[Federal Register: June 30, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 125)]
[Notices]
[Page 37813-37815]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr30jn05-77]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. PF05-11-000]
Florida Gas Transmission Company; Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Phase VII Expansion
Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues
June 22, 2005.
The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) that
will discuss the environmental impacts of Florida Gas Transmission
Company's (FGT) proposed Phase VII Expansion Project, which would
involve construction in portions of Florida as discussed below. This
project is directly connected to Southern Natural Gas Company's
proposed Cypress Pipeline Project. Therefore, the required National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review of the Phase VII Expansion
Project will be part of the EIS we are currently preparing on the
Cypress Pipeline Project under Docket No. PF05-7-000. The Cypress
Pipeline Project involves the construction and operation of natural gas
pipeline and compressor facilities in various counties in Georgia and
Florida.
This notice announces the opening of the scoping process the
Commission will use to gather input from the public and interested
agencies on the Phase VII Expansion Project. Your input will help
determine which issues need to be evaluated in the EIS. Please note
that the scoping period will close on July 25, 2005.
This notice is being sent to affected landowners; federal, state,
and local government agencies; elected officials; environmental and
public interest groups; Native American tribes; other interested
parties; and local libraries and newspapers. State and local government
representatives are asked to notify their constituents along this
proposed project and encourage them to comment on their areas of
concern.
Comments regarding this project may be submitted in written form or
verbally. Further details on how to submit written or electronic
comments are provided in the public participation section of this
notice.
The FERC is the lead federal agency for the preparation of the EIS.
The document will satisfy the requirements of NEPA. The U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers (COE) (Savannah and Jacksonville Districts) has agreed to
participate as a cooperating agency in the preparation of the EIS for
the Cypress Pipeline Project to satisfy its NEPA responsibilities under
section 404 of the Clean Water Act and section 10 of the Rivers and
Harbors Act. We anticipate the COE will also participate as a
cooperating agency for the FGT Phase VII Expansion Project.
With this notice, we \1\ are asking other federal, state, local,
and tribal agencies with jurisdiction and/or special expertise with
respect to environmental issues to cooperate with us in the preparation
of the EIS. These agencies may choose to participate once they have
evaluated FGT's 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.
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\1\ ``We,'' ``us,'' and ``our'' refer to the environmental staff
of the Office of Energy Projects.
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If you are a landowner receiving this notice, you may be contacted
by an FGT 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 FERC, 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 prepared by the FERC entitled ``An Interstate Natural
Gas Facility on My Land? What Do I Need to Know?'' is available for
viewing on the FERC Internet Web site (http://www.ferc.gov). This fact
sheet addresses a number of typically asked questions, including the
use of eminent domain and how to participate in the FERC's proceedings.
Summary of the Proposed Project
FGT proposes to expand its existing pipeline facilities between
Jacksonville and Tampa, Florida (see map in Appendix A). The expansion
would consist primarily of looping \2\ FGT's existing pipeline system
for approximately 32 miles and modifying compression at two existing
compressor stations. In addition, miscellaneous piping, regulation, and
metering facilities will be constructed along FGT's system. This work
is being addressed as a ``connected action'' to the Cypress Pipeline
Project because the FGT expansion is being constructed to transport the
new volumes of natural gas that would be delivered into Florida by the
Cypress project. The Phase VII Expansion Project would be constructed
in two phases, with Phase 1 beginning in 2007 and Phase 2 in 2009,
contingent on the project being certificated.
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\2\ A loop is a segment of pipeline that is usually installed
adjacent to an existing pipeline and connected to it at both ends.
The loop allows more gas to be moved through the system.
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Specifically, FGT seeks authority to construct and operate the
following facilities:
Pipeline--2007
--Loop J: about 5 miles of 36-inch mainline loop in Gilchrist County,
Florida.
--Loop K: about 6 miles of 36-inch mainline loop in Levy County,
Florida.
