Vector Pipeline L.P.; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Vector Pipeline Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of Public Scoping Meetings and Site Visit

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP98-131-000 and CP98-133-000]

Vector Pipeline L.P.; Notice of Intent To Prepare an

Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Vector Pipeline Project

and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of Public

Scoping Meetings and Site Visit

January 14, 1998.

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 Vector Pipeline Project.\1\

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

to determine whether the project is in the public convenience and

necessity.

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\1\ Vector Pipeline L.P.'s applications in Docket Nos. CP98-131-

000 and CP98-133-000 were filed with the Commission under Section 3

of the Natural Gas Act and part 153 of the Commission's regulations

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

Commission's regulations, respectively.

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Additionally, with this notice we are asking a number of Federal

Agencies (see appendix 2) with jurisdiction and/or special expertise

with respect to environmental issues to cooperate with us in the

preparation of the EIS. These agencies may choose to participate once

they have evaluated the proposal relative to their agencies'

responsibilities.\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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Summary of the Proposed Project

Vector Pipeline L.P. (Vector) proposes to build new natural gas

pipeline and compression facilities to transport 1.0 billion cubic feet

per day of natural gas from Joliet, Illinois to St. Clair, Michigan.

Accessing natural gas supplies from the Chicago area, the Vector

Pipeline Project would deliver gas volumes within Michigan and to

Vector Pipeline Limited Partnership (Vector Canada) at the U.S./Canada

border facility.

Vector requests Commission authorization, in Docket No. CP98-133-

000, to construct, lease, and operate the following facilities:

Construct 265.9 miles of 42-inch diameter pipeline in

Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan extending from Joliet, Illinois in Will

County to Oakland County, Michigan (Segment 1). About 33 miles would be

in Illinois, 67.7 miles would be in Indiana, and 165.2 miles would be

in Michigan;

Lease of 58.8 miles of an existing 36-inch-diameter

pipeline in Michigan from Oakland County to St. Clair County (Segment

2);

Construct 3.7 miles of 42-inch-diameter pipeline in St.

Clair County, Michigan terminating at the border of the United States

(U.S.) and Canada near St. Clair, Michigan (Segment 3);

Construct five new meter/regulating stations including two

in Will County, Illinois, one in Livingston County, Michigan, one in

Oakland County, Michigan, and one in St. Clair County, Michigan;

Construct two compressor stations each with 30,000

horsepower of compression in LaPorte County, Indiana, and Oakland

County, Michigan; and

Construct associated pipeline facilities, including 21 new

mainline valves, 3 pig launchers, 2 pig receivers, and permanent access

roads.

The general location of Vector's proposed project facilities is

shown in appendix 1. If you are interested in obtaining procedural

information, please write to the Secretary of the Commission.

In addition, Vector requests in Docket No. CP98-131-000 a

Presidential Permit to construct, operate, and maintain facilities at

the International Border between the U.S. and Canada near St. Clair,

Michigan. Vector's pipeline would terminate at the point of

interconnection with the Canadian facilities of Vector Canada.

Land Requirements for Construction

The Vector Pipeline Project would include 58.8 miles of leased

existing pipeline. Vector would construct about 253.4 miles (94

percent) of the new pipeline parallel to various existing utility

rights-of-way. Only 15.1 miles (6 percent) of the route would be

constructed on newly created right-of-way that does not parallel

existing rights-of-way. Where possible, Vector's right-of-way would

overlap the existing rights-of-way as much as 50 feet during

construction to minimize impacts. Vector's pipeline would deviate from

the existing rights-of-way in selected locations to avoid impact on

homes and existing utility structures (meter stations, etc.). The

pipeline would also deviate from the existing rights-of-way in selected

locations to improve waterbody crossings and for other environmental or

engineering reasons.

Construction of the Vector Pipeline Project would affect a total of

about 3,581.9 acres of land including extra workspace and aboveground

facilities. Of this total, about 3,268.1 acres would be disturbed by

the construction rights-of-way, 270.9 acres would be disturbed by extra

workspace, and 42.9 acres would be disturbed by the aboveground

facilities and access roads. All these acreage figures are subject to

change.

Vector would generally use a right-of-way width of 100 feet for

construction. The Vector Pipeline Project would also require extra

temporary work areas for waterbody, highway, and railroad crossing; for

additional topsoil storage; and for pipe storage and equipment yards.

Following construction and restoration of the right-of-way and

temporary work spaces, Vector would retain a 30- to 50-foot-wide

permanent pipeline right-of-way depending on whether the pipeline is

adjacent to other utilities or on new right-of-way. Total land

requirements for the permanent right-of-way would be about 1,185.4

acres. The project would also require an additional 22.1 acres for the

operation of the new aboveground facilities and 0.9 acres for the

operation of permanent access roads. Vector would restore the remaining

2,373.5 acres of land affected by construction of the project and allow

these areas to revert to their former use.

The EIS 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 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. State and local

government representatives are encouraged to notify their constituents

[[Page 3108]]

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

concern.

