Northwest Pipeline Corp.; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Northwest Hood River Pipeline Loop and Extension and Site Visit

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

[Docket No. CP94-282-000]

Northwest Pipeline Corp.; Notice of Intent To Prepare an

Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Northwest Hood River Pipeline

Loop and Extension and Site Visit

July 20, 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 Northwest Hood River Pipeline Loop and

Extension.1 This EA will be used by the Commission in its

decision-making process to determine whether or not to approve the

project.

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\1\Northwest Pipeline Corporation's application was filed with

the Commission pursuant to section 7 of the Natural Gas Act and Part

157 of the Commission's regulations.

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On August 2, 1994, OPR staff will conduct a site visit with

representatives of Northwest for the facilities proposed in Klickitat

County, Washington. Parties to the proceeding may attend. Those

planning to attend must provide their own transportation.

Summary of the Proposed Project

Northwest Pipeline Corporation wants Commission authorization to

construct and operate about 5.3 miles of 6-inch-diameter pipeline to

partially loop and extend its existing Hood River Lateral in Klickitat

County, Washington, and to construct a new delivery meter station, the

KEP Meter Station. The proposed facilities will be used to provide

about 11,000 million British thermal units per day of natural gas to

the planned Klickitat Energy Partners cogeneration facility in

Klickitat County, Washington.

The Klickitat Energy Partners will build a pipeline to connect the

cogeneration facility to the KEP Meter Station. The Department of

Energy is preparing an environmental assessment for the cogeneration

facility.

The general location of these facilities is shown in appendix

1.2

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\2\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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Land Requirements for Construction

Northwest proposes to use a 75-foot-wide construction right-of-way

along the looped portions of the pipeline and a 60-foot-wide

construction right-of-way along the pipeline extension. Through

residential and commercial areas, the width of the right-of-way would

be reduced to minimize disturbance to residences and commercial

buildings. Construction in residential streets would be confined to the

existing road pavements.

Eleven work areas outside the construction right-of-way would be

required at road and railway crossings that are proposed to be bored,

at the beginning and end of the pipeline loop and extension, and at the

top of the steep slope located about 600 feet north and uphill of the

White Salmon Meter Station. Each of these extra work areas would occupy

an additional 0.1 to 0.25 acre of land. A 0.1 acre pipe storage area

and contractor yard would be located on the SDS Lumber Company

property. Access to the pipeline during construction would be along

existing public and private roads and the existing pipeline right-of-

way.

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.

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 soils

endangered and threatened species

vegetation and wildlife

land use

air quality and noise

water resources, fisheries and wetlands

cultural resources

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.

Public Participation

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

comments or concerns about the project. 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., N.E., Washington,

D.C. 20426;

Reference Docket No. CP94-282-000;

Send a copy of your letter to: Mr. Robert Kopka, Project

Manager, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 825 North Capitol St.,

N.E., Room 7312, Washington, D.C. 20426; and

Mail your comments so they will be received in Washington

D.C. on or before August 9, 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

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 information about the proposed project is available from

Mr. Robert Kopka, EA Project Manager, at (202) 208-0282.

Lois D. Cashell,

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 94-18085 Filed 7-25-94; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717-01-P