Florida Gas Transmission Company; Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed FGT Phase IV Expansion Project, Request For Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of Public Scoping Meeting and Site Visit

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP99-94-000]

Florida Gas Transmission Company; Notice of Intent to Prepare an

Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed FGT Phase IV Expansion

Project, Request For Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of

Public Scoping Meeting and Site Visit

February 24, 1999.

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 FGT Phase IV Expansion

Project involving construction and operation of facilities by Florida

Gas Transmission Company (FGT) in Florida, Mississippi, and Alabama.\1\

These facilities would consist of about 205 miles of various diameter

pipeline, 48,570 horsepower (hp) of compression, four new delivery

points including three meter stations and a tap, and various other

miscellaneous facilities. 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. The application and other

supplemental filings in this docket are available for viewing on the

FERC Internet website (www.ferc.fed.us). Click on the ``RIMS'' link,

select ``Docket #'' from the RIMS Menu, and follow the instructions.

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\1\ FGT'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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Similarly, the ``CIPS'' link on the FERC Internet website provides

access to the texts of formal documents issued by the Commission, such

as orders, notices, and rulemakings. From the FERC Internet website,

click on the ``CIPS'' link, select ``Docket #'' from the CIPS menu, and

follow the instructions.

If you are a landowner receiving this notice, you may be contacted

by a pipeline company representative about the acquisition of an

easement to construct, operate, and maintain the proposed facilities.

The pipeline company would seek to negotiate a mutually acceptable

agreement. However, if the project is approved by the Commission, that

approval conveys with it the right of eminent domain. Therefore, if

easement negotiations fail to produce an agreement, the pipeline

company could initiate condemnation proceedings in accordance with

state law. A fact sheet addressing a number of typically asked

questions, including the use of eminent domain, is attached to this

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

and state 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.

Summary of the Proposed Project

FGT wants to expand the capacity of its facilities in Florida,

Mississippi, and Alabama to transport an additional 272,000 million

British thermal units per day of natural gas to two private power

companies, two municipal utilities, two industrial customers, two

natural gas marketers and one local distribution company. See tables 1

and 2 for a listing of project facilities. The FGT Phase IV Expansion

Project would also include block valves and blowdown valves. The

locations of these facilities have not yet been determined.

[[Page 10139]]

Several nonjurisdictional facilities would be constructed in

Florida as a result of the FGT Phase IV Expansion Project. These

nonjurisdictional facilities include expansion of equipment and

technology resulting from fuel conversion of oil to natural gas at

Florida Power and Light Company's Ft. Myers plant in Lee County,

construction of the Duke Energy--New Smyrna Beach Power Project in

Volusia County, and a meter station to be constructed by Peoples Gas

System in Lee County. We have made a preliminary decision to not

address the impacts of the nonjurisdictional facilities. We will

describe their location and status in the Draft EIS.

The general location of the project facilities is shown in appendix

3. If you are interested in obtaining detailed maps of a specific

portion of the project, write to the Office of External Affairs and

include the form in appendix 5.

Table1.--Proposed Pipelines for the FGT Phase IV Expansion Project

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Pipeline Mileposts Segment

Segment name diameter County, State -------------------------- length

(inches) Begin End (miles)

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Mainline:

Mainline Loop Extension...... 36 George, MS............... 152.7 156.6 9.3

Greene, MS............... 156.6 162.0

Mainline Loop Downstream of 30 Suwannee, FL............. 515.3 518.9 5.5

the West Leg. Columbia, FL............. 518.9 520.8

Mainline Loop Downstream of 30 Bradford, FL............. 548.1 562.1 14.0

Compressor Station 16.

Mainline Loop Downstream of 30 Marion, FL............... 607.9 613.9 6.0

Compressor Station 17.

New Lateral

New Smyrna Beach--Duke Energy 16 Lake, FL................. 0.0 8.2 45.82

lateral. Seminole, FL............. 8.2 15.5

Volusia, FL.............. 15.5 45.82

Lateral Loops and Extension:

Sarasota Lateral Loop........ 12 Manatee, FL.............. 69.53 73.62 4.09

Lake Wales Lateral Loop 6 Polk, FL................. 2.5 3.4 0.9

Extension.

Tampa South Lateral Extension 4 Hillsborough, FL......... 16.53 22.15 5.62

Mainline:

West Leg Extension........... 30 Hillborough, FL.......... 0.0 22.0

Polk, FL................. 22.0 36.0

Hardee, FL............... 36.0

DeSoto, FL............... 61.3

61.3

75.6 75.6

26 De Soto, FL.............. 75.6 88.4

Charlotte, FL............ 88.4 107.0

Lee, FL.................. 107.0 113.6 38.0

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Total.................... 204.83

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Table 2.--Aboveground Facilities for the FGT Phase IV Expansion Project

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New Horsepower

Facility horsepower addition Milepost County, State Comments

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Compressor Stations:

11A....................... N/A N/A 190.8 Mobile, AL....... Restage two

compressor units and

add a gas scrubber

and gas cooler at

existing compressor

station.

