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 draft 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 draft 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 we 

recommend in the draft 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 draft 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 draft EIS addresses the potential environmental effects of the construction and 

operation of the following project facilities: 

 approximately 28 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 draft 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 draft 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; intervenors to 

the FERC’s 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 -

Route Variations Recommended by FERC in the Draft EIS

Some landowners are receiving the draft EIS because their property has been 

identified as potentially being affected by the Mueller Park or Salt Lake III Route 

Variations recommended by FERC staff to avoid or lessen environmental impacts along 

Kern River’s proposed pipeline route. Refer to sections 3.5.6 and 3.5.7 of the draft EIS 

for discussions of the Mueller Park and Salt Lake III Route Variations, respectively. The 

Commission staff wants to ensure that all potentially affected landowners have the 

opportunity to participate in the environmental review process. Therefore, staff is 

soliciting comments to assist with the environmental analysis of these route variations, 

which will be presented in the final EIS. 

Comment Procedures and Public Meetings

 Any person wishing to comment on the draft EIS may do so. To ensure 

consideration of your comments on the proposal in the final EIS, it is important that the 

Commission receive your comments before May 17, 2010. 

 For your convenience, there are four methods you can use to submit your 

comments to the Commission. In all instances, please reference the project docket 

number (CP10-14-000) with your submission. The Commission encourages electronic 

filing of comments and has dedicated eFiling expert staff available to assist you at (202) 

502-8258 or efiling@ferc.gov. Please carefully follow these instructions so that your 

comments are properly recorded. 

1) You may file your comments electronically by using the Quick Comment

feature, which is located on the Commission’s website at www.ferc.gov

under the link to Documents and Filings. A Quick Comment is an easy 

method for interested persons to submit text-only comments on a project; 

2) You may file your comments electronically by using the eFiling feature, 

which is located on the Commission’s website at www.ferc.gov under the 

link to Documents and Filings. eFiling involves preparing your submission 

in the same manner as you would if filing on paper, and then saving the file 

on your computer’s hard drive. You will attach that file as your 

submission. New eFiling users must first create an account by clicking on 

“Sign up” or “eRegister.” You will be asked to select the type of filing you 

are making. A comment on a particular project is considered a “Comment 

on a Filing;” 
Docket No. CP10-14-000 - 4 -

3) You may file a paper copy of your comments at the following address: 

Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary 

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 

888 First Street, NE, Room 1A 

Washington, DC 20426 

4) In lieu of sending written or electronic comments, the Commission invites 

you to attend one of the public comment meetings its staff will conduct in 

the project area to receive comments on the draft EIS. Interested groups 

and individuals are encouraged to attend and present oral comments on the 

draft EIS. Transcripts of the meetings will be prepared. All meetings will 

begin at 7:00 p.m., and are scheduled as follows: 

Date Location 

Tuesday, April 27, 2010 

Millcreek Junior High School 

245 East 1000 South 

Bountiful, UT 84010 

801-402-6200 

Wednesday, April 28, 2010 

Morgan County Courthouse 

Auditorium 

48 West Young Street 

Morgan, UT 84050 

801-845-4027 

 Although your comments will be considered by the Commission, simply filing 

comments will not serve to make the commentor a party to the proceeding. Any person 

seeking to become 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 Part 385.214).3

 

Only intervenors have the right to seek rehearing of the Commission’s decision. 

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 

 

3

 Interventions may also be filed electronically via the Internet in lieu of paper. See the 

previous discussion on filing comments electronically. 
Docket No. CP10-14-000 - 5 -

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. 

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., CP10-14-000). 

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