Finding of No Significant Impact: Portland Pipe Line Corporation Pipeline at North Troy, VT

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 3108]

Finding of No Significant Impact: Portland Pipe Line Corporation

Pipeline at North Troy, VT

AGENCY: Department of State.

ACTION: Notice of a finding of no significant impact with regard to an

application to convert, operate and maintain a pipeline to transport

crude oil across the U.S.-Canada border.

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SUMMARY: The Department of State has conducted an environmental

assessment of the proposed conversion by Portland Pipe Line Corporation

of an existing pipeline from natural gas service to crude oil service

crossing the international boundary near North Troy, Vermont. Based on

the environmental assessment, the Department of State has concluded

that issuance of a Presidential Permit authorizing conversion of the

existing pipeline will not have a significant effect on the existing

vegetation and wildlife, water resources, land use, air quality and

human populations within the United States. In reaching this

conclusion, the Department of State considered several alternatives,

including a no-action alternative. The return of the pipeline to crude

oil transport would have no significant impact on the environment or

population since no new construction or ground-disturbing activity is

involved. The pipeline is constructed of steel and coated with coal tar

to protect against corrosion. It is also cathodically protected with an

impressed current system as a further protection against corrosion.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act, 42 U.S.C.

4321 et seq., Council on Environmental Quality Regulations, 40 CFR

1501.4 and 1508.13 and Department of State Regulations, 22 CFR

161.8(C), an environmental impact statement will not be prepared.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE PIPELINE PERMIT APPLICATION, CONTACT:

Bill Memler, Office of International Energy Policy, Room 3535, U.S.

Department of State, Washington, DC, 20520, (202) 647-4557.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Portland Pipe Line Corporation, is a

corporation formed under the laws of the State of Maine, with its

principal place of business in South Portland, Maine. The proposed

pipeline conversion involves a pipeline which is routed along an

existing crude oil pipeline facility operated by Portland Pipe Line

Corporation. Portland Pipe Line Corporation presently operates and

maintains a 24-inch line for transporting crude oil between South

Portland and the international boundary. The crude oil is transported

and received by the applicant at a marine terminal in South Portland,

Maine and is transferred at the US-Canada border into the pipeline

owned and operated by MPL, which is regulated by the National Energy

Board (NEB) of Canada.

Portland Pipe Line Corporation's earlier construction of the 18-

inch pipeline transported crude oil successfully, safely and without

any known detrimental environmental impact for throughout 35 years of

service, period of 1951-1986. Since 1987, the 18-inch line has been

operated in interstate natural gas transmission serve by Granite State

Gas Transmission (Granite State) under the lease from Portland to

Granite State. This current lease expires on April 30, 1999, with

Portland to take custody of the line on June 1, 1999.

On April 7, 1999, the Department of State published a Notice of

Application for a Presidential Permit in the Federal Register. No

public comments were received and concerned agencies expressed no

opposition to issuing the permit. A finding of no significant impact is

adopted, and an environmental impact statement will not be prepared.

Dated: August 2, 1999.

Peter Bass,

Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, for Energy, Sanctions and

Commodities.

[FR Doc. 99-20329 Filed 8-5-99; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4710-07-P