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Federal Energy Regulatory Commission



[Federal Register: February 16, 1995]







DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket Nos. CP95-170-000 and CP95-181-000]

 


Columbia Gas Transmission Corp.; Notice of Intent To Prepare 
Environmental Assessments for the Proposed Coco Transmission Project 
and Coco Storage Field Project and Request for Comments on 
Environmental Issues



February 9, 1995

    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) will prepare environmental assessments (EAs) that will 
discuss the environmental impacts of the construction and operation of 
the facilities proposed in the Coco Transmission Project and Coco 
Storage Field Project.\1\ The EAs 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 projects.



    \1\Columbia Gas Transmission Corporation's applications were 
filed with the Commission under Sections 7(b) and 7(c) of the 
Natural Gas Act.






Summary of the Proposed Projects



    The facilities proposed to be replaced are currently in an unsafe 
condition due to corrosion and old age. Replacement is necessary this 
year in order to provide service in the upcoming winter of 1995/1996.
    Coco Transmission Project (Docket No. CP95-170-000):
    Columbia Gas Transmission Corporation (Columbia) proposes to 
construct 6.8 miles of 30-inch-diameter replacement pipeline in Kanawha 
County, West Virginia. The new pipeline would replace the two 
deteriorating 20-inch-diameter Lines X52-M1 and X52-M1-Loop, which are 
in the same location. Columbia would use the facilities to transport up 
to 606,000,000 cubic feet per day of natural gas.
    Coco Storage Field Project (Docket No. CP95-181-000):
    Columbia proposes to construct 10.9 miles of various 4- to 20-inchdiameter 
replacement pipeline and appurtenant facilities within the 
existing Coco ``A'' Storage Field in Kanawha County, West Virginia. The 
new pipeline would replace 15.7 miles of deteriorating pipeline, 
ranging in size from 4- to 16-inch-diameter, including two looped 
segments of mainline, and gathering lines for wells.
    Columbia would also replace and install appurtenant facilities 
consisting of wellhead piping and measurement facilities for 29 
existing wells; install an on-line pigging system on the new 10-and 20-
inch-diameter pipelines; and install fluid gathering facilities and 
about 12 miles of 1- and 2-inch-diameter pressurized methanol pipeline 
injecting system that would connect to each well.
    The locations of these facilities are shown in appendix 1.\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, Room 
3104, 941 North Capitol Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20426, or 
call (202) 208-1371. Copies of the appendices were sent to all those 
receiving this notice in the mail.






Land Requirements for Construction



    The proposed project would be built within and adjacent to existing 
rights-of-way. Columbia intends to use a construction right-of-way that 
would vary between 25 and 120 feet during construction. Following 
construction, 50 feet would be maintained as permanent right-of-way, 
and the rest would revert back to the landowner. [[Page 9027]] 



The EPA 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 important environmental issues. By 
this Notice of Intent, the Commission requests public comments on the 
scope of the issues it will address in the Eas. All comments received 
are considered during the preparation of the Eas. State and local 
government representatives are encouraged to notify their constituents 
of these proposed actions and encourage them to comment on their areas 
of concern.

    The Eas will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of the 
construction and operation of the proposed projects under these general 
headings:

    <bullet> Geology and soils.

    <bullet> Water resources, fisheries.
    <bullet> Land use

    <bullet> Cultural resources and wetlands.\3\



    \3\According to the applicant, the project will not affect any 
waters of the United States. We will report any potential impacts, 
or their absence, under this heading.






    <bullet> Vegetation and wildlife.
    <bullet> Endangered and threatened species.
    <bullet> Public safety.

    <bullet> Haardous waste.

    We will also evaluate possible alternatives to the proposed 
projects or portions of the projects, 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 Eas. 
Depending on the comments received during the scoping process, the Eas 
may be published and mailed to Federal, state, and local agencies, 
public interest groups, interested individuals, affected landowners, 
newspapers, libraries, and the Commissions official service list for 
each proceeding. A comment period will be allotted for review if the 
Eas are published. We will consider all comments on the Eas 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 Columbia. 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. 
Issues are:

    Coco Transmission Project (Docket No. CP95-170-000):
    <bullet> The project would cross four perennial streams and five 
wetlands.

    <bullet> The project would cross or be near cultural resources/
archaeological sites.

    Coco Storage Filed Project (Docket No. CP95-181-000):
    <bullet> The project would cross six perennial streams at 13 
locations, and 18 wetlands.

    <bullet> The project would cross or be near cultural resources/
archaeological sites.



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 alternative locations/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:
    <bullet> Address your letter to: Lois Cashell, Secretary, Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission, 825 North Capitol Street, NE., 
Washington, D.C. 20426.

    <bullet> Reference Docket No. CP95-170-000 and/or CP95-181-000;
    <bullet> Send a copy of your letter to:
    For the Coco Transmission Project (Docket No. CP95-170-000): Mr. 
Jeff Shenot, EA Project Manager, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 
825 North Capitol Street NE., Room 7312, Washington, D.C. 20426; and/
or.

    For the Coco Storage Field Project (Docket No. CP95-181-000): Ms. 
Medha Kochhar, EA Project Commission, Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission, 825 North Capitol Street NE., Room 7312, Washington, D.C. 
20426; and

    <bullet> Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, D.C. on or before March 20, 1995.
    If you wish to receive a copy of the EA, you should request one 
from Mr. Shenot or Ms. Kochhar, for Docket Nos. CP95-170-000 and CP95-
181-000, respectively, at the above addresses.



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) attached 
as appendix 2.

    The dates for filing of timely motions to intervene for the Coco 
Transmission Project (Docket No. CP95-170-000) and Coco Storage Field 
Project (Docket No.CP95-181-000) are February 16, 1995 and February 23, 
1995, respectively. After these dates, parties 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 
Mr. Jeff Shenot, Coco Transmission Project EA Manager, at (202) 219-
0295, or from Medha Kochhar, Coco Field Project EA Manager, at (202) 
208-2270.

Lois D. Cashell,

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 95-3900 Filed 2-15-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M

 
 

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