Intent to Prepare an Envronmental Assessement: MarkWest Pioneer, L.L.C.; Arkoma Connector Pipeline Project
Federal Register: April 15, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 73)
Notices
Page 20287-20288
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
DOCID:fr15ap08-73
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Docket No. PF08-2-000
MarkWest Pioneer, LLC; Supplemental Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Arkoma Connector Pipeline
Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues
April 9, 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 Arkoma Connector Pipeline
Project (Project) which involves the construction and operation of natural gas pipeline facilities in Coal, Atoka, and Bryan Counties,
Oklahoma, proposed by MarkWest Pioneer, LLC (MarkWest).
On January 18, 2008 the FERC issued a ``Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Arkoma Connector Pipeline
Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues'' (NOI). The
NOI was published in the Federal Register and was also mailed to interested parties, including federal, state and local officials, agency representatives, Native American groups; local libraries and newspapers; and property owners affected by the proposed facilities.
This Supplemental Notice of Intent (NOI) discloses that on March 21, 2008, Markwest filed draft Resource Reports that identified the addition of various facilities to the Project, including a new compressor station, and substantially modified the proposed pipeline route at various locations. This NOI is being issued because the facility additions and proposed pipeline modifications were not identified in the original NOI, and landowners potentially affected by those facilities were therefore not included on the environmental mailing list for that correspondence. Please note that the scoping period for this NOI will close on May 12, 2008.
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.
MarkWest 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, MarkWest could initiate condemnation proceedings in accordance with State law.
This notice is being sent to previously unidentified affected landowners; federal, state, and local government representatives and 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.
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 (www.ferc.gov).
Summary of the Proposed Project
MarkWest seeks authorization to construct new pipeline facilities in Coal, Atoka, and Bryan Counties, Oklahoma. As originally defined, the Arkoma Connector Pipeline Project would have consisted of about 50 miles of 24-inch-diameter pipeline, the 10,000-horsepower (hp) Arkoma
Connector Compressor Station and associated facilities at milepost (MP) 0.0, and two meter stations. The pipeline project would have been designed to deliver a peak day capacity of 300,000 to 350,000 decatherms (Dth) of natural gas from producers in the Arkoma Basin area of southeastern Oklahoma to the Midcontinent Express Pipeline (MEP) that is currently proposed under Docket No. CP08-6-000.
This notice:
Updates the name of the compressor station at MP 0.0 to the Origin Compressor Station, and its compression capacity of the from 10,000-hp to 14,200-hp;
Identifies the addition of the 5,300-hp Mid-Line
Compressor Station at MP 24.2 as the preferred site (with two alternative sites at MP 22.4 and MP 27.3;
Identifies an increase in peak day deliverability to 625,000 Dth;
Identifies Gulf Crossing Pipeline that is currently proposed under Docket No. CP07-398-000 as a second delivery point in addition to MEP;
Reduces the number of interconnect meter stations from two to one;
Identifies two contractor/pipe yards at MP 0.0 and MP 38.0; and
Identifies several pipeline route modifications, primarily in the vicinity of MPs 9.0, 13.9 to 18.0, 23.2 to 26.5, 27.2 to 30.0, and 33.0.
The locations of the facility additions and pipeline route modifications are 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 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. Requests for detailed maps of the proposed facilities should be made directly to MarkWest.
Land Requirements for Construction
Construction of the proposed project would affect a total of about 632 acres. Following construction, about 319 acres would be allowed to revert to its previous conditions. Disturbance associated with aboveground facilities would impact about 16 acres of land. The two compressor stations would each require about 8 and 7 acres, respectively, and the interconnect meter station would require about 1 acre of disturbance during and after construction. MarkWest would seek a 90-foot-wide construction right-of-way for the pipeline, and would maintain a 50-foot-wide permanent right-of-way for operation of the pipeline.
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 MarkWest's proposal. With 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
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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.
In the EA we 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
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 reasonable 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.
Although no formal application has been filed, the FERC staff has already initiated its NEPA review under its Pre-filing Process. The purpose of the Pre-filing Process is to encourage the early involvement of interested stakeholders and to identify and resolve issues before an application is filed with the FERC.
Public Participation
You can make a difference by providing us with your specific comments or concerns about the project. By filing comments, your concerns will be addressed in the EA and considered by the Commission.
You should focus on the potential environmental effects of the proposal, reasonable alternatives to the proposal including alternative locations and routes, 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.
Reference Docket No. PF08-2-000.
Mail your comments so that they will be received in
Washington, DC on or before May 12, 2008.
The Commission encourages electronic filing of comments. See Title 18 Code of Federal Regulations, Section 385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions on the Commission's Internet Web site at http:// www.ferc.gov under the link to ``Documents and Filings'' and
``eFiling.'' eFiling is a file attachment process and requires that you prepare your submission in the same manner as you would if filing on paper, and save it to a file on your hard drive. 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. This filing is considered a ``Comment on Filing.'' In addition, there is a
``Quick Comment'' option available, which is an easy method for interested persons to submit text only comments on a project. The
Quick-Comment User Guide can be viewed at http://www.ferc.gov/docs- filing/efiling/quick-comment-guide.pdf. Quick Comment does not require a FERC eRegistration account; however, you will be asked to provide a valid e-mail address. All comments submitted under either eFiling or the Quick Comment option are placed in the public record for the specified docket or project number(s).
We might mail the EA for comment. If you are interested in receiving it, please return the Information Request (Appendix 3). If you do not return the Information Request, you will be taken off the mailing list.
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 (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 www.ferc.gov/esubscribenow.htm.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
FR Doc. E8-7951 Filed 4-14-08; 8:45 am
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
