[Federal Register: April 11, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 69)]
[Notices]
[Page 18318-18320]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr11ap06-88]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. PF06-20-000]
TransColorado Gas Transmission Company; Notice of Intent to
Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Blanco to
Meeker Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues
April 3, 2006.
The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) that
discusses the environmental impacts of the proposed Blanco to Meeker
Project (the Project). This project involves the construction and
operation of facilities by TransColorado Gas Transmission Company
(TransColorado) in San Juan County, New Mexico and Zuma, Montrose,
Mesa, Garfield, and Rio Blanco Counties, Colorado. These facilities
would include two new compressor stations, modifications at four
existing compressor stations, and installation of approximately 1,000
feet of 24-inch-diameter natural gas pipeline.
The Blanco to Meeker Project is a necessary and supporting
component of the overall Rockies Express Pipeline Project, Western
Phase, currently under review in the Commission's Pre-Filing Process in
Docket No. PF06-3-000. Therefore, the environmental analysis for the
Blanco to Meeker Project will be incorporated into the EIS being
prepared for the Rockies Express Pipeline Project. The EIS will be used
by the Commission in its decision-making process to determine whether
the proposed facilities are in the public convenience and necessity.
This notice explains the scoping process that will be used to
gather input from the public and interested agencies on the Project.
Your input will help FERC staff determine which issues/impacts
associated with the Project need to be evaluated in the EIS. Please
note that the scoping period for the Project will close on May 5, 2006.
Instructions on how to submit written comments are provided in the
public participation section of this notice.
The Blanco to Meeker Project is currently in the preliminary stages
of design, and at this time a formal application has not been filed
with the Commission. For this proposal, the Commission is initiating
the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review prior to receiving
the application. This allows interested stakeholders to become involved
early in Project planning and to identify and resolve issues before an
application is filed with the FERC. A docket number (PF06-20-000) has
been established to place information filed by TransColorado and
related documents issued by the Commission into the public record \1\.
Once a formal application is filed with the FERC, a new docket number
will be established.
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\1\ To view information in the docket, follow the instructions
for using the eLibrary link at the end of this notice.
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The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and U.S. Forest Service (Forest
Service) are participating as cooperating agencies in the preparation
of the EIS because certain Project facilities would be located on
Forest Service and other Federal lands. The EIS will be used by the BLM
and the Forest Service to meet their NEPA responsibilities in
[[Page 18319]]
considering TransColorado's application.
With this notice, we \2\ are asking other Federal, State, and local
agencies with jurisdiction and/or special expertise with respect to
environmental issues in the Project area to formally cooperate with us
in the preparation of the EIS. 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 described
later in this notice. We encourage government representatives to notify
their constituents of this planned Project and encourage them to
comment on their areas of concern.
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\2\ ``We,'' ``us,'' and ``our'' refer to the envioronmental
staff of the Office of Energy Products.
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This notice is being sent to landowners within 0.5 mile of the
proposed compressor stations and compressor station upgrades; Federal,
State, and local government agencies; elected officials; environmental
and public interest groups; Native American tribes; local libraries and
newspapers; and other interested parties.
Some affected landowners may be contacted by a Project
representative about the acquisition of an easement to construct,
operate, and maintain the proposed facilities. If so, TransColorado and
the affected landowners should seek to negotiate a mutually acceptable
agreement. In the event that the Project is certificated by the
Commission, that approval conveys the right of eminent domain for
securing easements for the facilities. Therefore, if easement
negotiations fail to produce an agreement, TransColorado could initiate
condemnation proceedings in accordance with applicable state law.
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
TransColorado proposes to construct and operate the following
facilities as part of its proposed Blanco to Meeker Project:
Construct a new compressor station at the Blanco Hub Area,
San Juan County, New Mexico, with a site-rated total of 4,200
horsepower (hp).
Install two bi-directional meters at existing connections
to El Paso and Transwestern and approximately 1,000 feet of 24-inch
diameter pipe to tie into the existing Conoco Gas Plant at the Blanco
Hub Area.
