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Egan Hub Storage, LLC; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Egan Horsepower Reconfiguration Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues
Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.
[Federal Register: May 24, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 100)]
[Notices]
[Page 29944-29946]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr24my06-74]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP03-12-001]
Egan Hub Storage, LLC; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental
Assessment for the Proposed Egan Horsepower Reconfiguration Project and
Request for Comments on Environmental Issues
May 18, 2006.
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 Egan Horsepower
Reconfiguration Project involving construction and operation of
facilities by Egan Hub Storage, LLC (Egan Hub). The project would
include an additional 3,080 horsepower (hp) and about 2,700 feet of
suction and discharge piping at the Egan Gas Storage Facility in
Evangeline, Acadia Parish, Louisiana.\1\ This EA 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\ Egan Hub'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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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 prepared by the FERC entitled ``An Interstate Natural
Gas Facility On My Land? What Do I Need To Know?'' was attached to the
project notice Egan Hub provided to landowners. This fact sheet
addresses a number of typically asked questions, including the use of
eminent domain and how to participate in the Commission's proceedings.
It is available for viewing on the FERC Internet Web site
(http://www.ferc.gov). 
Summary of the Proposed Project
Egan Hub proposes to:
1. Install two 13,330-hp turbine compressors in lieu of the three
certificated not-yet-installed 7,860-hp reciprocating compressors;
2. Install seven catalytic converters on seven existing
reciprocating compressors; and
3. Install 1,200 feet of 24-inch diameter suction piping and 1,500
feet of 20-inch diameter of discharge piping and associated appurtenant
facilities.
Egan Hub also requests authorization to extend the construction
period for the three storage caverns and associated facilities to
October 1, 2009.
Egan Hub indicates that the project would not increase the maximum
operating capacity of the three storage caverns (31.5 Bcf of
certificated maximum aggregate operating capacity). In support of its
proposal, Egan Hub indicates that the increase of 3,080 hp would allow
Egan Hub to increase the maximum daily injection capability from 0.8
Bcf to 1.3 Bcf and the maximum daily withdrawal capability from 1.5 Bcf
to 2.5 Bcf.
Egan Hub requests authorization on or before August 1, 2006 to
begin construction by November 1, 2006.
Egan Hub indicates that it would ``install minor non-jurisdictional
facilities comprised of 500 feet of new below-ground powerline and a
480 volt transformer.''
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 of all appendices, other
than Appendix 1 (map), are available on the Commission's Web site at
the ``eLibrary'' link or from the Commission's Public Reference
Room, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426, or call (202)
502-8371. For instructions on connecting to eLibrary refer to the
last page of this notice. Copies of the appendices were sent to all
those receiving this notice in the mail.
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[[Page 29945]]
Land Requirements for Construction
Egan Hub indicates that no additional property or right-of-way
would be required. Construction of the proposed facilities would be
within the existing fenced line of the Egan Gas Storage Facility.
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.
This process is referred to as ``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 staff
requests public comments on the scope of the issues to 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.
In the EA we \3\ will discuss impacts that could occur as a result
of the construction and operation of the proposed project under these
general headings:
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\3\ ``We'', ``us'', and ``our'' refer to the environmental staff
of the Office of Energy Projects (OEP).
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? Geology and soils
? Land use
? Cultural resources
? Vegetation and wildlife
? Water resources, fisheries, and wetlands
? Endangered and threatened species
? Air quality and noise
? Hazardous waste
? 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 make
our recommendations to the Commission.
To ensure your comments are considered, please carefully follow the
instructions in the public participation section below.
Currently Identified Environmental Issues
We have identified noise near residences as an issue that we think
deserves attention based on a preliminary review of the proposed facilities
and the environmental information provided by Egan Hub. Additional issues
may be identified 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 providing us with your specific
comments or concerns about the project. By becoming a commentor, your
concerns will be addressed in the EA/EIS and considered by the
Commission. You should focus on the potential environmental effects of
the proposal, alternatives to the proposal, 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 an original and two copies of your letter to: Magalie
R. Salas, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First
St., NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426.
? Label one copy of the comments for the attention of Gas Branch 2.
? Reference Docket No. CP03-12-001.
? Mail your comments so that they will be received in
Washington, DC on or before June 19, 2006.
Please note that we are continuing to experience delays in mail
deliveries from the U.S. Postal Service. As a result, we will include
all comments that we receive within a reasonable time frame in our
environmental analysis of this project. However, the Commission strongly
encourages electronic filing of any comments or interventions or protests
to this proceeding. See 18 CFR 385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions
on the Commission's Web site at http://www.ferc.gov
under the ``e-Filing'' link and the link to the User's Guide. Before you
can file comments you will need to create a free account which can be
created on-line.
We may mail the EA for comment. If you are interested in receiving
it, please return the Information Request (Appendix 2). If you do not
return the Information Request, you will be taken off the mailing list.
Becoming an Intervenor
In addition to involvement in the EA scoping process, you may want
to become an official party to the proceeding, or ``intervenor''. 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). Intervenors have the right to seek rehearing of the
Commission's decision. Motions to Intervene should be electronically
submitted using the Commission's eFiling system at http://www.ferc.gov.
Persons without Internet access should send an original and 14
copies of their motion to the Secretary of the Commission at the address
indicated previously. Persons filing Motions to Intervene on or before
the comment deadline indicated above must send a copy of the motion to
the Applicant. All filings, including late interventions, submitted
after the comment deadline must be served on the Applicant and all
other intervenors identified on the Commission's service list for this
proceeding. Persons on the service list with e-mail addresses may be
served electronically; others must be served a hard copy of the filing.
Affected landowners and parties with environmental concerns may be
granted intervenor status upon showing good cause by stating that they
have a clear and direct interest in this proceeding which would not be
adequately represented by any other parties. You do not need intervenor
status to have your environmental comments considered.
Environmental Mailing List
An effort is being made to send this notice to all individuals,
organizations, and government entities interested in and/or potentially
affected by the proposed project. This includes all landowners who are
potential right-of-way grantors, whose property may be used temporarily
for project purposes, or who own homes within distances defined in the
Commission's regulations of certain aboveground facilities.
[[Page 29946]]
Additional Information
Additional information about the project is available from the
Commission's Office of External Affairs, at 1-866-208-FERC or on the
FERC Internet Web site (http://www.ferc.gov) using the eLibrary
link. Click on the eLibrary link, click on ``General Search'' and enter the
docket number excluding the last three digits in the Docket Number
field. Be sure you have selected an appropriate date range. For
assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at
FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or toll free at 1-866-208-3676, or for TTY,
contact (202) 502-8659. The eLibrary link also provides access to the
texts of formal documents issued by the Commission, such as orders,
notices, and rulemakings.
In addition, the Commission now offers a free service called
eSubscription which allows you to keep track of all formal issuances
and submittals in specific dockets. This can reduce the amount of time
you spend researching proceedings by automatically providing you with
notification of these filings, document summaries and direct links to
the documents. Go to http://www.ferc.gov/esubscribenow.htm.
Finally, public meetings or site visits will be posted on the
Commission's calendar located at http://www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/
EventsList.aspx along with other related information.
Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
Appendix 1--Information Request
[Docket No. CP03-12-001]
□ Please keep my name on the mailing list for the Egan
Horsepower Reconfiguration Project.
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□ Please send me a paper copy of the environmental document
instead of a CD.
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ATTN: OEP--Gas 2, PJ--11.2, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426.
Staple or Tape Here
[FR Doc. E6-7964 Filed 5-23-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P