Texas Eastern Transmission Corporation; Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Philadelphia Lateral Expansion Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

[Docket No. CP95-76-002]

Texas Eastern Transmission Corporation; Notice of Intent to

Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Philadelphia

Lateral Expansion Project and Request for Comments on Environmental

Issues

March 1, 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 Philadelphia Lateral 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.

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\1\ Texas Eastern Transmission Corporation'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

Texas Eastern Transmission Corporation (Texas Eastern) wants to

increase the operating pressure of its existing gas pipeline 1-H

(Philadelphia Lateral). This would enable Texas Eastern to transport up

to 15,000 dekatherms per day (Dth/d) of natural gas to Sun Company,

Inc. (Sun), and up to 15,000 Dth/d to Trigen-Philadelphia Energy

Corporation (Trigen). Texas Eastern seeks authority to:

Increase the maximum allowable operating pressure (MAOP)

from 718 pounds per square inch-gauge (psig) to 811 psig of

approximately 23.6 miles of 20-inch-diameter pipeline in Chester and

Delaware Counties, Pennsylvania, including:

--Repair 14 anomaly sites (irregularities in the pipe wall which are

typically caused by mechanical damage or corrosion);

--Hydrostatically test the pipeline (with pressurized water at 1,485

psig); and

Construct the Harkness Point Metering and Regulating (M&R)

Station at approximate milepost (MP) 10.86 on Texas Eastern's Line 1-A

in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania.

The proposed facilities would cost about $3,983,000.

The location of the project 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 and Files Maintenance Branch, 888

First Street, NE., 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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Nonjurisdictional Facilities

The Harkness Point M&R station would serve as the delivery point

for Trigen, by way of Philadelphia Gas Works' (PGW) reactivation of an

existing liquids pipeline and converting it to transport natural gas.

Trigen is co-developing the nonjurisdictional Gray's Ferry Cogeneration

Project. PGW would also build a 2-mile-long lateral pipeline from its

existing Passyunk Station to Gray's Ferry.

Proposed Land Requirements for Construction

a. Line 1-H Upgrading

The repair of the anomaly sites would temporarily disturb 14 areas

about 20 feet wide by 60 feet long (0.03 acre), each within existing

permanent right-of-way, totalling about 0.42 acre. The hydrostatic

testing would also temporarily disturb 6 manifold sites about 20 feet

wide by 60 feet long (0.03 acre), each within existing permanent right-

of-way, totalling about 0.18 acre.

A 5.17-acre staging area, a 3.04-acre wareyard, and a 0.12-acre

staging area would be required at off-right-of-way locations. These

areas would be temporarily disturbed, and would be restored in

accordance with the landowners' approval.

b. Harkness Point M&R Station

A 200-foot by 200-foot (0.92 acre) area would be disturbed for

construction, with a 0.23-acre fenced area covered by gravel after

construction. No other land would be disturbed.

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 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:

Soils.

Water resources, fisheries, and wetlands.

Vegetation and wildlife.

Endangered and threatened species.

Testing and disposal of pipe contaminated with

polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).

Land use.

Cultural resources.

[[Page 9160]]

Air quality and noise.

Public safety.

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 Texas Eastern. Keep in mind

that this is a preliminary list:

Earth would be disturbed at an anomaly site near milepost

(MP) 3.12 in a condominium development near Liongate Lane.

Earth would be disturbed in a herbaceous wetland at

anomaly sites near MPs 16.93 and 16.97 in Ridley Creek State Park.

Earth would be disturbed in a herbaceous wetland at an

anomaly site near MP 19.00 and Riddle Memorial Hospital.

MAOP would be increased.

Occupants of the 149 residents and businesses within 75

feet of Line 1-H would be offered temporary relocation during the

hydrostatic testing.

The list of issues may be added to, subtracted from, or changed

based on your comments and our analysis.

Also, we have made a preliminary decision to not address the

impacts of the nonjurisdictional facilities. We will briefly describe

their location and status in the EA.

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 alternate 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 St., NE., Washington, DC 20426;

Reference Docket No. CP95-76-002;

Send a copy of your letter to: Mr. Jeff Gerber, EA Project

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

11.2, Washington, DC 20426; and

Mail your comments so that they will be received in

Washington, DC on or before April 1, 1996.

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

from Mr. Gerber 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 late intervention. You do not need intervenor status

to have your scoping comments considered.

Additional information about the proposed project is available from

Ms. Jennifer Goggin, Assistant EA Project Manager, at (202) 208-2226.

Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,

Acting Secretary.

[FR Doc. 96-5362 Filed 3-6-96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717-01-M