Iroquois Gas Transmission System, L.P.; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Athens Compressor Station Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

[Docket No. CP96-687-000]

Iroquois Gas Transmission System, L.P.; Notice of Intent To

Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Athens Compressor

Station Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues

October 21, 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 Athens Compressor Station 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.

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\1\ Iroquois Gas Transmission System, L.P.'s application was

filed with the Commission under Section 7 of the Natural Gas Act and

Part 157 of the Commission's Regulations.

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Summary of the Proposed Project

Iroquois Gas Transmission System, L.P. (Iroquois) wants to expand

the capacity of its facilities in New York and Connecticut to transport

an additional 30 million cubic feet per day of natural gas for two

shippers. Iroquois seeks authority to construct and operate 9,500

horsepower of natural gas compression at the proposed Athens compressor

Station in Greene County, New York.

The specific location of the facility is shown on the map in

appendix 1.\2\ The compressor facilities would be located about 2,700

feet south of the Athens-Leeds Turnpike, which forms the northern

boundary of the proposed site.

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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, 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

Construction of the proposed facility would require about 25.7

acres of land. Following construction, about 15.3 acres would be

maintained as a new aboveground facility site. The remaining 10.4 acres

of land would be restored and allowed to revert to open space. The

closest residence is about 2,400 feet west of the proposed compressor

building.

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

Water resources, fisheries, and wetlands

Vegetation and wildlife

Endangered and threatened species

Public safety

Land use

Cultural resources

Air quality and noise

Hazardous waste

We will also evaluate possible alternatives to the proposed 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 facility and

the environmental information provided by Iroquois. This preliminary

list of issues may be changed based on your comments and our analysis.

Conversion of the Athens Airport to industrial use.

Effect the proposed compressor station would have on air

quality in the vicinity.

Alternative siting feasibility.

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 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 St., N.E., Washington, D.C.

20426;

Reference Docket No. CP96-687-000;

Send a copy of your letter to: Mr. Mark Jensen, EA Project

Manager, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First St., N.E., PR-

11.2, Washington, D.C. 20426; and

Mail your comments so that they will be received in

Washington, D.C. on or before November 22, 1996.

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

from Mr. Jensen 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 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 later intervention.

You do not need intervenor status to have your scoping comments

considered.

Additional information about the proposed project is available from

Mr.

[[Page 55288]]

Mark Jensen, EA Project Manager, at (202) 208-0828.

Lois D. Cashell,

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 96-27383 Filed 10-24-96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717-01-M