Construct a new compressor station at Conn Creek, Garfield
County, Colorado, with a site-rated total of 5,900 hp. This compressor
station will also require two electric generator sets of approximately
500 hp each.
Install one new compressor unit at the existing Greasewood
Compressor Station in Rio Blanco County, Colorado. The new compressor
unit will have a site-rated total of 2,805 hp.
Reconfigure the existing Mancos, Redvale, and Whitewater
Compressor Stations (all in Colorado) by modifying header and piping
facilities within the existing stations' fencelines.
A map depicting the general location of the Project facilities is
shown in Appendix 1.\3\
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\3\ The appendices referenced in this notice are not being
printed in Federal Register. Copies are available from the
Commission's Public Reference and Files Maintenance Branch, at (202)
502-8371. For instructions on connecting to eLibrary refer to the
last page of this Notice.
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TransColorado is requesting approval such that the facilities are
completed and placed into service by January, 2008. Construction of the
facilities would take about 10 months.
The EIS Process
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 under
section 7 of the Natural Gas Act. NEPA also requires us to identify and
address concerns the public would have about proposals. This process is
referred to as ``scoping.'' The main goal of the scoping process is to
focus the analysis in the EIS on important environmental issues and
reasonable alternatives. By this Notice of Intent, the Commission staff
requests agency and public comments on the scope of the issues to be
addressed in the EIS. All comments received are considered during the
preparation of the EIS.
Our independent analysis of the issues will be included in the
draft EIS. The draft EIS will be published and mailed to Federal,
State, and local agencies, Native American tribes, 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 of the draft
EIS. We will consider all timely comments on the draft EIS and revise
the document, as necessary, before issuing a final EIS.
To ensure your comments are considered, please carefully follow the
instructions in the public participation section below.
Currently Identified Environmental Issues
We have identified the following issues that we think deserve
attention based on a preliminary review of the proposed facilities and
the information provided by TransColorado. This preliminary list of
issues may be changed based on your comments and our analysis.
Land Use, Recreation and Special Interest Areas, and
Visual Resources:
--Impact on public lands.
Air Quality and Noise:
--Effects on local air quality and ambient noise from construction and
operation of the proposed facilities.
We will make recommendations on how to lessen or avoid impacts on
these and other resource areas and evaluate possible alternatives to
the proposed Project or portions of the Project.
Public Participation
You are encouraged to become involved in this process and provide
your specific comments or concerns about TransColorado's proposal. Your
comments should focus on the potential environmental effects,
reasonable alternatives, and measures to avoid or lessen environmental
impacts. The more specific your comments, the more useful they will be.
To expedite the receipt and consideration of your comments, electronic
submission of comments is strongly encouraged. See Title 18 CFR
385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions on the FERC Internet Web site
(http://www.ferc.gov) under the eFiling link and the link to the User's
Guide. Before you can submit comments you will need to create a free
account by clicking on ``Sign-up'' under ``New User.'' You will be
asked to select the type of submission you are making. This type of
submission is considered a ``Comment on Filing.'' Comments submitted
electronically must be submitted by May 5, 2006.
If you wish to mail comments, please carefully follow these
instructions:
Send an original and two copies of your letter to: Magalie
R. Salas, 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. PF06-20-000 on the original and both
copies.
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Mail your comments so that they will be received in
Washington, DC on or before May 5, 2006.
Environmental Mailing List
If you received this notice, you are on the environmental mailing
list for this Project and will continue to receive Project updates
including the draft and final EISs. If you want your contact
information corrected or you do not want to remain on our mailing list,
please return the Correct or Remove From Mailing List Form included as
Appendix 2.
To reduce printing and mailing costs the draft and final EISs will
be issued in both CD-ROM and hard copy formats. The FERC strongly
encourages the use of the CD-ROM format in its publication of large
documents. If you wish to receive a paper copy of the draft EIS instead
of a CD-ROM, you must indicate that choice on the return postcard
(Appendix 2).
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.
Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E6-5290 Filed 4-10-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P