Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation; National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation; Tennessee Gas Pipe Line Company; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Seaboard Expansion and 1997 Niagara Expansion Projects, Request for Comments on Environmental Issues

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

[Docket Nos. CP96-545-000; CP96-545-001; CP96-671-000; CP96-721-000]

Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation; National Fuel Gas

Supply Corporation; Tennessee Gas Pipe Line Company; Notice of Intent

To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Seaboard

Expansion and 1997 Niagara Expansion Projects, Request for Comments on

Environmental Issues

September 27, 1996.

The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or

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

discuss the environmental impacts of the construction and operation of

the facilities proposed in the SeaBoard Expansion Project and 1997

Niagara Expansion 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 to approve the project.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

\1\ Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation's, National Fuel

Gas Supply Corporation's, and Tennessee Gas Pipe Line Company's

applications were filed with the Commission under Section 7 of the

Natural Gas Act and Part 157 of the Commission's regulations.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Summary of the Proposed Projects

Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation (Transco) wants to

expand the capacity of its facilities in

[[Page 51698]]

Pennsylvania and New Jersey to transport an additional 115 million

cubic feet per day (MMcfd) of natural gas to customers in Pennsylvania,

Delaware, New Jersey, and New York. To transport those volumes, Transco

requests Commission authorization, in Docket Nos. CP96-545-000 and

CP96-545-001, to:

Construct and operate 10.6 miles of 36-inch-diameter

pipeline loop \2\ in Clinton and Lycoming Counties, Pennsylvania

(Haneyville Loop);

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

\2\ A loop is a segment of pipeline that is usually installed

adjacent to an existing pipeline and connected to it at both ends. A

loop allows more gas to be moved through that part of the pipeline

system.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Construct and operate 6.7 miles of 36-inch-diameter

pipeline loop in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania (Williamsport Loop);

Construct and operate 5.5 miles of 42-inch-diameter

pipeline loop in Middlesex and Union Counties, New Jersey (New Jersey

Mainline Loop);

Replace 6.3 miles of 12-inch-diameter pipeline with 6.3

miles of 36-inch-diameter pipeline in Burlington County, New Jersey

(Trenton-Woodbury Replacement);

Install a 12-inch-diameter tap in Chester County,

Pennsylvania (Delaware Power & Light Lateral Hot Tap);

Install 15,000 additional horsepower (hp) at Compressor

Station 205 in Mercer County, New Jersey;

Operate six existing compressors at an uprated horsepower

for a total of 1,740 hp at Compressor Station 200 in Chester County,

Pennsylvania; and

Modify the Linden Regulator Station in Union County, and

the Milltown Regulator Station (and install a new pig launcher/receiver

assembly) in Middlesex County, New Jersey.

National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation (National Fuel) wants to

transport up to 48,000 dekatherms of natural gas per day (Dthd) (about

48 MMcfd) from the Niagara import point to the interconnections between

the National Fuel and Transco facilities at Leidy and Wharton,

Pennsylvania. To transport those volumes, National Fuel requests

Commission authorization, in Docket No. CP96-671-000, to:

Increase the hp of 5 compressor units for a total of 1,300

hp at its existing Concord Compressor Station in Erie County, New York;

Abandon 4 compressor units, totalling 1,290 hp and install

1 new 2,250 hp compressor at its existing Ellisburg Compressor Station

in Potter County, Pennsylvania; and

Increase the maximum allowable operating pressure of its

existing Line X-North and Line XM-2 from 720 to 780 pounds per square

inch gauge (psig) by installing or replacing valves, pressure control

devices, and station piping at 7 existing metering and regulating

stations in Erie and Niagara Counties, New York.

Tennessee Gas Pipe Line Company (Tennessee) operates the Lockport

Compressor Station in Niagara County, New York which is jointly-owned

with National Fuel. for National Fuel to transport additional volumes

proposed in its 1997 Niagara Expansion Project, Tennessee requests

Commission authorization, in Docket No. CP96-721-000, to:

Uprate an existing compressor unit by 1,000 hp at its

existing Lockport Compressor Station (CS 230C) in Niagara County, New

York to expand the capacity of National Fuel's and Tennessee's jointly-

owned Niagara Spur Loop Line.

