[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 111 (Thursday, June 8, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36433-36434]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-14399]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP00-231-000]


Southern Natural Gas Company; Notice of Intent To Prepare an 
Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Wren Compressor Station 
Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues

June 2, 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 Wren Compressor Station 
Project involving the installation and operation of compressor 
facilities by Southern Natural Gas Company (Southern) in Jefferson 
County, Georgia.\1\ 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\ Southern's application was 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 company's intent to 
install certain compressor unit facilities at an adjacent or nearby 
commercial property owned by Southern.
    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 Southern 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

    Southern wants to add one compressor unit at its existing Wrens 
Compressor Station (C.S.). The Wrens C.S. is located at about milepost 
459.87 on Southern's South Main Line System in Jefferson County, 
Georgia. The compressor unit installation is part of a provision of the 
Stipulation and Agreement filed by Southern in Docket Nos. RP990496-000 
and RP99-496-001 (Settlement). Specifically, the Settlement provides 
that Southern file an application for authorization to install a 3,500 
horsepower (hp) compressor unit at its existing Wrens Compressor 
Station.
    Currently, there is a total of 2,120 hp at the Wrens C.S. With the 
addition of the compressor unit proposed in this application, the 
compressor station would have a total of 5,620 hp. Southern also 
proposes to install certain facilities to implement noise mitigation 
measures. Southern proposes to install the additional facilities 
beginning in April 2001, with an in-service date of October 1, 2001.
    The general location of Southern's Wrens C.S. and a layout/plot 
plan of the facility are shown in appendix 1.\2\
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    \2\ The appendices referenced in this notice are not being 
printed in the Federal Register. Copies are available on the 
Commission website at the ``RIMS'' link or from the Commission's 
Public Reference and Files Maintenance Branch, 888 First Street, NE, 
Room 2A, Washington, DC 20425, or call (202) 208-1371. For 
instructions on connecting to RIMS, refer to the last page of this 
notice. Copies of the appendices were sent to all those receiving 
this notice in the mail.
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Land Requirements for Construction

    The area to be impacted by the installation is less than 0.5 acres 
in size. The additional compressor unit and other appurtenances would 
be installed using standard construction methods for compressor 
installations. The previously cleared and graded area would be 
excavated for footing, utility and piping stubs, and concrete footings. 
Flooring would be poured, and the walls erected. The building would be 
wired for electricity, and would be completed with the installation of 
the compressor unit.

The EA Process

    The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires the 
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.
    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 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 
our recommendations to the Commission.
    To ensure your comments are considered, please carefully follow the 
instructions in the public participation section below.

Currently Identified Environmental Issues

    We have already identified two issues that we think deserve 
attention based on a preliminary review of the proposed facilities and 
the environmental information provided by Southern. This preliminary 
list of issues may be

[[Page 36434]]

changed based on your comments and our analysis.
    <bullet> Impacts on local air environment as a result of the 
operation of the new compressor upgrades.
    <bullet> Impacts on four noise-sensitive areas (NSAs) located 
between 600 and 740 feet from the proposed compressor building.

Public Participation

    You can make a different 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 
[locations/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:
    <bullet> Send two copies of your letter to: David P. Boergers, 
Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First St., N.E., 
Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426.
    <bullet> Label one copy of the comments for the attention of Gas 1.
    <bullet> Reference Docket No. CP00-231-000.
    <bullet> Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, DC on or before July 3, 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 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 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'' 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 of 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. 00-14399 Filed 6-7-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M