Avoca Natural Gas Storage; Facility Design Changes for the Proposed Avoca Gas Storage Field Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

[Docket No. CP94-161-000]

Avoca Natural Gas Storage; Facility Design Changes for the

Proposed Avoca Gas Storage Field Project and Request for Comments on

Environmental Issues

June 27, 1994.

On June 3 and 17, 1994, Avoca Natural Gas Storage (Avoca) filed an

updated description of its proposed Avoca Gas Storage Field Project, in

Docket No. CP94-161-000. Avoca's filing contained significant design

changes in the proposed storage field project. This notice updates the

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (FERC or Commission) ``Notice of

Intent To Prepare An Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Avoca

Gas Storage Field Project and Request for Comments on Environmental

Issues'' (NOI) issued February 1, 1994.

Summary of the Proposed Changes in Facility Design

Avoca proposes the following changes in the Avoca Gas Storage Field

Project:

new locations for the brine disposal wells, brine disposal

pipeline, water source pipeline, and the solution-mined cavern wells;

a change in the design of the cavern system--instead of

developing 10 individual caverns, Avoca would solution-mine 5 caverns

using 10 wells (2 wells per cavern); and

Avoca proposes to increase its solution-mining rate by

withdrawing up to 3 million gallons of water per day (2,000 gallons per

minute), rather than limiting its withdrawal to 2 million gallons of

water per day. The total leaching period for all five caverns is

approximately 3 years.

Avoca has moved several of its proposed facilities. The new

proposed location of these facilities is shown in appendix 1.1

Avoca states that the proposed changes in facility locations are a

result of negotiations with local landowners.

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\1\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, N.E., Washington, D.C. 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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Avoca proposes the change in cavern design and the increase in

leaching rate to reduce the time required to solution-mine the proposed

caverns. Avoca states that it has obligations to have certain

facilities in service for the 1996 winter heating season. Avoca

believes that reducing the time required to solution-mine its caverns

will allow it to place some of the proposed facilities in service for

the 1996 winter heating season.

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.

Additional Environmental Issues

We have already identified several environmental issues that we

think deserve attention based on a preliminary review of the proposed

facilities and the information provided by Avoca. These were listed in

the Commission's February 1, 1994 NOI.

As a result of Avoca's modified proposal, the following additional

environmental issues will be addressed:

Avoca proposes to use up to 3,000,000 gallons of water per

day for the solution-mining process. This may have an impact on

groundwater availability. Testing of wells in the local aquifers

indicates that the water supply recharges up to 14,600,000 gallons of

water per day.

Avoca's brine disposal pipelines would cross five

wetlands.

Moving the facilities to the new locations may have an

impact on cultural resources.

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. CP94-161-000;

Send a copy of your letter to: Mr. Steven G. Grape, EA

Project Manager, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 825 North

Capitol St., NE. Room 7312, Washington, D.C. 20426; and

Mail your comments so that they will be received in

Washington, D.C. on or before July 14, 1994.

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

Mr. Grape 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 section 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 Questions?

Additional information about the proposed project is available from

Mr. Steven G. Grape, EA Project Manager, at (202) 208-1046.

Lois D. Cashell,

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 94-16147 Filed 7-1-94; 8:45 am]

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