Environmental statements; availability, etc.: ANR Pipeline Co.,
[Federal Register: March 11, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 47)]
[Notices]
[Page 12164-12165]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr11mr99-39]
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP99-138-000]
ANR Pipeline Company; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Austin Storage Field Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues
March 8, 1999.
The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or Commission) will prepare an environmental assessment (EA) that will discuss the environmental impacts of ANR Pipeline Company's (ANR) proposed Austin Storage Field Project. The project would involve the injection of approximately 2 billion cubic feet (Bcf) of nitrogen into the existing Austin Storage Field in Mecosta and Newaygo Counties, Michigan, to function as base gas.\1\ The nitrogen injection would allow ANR to recover approximately 2 Bcf of the natural gas currently serving as base gas. ANR would install skid-mounted facilities to generate the nitrogen and then use compressor facilities for storage field injections.
\1\ ANR's application was filedwith the Commission under Section 7 of the Natural Gas Act and Part 157 of the Commission's regulations.
This project would also involve a delineation of the Austin Storage Field boundary (including the fringe area protective acreage) which may have changed over past 57 years of operation. 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. The application and other supplemental filings in this docket are available for viewing on the FERC Internet website (www.ferc.fed.us). Click on the ``RIMS'' link, select ``Docket #'' from the RIMS Menu, and follow the instructions.
Similarly, the ``CIPS'' link on the FERC Internet website provides access to the texts of formal documents issued by the Commission, such as orders, notices, and rulemakings. From the FERC Internet website, click on the ``CIPS'' link, select ``Docket #'' from the CIPS menu, and follow the instructions.
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 to produce an agreement, the pipeline company could initiate condemnation proceedings in accordance with state law. A fact sheet addressing a number of typically asked questions, including the use of eminent domain, is attached to this notice as appendix 1.\2\
\2\ The appendices referenced in this notice are not being printed in the Federal Register. Copies are available from the Commission's Public Reference and Files Maintenance Branch, 888 First Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20426, or call (202) 208-1371. Copies of the appendices were sent to all those receiving this notice in the mail.
Summary of the Proposed Project
ANR proposes to inject approximately 2 Bcf of nitrogen into its existing Austin Storage Field in Mecosta and Newaygo Counties, Michigan, to function as base gas. This project would entail:
‹bullet› The placement of a 500 horsepower (hp) natural gas fueled engine/compressor package approximately 750
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feet east of ANR's Woolfolk Compressor Station for the withdrawal of the natural gas; and
‹bullet› The clearing and regrading of a previously disturbed 200- foot-square area adjacent to gas well #124 in the Austin Storage Field for the placement of a nitrogen generator, three 700 hp air compressors, and a 500 hp compressor for nitrogen injection.
All equipment would be temporary (skid-mounted) and would be installed at an existing well location or along existing pipeline right-of-way. The location of the project facilities is shown in Appendix 2.
Land Requirements for Construction
The proposed activities would be performed within a 0.92 acre area of the existing 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. We call this ``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 requests public comments on the scope of the issues it will 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 the proposed action and encourage them to comment on their areas of concern.
The EA will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of activities associated with the proposed project under these general headings:
‹bullet› Geology and Soils.
‹bullet› Water Resources, Fisheries, and Wetlands.
‹bullet› Vegetation and Wildlife.
‹bullet› Endangered and Threatened Species.
‹bullet› Public Safety.
‹bullet› Land Use.
‹bullet› Cultural Resources.
‹bullet› Air Quality and Noise.
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 beginning on page 4 of this notice.
Currently Identified Environmental Issues
We have already identified several issues that we think deserved attention based on a preliminary review of the proposed facilities and the environmental information provided by ANR. This preliminary list of issues may be changed based on your comments and our analysis.
‹bullet› Air and noise impacts associated with the temporary use of air and gas compressors.
‹bullet› Delineation of the storage field's existing boundary dimensions.
Public Participation
You can make a difference by providing us with your specific comments or concerns about the project. By becoming a commentor, your concerns will be addressed in the EA and considered by the Commission. You should focus on the potential environmental effects of the proposal, alternatives tot he proposal (including alternative locations), 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:
‹bullet› Send two copies of your letter to: David P. Boergers, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First St., N.E., Room 1A Washington, DC 20426;
‹bullet› Label one copy of the comments for the attention of the Environmental Review and Compliance Branch, PR-11.2;
‹bullet› Reference Docket No. CP99-138-000; and
‹bullet› Mail your comments so that they will be received in Washington, DC on or before April 7, 1999.
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 provide 14 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) (see appendix 3). Only intervenors have the right to seek rehearing of the Commission's decision.
The date for filing timely motions to intervene in this proceeding has passed. Therefore, parties now seeking to file late interventions must show good cause, as required by section 385.214(b)(3), why this time limitation should be waived. Environmental issues have been viewed as good cause for late intervention. You do not need intervenor status to have your environmental comments considered.
Additional information about the proposed project is available from Mr. Paul McKee of the Commission's Office of External Affairs at (202) 208-1088 or on the FERC website (www.ferc.fed.us) using the ``RIMS'' link to information in this docket number. For assistance with access to RIMS, the RIMS helpline can be reached at (202) 208-2222. Access to the texts of formal documents issued by the Commission with regard to this docket, such as orders and notices, is also available on the FERC website using the ``CIPS'' link. For assistance with access to CIPS, the CIPS helpline can be reached at (202) 208-2474. Linwood A. Watson, Jr., Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 99-6024Filed3-10-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M
