Subject: Northwest Pipeline Corporation; Notice of Availability
[Federal Register: June 11, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 112)]
[Notices]
[Page 39969-39970]
>From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr11jn02-65]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP01-438-000]
Northwest Pipeline Corporation; Notice of Availability of the
Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Rockies Expansion Project
June 5, 2002.
The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) has prepared an environmental assessment (EA) on the
natural gas pipeline facilities proposed by Northwest Pipeline
Corporation (Northwest) in the above-referenced docket.
The EA was prepared to satisfy the requirements of the National
Environmental Policy Act. The staff concludes that approval of the
proposed project (``Rockies Expansion Project''), with appropriate
mitigating measures as recommended, would not constitute a major
Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human
environment. The EA evaluates alternatives to the proposal, including
system alternatives, route alternatives, and route variations.
The EA assesses the potential environmental effects of the
construction and operation of the proposed facilities in Wyoming and
Idaho. The purpose of the Rockies Expansion Project is to allow
Northwest to expand its physical north flow capacity by constructing
and operating six loops totaling about 91.1 miles as follows:
Muddy Creek Loop: 30.6 miles of 30-inch-diameter pipeline
in Sweetwater and Lincoln Counties, Wyoming;
Kemmerer Loop: 15.5 miles of 30-inch-diameter pipeline in
Lincoln County;
Pegram Loop: 11.2 miles of 24-inch-diameter pipeline in
Lincoln County;
Soda Springs Loop: 19.6 miles of 24-inch-diameter pipeline
in Bear Lake County, Idaho;
Lava Loop: 9.4 miles of 24-inch-diameter pipeline in
Caribou County, Idaho; and
Pocatello Loop: 4.8 miles of 24-inch-diameter pipeline in
Bannock County, Idaho.
Northwest also proposes to uprate or otherwise modify seven of its
existing compressor stations as follows:
Green River Compressor Station: compressor uprating of 970
horsepower (hp);
Muddy Creek Compressor Station: compressor uprating of
2,117 hp;
Pegram Compressor Station: compressor reconfiguration with
no change in horsepower;
Lava Compressor Station: compressor uprating and
installation of a new compressor to increase 5,077 hp;
Pocatello Compressor Station: compressor reconfiguration
with no change in horsepower;
Burley Compressor Station: replacement of three
compressors with two new units to increase 9,400 hp, and installation
of two portable units to augment compression by 2,660 hp when needed;
and
Buhl Compressor Station: compressor reconfiguration and
installation of a new compressor to increase 4,700 hp.
The EA has been placed in the public files of the FERC. A limited
number of copies of the EA are available for distribution and public
inspection at: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Public Reference
and Files Maintenance Branch, 888 First Street NE., Room 2A,
Washington, DC 20426, (202) 208-1371.
Copies of the EA have been mailed to Federal, state, and local
agencies; public interest groups; interested individuals; newspapers;
libraries; and parties to this proceeding.
Any person wishing to comment on the EA may do so. To ensure
consideration prior to a Commission decision on the proposal, it is
important that we receive your comments before the date specified
below. Please follow these instructions carefully to ensure that your
comments are received in time and properly recorded:
Send an original and two copies of your comments to:
Magalie R. Salas, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888
First Street NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426;
Label one copy of the comments for the attention of Gas
Branch 1, PJ-11.1;
Reference Docket No. CP01-438-000; and
Mail your comments so that they will be received in
Washington, DC on or before July 5, 2002.
Comments may also be filed electronically via the internet in lieu
of paper. 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 by clicking on
``Login to File'' and then ``New User Account.''
Comments will be considered by the Commission but will not serve to
make the commentor a party to the proceeding. Any person seeking to be
a party to the proceeding must file a motion to intervene pursuant to
Rule 214 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedures (18 CFR
385.214) \1\. Only intervenors have the right to seek rehearing of the
Commission's decision.
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\1\ 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 comments considered.
Additional information about the proposed project is available from
the Commission's Office of External Affairs at (202) 208-1088 (direct
line) or you can call the FERC operator at 1-800-847-8885 and ask for
External Affairs. Information is also available on the FERC website
(www.ferc.gov) using the ``RIMS'' link \2\ to information in this
docket number. Click on the ``RIMS'' link, select ``Docket ''
from the RIMS Menu, and follow the instructions. For assistance with
access to RIMS, the RIMS helpline can be reached at (202) 208-2222.
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\2\ The Commission is in the process of replacing RIMS and CIPS
with the Federal Energy Regulatory Records Information System
(FERRIS). If RIMS or CIPS cannot be found at the identified
Commission web sites, FERRIS can be used to access information.
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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
[[Page 39970]]
CIPS menu, and follow the instructions. For assistance with access to
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CIPS, the CIPS helpline can be reached at (202) 208-2222.
Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 02-14601 Filed 6-10-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P