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MarkWest Pioneer, L.L.C.; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Arkoma Connector Pipeline Project; and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues

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[Federal Register: January 28, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 18)]
[Notices]
[Page 4858-4860]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr28ja08-49]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. PF08-2-000]

MarkWest Pioneer, L.L.C.; Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Arkoma Connector Pipeline
Project; and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues

January 18, 2008.
    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 proposed Arkoma Connector
Pipeline Project which involves the construction and operation of
natural gas pipeline facilities in Coal, Atoka, and Bryan Counties,
Oklahoma. This notice announces the opening of the scoping period that
will be used to gather environmental input from the public and
interested agencies on the project. Your input will help the Commission
staff determine which issues need to be evaluated in the EA. Please
note that the scoping period will close on February 20, 2008.
    Comments may be submitted in written form or verbally. Further
details on how to submit written comments are provided in the Public
Participation portion of this notice.
    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.
MarkWest Pioneer, L.L.C. (MarkWest) 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

[[Page 4859]]

agreement, MarkWest could initiate condemnation proceedings in
accordance with state law.
    This notice is being sent to affected landowners; federal, state,
and local government representatives and agencies; elected officials;
Native American tribes; other interested parties; and local libraries
and newspapers. State and local government representatives are asked to
notify their constituents of this proposed project and to encourage
them to comment on their areas of concern.
    A fact sheet prepared by the FERC entitled ``An Interstate Natural
Gas Facility On My Land? What Do I Need To Know?'' 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

    MarkWest seeks authorization to construct new pipeline facilities
in Coal, Atoka, and Bryan Counties, Oklahoma. The Arkoma Connector
Pipeline Project would consist of about 50 miles of 24-inch-diameter
pipeline, a 10,000-horsepower compressor station and associated
facilities, and two meter stations. The pipeline project would be
designed to deliver a peak day capacity of 300,000 to 350,000
decatherms of natural gas from producers in the Arkoma Basin area of
southeastern Oklahoma to the Midcontinent Express Pipeline that is
currently proposed under Docket No. CP08-6-000. The general location of
the proposed project facilities is shown in Appendix 1.\1\
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    \1\ The appendices referenced in this notice are not being
printed in the Federal Register. Copies of all appendices 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. Requests for detailed maps of the proposed facilities
should be made directly to MarkWest.
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Land Requirements for Construction

    Construction of the proposed project would affect a total of about
629 acres. Following construction, about 319 acres would be allowed to
revert to its previous conditions. Disturbance associated with
aboveground facilities would permanently impact approximately 10 acres
of land. The compressor station would require about 8 acres and the two
meter stations would each require about 1 acre of disturbance. MarkWest
would seek a 90-foot-wide construction right-of-way for the pipeline,
and would maintain a 50-foot-wide permanent right-of-way for operation
of the pipeline.

The EA Process

    We \2\ are preparing this EA to comply with the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) which requires the Commission to take
into account the environmental impact that could result if it
authorizes MarkWest's proposal. By this notice, we are also asking
federal, state, and local agencies with jurisdiction and/or special
expertise with respect to environmental issues to formally cooperate
with us in the preparation of the EA. Agencies that would like to
request cooperating status should follow the instructions for filing
comments provided below.
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    \2\ ``We,'' ``us,'' and ``our'' refer to the environmental staff
of the FERC's Office of Energy Projects.
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    NEPA also requires the FERC 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, we are requesting public comments on the scope of the
issues to address in the EA. All comments received will be considered
during the preparation of the EA.
    In the EA we 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.
    • Land use.
    • Water resources, fisheries, and wetlands.
    • Cultural resources.
    • Vegetation and wildlife.
    • Air quality and noise.
    • Endangered and threatened species.
    • 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.
    Although no formal application has been filed, the FERC staff has
already initiated its NEPA review under its Pre-filing Process. The
purpose of the Pre-filing Process is to encourage the early involvement
of interested stakeholders and to identify and resolve issues before an
application is filed with the FERC.

Public Participation

    You can make a difference by providing us with your specific
comments or concerns about the project. By filing comments, your
concerns will be addressed in the EA and considered by the Commission.
You should focus on the potential environmental effects of the
proposal, reasonable alternatives to the proposal including alternative
locations and 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 an original and two copies of your letter to:
Kimberly D. Bose, 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 3.
    • Reference Docket No. PF08-2-000.
    • Mail your comments so that they will be received in
Washington, DC, on or before February 20, 2008.
    The Commission encourages electronic filing of comments. See Title
18 Code of Federal Regulations, section 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. Prepare your
submission in the same manner as you would if filing on paper and save
it to a file on your hard drive. Before you can file comments you will
need to create an account by clicking on ``Login to File'' and then
``New User Account.'' You will be asked to select the type of filing
you are making. This filing is considered a ``Comment on Filing.''
    We might mail the EA for comment. If you are interested in
receiving it, please return the Information Request (Appendix 3). If
you do not return the Information Request, you will be taken off the
mailing list.

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.

[[Page 4860]]

    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.

Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E8-1419 Filed 1-25-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P

 
 

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