[Federal Register: April 28, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 80)]
[Notices]
[Page 19216-19218]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr28ap09-48]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP09-17-000]
Florida Gas Transmission Company, LLC; Notice of Availability of
the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Phase VIII
Expansion Project
April 17, 2009.
The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission
or FERC) has prepared a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) on
the natural gas pipeline facilities proposed by Florida Gas
Transmission Company, LLC (FGT) in the above-referenced docket. FGT's
Phase VIII Expansion Project (Project) would be located in Alabama and
Florida.
The draft EIS was prepared to satisfy the requirements of the
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). The FERC staff
concludes that the proposed project, with the appropriate mitigation
measures as recommended, would have limited adverse environmental
impact.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE) and U.S. Department of
Agriculture Forest Service (USFS) are cooperating agencies for this
EIS. Cooperating agencies have jurisdiction by law or special expertise
with respect to resources potentially affected by the proposal and
participate in the NEPA analysis. The Project would require permits
from the cooperating agencies pursuant to Section 404 of the Clean
Water Act (33 United States Code [U.S.C.] 1344), Section 10 of the
Rivers and Harbors Act (33 U.S.C. 403), right-of-way grants within the
Apalachicola National Forest (ANF), and/or temporary use permits. The
COE would adopt the EIS per Title 40 Code of Federal Regulations Sec.
1506.3 (40 CFR 1506.3) if, after an independent review of the document,
it concludes that its comments and suggestions have been satisfied. The
USFS manages all Federal lands (ANF) that would be crossed by this
Project. A special-use permit would be issued by the USFS for the
existing right-of-way for two existing pipelines (a 30-inch and a 36-
inch-diameter) and the proposed additional 36-inch-diameter pipeline.
This additional pipeline would require an additional 40 feet of right-
of-way adjacent to the existing right-of-way. By participating as a
cooperating agency, the USFS will obtain the views of the public prior
to reaching an easement decision.
[[Page 19217]]
The draft EIS addresses the potential environmental effects of the
following Project facilities:
Construction and operation of about 357.3 miles of mixed-
diameter looping segments in Mobile, Baldwin, and Escambia Counties,
Alabama and Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Washington,
Jackson, Bay, Calhoun, Gadsden, Leon, Jefferson, Taylor, Lafayette,
Suwannee, Gilchrist, Levy, Citrus, Hernando, Pasco, Hillsborough, and
Miami-Dade Counties, Florida;
Construction and operation of about 125.9 miles of three
mixed-diameter segments of greenfield pipeline in Lafayette, Madison,
Manatee, DeSoto, Highlands, Okeechobee, Martin, and Suwannee Counties,
Florida;
Acquisition from Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) one
22.7 mile 20-inch-diameter segment of pipeline, located in Martin
County, Florida, as an ``in service'' pipeline;
Installation of about 198,000 horsepower (hp) of
compression at 8 existing compressor stations;
Installation of one new 15,600 hp compressor station in
Highlands County, Florida;
Acquisition of additional property directly adjacent to
four existing compressor stations for expansion, expand four compressor
stations within their right-of-way, and acquire the property for one
new compressor station; and
Construction and operation of new meter and regulator
(M&R) Stations in Suwannee County, Manatee County, and Martin County,
Florida; upgrade two M&R Stations in Mobile County, Alabama and Martin
County, Florida; and construct one new regulator station in Lafayette
County, Florida.
Comment Procedures and Public Meetings
You can make a difference by providing us with your specific
comments or concerns about the Phase VIII 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 consideration of your comments on the proposal in the final
EIS, it is important that the Commission receive your comments before
June 8, 2009.
For your convenience, there are four methods in which you can use
to submit your comments to the Commission. In all instances please
reference the project docket number CP09-17-000 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. Please carefully follow these instructions
so that your comments are properly recorded:
(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 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 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 your are
making. A comment on a particular project is considered a ``Comment on
a Filing;''
(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 your comments for the
attention of the Gas Branch 1, PJ11.1 and reference Docket No. CP09-17-
000 on the original and both copies; and
(4) In lieu of sending written or electronic comments, the FERC
invites you to attend one of the public comment meetings the staff will
conduct in the project area to receive comments on the draft EIS. All
meetings will begin at 7 p.m., and are scheduled as follows:
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Date Location
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Tuesday, May 12, 2009, 7 p.m. Crestview Community Center, 1446 Commerce
Drive, Crestview, Florida, 850-682-0647.
Thursday, May 14, 2009, 7 p.m Catholic Church Parish Hall, 2750 S.
Byron Butler Parkway Perry, Florida 850-
584-8853.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009, 7 p.m. Residence Inn by Marriott, 2101
Northpointe Parkway, Lutz, Florida, 813-
792-8400.
Thursday, May 21, 2009, 7 p.m Holliday Inn Express, 608 South Lakeview
Road, Lake Placid, Florida, 863-465-
9916.
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Interested groups and individuals are encouraged to attend and
present oral comments on the draft EIS. Transcripts of the meetings
will be prepared.
After the comments are reviewed, any significant new issues are
investigated, and modifications are made to the draft EIS, a final EIS
will be published and distributed. The final EIS will contain the
staff's responses to timely comments received on the draft EIS.
Comments will be considered by the Commission but will not serve to
make the commentor a party to the proceeding. Any person seeking to
become a party to the proceeding must file a motion to intervene
pursuant to Rule 214 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and
Procedures (18 CFR 385.214). Anyone may intervene in this proceeding
based on this draft EIS. You must file your request to intervene as
specified above.\1\ Only intervenors have the right to seek rehearing
of the Commission's decision. You do not need intervenor status to have
your comments considered.
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\1\ Interventions may also be filed electronically via the
Internet in lieu of paper. See the previous discussion on filing
comments electronically.
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The draft EIS has been placed in the public files of the FERC and
the COE, and is available for public inspection at:
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Federal Energy Regulatory U.S. Army Corps of U.S. Forest Service,
Commission Public Reference Engineers, Apalachicola
Room 888 First Street, NE, Jacksonville National Forest, 57
Room 2A Washington, DC District, 701 San Taft Drive,
20426 (202) 502-8371. Marco Boulevard, Crawfordville,
Jacksonville, Florida 32327, 850-
Florida 32207, 904- 926-3561.
232-1472.
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[[Page 19218]]
A limited number of copies are available from the FERC's Public
Reference Room identified above. This draft EIS is also available for
public viewing on the FERC's Internet Web site at http://www.ferc.gov.
In addition, copies of the draft EIS have been mailed to Federal,
State, and local government agencies; elected officials; Native
American Tribes; local libraries and newspapers; intervenors in the
FERC's proceeding; individuals who provided scoping comments; and
affected landowners and individuals who requested the draft EIS.
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 (http://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 in the Docket Number field (i.e., CP09-17), and follow the
instructions. You may also search using the phrase ``FGT Phase VIII
Expansion Project'' in the ``Text Search'' field. 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
rulemakings.
In addition, the Commission offers a free service called
eSubscription that 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. To register for this service, go to http://www.ferc.gov/
esubscribenow.htm.
Information concerning the involvement of the COE is available from
Bev Lawrence at 904-232-2517 and information concerning the involvement
of the ANF is available from Harold Shenk at 850-926-3561.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E9-9600 Filed 4-27-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P