Northern Border Pipeline Company and Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America; Notice of Additional Facilities by Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America To Be Included in The Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Northern Border Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

[Docket Nos. CP95-194-001, and CP96-027-000 and CP96-027-001,

Respectively]

Northern Border Pipeline Company and Natural Gas Pipeline Company

of America; Notice of Additional Facilities by Natural Gas Pipeline

Company of America To Be Included in The Environmental Impact Statement

for the Proposed Northern Border Project and Request for Comments on

Environmental Issues

June 28, 1996.

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 the construction and

operation of the facilities proposed in the Northern Border Project.\1\

The original notice was issued February 16, 1996. The purpose of this

supplemental notice is to inform the public of additional facilities

which will be included in the EIS.

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\1\ Northern Border Pipeline Company's and Natural Gas Pipeline

Company of America's applications were filed with the Commission

under Section 7 of the Natural Gas Act and Part 157 of the

Commission's regulations.

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On June 18, 1996, Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America (Natural)

amended its application to add 9.6 miles of loop in Louisa and

Muscatine Counties, Iowa and to increase the amount of new compression

at Compressor Station 110 in Henry County, Illinois from 7,250

horsepower (hp) to 9,000 hp. This addition is because Natural no longer

proposes to add compression at Compressor Station 199 in Muscatine

County, Iowa. Maps showing the location of the newly proposed loop are

in appendix 1.

This EIS will be used by the Commission in its decisionmaking

process to determine whether to approve the project.\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 and Files Maintenance Branch, 888

First Street, NE, Room 2A, 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

Pipeline

The additional 9.6-mile-long loop would be built adjacent to

Natural's existing pipeline, using as much of the existing right-of-way

as possible. Natural would use a right-of-way ranging in width from 75

to 100 feet. Additional temporary work space would generally be used

where the pipeline crosses roads, streams, and rivers. An estimated

87.3 acres would be disturbed during construction. After construction,

the disturbed area would be restored, and a 25-foot-wide permanent

right-of-way in addition to the existing right-of-way would be

maintained. Existing land uses on the remainder of the disturbed area,

as well as most land uses on the permanent right-of-way, such as

agriculture and open areas, would be allowed to continue following

construction.

Aboveground Facilities

All construction at Compressor Station 110 would take place within

the existing fenced station yard.

The EIS Process/Environmental Issues

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. The EIS we are

preparing will give the Commission the information to do that. 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 EIS 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 EIS.

All comments received are considered during the preparation of the EIS.

We encourage state and local government representatives to notify their

constituents of this proposed action and encourage them to comment on

their areas of concern.

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

construction and operation of the proposed project. We have already

identified a number of issues under each topic that we think deserve

attention based on a preliminary review of the proposed facilities and

the environmental information provided by the applicants. These issues

are listed below. 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.

Geology and Soils

-- Prime and farmland soils.

-- Erosion control.

-- Topsoil/subsoil mixing.

-- Soil compaction.

-- Drain tiles and ditches.

-- Revegetation of non-agricultural areas.

Water Resources

-- 7 crossings of waterbodies, including the Ceder River.

-- Effect on groundwater and surface water supplies.

Biological Resources

-- Effect on wildlife and fisheries habitat.

-- Effect on federally listed endangered and threatened species.

-- Effect on wetland habitat.

Cultural Resources

-- Effect on historic and prehistoric sites.

-- Native American and tribal concerns.

Land Use

-- Effect on farming.

-- Effect on residences and recreation areas.

-- Effect on public lands

Air Quality and Noise

-- Effect on local and regional air quality and local noise

environment as a result of operation of additional compression.

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 presented in a Draft

EIS 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. A 45-day comment period will be allotted for review

of the Draft EIS. We will consider all comments on the Draft EIS and

revise the document, as necessary, before

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issuing a Final EIS. The Final EIS will include our response to each

comment received.

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 locations and 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, 888 First Street, NE, Washington, DC

20426;

Reference Docket No. CP95-194-001;

Send a copy of your letter to: Ms. Laura Turner, EIS Project

Manager, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE,

Room 7M-02, Washington, DC 20426; and

Mail your comments so that they will be received in

Washington, DC on or before July 29, 1996.

Becoming an Intervenor

In addition to involvement in the EIS 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) (see

appendix 2).

The date for filing timely motions to intervene in this proceeding

expires on June 28, 1996. After that date parties seeking to file late

interventions must show good cause, as required by section

385.214(b)(3), why the time limitation should be waived. Environmental

issues have been viewed as good cause for late interventions. You do

not need intervenor status to have your scoping comments considered.

Environmental Mailing List

This notice is being sent to individuals, organizations, and

government entities interested and/or potentially affected by the

proposed project. It is also being sent to all potential right-of-way

grantors to solicit focused comments regarding environmental

considerations related to the proposed project. As details of the

project become established, representatives of Northern Border and

Natural will directly contact landowners, communities, and public

agencies concerning any other matters, including acquisition of permits

and rights-of-way.

If you do not want to send comments at this time but still want to

keep informed and receive copies of the Draft and Final EISs, please

return the Information Request (appendix 3). PLEASE NOTE: IF WE HAVE

NOT HEARD FROM YOU, EITHER BY COMMENT LETTER, RESPONSE TO ONE OF THE

TWO NOI's, OR REGISTERING AT THE SCOPING MEETINGS, YOU WILL BE DROPPED

FROM THE MAILING LIST. If you have previously provided us with your

name and address you need not send in this information request.

Additional information about the proposed project is available from

Ms. Laura Turner, EIS Project Manager, at (202) 208-0916.

Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,

Acting Secretary.

[FR Doc. 96-17134 Filed 7-3-96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717-01-M