--Loop G: about 6 miles of 36-inch mainline loop in Hernando County,
Florida.
Pipeline--2009
--Loop K: about 9 miles of 36-inch mainline loop in Levy County,
Florida.
--Loop G: about 6 miles of 36-inch mainline loop in Hernando County,
Florida.
Compression--2007
--Increase the horsepower (HP) of existing gas turbine compressor at
Compressor Station 24 (Trenton) by 2,000 HP in Gilchrist County,
Florida.
--Install a new 7,700 HP gas turbine compressor and increase by 400 HP
an existing compressor at the existing Compressor Station 26 (Lecanto)
in Citrus County, Florida.
Compression--2009
Re-wheel existing gas turbine compressor at Compressor Station 27
[[Page 37814]]
(Thonotosassa) in Hillsborough County, Florida. This will not change
the HP of the unit, only the performance curve of the compressor.
Miscellaneous Facilities--2007
--Replace regulators and install new ultrasonic meters at the existing
FPC-Hines meter and regulator station in Polk County, Florida.
--Modify existing Lawtey regulator facility on the Jacksonville Lateral
in Clay County, Florida.
--Revise station piping at the existing Compressor Station 16 (Brooker)
in Bradford County, Florida.
--Establish workspace area at existing Central Florida Gas (CFG)
Suwannee tap in Suwannee County, Florida to set up tanker trucks to
provide uninterrupted service to customer during mainline outage.
--Install new regulator facility on the Jacksonville Lateral adjacent
to the Cypress/Company interconnect in Duval County, Florida.
--Install side valves and miscellaneous interconnecting piping for new
Cypress/Company interconnect in Duval County, Florida.
Land Requirements for Construction
Construction of the proposed pipeline facilities would require
about 300 acres of land which is primarily within existing maintained
rights-of-way. The typical construction right-of-way for the pipeline
facilities would be 75 feet wide and primarily within an existing
powerline easement (Loop G), road and railroad rights-of-way (Loop K),
and FGT's existing pipeline right-of-way (Loop J). Up to 25 feet of the
temporary construction right-of-way would be required outside the
existing FGT pipeline right-of-way on Loop J. Temporary extra workspace
would also be required outside existing rights-of-way at certain
feature crossings (e.g., roads, railroads, waterbodies) and in areas
requiring topsoil segregation and special construction techniques.
The construction workspace at compressor stations would be within
existing facility sites and the workspace for the miscellaneous
facilities would be primarily within FGT's existing rights-of-way.
Following construction, no new permanent right-of-way would be
required for the pipeline, compressor upgrades, or miscellaneous
facilities. Temporary workspace that is used outside existing rights-
of-way would be restored and allowed to revert to its current use.
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. NEPA
also requires the Commission 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 EIS on the important environmental issues and
reasonable alternatives.
Although no formal application has been filed, we have already
initiated our NEPA review under the FERC's 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. We previously held interagency and
public scoping meetings for the related Cypress Pipeline Project in
March 2005.
As part of our Pre-Filing Process review for the Phase VII
Expansion Project, representatives from the FERC participated in public
open houses sponsored by FGT in the project area on June 13-14, 2005 to
explain the environmental review process to interested stakeholders and
take comments about the project. In addition, the FERC staff conducted
an interagency scoping meeting in the project area on June 15, 2005 to
solicit comments and concerns about the project from jurisdictional
agencies. By this notice, we are formally announcing our preparation of
the EIS and requesting additional agency and public comments to help us
focus the analysis in the EIS on the potentially significant
environmental issues related to the proposed action.
Our independent analysis of the issues will be included in a draft
EIS. The draft EIS will be mailed to federal, state, and local
government agencies; elected officials; environmental and public
interest groups; Native American tribes; affected landowners; other
interested parties; local libraries and newspapers; and the FERC's
official service list for this proceeding. A 45-day 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.
