Northwest Pipeline Corp.; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Northwest Expansion II Projects

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

[Docket Nos. CP93-613-000 and -001; CP93-673-000 and -001]

Northwest Pipeline Corp.; Notice of Intent To Prepare an

Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Northwest Expansion II

Projects

July 6, 1994.

On November 10, 1993 the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC

or Commission) issued a Notice of Intent To Prepare a Draft

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Northwest Expansion II

Projects in the above dockets and related projects proposed by Paiute

Pipeline Company (Paiute) in Docket Nos. CP93-751-000 and CP94-29-000

(Paiute Expansion II Projects). The purpose of the notice was to

request comments on environmental issues.

On June 14 and June 15, 1994 Northwest Pipeline Corporation

(Northwest) filed amendments to its two original applications that

represent a change in the scope of the Northwest Expansion II Projects.

Based on the changes in the amended filings, we have determined that an

environmental assessment (EA), rather than an EIS is the more

appropriate document for analyzing the potential environmental impacts

associated with Northwest's projects. The cooperating Federal agencies

agree with this strategy. From the standpoint of the environmental

analysis the important changes are:

The deletion of 8 pipeline loops from the projects, which

reduces the total miles of pipeline construction from 177.2 miles to

54.9 miles;

The deletion of 11 compressor station modifications, which

reduces the required compression from 88,235 horsepower (hp) to 14,820

hp;

The addition of 5.8 miles of 20-inch-diameter loop in

Marion County, Oregon (the Salem Loop) and 1,070 hp at the existing

Pegram Compressor Station in Bear Lake County, Idaho that were not part

of the original proposals;

The deletion of 26 of the 37 originally proposed meter

station modifications;

The change in pipeline routing of both the Gresham Loop

and Weyerhaeuser Lateral; and

The termination of service agreements by all shippers that

had proposed to have Northwest deliver gas to Paiute for ultimate

delivery to customers in Nevada.

The list of facilities proposed in the amended filings are in

appendix 1 and maps showing the location of the Salem Loop, the Pegram

Compressor Station, and the amended routing for the Gresham Loop and

Weyerhaeuser Lateral are attached as appendix 2.1

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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, 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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For the purposes of the environmental analysis Northwest's two

applications will be considered together because the construction of

the Gresham Loop is common to both applications.2 The facilities

proposed in Docket No. CP93-613-001 include the increase in compression

at the Washougal Compressor Station; the construction of the Gresham

Loop, 1.3 miles of the Salem Loop (milepost 64.1 to 65.3), and the

Johnson Creek Meter Station; and the upgrading of six existing meter

stations. The remaining facilities are part of Docket No. CP93-673-000.

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\2\The length and location of the Gresham Loop is the same in

both applications; however, in Docket No. CP93-613-001 Northwest

proposes using 20-inch-diameter pipeline, while Docket No. CP93-673-

00 proposes using 30-inch-diameter pipeline.

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The termination of all contracts that called for Northwest to

deliver gas to Paiute effectively severs the connection between

Northwest's and Paiute's proposals; therefore, only Northwest's

proposed facilities will be included in the EA.

The EA Process

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires the

Commission to take into account the environmental impacts that could

result from a major Federal action whenever it considers the issuance

of a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity. Our EA will give

the Commission the information it needs to do that. If the EA concludes

that the projects would result in significant environmental impacts, we

will prepare an environmental impact statement. Otherwise we will

prepare a Finding of No Significant Impact.

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, and to separate these from issues that are

insignificant and do not require detailed study. Local scoping meetings

have already been held for the original projects. Additional scoping

meetings are not planned. We are asking for comments only on those

portions of the projects where the routing has been changed or the

facilities were not part of the original proposal.

The EA will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of the

construction and operation of the proposed projects under these general

subject headings:

Geology and paleontology

Endangered and threatened species

Visual resources

Water resources

Vegetation

Land use

Air quality and noise

Wetland and riparian habitat

Cultural resources

Fish and wildlife

Socioeconomics

Soils

We will also evaluate possible alternatives to the projects, or

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

avoid impacts on the various resource areas.

Our independent analysis of the issues will result in the

publication of the EA which will be mailed to Federal, state, and local

agencies, public interest groups, interested individuals, affected

landowners, newspapers, libraries, and the Commission's official

service list for these proceedings.

Public Participation

You can make a difference by sending a letter with your specific

comments or concerns about the projects. You should focus on the

potential environmental effects of the new portions of the proposal.

You do not need to re-submit comments if you have already done so. We

are particularly interested in alternatives to the proposals (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 Nos. CP93-613-001 and/or CP93-673-001;

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

Project Manager, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 825 North

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

Mail your comments so they will be received in Washington,

DC, on or before August 11, 1994.

Becoming an Intervenor

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

to become an official party to the proceedings or 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) which is attached as appendix

3. You do not need intervenor status to have your scoping comments

considered.

Environmental Mailing List

If you don't want to send comments at this time but still want to

receive a copy of the EA, please return the Information Request (see

appendix 4). If you have previously returned the Information Request

you don't need to do so again.

Additional information about the proposed projects is available

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

Lois D. Cashell,

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 94-16763 Filed 7-11-94; 8:45 am]

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