Currently Identified Environmental Issues

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 that we think deserve attention based on

a preliminary review of the proposed facilities and the environmental

information provided by Vector. These issues are listed below. This is

a preliminary list of issues and may be changed based on your comments

and our analysis.

Soils

--Temporary and permanent impacts on prime farmland soils.

--Mixing of topsoil and subsoil during construction.

--Compaction of soil by heavy equipment.

--Impacts on drain tiles and irrigation systems.

--Erosion control and right-of-way restoration.

Water Resource

--Effect of construction on areas with shallow groundwater.

--Effect of construction on crossings of 92 perennial waterbodies,

including 13 coldwater fisheries.

--Crossing of eight rivers 100 feet wide or greater.

--Crossing three rivers on the Nationwide Rivers Inventory List,

including an international waterbody.

--Effect of construction in waterbodies with contaminated sediments.

--Potential for erosion and sediment transport to the waterbodies.

--Effect of construction on groundwater and surface water supplies.

--Impact on wetland hydrology.

Biological Resources

--Short- and long-term effects of right-of-way clearing and maintenance

on wetlands, forests, riparian areas, and vegetation communities of

special concern.

--Effect on wildlife and fisheries habitats.

--Impact on federally endangered species such as the Indiana bat and on

federally threatened species such as the northern copperbelly

watersnake.

Cultural Resources

--Effect on historic and prehistoric sites.

--Native American concerns.

Socioeconomics

--Effect of the construction workforce on demands for services in

surrounding areas.

--Impact on property values.

Land Use

--Impact on crop production.

--Impact on residential areas.

--Effect on public lands and special use areas including waterbodies on

the Nationwide Rivers Inventory, a national scenic trail, a state game

area, a state recreation area, a forest preserve district, a county

park, city/township private parks, church property, a golf course, a

county airport, campgrounds, and racetracks.

--Impact on future land uses and consistency with local land use plans

and zoning.

--Visual effect of the aboveground facilities on surrounding areas.

Air Quality and Noise

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

construction.

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

operation of the compressor stations.

Pipeline Reliability and Safety

Cumulative Impact

--Identify other projects which have been or may be proposed in the

same region and similar time frames.

--Identify potential upstream and downstream facilities.

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 Draft EIS

which will be mailed to Federal, state, and local agencies, public

interest groups, affected landowners and other interested individuals,

newspapers, libraries, and the Commission's official service list for

this proceeding. 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 on the

Draft EIS and will be used by the Commission in its decision-making

process to determine whether to approve the project.

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 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:

Send two copies to: David P. Boergers, Acting Secretary,

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, N.E., Room 1A,

Washington, D.C. 20426.

Label one copy of the comments for the attention of the

Environmental Review and Compliance Branch, PR-11.1;

Reference Docket Nos. CP98-131-000 and CP98-133-000; and

Mail your comments so that they will be received in

Washington, D.C. on or before February 20, 1998.

In addition to or in lieu of sending written comments, we invite

you to attend the public scoping meetings the FERC will conduct in the

project area. The locations and times for these meetings are listed

below.

Schedule of Public Scoping Meetings for the Vector Pipeline Project

Environmental Impact Statement

February 9, 1998

7:00 pm--Crown Point, Indiana, Marion Education Center, St.

Anthony's Hospital, 1201 S. Main Street, (219) 757-6398

February 10, 1998

7:00 pm--Three Rivers, Michigan, Three Rivers Community Center, 103

S. Douglas Avenue, (616) 278-8193

February 11, 1998

7:00 pm--Leslie, Michigan, Leslie High School Auditorium, 4141 Hull

Road, (517) 589-8277

February 12, 1998

7:00 pm--Port Huron, Michigan, St. Claire Community College, 323

Erie Street, (810) 984-3881

The public meetings are designed to provide you with more detailed

information and another opportunity to offer your comments on the

proposed project. Vector representatives will be present at the scoping

meetings to describe their proposal. Interested groups and individuals

are encouraged to attend the meetings and to present comments on the

environmental issues they believe should be addressed in the Draft EIS.

A transcript of each meeting will be made so that your comments will be

accurately recorded.

On the dates of the meetings, we will also be conducting limited

site visits to

[[Page 3109]]

the project area. Anyone interested in participating in the site visit

may contact the Commission's Office of External Affairs identified at

the end of this notice for more details and must provide their own

transportation.

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 3).

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 environmental comments considered.

Environmental Mailing List

This notice is being sent to individuals, organizations, and

government entities interested in and/or potentially affected by the

proposed project. It is also being sent to all identified potential

right-of-way grantors. As details of the project become established,

representatives of Vector may also separately contact landowners,

communities, and public agencies concerning project matters, including

acquisition of permits and rights-of-way.

All commentors will be retained on our mailing list. 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 EIS, you must return the

Information Request (appendix 4). If you do not send comments or return

the Information Request, you will be taken off the mailing list.

Additional information about the proposed project is available from

Paul McKee in the Commission's Office of External Affairs at (202) 208-

1088.

Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,

Acting Secretary.

[FR Doc. 98-1336 Filed 1-20-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717-01-M