[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 110 (Wednesday, June 7, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36128-36129]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-14229]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP00-129-000; Docket No. CP00-132-000]


Horizon Pipeline Company, L.L.C. and Natural Gas Pipeline Company 
of America; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for 
the Proposed Horizon Project and Request for Comments on Environmental 
Issues

June 1, 2000.
    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 Horizon Project involving 
construction and operation of facilities by Horizon Pipeline Company, 
L.L.C. (Horizon) and Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America (Natural) 
in Cook, DuPage, Kane, McHenry, and Will counties, Illinois.\1\ These 
facilities would consist of approximately 71 miles of various diameter 
pipeline, a new compressor station, modification to an existing 
compressor station, meter stations, taps, and values. This EA will be 
used by the Commission in its decision-making process to determine 
whether the project is in the public convenience and necessity.
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    \1\ Horizon and Natural's application were filed with the 
Commission under Section 7 of the Natural Gas Act and Part 157 of 
the Commission's regulations.
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    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. 
The pipeline company 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 agreement, the pipeline 
company could initiate condemnation proceedings in accordance with 
state law.
    A fact sheet prepared by the FERC entitled ``An Interstate Natural 
Gas Facility On My Land? What Do I Need To Know?'' was attached to the 
project notice the applicants provided to landowners. 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. 
It is available for viewing on the FERC Internet website 
(www.ferc.fed.us).

Summary of the Proposed Project

[Docket No. CP00-129-000]

    Horizon does not currently own any pipeline facilities and is not 
engaged in any natural gas transportation operations. Upon approval of 
the subject applications, Horizon would become a new interstate 
pipeline company subject to Commission jurisdiction under the Natural 
Gas Act. Horizon proposes to provide 380 thousand dekatherms per day 
(Mdth/d) of gas transportation service to customers in northern 
Illinois. The Horizon Project would consist of 71 miles of pipeline 
from near Joliet, Illinois to near McHenry, Illinois. Approximately 29 
miles would be new construction with the remaining 42 miles consisting 
of leased capacity along an existing Natural pipeline. Specifically, 
Horizon proposes to acquire, construct, and operate:
    <bullet> 29 miles of new 36-inch-diameter pipeline in DuPage, Cook, 
Kane, and McHenry Counties, Illinois;
    <bullet> Miscellaneous meter stations, taps, and values along the 
new 36-inch-diameter pipeline;
    <bullet> 380 MDth/d of leased capacity along 42 miles of existing 
Natural pipeline in Will and DuPage Counties, Illinois; and
    <bullet> 8,900 horsepower new compressor station adjacent to 
Natural's Compressor Station 113 in Will County, Illinois.

[Docket No. CP00-132-000]

    Natural proposes to abandon 42 miles of leased capacity on its 
existing system to Horizon. The leased capacity would run from 
Natural's Gulf Cost mainline interconnect with Alliance Pipeline L.P. 
to an interconnect with the proposed Horizon pipeline. The capacity 
lease would require Natural to construct new facilities and to 
rearrange existing facilities. Specifically, Natural proposes to:
    <bullet> Abandon by lease 380 MDth/d of capacity to Horizon;
    <bullet> Increase the total horsepower of its existing Compressor 
Station 113 by 3,690 horsepower;
    <bullet> Modify the Streamwood Meter Station; and
    <bullet> Construct taps at the interconnects with the new Horizon 
pipeline in DuPage and McHenry Counties, Illinois.
    The locations of all proposed facilities are shown in appendix 1.

Land Requirements for Construction

    Construction of the proposed facilities would require about 424 
acres of land. Following construction, approximately 139 acres would be 
maintained as new pipeline right-of-way and about 7 acres would be 
maintained as new aboveground facility sites. The remaining 278 acres 
of land would be restored and allowed to prevent to the former use.

The EA Process

    The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires that 
Commission to take into account the environmental impacts that could 
result from an action whenever it considers the issuance of a 
Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity. NEPA also requires us 
to discover and address concerns the public may have about proposals. 
We call this ``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, the Commission requests public comments on the 
scope of the issues it will address in the EA. All comments received 
are considered during the preparation of the EA. State and local 
government representatives are encouraged to notify their constituents 
of this proposed action and encourage them to comment on their areas of 
concern.
    The EA will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of the 
construction and operation of the proposed project under these general 
headings:
    <bullet> Geology and soils;
    <bullet> Water resources, fisheries, and wetlands;
    <bullet> Vegetation and wildlife;
    <bullet> Endangered and threatened species;
    <bullet> Land use;
    <bullet> Cultural Resources;
    <bullet> Air quality and noise; and
    <bullet> 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.
    Our independent analysis of the issues will be in the EA. Depending 
on the comments received during the scoping process, the EA may be 
published and mailed to Federal, state, and local agencies, public 
interest groups, interested individuals, affected

[[Page 36129]]

landowners, newspapers, libraries, and the Commission's official 
service list for this proceeding. A comment period will be allotted for 
review if the EA is published. We will consider all comments on the EA 
before we make or our recommendations to the Commission.
    To ensure your comments are considered, please carefully follow the 
instructions in the public participation section beginning on page 4.

Currently Identified Environmental Issues

    We have already identified several issues that we think deserve 
attention based on a preliminary review of the proposed facilities and 
the environmental information provided by Horizon. This preliminary 
list of issues may be changed based on your comments and our analysis.
    <bullet> The project would be cross 10 perennial streams, 24 acres 
of wetlands, and 22 acres of forest.
    <bullet> Federally listed endangered or threatened species, such as 
the prairie bush clover and the eastern prairie fringed orchid, may 
occur in the proposed project area.
    <bullet> The project would cross public lands and other designated 
areas, such as the Pratts Wayne Woods County Forest Preserve, the 
Stickney Run Conservation Area, and the Bates Fen Nature Preserve, in 
DuPage and McHenry Counties.

Public Participation

    You can make a difference by providing us with your specific 
comments or concerns about the project. By becoming a commentor, your 
concerns will be addressed in the EA and considered by the Commission. 
You should focus on the potential environmental effects of the 
proposal, alternatives to the proposal (including alternative routes, 
and measure 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:
    <bullet> Send two copies of your letter to: David P. Boergers, 
Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First St., NE, 
Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426.
    <bullet> Label one copy of the comments for the attention of Gas 1.
    <bullet> Reference Docket Nos. CP00-129-000 & CP00-132-000.
    <bullet> Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, DC on or before June 30, 2000.

Becoming an Intervenor

    In addition to involvement 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 provide 14 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) (see appendix 2). 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 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.
    Additional information about the proposed project is available from 
Mr. Paul McKee of the Commission's Office of External Affairs at (202) 
208-1088 or on the FERC website (www.ferc.fed.us) using the ``RIMS'' 
link 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.
    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 CIPS menu, and 
follow the instructions. For assistance with access to CIPS, the CIPS 
helpline can be reached at (202) 208-2474.

David P. Boergers,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 00-14229 Filed 6-6-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M