[Federal Register: August 31, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 168)]
[Notices]               
[Page 47500-47501]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr31au99-81]                         

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP99-522-000]

 
Transwestern Pipeline Company; Notice of Availability of the 
Environmental Assessment For The Proposed Gallup Expansion Project

August 25, 1999.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) has prepared an environmental assessment (EA) on the 
natural gas pipeline facilities proposed by Transwestern Pipeline 
Company (Transwestern) in the above-referenced docket.
    The EA was prepared to satisfy the requirements of the National 
Environmental Policy Act. The staff concludes that approval of the 
proposed project, with appropriate mitigating measures, would not 
constitute a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality 
of the human environment.
    The EA assesses the potential environmental effects of the 
construction and operation of the proposed Gallup Expansion project. 
Transwestern proposes to construct and operate a new 10,000-horsepower 
electric motor-driven Gallup Compressor Station near the interconnect 
between its mainline and San Juan Lateral in McKinley County, New 
Mexico. Transwestern also proposes to install gas coolers at its 
Bloomfield and LaPlata ``A'' Compressor Stations on its San Juan 
Lateral in San Juan County, New Mexico and LaPlata County, Colorado, 
respectively.

[[Page 47501]]

    The proposed facilities would create incremental firm capacity of 
approximately 50,000 cubic feet per day (Mcfd) on the San Juan Lateral 
downstream of the Bloomfield Compressor Station. The project would also 
allow Transwestern to operate its mainline facilities at their 
certificated capacity of 1,090,000 Mcfd on a firm basis. The primary 
purpose of installing the gas coolers is to reduce the temperature of 
the gas flowing within the pipeline and protect the integrity of the 
pipeline coating. As a result of the reduced gas temperatures, the 
pipeline and associated downstream compression would operate more 
efficiently, creating additional incremental firm capacity on the San 
Juan Lateral.
    The EA has been placed in the public files of the FERC. A limited 
number of copies of the EA are available for distribution and public 
inspection at: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Public Reference 
and Files Maintenance Branch, 888 First Street, NE, Room 2A, 
Washington, DC 20426, (202) 208-1371.
    Copies of the EA have been mailed to Federal, state and local 
agencies, public interest groups, interested individuals, newspapers, 
and parties to this proceeding.
    Any person wishing to comment on the EA may do so. To ensure 
consideration prior to a Commission decision on the proposal, it is 
important that we receive your comments before the date specified 
below. Please carefully follow these instructions to ensure that your 
comments are received in time and properly recorded:
    <bullet> Send two copies of your comments to: Secretary, Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First St., NE, Room 1A, Washington, 
DC 20426;
    <bullet> Label one copy of the comments for the attention of the 
Environmental Review and Compliance Branch, PR-11.1
    <bullet> Reference Docket No. CP99-522-000; and
    <bullet> Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, DC on or before September 24, 1999.
    Comments will be considered by the Commission but will not serve to 
make the commenter 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 285.214).
    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 comments considered.
    Additional information about the proposed project is available from 
Paul McKee in the Commission's Office of External Affairs, at (202) 
208-1088 or on the FERC Internet website (www.ferc.fed.us) using the 
``RIMS'' link to information in this docket number. Click on the 
``RIMS'' link, select ``Docket #'' from the RIMS Menu, and follow the 
instructions. For assistance with access to RIMS, the RIMS helpline can 
be reached at (202) 208-2222.
    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. For assistance with access to CIPS, the CIPS 
helpline can be reached at (202) 208-2474.
Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 99-22515 Filed 8-30-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M