Northern Border Pipeline Company and Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America; Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Northern Border Project, Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of Public Scoping Meetings

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

[Docket No. CP95-194-001 and Docket No. CP96-027-000]

Northern Border Pipeline Company and Natural Gas Pipeline Company

of America; Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact

Statement for the Proposed Northern Border Project, Request for

Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of Public Scoping Meetings

February 16, 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\

These facilities total 500.7 miles of pipeline, 304,750 horsepower of

compression, meter stations, and other appurtenant facilities. This EIS

will be used by the Commission in its decision-making process to

determine whether to approve the project.

\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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We are asking a number of Federal agencies to indicate whether they

wish to cooperate with us in the preparation of the EIS. These agencies

are listed in appendix 1 and may choose to participate once they have

evaluated each proposal relative to their agencies'

responsibilities.\2\

\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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Summary of the Proposed Project

Northern Border Pipeline Company (Northern Border) wants to expand

the capacity of its existing facilities in Montana, North Dakota, South

Dakota, Minnesota, and Iowa, and extend its system into Illinois, to

transport up to an additional 1,226.3 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/

d) of natural gas to two interstate pipeline companies and five local

distribution companies. Northern Border requests Commission

authorization, in Docket No. CP95-194-001, to construct and operate the

following facilities needed to transport those volumes:

181.5 miles of 42- and 36-inch-diameter pipeline loop and

appurtenant facilities in three segments in Montana, North Dakota,

South Dakota, Minnesota, and Iowa;\3\

\3\ A loop is a segment of pipeline that is usually installed

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

The loop allows more gas to be moved through the pipeline system.

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243.1 miles of new 36- and 30-inch-diameter pipeline

extension and appurtenant facilities in Iowa and Illinois;

eight new compressor stations with a total of 213,000

horsepower (hp) of compression in Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota,

Minnesota, and Iowa;

modifications at four existing compressor stations with a

total of 80,000 hp of additional compression, and modifications at

three existing compressor stations with no additional horsepower in

Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota; and

nine new meter stations, modifications at one existing

meter station, five new pig launcher/receivers, and two new side valves

in Iowa and Illinois.

Northern Border also proposes to acquire land as sites for four

future compressor stations in Iowa and Illinois. Northern Border has

also indicated that new communication towers may be required for remote

operation of some facilities, but has not identified potential sites

for these towers.

Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America (Natural) wants to expand

the capacity of its existing facilities in Iowa and Illinois to

transport up to an additional 345 MMcf/d of natural gas to one

interstate pipeline company and four local distribution companies.

Natural requests Commission authorization, in Docket No. CP96-027-000,

to construct and operate the following facilities needed to transport

those volumes:

76.1 miles of 36-inch-diameter loop in two segments in

Iowa and Illinois; and

modifications at two existing compressor stations with a

total of 11,750 hp of additional compression in Iowa and Illinois.

The general locations of the project facilities are shown in

appendix 2. If you are interested in obtaining detailed maps of a

specific portion of the project contact Laura Turner at the address

below. A detailed listing of the facilities is in appendix 3.

Land Requirements for Construction

Pipelines

The proposed loops would be built adjacent to Northern Border's and

Natural's existing pipelines, using as much of the existing rights-of-

way as possible. Approximately 77 percent of Natural's proposed loops

would be installed in a previously used pipeline trench within

Natural's existing right-of-way.\4\ Northern Border's proposed pipeline

extension in Iowa and Illinois would be built on entirely new pipeline

right-of-way, with approximately 25 percent of its route adjacent to or

within other existing rights-of-way.

\4\ The old pipeline has been removed from the trench.

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Northern Border and Natural would use rights-of-way ranging in

width from 75 to 100 feet for standard pipeline construction.

Additional temporary work space would generally be used where the

pipelines would cross roads, railroads, streams, and rivers. An

estimated 6,080 acres would be disturbed during pipeline construction.

After construction, the disturbed area would be restored, and a

permanent right-of-way (0 to 50 feet wide) in addition to existing

rights-of-way would be maintained. Existing land uses on the remainder

of the disturbed area, as well as most land uses on the permanent

rights-of-way, such as agriculture and open areas, would be allowed to

continue following construction.

