[Federal Register: March 22, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 55)]
[Notices]
[Page 13491-13492]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr22mr07-48]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket Nos. CP06-354-000; CP06-401-000; CP06-423-000]
Rockies Express Pipeline, LLC; TransColorado Gas Transmission
Company; Questar Overthrust Pipeline Company; Notice of Availability of
the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Rockies Western Phase
Project
March 16, 2007.
The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) has prepared a final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
for the construction and operation of the natural gas pipeline
facilities proposed by Rockies Express Pipeline LLC (Rockies Express),
TransColorado Gas Transmission Company (TransColorado), and Questar
Overthrust Pipeline Company (Overthrust) in the above-referenced
dockets. These individual project sponsors have submitted separate and
distinct proposals to the Commission; however, the FERC views the
proposed facilities as interconnected projects that are necessary
components of a larger, combined natural gas transportation system. As
such, all three project proposals have been included in the final EIS,
and are collectively referred to as the Rockies Western Phase Project
(or the Project). The Project facilities would be located in Colorado,
Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, and New Mexico.
The final EIS was prepared to satisfy the requirements of the
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Federal Land
Management and Policy Act. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) are federal land management
agencies with lands affected by this proposal and are cooperating
agencies for the development of the EIS. A cooperating agency has
jurisdiction by law or special expertise with respect to potential
environmental impacts associated with the proposal, and is involved in
the NEPA analysis. The Project would cross federal land under the
jurisdiction of the BLM Rawlins, Kemmerer, and Rock Springs Field
Offices. Lands administered by the FWS would also be crossed by the
Project. Under section 185(f) of the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, the
BLM has the authority to issue Right-of-Way Grants for all affected
federal lands.
The FERC staff has concluded that if the Project is constructed and
operated in accordance with applicable laws and regulations, and each
project sponsor's proposed mitigation, and the staffs' additional
mitigation recommendations, it would have limited adverse environmental
impact and would be an environmentally acceptable action.
As currently proposed, the Rockies Western Phase Project would
consist of the construction and operation of approximately 795.6 miles
of natural gas pipeline and a total of 237,320 horsepower of new
compression. Following completion of the proposed facilities, the
Project would transport up to 1.5 billion cubic feet of natural gas per
day. Specifically, the final EIS addresses the potential environmental
effects of the construction and operation of the following natural gas
pipeline facilities proposed by Rockies Express, TransColorado, and
Overthrust:
Rockies Express (REX-West Project)
712.7 miles of 42-inch-diameter natural gas pipeline in
Wyoming, Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, and Missouri;
5.3 miles of 24-inch-diameter pipeline (Echo Springs
Lateral) in Sweetwater and Carbon Counties, Wyoming;
Five new compressor stations (Cheyenne Compressor Station
in Weld County, Colorado; Julesburg Compressor Station in Sedgwick
County, Colorado; Echo Springs Compressor Station in Sweetwater County,
Wyoming; the Steele City Compressor Station in Gage County, Nebraska;
and Turney Compressor Station in Clinton County, Missouri);
Four new compressor units at two previously certificated
compressor stations (Meeker Compressor Station in Rio Blanco County,
Colorado and Wamsutter Compressor Station in Sweetwater County,
Wyoming); and
8 new meter stations, 41 mainline valves, and associated
facilities.
TransColorado (Blanco to Meeker Project)
392 feet of discharge line and 478 feet of suction line,
1,300 feet of 24-inch-diameter pipeline, and 60 feet of 16-inch-
diameter pipeline in San Juan County, New Mexico;
Two new compressor stations (Blanco Compression Station in
San Juan County, New Mexico and the Conn Creek Compressor Station in
Garfield County, Colorado);
Modifications at four existing compressor stations (Mancos
Compressor Station in Montezuma County, Colorado; Redvale Compressor
Station in Montrose County, Colorado; Whitewater Compressor Station in
Mesa County, Colorado, and the Greasewood Compressor Station in Rio
Blanco County, Colorado); and
One new meter station, one mainline valve, and associated
facilities.
Overthrust (Wamsutter Expansion Project)
77.2 miles of 36-inch-diameter natural gas pipeline in
Sweetwater County, Wyoming;
0.1 mile of 20-inch-diameter pipeline (TL-90 Tie-in);
Two new compressor stations in Wyoming (Roberson
Compressor Station in Lincoln County and Rock Springs Compressor
Station in Sweetwater County); and
Two new meter stations, three mainline valves, and
associated facilities.
The final EIS has been placed in the public files of the FERC and
is available for distribution and public inspection at: Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission, Public Reference Room, 888 First Street, NE.,
Room 2A, Washington, DC 20426, (202) 502-8371.
CD-ROM copies of the final EIS have been mailed to federal, state,
and local agencies; public interest groups; individuals and affected
landowners who requested a copy of the final EIS or provided comments
during scoping; libraries and newspapers in the Project area; and
parties to this proceeding. Hard copy versions of the final EIS were
mailed to those specifically requesting them. A limited number of hard
copies and CD-ROMs are available from the Public Reference Room
identified above.
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 (http://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 on the FERC Internet Web site
also
[[Page 13492]]
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 the eSubscription link on the FERC Internet Web
site.
Philis J. Posey,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. E7-5200 Filed 3-21-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P