The general location of the project facilities is shown in appendix

1. Figure 1 shows the general location of Transco's proposed SeaBoard

Expansion Project and Figure 2 shows the general location of National

Fuel's proposed 1997 Niagara Expansion Project which includes

Tennessee's proposed Niagara Spur Loop Line Project.\3\

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

\3\ 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.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Land Requirements for Construction

Construction of Transco's proposed facilities would affect about

326.5 acres of land. Of this amount about 89.2 acres (27 percent) would

be within existing, cleared rights-of-way. Following construction,

about 253.1 acres of land would be restored and allowed to revert to

its former use and 73.4 acres would be maintained as new permanent

pipeline right-of-way. Extra temporary work spaces would be required at

various locations, including road, stream, and large wetland crossings.

In addition, equipment staging and storage areas would be needed.

Construction of the pipelines would require a 75-foot-wide right-

of-way. The Haneyville and Williamsport Loops would be constructed at

an offset of 25 feet from existing pipelines and would require about

44.8 and 26.1 acres of new permanent right-of-way, respectively. The

Trenton-Woodbury Replacement would be installed in the same location as

the existing 12-inch-diameter pipeline after it is removed and would

not require any new permanent right-of-way. For about 3.8 miles of the

New Jersey Mainline Loop no new permanent right-of-way would be

required because it would be constructed entirely within existing

Public Service Electric & Gas or Transco rights-of-way. About 0.6 mile

of the New Jersey Mainline Loop would require about 2.5 acres of new

permanent right-of-way.

Additions or expansions at Compressor Station 200, the Linden

Regulator Station, and the Milltown Regulator Station would be within

existing fence lines and would not require additional land. An existing

4.5-acre fenced area at Compressor Station 205 may be expanded and

require an additional 0.3 acre of land. Installation of the Delaware

Power & Light Lateral Hot Tap would temporarily affect 0.5 acre of land

all of which would be located in Transco's existing right-of-way.

Construction of National Fuel's and Tennessee's proposed facilities

would occur within existing fence lines and would not require

additional land. Increase in the maximum allowable operating pressure

on National Fuel's Line X--North and Line XM-2 pipelines would not

require any ground disturbance.

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 considered during the preparation of the EA. State and local

government representatives are encouraged to notify their constituents

of this proposed action and encourage them to comment on their areas of

concern.

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

Land use

Water resources and wetlands

Vegetation and wildlife

Threatened and endangered species

Cultural resources

Hazardous waste

Air quality and noise

[[Page 51699]]

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 Transco, National Fuel, and

Tennessee. 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. For Transco's proposed SeaBoard Expansion

Project the issues are:

Effects of blasting on water wells, structures, septic

systems, and other utilities;

Crossing of Pine and Lycoming Creeks, two of the largest

waterbodies crossed in Pennsylvania;

Crossing of high quality, trout stocked or coldwater

fisheries in Pennsylvania, including North Fork Tombs Run, Lower Pine

Bottom Run, and Staver Run;

Crossing of significant wetlands associated with

Woodbridge Creek, Marshes Creek, and Rahway River in New Jersey;

Clearing of trees and disturbance of wildlife habitat;

Construction through Tiadaghton State Forest and State

Game Land No. 89 in Pennsylvania;

Crossing of potential geologic and soil hazard areas,

including areas of severe erosion (slopes greater than 6 percent grade)

or areas prone to rock failure in Pennsylvania;

Potential to expose contaminated soils in New Jersey;

Potential to encounter acid soils in New Jersey;

Crossing of a property eligible for the National Register

of Historic Places;

Construction in heavily congested residential, commercial,

and industrial areas; and

Potential to increase noise levels.

For National Fuel's proposed 1997 Niagara Expansion Project, which

includes Tennessee's proposed Niagara Spur Loop Line Project, the

issues are:

Construction in residential, commercial, and industrial

areas; and

Potential to increase noise levels.

Public Participation and Scoping Meeting

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, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC

20426;

Reference Docket Nos. CP96-545-000 and CP96-545-001 for

Transco's SeaBoard Expansion Project; CP96-671-000 for National Fuel's

1997 Niagara Expansion Project; and CP96-721-000 for Tennessee's

Niagara Spur Loop Line Project.

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

Project Manager, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First

Street, NE., Room 72-57, Washington, DC 20426; and

Mail your comments so that they will be received in

Washington, DC on or before October 28, 1996.

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) (see

appendix 2).

The date for filing of 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

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

Lois D. Cashell,

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 96-25284 Filed 10-2-96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717-01-M