Currently Identified Environmental Issues
The EIS will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of the
construction and operation of the proposed project under the general
resource headings listed below. We have already identified several
issues that we think deserve attention based on a preliminary review of
the proposed facilities, the environmental information provided by FGT,
and the interagency scoping meeting. This preliminary list of issues
may be changed based on your comments and our additional analysis.
Geology and Soils
--Assessment of potential geologic hazards, including sinkholes.
--Potential impact on mineral resources and mining operations.
Water Resources and Wetlands
--Effect on groundwater resources.
--Potential effect on perennial streams, intermittent streams, and
ponds crossed by or close to the route.
--Evaluation of temporary and permanent effects on wetlands.
Fisheries, Wildlife, and Vegetation
--Effect on fisheries, wildlife, and vegetation resources.
--Effect on vegetative nuisance species.
Endangered and Threatened Species
--Potential effect on federally and state-listed species, including the
gopher tortoise, Florida scrub-jay, and southeastern kestrel.
Cultural Resources
--Effect on historic and prehistoric sites.
--Native American and tribal concerns.
Land Use
--Impact on residential areas.
--Effect on existing and future land use along the proposed right-of-
way, including proposed developments and agricultural land.
--Effect on recreation and public interest areas.
--Visual effect of the aboveground facilities on surrounding areas.
Air Quality and Noise
--Effect on local air quality and noise environment from construction
and operation of the proposed facilities.
Reliability and Safety
--Assessment of public safety factors associated with natural gas
facilities.
Alternatives
--Assessment of alternative routes, facility sites, systems, and energy
sources to reduce or avoid environmental impacts.
Cumulative Impacts
--Assessment of the effect of the proposed project when combined with
other projects that have been or may be proposed in the same region and
similar time frame.
Public Participation
You can make a difference by providing us with your specific
comments or concerns about the proposal. Your comments should focus on
the potential environmental effects, reasonable alternatives, and
measures to
[[Page 37815]]
avoid or lessen environmental impact. The more specific your comments,
the more useful they will be. To ensure that your comments are timely
and properly recorded, please mail your comments so that they will be
received in Washington, DC on or before July 25, 2005 and 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 the
Gas Branch 1, DG2E; and
Reference Docket No. PF05-11-000 on the original and both
copies.
We will include all comments that we receive within a reasonable
time frame in our environmental analysis of the project. To expedite
our receipt and consideration of your comments, the Commission strongly
encourages electronic submission of any comments on this project. See
Title 18 Code of Federal Regulations 385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the
instructions on the Commission's website at http://www.ferc.gov under
the ``e-Filing'' link and the link to the User's Guide. Before you can
submit comments, you will need to create a free account which can be
created online.
Once FGT formally files its application with the Commission, you
may want to become an official party to the proceeding known as an
``intervenor.'' Intervenors play a more formal role in the process and
are able to file briefs, appear at hearings, and be heard by the courts
if they choose to appeal the Commission's final ruling. An intervenor
formally participates in a Commission proceeding by filing a request to
intervene. Instructions for becoming an intervenor are included in the
User's Guide under the ``eFiling'' link on the Commission's website.
Please note that you may not request intervenor status at this time.
You must wait until a formal application is filed with the Commission.
Affected landowners and parties with environmental concerns may be
granted intervenor status upon showing good cause by stating that they
have a clear and direct interest in this proceeding that would not be
adequately represented by any other parties. You do not need intervenor
status to have your environmental comments considered.
Environmental Mailing List
If you wish to remain on our environmental mailing list, please
return the Information Request Form included in Appendix 2. If you do
not return this form, you will be removed from our mailing list.
Availability of 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 website (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 (i.e., PF05-11). 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 provides access to the texts of formal documents issued by the
Commission, such as orders, notices, and rule makings.
In addition, the FERC now offers a free service called
eSubscription that 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. To register for this service, go to http://www.ferc.gov/esubscribenow.htm
.
Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E5-3403 Filed 6-29-05; 8:45 am]
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