FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20426

OFFICE OF ENERGY PROJECTS In Reply Refer To: 

 OEP/DG2E/Gas 1 

Kern River Gas Transmission 

Company 

 Apex Expansion Project 

 Docket No. CP10-14-000 

TO THE PARTY ADDRESSED: 

The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or Commission) 

has prepared a final environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Apex Expansion 

Project proposed by Kern River Gas Transmission Company (Kern River) in the abovereferenced docket. Kern River requests authorization to expand its natural gas pipeline 

system in Wyoming, Utah, and Nevada, to transport an additional 266 million cubic feet 

per day of natural gas from existing receipt points in southwestern Wyoming, to existing 

delivery connections in southern Nevada. 

The final EIS assesses the potential environmental effects of the construction and 

operation of the Apex Expansion Project in accordance with the requirements of the 

National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). The FERC staff concludes that 

approval of the proposed project would have some adverse environmental impact; 

however, these impacts would be reduced to less-than-significant levels with the 

implementation of Kern River’s proposed mitigation and the additional measures 

recommended in the final EIS. 

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the Forest Service (USFS), and the 

Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) participated as cooperating agencies in the 

preparation of the EIS. Cooperating agencies have jurisdiction by law or special 

expertise with respect to resources potentially affected by the proposal and participate in 

the NEPA analysis. The cooperating agencies will adopt and use the EIS to consider the 

issuance of right-of-way grants on federally administered lands. While the conclusions 

and recommendations presented in the final EIS were developed with input from the 

cooperating agencies, the agencies will present their own conclusions and 

recommendations in their respective Records of Decision for the project. 
Docket No. CP10-14-000 - 2 -

The final EIS addresses the potential environmental effects of the construction and 

operation of the following project facilities: 

 approximately 27.6 miles of 36-inch-diameter natural gas pipeline loop1

extending southwest in Utah from Morgan County, through Davis to Salt 

Lake County; 

 one new 30,000-horsepower compressor station (known as the Milford 

Compressor Station) in Beaver County, Utah; 

 modifications to four existing compressor stations to add additional 

compression: the Coyote Creek Compressor Station located in Uinta 

County, Wyoming; the Elberta Compressor Station located in Utah County, 

Utah; the Fillmore Compressor Station located in Millard County, Utah; 

and the Dry Lake Compressor Station located in Clark County, Nevada; 

 six mainline valves; and 

 three pig2

 launcher and two pig receiver facilities. 

The final EIS has been placed in the public files of the FERC and is available for 

public viewing on the FERC’s website at www.ferc.gov. A limited number of copies are 

available for distribution and public inspection at: 

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 

Public Reference Room 

888 First Street, NE, Room 2A 

Washington, DC 20426 

(202) 502-8371 

Copies of the EIS have been mailed to federal, state, and local government 

representatives and agencies; elected officials; environmental and public interest groups; 

Native American tribes; local newspapers and libraries in the project area; parties to this 

proceeding; and potentially affected landowners and other interested individuals and 

groups. Paper copy versions of this EIS were mailed to those specifically requesting 

them; all others received a CD version. 

 

1

 A loop is a segment of pipe that is usually installed adjacent to an existing pipeline 

and connected to it at both ends. The loop allows more gas to be moved through the 

system. 

2

 A pig is an internal tool that can be used to clean and dry a pipeline and/or to inspect 

it for damage or corrosion. 
Docket No. CP10-14-000 - 3 -

Questions?

Additional information about the project is available from the Commission’s 

Office of External Affairs, at (866) 208-FERC or on the FERC (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 (i.e., CP10-14). Be 

sure you have selected an appropriate date range. For assistance, please contact FERC 

Online Support at FercOnline Support@ferc.gov or toll free at (866) 208-3676; 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 offers a free service called eSubscription that 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 www.ferc.gov/esubscribenow.htm. 

Kimberly D. Bose 

 Secretary