[Federal Register: January 15, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 10)]
[Notices]
[Page 2479-2481]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr15ja08-51]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. PF08-1-000]
Orbit Gas Storage, Inc.; Notice of Intent to Prepare an
Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Kentucky Energy Hub Project,
Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of Public
Scoping Meeting
January 7, 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 proposed Kentucky Energy Hub
Project, which involves construction and operation of natural gas
storage facilities in Hopkins County, Kentucky. This notice announces
the opening of the scoping period that will be used to gather
environmental input from the public and interested agencies on the
project. Your input will help the Commission staff determine which
issues need to be evaluated in the EA. Please note that the scoping
period will close on February 6, 2008.
Comments may be submitted in written form or verbally. Further
details on how to submit written comments are provided in the Public
Participation portion of this notice. In addition to or in lieu of
sending written comments, we invite you to attend the public scoping
meeting at the location listed below.
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Date and Time Location
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Wednesday, January 30, 2008, 7-10 p.m..... Madisonville Technology
Economic Center, 755
Industrial Road,
Madisonville, KY 42431.
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Public scoping meetings are designed to provide state and local
agencies, interested groups, affected landowners, and the general
public with another opportunity to offer comments on the project.
Interested groups and individuals are encouraged to attend the meeting
and to present comments on the environmental issues they believe should
be addressed in the EA.
If you are a landowner receiving this notice, you may be contacted
by a
[[Page 2480]]
pipeline company representative about the acquisition of an easement to
construct, operate, and maintain the proposed facilities. Orbit Gas
Storage, Inc. (Orbit) 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, Orbit could
initiate condemnation proceedings in accordance with state law.
This notice is being sent to 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 (http://www.ferc.gov).
Summary of the Proposed Project
Orbit seeks authorization to construct a new natural gas storage
facility in Hopkins County, Kentucky. The Kentucky Energy Hub Project
would consist of developing a 5 billion-cubic-foot storage cavern from
a depleted production reservoir; 10 new gas storage wells on 3 new well
pads; a new 5,400-horsepower compressor station; an 8.6-mile-long, 16-
inch-diameter gathering pipeline; a 13.3-mile-long, 24-inch diameter
pipeline; and a new meter station. The proposed project would connect
with an existing ANR Pipeline Company pipeline system near Rabbit
Ridge, Kentucky.
The general location of the proposed storage field expansion is
shown in Appendix 1.\1\
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\1\ The appendices referenced in this notice are not being
printed in the Federal Register. Copies are available on the
Commission's Internet Web site (http://www.ferc.gov) at the
``eLibrary'' link or from the Commission's Public Reference Room at
(202) 502-8371. For instructions on connecting to eLibrary, refer to
the ``Additional Information'' section at the end of this notice.
Copies of the appendices were sent to all those receiving this
notice in the mail. Requests for detailed maps of the well locations
and other proposed facilities should be made directly to Orbit.
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Land Requirements for Construction
Construction of the proposed project would affect a total of about
246 acres during construction. Following construction, about 134 acres
would be allowed to revert to its previous conditions. Disturbance
associated with aboveground facilities would permanently impact
approximately 45 acres of land. The compressor station would require
about 25 acres and the three well pads would require about 5, 7, and 8
acres of disturbance. Orbit would seek a 75-foot-wide construction
right-of-way for the pipelines, and it would maintain a 30-foot-wide
permanent right-of-way for operation of the pipelines.
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 Orbit's proposal. By 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.
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\2\ ``We,'' ``us,'' and ``our'' refer to the environmental staff
of the FERC's Office of Energy Projects.
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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
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.
The EA 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
wetlands and waterbodies
land use
cultural resources
vegetation and wildlife (including sensitive species)
air and noise quality
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.
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.
With this notice, we are asking federal, state, and local
governmental agencies with jurisdiction and/or special expertise with
respect to environmental issues, to express their interest in becoming
cooperating agencies for the preparation of the EA. These agencies may
choose to participate once they have evaluated the proposal relative to
their responsibilities. Agencies that would like to request cooperating
status should follow the instructions for filing comments provided
below.
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, 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 1.
Reference Docket No. PF08-1-000.
Mail your comments so that they will be received in
Washington, DC on or before February 6, 2008.
The Commission encourages electronic filing of comments. See 18
Code of Federal Regulations 385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions on
the Commission's Internet Web site at http://www.ferc.gov under the
``eFiling'' link and the link to the User's
[[Page 2481]]
Guide. Prepare your submission in the same manner as you would if
filing on paper and save it to a file on your hard drive. Before you
can file comments you will need to create an account by clicking on
``Login to File'' and then ``New User Account.'' You will be asked to
select the type of filing you are making. This filing is considered a
``Comment on Filing.''
We may 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 (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 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 http://www.ferc.gov/esubscribenow.htm.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
Appendix 2
Information Request
Docket No. PF08-1-000
Please keep my name on the mailing list for the Kentucky Energy
Hub Project.
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ATTN: OEP--Gas 1, PJ--11.1, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
888 First Street NE., Washington, DC 20426.
Staple or Tape Here
[FR Doc. E8-513 Filed 1-14-08; 8:45 am]
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