Arkla Energy Resources Co.; Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Line F Replacement Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

[Docket No. CP94-267-000]

Arkla Energy Resources Co.; Intent To Prepare an Environmental

Assessment for the Proposed Line F Replacement Project and Request for

Comments on Environmental Issues

June 3, 1994.

The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or the

Commission) will prepare an environmental assessment (EA) that will

discuss environmental impacts of the construction and operation of

facilities proposed in the Line F Replacement Project.\1\ This EA will

be used by the Commission in its decision-making process to determine

whether an environmental impact statement is necessary and whether or

not to approve the project.

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\1\Arkla Energy Resources Company's application was filed with

the Commission under section 7 of the Natural Gas Act and Part 157

of the Commission's regulations.

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Summary of the Proposed Project

Arkla Energy Resources Company (AER) wants Commission authorization

to replace and rearrange an existing mainline pipeline, abandon gas

storage and supply pipelines, and make mainline enhancements to its

pipeline system in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas.\2\ These actions

would improve the safety, reliability, and efficiency of AER's pipeline

system. Specifically, AER wants authorization for the following:

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\2\In Docket No. CP94-541-000 filed on May 11, 1994, AER

officially changed its name to NorAm Gas Transmission Company.

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Abandon about 87 miles of 20-inch-diameter pipeline on

Line F in Caddo, Bossier, Webster, Claiborne, Lincoln, Union, and

Ouachita Parishes, Louisiana and replace it with about 91 miles of 20-

inch-diameter pipeline in eight segments ranging from 0.8 mile to 36.4

miles in length.

Reroute a portion of Line F included in the above 91 miles

of replacement pipe. About 5 miles of pipe would be replaced with about

5.5 miles of pipe to reroute and connect Line F directly to the Ruston

Compressor Station in Lincoln Parish, Louisiana.

Abandon Line 1-F, a 0.8-mile-long 20-inch-diameter

storage line no longer needed after reroute of Line F.

Abandon Line FT-5, a 0.9-mile-long 10-inch-diameter gas

supply line, no longer needed after the reroute of Line F.

Reclassify about 8.2 miles of Line F as a low pressure gas

supply line and operate it as part of Line F-1-F in Caddo Parish,

Louisiana.

Abandon about 0.4 mile of Line S in Harrison County,

Texas.

Abandon 66 delivery taps installed to deliver gas to rural

customers served by Arkansas Louisiana Gas Company.

Construct about 2.2 miles of 20-inch-diameter pipeline

(Line ACT-4) in Hot Springs County, Arkansas.

Install two 2,250-horsepower slow speed reciprocal

compressor units at the existing Ruston Compressor Station.

Uprate the maximum allowable operating pressure on AER's

Line S from 880 pounds per square inch (psi) to 930 psi.

Some portions of the pipeline to be abandoned would be removed,

others would be left in place. 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 the Federal Register. Copies are available from the

Commission's Public Reference Branch, room 3104, 941 North Capitol

Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426, or call (202) 208-1371. Copies of

the appendices were sent to all those receiving this notice in the

mail.

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Land Requirements for Construction

The majority of the proposed pipeline would be built adjacent and

parallel to existing rights-of-way. AER intends to use a 60-foot-wide

construction right-of-way. About 15 feet of the planned 60-foot width

would use existing right-of-way. Consequently, about 45 feet of new

clearing would be required in most areas. Following construction, about

20 feet of the construction right-of-way would be allowed to revert to

its former land use.

Additional working space would be required adjacent to the planned

construction right-of-way at road and stream crossings.

The EA Process

The National Environmental Policy Act (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 us

to discover and address concerns the public may have about proposals.

We call this ``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, the Commission requests public comments on the

scope of the issues it will address in the EA. All comments received

are taken into account 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

Water resources, fisheries, and wetlands

Vegetation and wildlife

Endangered and threatened species

Land use

Cultural resources

Air quality and noise

Hazardous waste

We will also evaluate possible alternatives to the proposed project

or portions of the project, and make recommendations on how to lessen

or avoid impacts on the various resource areas.

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

recommend that the Commission approve or not approve the project.

Currently Identified Environmental Issues

We have already identified several issues that we think deserve

attention based on a preliminary review of the proposed facilities and

the environmental information provided by AER. Keep in mind that this

is a preliminary list. The list of issues may be added to, subtracted

from, or changed based on your comments and our analysis. Issues are:

Line F would cross 85 waterbodies, 6 of which are greater

than 100 feet wide. These six waterbodies greater than 100 feet in

width would be crossed by directional drilling.

Line F would cross 39 wetlands, 9 of which are greater

than 500 feet wide at the crossing location. Line ACT-4 would cross one

wetland.

Line F would disturb approximately 21 acres of forested

wetland which may require active restoration and compensation.

Eight residences are near Line F's right-of-way.

Line F would cross two waterbodies classified as Louisiana

Scenic Rivers. These waterbodies are both greater than 100 feet in

width and are part of the six waterbodies mentioned above that would be

directionally drilled.

Line F would cross about 2.3 miles of the D'Arbonne

National Wildlife Refuge in Union Parish, Louisiana.

Noise from the proposed Ruston Mainline Compressor Station

may be above the acceptable limits.

Public Participation

You can make a difference by sending a letter addressing your

specific comments or concerns about the project. You should focus on

the potential environmental effects of the proposal, alternatives to

the proposal (including alternative routes), and measures to avoid or

lessen environmental impact. The more specific your comments, the more

useful they will be. Please follow the instructions below to ensure

that your comments are received and properly recorded:

Address your letter to: Lois Cashell, Secretary, Federal

Energy Regulatory Commission, 825 North Capitol St., NE., Washington,

DC 20426;

Reference Docket No. CP94-267-000;

Send a copy of your letter to: Ms. Lauren O'Donnell, EA

Project Manager, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 825 North

Capitol St., NE. room 7312, Washington, DC 20426; and

Mail your comments so that they will be received in

Washington, DC on or before July 6, 1994.

If you wish to receive a copy of the EA, you should request one

from Ms. O'Donnell at the above address.

Becoming an Intervenor

In addition to involvement in the EA scoping process, you may want

to become an official party to the proceeding or become an

``intervenor''. Among other things, intervenors have the right to

receive copies of case-related Commission documents and filings by

other intervenors. Likewise, each intervenor must provide copies of its

filings to all other parties. If you want to become an intervenor you

must file a Motion to Intervene according to Rule 214 of the

Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.214) attached

as appendix 2.

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 Sec. 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 scoping comments considered.

Additional information about the proposed project is available from

Ms. Lauren O'Donnell, EA Project Manager, at (202) 208-0325.

Lois D. Cashell,

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 94-13976 Filed 6-8-94; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717-01-P