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Dominion Transmission, Inc.; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed TL-263 Expansion 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: January 16, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 9)]
[Notices]
[Page 1719-1721]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr16ja07-48]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
[Docket No. CP07-10-000]

Dominion Transmission, Inc.; Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Assessment for the Proposed TL-263 Expansion Project and
Request for Comments on Environmental Issues

January 9, 2007.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) is preparing an environmental assessment (EA) that will
describe the impacts of constructing and operating the proposed natural
gas pipeline TL-263 Expansion Project (Project) sponsored by Dominion
Transmission Inc. (DTI).\1\
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    \1\ DTI'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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    The proposed Project would include the construction, replacement,
installation, modification and operation of natural gas pipeline
facilities in Boone and Wyoming Counties, West Virginia to increase the
capacity, improve the efficiency and maintain the integrity of DTI's
existing natural gas delivery system. Specifically, DTI is seeking
authority to undertake the following activities:
    ? Construct approximately 6.43 miles of 12-inch-diameter
natural gas pipeline and associated facilities (TL-570);
    ? Replace six 12-inch-diameter pipeline sections along the
existing TL-263 natural gas pipeline (a total of approximately 601 feet
of pipeline);
    ? Install overpressure protection; and
    ? Modify the existing Loup Creek Compressor Station.
    A map indicating the general locations of the proposed Project
facilities is provided 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 (maps), are available on the Commission's website 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.
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    Construction of the new 12-inch-diameter natural gas pipeline which
would be known as TL-570 would be

[[Page 1720]]

adjacent to the existing TL-263 pipeline and would require a 60- to 75-
foot-wide construction right-of-way (ROW), affecting approximately
64.68 acres of land. Following construction, approximately 26.53 acres
of land would be required for use as permanent ROW and associated
aboveground facilities.
    The replacement of the six 12-inch-diameter pipeline sections along
the existing TL-263 natural gas pipeline would require a 75-foot-wide
construction ROW, affecting approximately 5.17 acres of land. No
additional lands would be required for maintenance of these replaced
pipeline sections.
    Other construction work areas, access roads and additional
temporary work spaces would require the use of approximately 47.29
acres of land during construction and approximately 5.96 acres of land
during operation.
    Construction of the proposed Project would temporarily require the
use of approximately 123.99 acres of land. Operation of the proposed
Project would permanently require the use of approximately 32.49 acres
of land.
    If you are a landowner receiving this notice, you may be contacted
by a DTI representative about the acquisition of an easement to support
this project. DTI would seek to negotiate a mutually acceptable
agreement for any easement; however, if the project is approved by the
Commission, this approval conveys with it the right of eminent domain.
If easement negotiations between you and DTI fail, it would have the
authority to initiate condemnation proceedings.
    A fact sheet prepared by the Commission entitled ``An Interstate
Natural Gas Facility on my Land? What do I need to know?'' should have
been attached to the project notice provided to landowners by DTI. 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. This fact sheet is also available online at 
http://www.ferc.gov.

The EA Process

    The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires the
Commission to consider the environmental impacts of a proposed project
whenever it considers the issuance of a Certificate of Public
Convenience and Necessity as has been requested by DTI. NEPA also
requires the Commission to undertake a process to identify and address
concerns the public may have about proposed projects. This process is
commonly referred to as ``scoping''. The main goal of the ``scoping''
process is to identify public concerns and then address them in the EA.
By this Notice of Intent, the Commission requests public comments on
environmental issues that should be addressed in the EA.
    The Commission's staff will prepare an EA that will describe the
potential environmental impacts resulting from construction and
operation of the proposed Project under the following general headings:
    ? Geology and Soils
    ? Water Resources and Wetlands
    ? Vegetation, Wildlife and Fisheries
    ? Threatened and Endangered or Special Status Species
    ? Land Use
    ? Cultural Resources
    ? Air Quality and Noise
    ? Reliability and Safety
    The Commission's staff will also evaluate possible alternatives to
the proposed project or portions of the project and make
recommendations on how to lessen or avoid impacts to the identified
environmental resources.
    Upon completion of the staff's environmental assessment and
depending on the issues identified and/or comments received during the
``scoping'' process, the EA may be published and mailed to federal,
state and local government agencies; elected officials; environmental
and public interest groups; affected landowners; other interested
parties; local libraries and newspapers; and the Commission's official
service list for this proceeding. A 30-day comment period would be
allotted for review of the EA if it is published. Staff would consider
all comments submitted concerning the EA before making their
recommendations to the Commission.
    To ensure your comments are considered, please carefully follow the
instructions in the public participation section of this notice.

Public Participation

    You can make a difference by providing us with your comments or
concerns about the proposed project. By becoming a commentor, your
comments and concerns will be addressed in the EA and considered by the
Commission. The more specific your comments, the more useful they will
be. Generally, comments are submitted regarding the potential
environmental effects, reasonable alternatives and measures to avoid or
lessen environmental impact.
    This notice and request for environmental comments is being sent to
affected landowners; federal, state and local government
representatives and agencies; environmental and public interest groups;
other interested parties in this proceeding; and local libraries and
newspapers. We encourage government representatives to notify their
constituents of this notice and to encourage their comments concerning
this proposed project.
    To ensure that your comments are properly recorded, please mail
them to our office on or before February 8, 2007. When filing comments
please:
    ? 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 your comments to the attention of Gas
Branch 2, DG2E; and Reference Docket No. CP07-10-000 on the original
and both copies
    Please note that the Commission strongly encourages the electronic
filing (``eFiling'') of comments, interventions or protests to this
proceeding. Instructions on how to ``eFile'' comments can be found on
the Commission's Web site at http://www.ferc.gov under the ``Documents
and Filings'' link.

Becoming an Intervenor

    In addition to participating in the EA 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 must send one electronic copy (using the
Commission's eFiling system) or 14 paper copies of its filings 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) \3\. Only intervenors have the right to seek
rehearing of the Commission's decision.
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    \3\ Interventions may also be filed electronically via the
Internet in lieu of paper. See the previous discussion on filing
comments electronically.
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    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

    This notice has been sent to all known individuals, organizations, and

[[Page 1721]]

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.
    If you would like to remain on the environmental mailing list for
this proposed project, please return the Mailing List Retention Form
found in Appendix 2. If you do not comment on this project or return
this form, you will be taken off of the staff's environmental mailing list.

Additional Information

    Additional information about the proposed 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).
    To access information via the FERC Web site click on the
``eLibrary'' link then 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. The ``eLibrary'' link
provides access to the texts of formal documents issued by the
Commission, such as orders, notices, and rulemakings. For assistance
with ``eLibrary'', please contact FERC Online Support at 
FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or toll free at 1-866-208-3676, or for TTY,
contact (202) 502-8659.
    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
these documents. To learn more about eSubscription and to sign-up for
this service please go to http://www.ferc.gov/esubscribenow.htm.
    Public meetings and/or site visits along with other Project related
information will be posted on the Commission's calendar located at
http://www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/EventsList.aspx.

Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E7-445 Filed 1-12-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P

 
 

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