12A....................... ........... 10,350 260.2 Santa Rosa, FL... Existing compressor

station.

13A....................... ........... 10,350 324.0 Washington, FL... Existing compressor

station.

14A....................... ........... 10,350 394.7 Gadsden, FL...... Existing compressor

station.

15A....................... N/A N/A 468.7 Taylor, FL....... Restage one

compressor unit at

existing compressor

station.

24........................ 10,350 ........... 25.3 Gilchrist, FL.... New compressor

station.

26........................ ........... 7,170 89.8 Citrus, FL....... Existing compressor

station.

Meter Stations:

Duke Energy............... N/A N/A 45.82 Volusia, FL...... Located at end of the

New Smyrna Beach--

Duke Energy Lateral.

National Gypsum........... N/A N/A 22.15 Hillsborough, FL. Located at the end of

the Tampa South

Lateral Extension.

FPL Ft. Myers............. N/A N/A 113.6 Lee, FL.......... Located at the end of

the West Leg

Extension.

Associated Pipeline

Facilities:

Crossover................. N/A N/A 28.3 Polk, FL......... Crossover from the

proposed West Leg

Extension to the

existing Agricola

Lateral.

Agricola Lateral N/A N/A 28.3 Polk, FL......... Located at the

Interconnect. intersection of the

proposed West Leg

Extension and the

existing Agricola

Lateral.

[[Page 10140]]

Sarasota Lateral Regulator N/A N/A 28.3 Polk, FL......... Located at the

Station/Interconnect. intersection of the

proposed West Leg

Extension and the

existing Sarasota

Lateral.

Tap Valve and Tie-in N/A N/A 111.39 Lee, FL.......... Located near the end

pipeline. of the proposed West

Leg Extension to

deliver gas to the

TECO-PGS Ft. Myers

Meter Station.

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N/A=not applicable

Land Requirements for Construction

The pipeline route is adjacent to existing rights-of-way for

approximately 92 percent of its length. Where possible, FGT's right-of-

way would overlap its existing rights-of-way as much as 75 feet during

construction to minimize impacts. Table 3 lists the construction and

permanent right-of-way widths for each pipeline segment.

Construction of the FGT Phase IV Expansion Project would affect a

total of about 2,499 acres of land including 2,475 acres required for

pipeline construction and extra workspace and 24 acres for construction

of the aboveground facilities. Locations of contractor yards, pipe

storage yards, and access roads have not been determined. All these

acreage figures are subject to change. Total land requirements for the

permanent right-of-way would be about 1,275 acres. An additional 24

acres for the operation of the new aboveground facilities would be

required. The remaining 1,200 acres of land affected by construction

would be restored and allowed to revert to its 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

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 under these general

headings:

Geology and soils.

Water resources, fisheries, and wetlands.

Vegetation and wildlife.

Land use.

Cultural resources.

Air quality and noise.

Table 3.--Right-of-Way (ROW) Widths for the FGT Phase IV Expansion Project

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Permanent row Construction row overlap with

Facility Construction row (feet) (feet) New permanent row (feet) existing FGT row (feet)

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Mainline:

Mainline Loop Extension....... 110............................. 40 15.............................. 75

Mainline Loop Downstream of 110............................. 40 15.............................. 75

the West Leg.

Mainline Loop Downstream of 110............................. 40 15.............................. 75

Compressor Station 16.

Mainline Loop Downstream of 110............................. 40 15.............................. 75

Compressor Station 17.

New Lateral:

New Smyrna Beach--Duke Energy 75.............................. 30 0 to 30 a....................... 30b

Lateral.

Lateral Loop and Extension

Sarasota Lateral Loop......... 75.............................. 30 0............................... 30

Lake Wales Lateral Loop 60.............................. 40 0............................... Varies.

Extension.

Tampa South Lateral Extension. 45 to 50........................ 30 30.............................. Not applicable.

Mainline:

West Leg Extension............ 100 b........................... 50 50.............................. Not applicable.

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a FGT would require no new permanent right-of-way when paralleling the Sanford Lateral and 30 feet of new permanent right-of-way when not paralleling

the Sanford Lateral.

b FGT would use a 75-foot wide construction right-of-way in wetlands.

Endangered and threatened species.

Public safety.

