres would be used
for operation of the project's facilities. The remaining 22.9 acres of
land would be restored within the existing compressor station property
or allowed to revert to former use along the pipeline right-of-way.
The EA Process
The National Environmental Policy Act (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, the Commission staff
requests public comments on the scope of the issues to address in the
EA. All comments received are considered during the preparation of the
EA. State and local government representatives are encouraged to notify
their constituents of this proposed action and encourage them to
comment on their areas of concern.
In the EA we \2\ will discuss impacts that could occur as a result
of the construction and operation of the proposed project under these
general headings:
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\2\ ``We'', ``us'', and ``our'' refer to the environmental staff
of the Office of Energy Projects (OEP).
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Geology and soils.
Land use.
Water resources, fisheries, and wetlands.
Cultural resources.
Vegetation and wildlife.
Air quality and noise.
Endangered and threatened species.
Hazardous waste.
Public safety.
We will also evaluate possible alternatives to the proposed project
or portions of the project, and make recommendations on how to lessen
or avoid impacts on 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 considered, please carefully follow the
instructions in the public participation section below.
Currently Identified Environmental Issues
We have already identified several issues that we think deserve
attention based on a preliminary review of the proposed facilities and
the environmental information provided by Transco. This preliminary
list of issues may be changed based on your comments and our analysis.
Cultural resources may be affected by the project.
The project may have air emissions and noise impacts.
The new compressor station may have visual impacts on the
surrounding area.
The federally listed gopher tortoise habitat may be
affected.
Public Participation
You can make a difference by providing us with your specific
comments or concerns about the Mobile Bay South Expansion Project. Your
comments should focus on the potential environmental effects,
reasonable alternatives, and measures to avoid or lessen environmental
impacts. The more specific your comments, the more useful they will be.
To ensure that your comments are timely and properly recorded, please
send in your comments so that they will be received in Washington, DC
on or before November 20, 2008.
For your convenience, there are three methods in which you can use
to submit your comments to the Commission. In all instances please
reference the project docket number CP08-476-000 with your submission.
The docket number can be found on the front of this notice. The
Commission encourages electronic filing of comments and has dedicated
eFiling expert staff available to assist you at 202-502-8258 or
efiling@ferc.gov.
(1) You may file your comments electronically by using the Quick
Comment feature, which is located on the Commission's internet Web site
at http://www.ferc.gov under the link to Documents and Filings. A Quick
[[Page 63966]]
Comment is an easy method for interested persons to submit text-only
comments on a project;
(2) You may file your comments electronically by using the eFiling
feature, which is located on the Commission's Internet Web site at
http://www.ferc.gov under the link to Documents and Filings. eFiling
involves preparing your submission in the same manner as you would if
filing on paper, and then saving the file on your computer's hard
drive. You will attach that file as your submission. New eFiling users
must first create an account by clicking on ``Sign up'' or
``eRegister.'' You will be asked to select the type of filing you are
making. A comment on a particular project is considered a ``Comment on
a Filing;'' or
(3) You may file your comments via mail to the Commission by
sending 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 2,
PJ11.2.
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. By this
notice we are also asking governmental agencies, especially those in
Appendix 2, to express their interest in becoming cooperating agencies
for the preparation of the EA.
If you do not want to send comments at this time but still want to
remain on our mailing list, please return the Information Request
(Appendix 3). If you do not return the Information Request, 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.
Among other things, intervenors have the right to receive copies of
case-related Commission documents and filings by other intervenors.
Likewise, each intervenor must send one electronic copy (using the
Commission's eFiling system) or 14 paper copies of its filings to the
Secretary of the Commission and must send a copy of its filings to all
other parties on the Commission's service list for this proceeding.
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). Only intervenors have the right to seek
rehearing of the Commission's decision.
The Notice of Application for this proposed project issued on
September 29, 2008 identified the date for the filing of interventions
as October 20, 2008. However, affected landowners and parties with
environmental concerns may be granted late 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.
Availability of 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 (http://www.ferc.gov) using the eLibrary link.
Click on the eLibrary link, click on ``General Search'' and enter the
docket number excluding the last three digits in the Docket Number
field. Be sure you have selected an appropriate date range. For
assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at
FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or toll free at 1-866-208-3676, or for TTY,
contact (202)502-8659. The eLibrary link 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 http://www.ferc.gov/esubscribenow.htm.
Finally, public meetings or site visits will be posted on the
Commission's calendar located at http://www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/
EventsList.aspx along with other related information.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E8-25617 Filed 10-27-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P