[Federal Register: June 8, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 108)]
[Notices]
[Page 27138-27139]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr08jn09-42]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP09-237-000]
Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company LLC; Notice of Intent To
Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Delta Lateral
Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues
May 29, 2009.
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 Delta Lateral Project
involving construction and operation of facilities by Transcontinental
Gas Pipe Line Company LLC (Transco) in York County, Pennsylvania. This
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 we will
use to gather input from the public and interested agencies on the
project. Your input will help the Commission staff determine what
issues need to be evaluated in the EA. Please note that the scoping
period will close on June 30, 2009.
This notice is being sent to affected landowners; Federal, State,
and local government representatives and agencies; elected officials;
environmental and public interest groups; Native American Tribes; other
interested parties in this proceeding; and local libraries and
newspapers. State and local government representatives are asked to
notify their constituents of this proposed project and encourage them
to comment on their areas of concern.
A fact sheet prepared by the FERC entitled ``An Interstate Natural
Gas Facility On My Land? What Do I Need To Know?'' is available for
viewing on the FERC Web site (http://www.ferc.gov). This fact sheet
addresses a number of typically asked questions, including the use of
eminent domain and how to participate in the Commission's proceedings.
It is available for viewing on the FERC Internet Web site (http://
www.ferc.gov).
Summary of the Proposed Project
Transco proposes to construct its Delta Lateral Project in York
County, Pennsylvania, in order to provide 208,800 dekatherms per day of
firm transportation service to the Delta Power Plant, a natural gas and
oil fired electric power generation plant that is currently under
construction in York County.
Transco is proposing to construct:
3.42 miles of 16-inch-diameter pipeline lateral from
Compressor Station 195 located at milepost (MP) 1674.6 of Transco's
Mainlines A and C to the interconnection with the Delta Power Plant;
Two 12-inch taps at MP 1674.6, one each on Mainlines A and
C discharge headers;
Minor aboveground facilities and modifications including a
new pig launcher and receiver;
A delivery point meter station at the Delta Power Plant
site, including two 8-inch ultrasonic meters, 12-inch yard piping,
electronic flow measurement equipment and a radio with a tower;
An odorization system within the Delta Power Plant site;
A chromatograph with accessories, and a radio and building
within the Delta Power Plant site; and
A 630-foot-long cathodic protection ground bed at MP 1.9,
adjacent to Delta Road.
The general 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 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 last page of this notice.
Copies of the appendices were sent to all those receiving this
notice in the mail.
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Land Requirements for Construction
Construction of the proposed facilities would require about 54.1
acres of land. Following construction, about 14.8 acres would be
maintained as new aboveground facility sites and permanent pipeline
right-of-way. The remaining 39.3 acres of land would be restored and
allowed to revert to their former use.
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, the Commission staff requests
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.
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 Commission's Office of Energy Projects.
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Land use;
Geology and soils;
Water resources, fisheries, and wetlands;
Cultural resources;
Vegetation and wildlife;
Endangered and threatened species; and
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 presented in the EA.
Depending on the comments received during the scoping process, the EA
may be published and mailed to the entities on our mailing list (see
how to remain on our mailing list under Environmental Mailing List,
below). 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.
Public Participation
You can make a difference by providing us with your specific
comments or concerns about the Delta Lateral 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 June 30, 2009.
For your convenience, there are three methods which you can use to
submit your comments to the Commission. In all instances, please
reference the
[[Page 27139]]
project docket number CP09-237-000 with your submission. 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 Web site at
http://www.ferc.gov under the link to Documents and Filings. A Quick
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 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 Street, NE.,
Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426.
Label one copy of the comments for the attention of Gas Branch 3,
PJ-11.3.
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 property within distances defined in
the Commission's regulations of certain aboveground facilities.
If you do not want to send comments at this time but still want to
remain on our mailing list, please return the Information Request
(Appendix 2). If you do not return the Information Request, you will be
taken off the mailing list.
Becoming an Intervenor
In addition to involvement in the EA scoping process, you may want
to become an ``intervenor,'' which is an official party to the
Commission's proceeding. 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 the 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.
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 Web site (http://www.ferc.gov) using the eLibrary link. Click on
the eLibrary link, click on ``General Search'' and enter the docket
number (CP09-237) 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. E9-13229 Filed 6-5-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P