Hazardous waste.

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 FGT. These issues are listed below. This is a

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

and

[[Page 10141]]

our analysis. Currently identified environmental issues for the FGT

Phase IV Expansion Project include:

--Potential for sinkhole formation and flooding;

--Construction through or along the edge of active or inactive surface

mines;

--Effect of construction on 85 perennial waterbody crossings, including

19 waterbodies 100 feet wide or greater;

--Erosion control and potential for sediment transport to waterbodies

and wetlands;

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

--Effect of construction on 208 wetland crossings, including about 70

acres of permanent alteration of wetlands;

--Clearing of about 718 acres of forest;

--Effect on wildlife, fisheries and rare plant habitats;

--Impacts on 11 federally endangered and threatened species including

the bald eagle, Britton's beargrass, eastern indigo snake, Florida

bonamia, Florida scrub jay, gopher tortoise, pigeon-wing, red-cockaded

woodpecker, sand skink, West Indian manatee, and wood stork;

--Effect on historic and prehistoric archaeological sites and historic

structures;

--Impact on about 175 residences potentially within 50 feet of the

construction right-of-way;

--Potentially contaminated sites may be crossed by the pipeline;

--Effect on public lands and special use areas including the Ocala

National Forest, the Seminole State Forest, the Hell Ranch, Lake

Manatee State Recreation Area, Wekiva Aquatic Preserve, Medard Park and

Bicentennial Conservation Park;

--Crossing the Wekiva River, a designated Wild and Scenic River, and an

Outstanding Florida Water;

--Consistency with local land use plans and zoning;

--Visual effect of aboveground facilities on surrounding areas;

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

compressor station operations; and

--Assessment of the combined effect of the proposed project with other

projects, including other natural gas pipelines, which have been or may

be proposed in the same region and similar time frames.

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 and will

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

whether to approve the project.

To ensure your comments are considered, please carefully follow the

instructions in the public participation section below.

Public Participation and Scoping Meetings

You can make a difference by providing us with your specific

comments or concerns about the project. By becoming a commentor, your

concerns will be addressed in the EIS and considered by the Commission.

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 carefully follow

these instructions to ensure that your comments are received in time

and properly recorded:

Send two copies of your letter to: David P. Boergers, Secretary,

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First St., NE, Room 1A,

Washington, DC 20426.

Label one copy of the comments for the attention of the

Environmental Review and Compliance Branch, PR-11.2;

Reference Docket No. CP99-94-000;

Mail your comments so that they will be received in

Washington, DC on or before March 26, 1999.

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 FGT Phase IV Expansion

Project Environmental Impact Statement

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Date Time Location

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March 15, 1999.......................... 7:00 pm.................... Sheraton Hotel, 2900 SW 13th Street,

Gainesville, Florida, (352) 377-4000.

March 16, 1999.......................... 7:00 pm.................... Holiday Inn, 350 E. International

Speedway Blvd. De Land, Florida, (904)

738-5200.

March 17, 1999.......................... 7:00 pm.................... Holiday Inn Select, 13051 Bell Tower

Drive, Fort Myers, Florida, (941) 482-

2900.

March 18, 1999.......................... 7:00 pm.................... Carver Recreation Center, 520 South

Idlewood Avenue, Bartow, Florida, (941)

534-0161.

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The public meetings are designed to provide you with more detailed

information and another opportunity to offer your comments on the

proposed project. FGT 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, the staff will also be visiting some

project areas. Anyone interested in participating in a 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 known as an

``intervenor''. Intervenors play a more formal role in the process.

Among other things, intervenors have the right to receive copies of

case-related Commission documents and filings by other intervenors.

Likewise, each intervenor

[[Page 10142]]

must provide 14 copies of its filing to the Secretary of the Commission

and must send a copy of its filings to all other parties on the

Commission's service list for this proceeding. 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). Only intervenors have the right to seek rehearing of the

Commission's decision.

The date for filing timely motions to intervene in this proceeding

has passed. Therefore, parties now seeking to file later 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 FGT 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 EISs, you must return the

Information Request (appendix 5). 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

Mr. Paul McKee of the Commission's Office of External Affairs at (202)

208-1088 or on the FERC website (www.ferc.fed.us) using the ``RIMS''

link to information in this docket number. For assistance with access

to RIMS, the RIMS helpline can be reached at (202) 208-2222. Access to

the tests of formal documents issued by the Commission with regard to

this docket, such as orders and notices, is also available on the FERC

website using the ``CIPS'' link. For assistance with access to CIPS,

the CIPS helpline can be reached at (202) 208-2474.

David P. Boergers,

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 99-5050 Filed 3-1-99; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717-01-M