Aboveground Facilities

Construction of new compressor stations would require up to

approximately 20 acres each beyond the pipeline right-of-way.

Modifications to existing compressor stations would require from 0 to

10 acres each within existing station boundaries.

Construction of new meter stations and launcher/receivers and the

modification of an existing meter station would require from 1 to 3

acres each. Construction of new side valves would require up to 0.3

acre each within the pipeline right-of-way.

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

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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.

--Seismology and soil liquefaction.

--Prime farmland soils.

--Erosion control.

--Topsoil/subsoil mixing.

--Soil compaction.

--Drain tiles and ditches.

--Revegetation of non-agricultural areas.

Water Resources.

--204 crossings of waterbodies, canals, and drainages.

--16 crossings of waterbodies and canals 100 feet wide or greater,

including: the Iowa, Cedar, Mississippi, Rock, Green, Fox, DuPage, and

Des Plaines Rivers; Spring, Mud, Coal, and a tributary to Oat Creeks;

and the Illinois and Michigan, and Hennepin Canals.

--Effect on groundwater and surface water supplies.

Biological Resources.

--Effect on wildlife and fisheries habitat.

--Effect on federally listed endangered and threatened species,

including Indiana bat, bald eagle, Higgin's eye pearly mussel, eastern

prairie fringed orchid, and western prairie fringed orchid.

--Effect on wetland habitat.

Cultural Resources.

--Effect on historic and prehistoric sites.

--Native American and tribal concerns.

Socioeconomics

--Effect of construction workforce on surrounding areas.

--Impact on property values.

Land Use.

--Effect on farming.

--Effect on residences and recreation areas.

--Effect on public lands, including areas owned or managed by the

Bureau of Land Management; Luke's Wetland, the Maynes Grove

Conservation Area, the Comet Trail, Blanchard Island, the Hennepin

Canal Parkway State Park, and the Illinois and Michigan Canal State

Park.

--Effect of above ground facilities on visual aesthetics.

Air Quality and Noise.

--Effect on local air quality and noise environment as a result of

construction.

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

and as a result of operation of new and additional compression.

Reliability and Safety.

--Assessment of hazards associated with natural gas pipelines.

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 issuing a Final EIS. The

Final EIS will include our response to each comment received.

Public Participation and Scoping Meetings

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 April 1, 1996.

In addition to sending written comments, you may attend public

scoping meetings. We will conduct public scoping meetings at three

locations. Meetings will be held at the following times and locations:

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Date Time Location

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March 26, 1996......................... 7:00 p.m........................ Channahon, Illinois

March 27, 1996......................... 7:00 p.m........................ Princeton, Illinois

March 28, 1996......................... 7:00 p.m........................ Walcott, Iowa

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The meeting in Channahon, Illinois will be held at the Channahon

Junior High School. The meeting in Princeton, Illinois will be held at

the Bureau County Metro Center. The meeting in Walcott, Iowa will be

held at the American Legion.

The purpose of the scoping meetings is to obtain input from state

and local governments and from the public. Federal agencies have formal

channels for input into the Federal Process (including separate

meetings where appropriate) on an interagency basis. Federal agencies

are expected to transmit their comments directly to the FERC and not

use the scoping meetings for this purpose.

Northern Border and Natural will be invited to present a

description of their proposals at the scoping meetings. Interested

groups and individuals are encouraged to attend the meetings and

present oral comments on the environmental issues which they believe

should be addressed in the Draft EIS. The more specific your comments,

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the more useful they will be. Anyone who would like to make an oral

presentation at the meeting should contact the EIS Project Manager

identified at the end of this notice to have his or her name placed on

the list of speakers. Priority will be given to those persons

representing groups. A list will be available at the public meetings to

allow for non-preregistered speakers to sign up. A transcript will be

made of the meetings and comments will be used to help determine the

scope of the Draft EIS.

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 4).

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 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.\5\ 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.

\5\ Natural has supplied a preliminary landowner list. This list

is based on the ownership of the land containing the existing right-

of-way. A supplemental mailing will be made, if necessary, after the

route has been surveyed.

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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 5). If you do not return the

Information Request you will be taken off the mailing list.

Additional information about the proposed project is available from

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

Lois D. Cashell,

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 96-4043 Filed 2-22-96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717-01-M