58990 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 192 / Tuesday, October 3, 2000 / Notices

1Williams’ application was filed with the

Commission on June 21, 2000, under Section 7 of

the Natural Gas Act and Part 157 of the

Commission’s regulations.

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory

Commission

[Docket No. RP00–450–001]

Natural Gas Pipeline Company of

America; Notice of Compliance Filing

September 27, 2000.

Take notice that on September 22,

2000, Natural Gas Pipeline Company of

America (Natural) tendered for filing to

be part of its FERC Gas Tariff, Sixth

Revised Volume No. 1, Substitute

Second Revised Sheet No. 62, to be

effective September 11, 2000.

Natural states that the tariff sheet was

filed in compliance with the

Commission’s ‘‘Order Accepting Tariff

Sheets Subject to Conditions’’ issued

September 8, 2000, in Docket NO.

RP00–450–000 (Order) related to

revisions to its General Terms and

Conditions, Rate Schedules FRSS, FTS,

IBS and DSS and the pro forma service

agreement.

Natural requests any waivers of the

Commission’s Regulations to the extent

necessary to permit the tariff sheet

submitted herein to become effective

September 11, 2000, consistent with the

Order.

Natural states that copies of the filing

have been mailed to all parties set out

on the Commission’s official service list

in Docket No. RP00–450.

Any person desiring to protest said

filing should file a protest with the

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,

888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC

20426, in accordance with Section

385.211 of the Commission’s Rules and

Regulations. All such protests must be

filed in accordance with Section

154.210 of the Commission’s

Regulations. Protests will be considered

by the Commission in determining the

appropriate action to be taken, but will

not serve to make protestants parties to

the proceedings. Copies of this filing are

on file with the Commission and are

available for public inspection in the

Public Reference Room. This filing may

be viewed on the web at http://

www.ferc.fed.us/online/rims.htm (call

202–208–2222 for assistance).

Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,

Acting Secretary.

[FR Doc. 00–25312 Filed 10–2–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717–01–M

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory

Commission

[Project Nos. 2232–381, 2331–014, 2332–

021, 2503–048, 2740–041 North and South

Carolina]

Duke Energy Corporation; Notice of

Availability of Environmental

Assessment

September 27, 2000.

An environmental assessment (EA) is

available for public review. The EA

analyzes the environmental impacts of

approving Duke Energy Corporation’s

(Duke) excavation programmatic

agreement (PA) for the above five

projects located in North and South

Carolina. These projects include the

following 16 reservoirs: Lake James,

Rodhiss, Hickory, Lookout Shoals,

Norman, Mountain Island, Wylie,

Fishing Creek, Great Falls, Rocky Creek,

Wateree, Ninety-Nine Islands, Gaston

Shoals, Jocassee, Keowee and Bad

Creek.

In its PA, Duke requests authority to

grant permits to excavate up to 2,000

cubic yards (cy) of lakebottom

sediments without obtaining prior

Commission approval. Duke also asks

for authority to grant permits for

maintenance excavations involving any

amount of sediment. Maintenance

excavations are defined in the PA.

Applicants would still have to obtain all

other necessary local, state and federal

permits and many other restrictions

apply.

The EA was written by staff in the

Office of Energy Projects, Federal

Energy Regulatory Commission. In the

EA, Commission staff conclude that

approving the PA and granting Duke the

requested authority would not

constitute a major federal action

significantly affecting the quality of the

human environment. Copies of the EA

can be viewed on the web at

www.ferc.fed.us/online/rims.htm. Call

(202) 208–2222 for assistance. Copies

are also available for inspection and

reproduction at the Commission’s

Public Reference Room, located at 888

First Street, NE, Room 2A, Washington,

DC 20426, or by calling (202) 208–1371.

Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,

Acting Secretary.

[FR Doc. 00–25331 Filed 10–2–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717–01–M

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory

Commission

[Docket No. CP00–394–000]

William Gas Pipelines Central, Inc.;

Notice of Intent To Prepare an

Environmental Assessment for the

Proposed Pampa Pipeline (Line G)

Abandonment Project, and Request for

Comments on Environmental Issues

September 27, 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 abandonment of facilities proposed

in the Williams Gas Pipelines Central,

Inc. (Williams) Pampa Pipeline (Line G),

also known as the Wichita-Ottawa line,

Abandonment Project in Butler, Chase,

and Lyon Counties, Kansas.1 These

facilities consist of about 64.3 miles of

16- and 20-inch-diameter pipeline. The

EA will be used by the Commission in

its decision-making process to

determine whether the project in the

public convenience and necessity.

If you are a landowner on Williams’

existing Line G pipeline and receive this

notice, you may be contacted by a

pipeline company representative about

the proposed abandonment of facilities.

The pipeline company would seek to

negotiate a mutually acceptable

agreement in regards to additional work

space for pipe staging areas needed for

the proposed abandonment of facilities.

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 Williams provided to landowners

along the Line G route. 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).

This Notice of Intent (NOI) is being

sent to landowners of property crossed

by Williams’ Line G; Federal, state, and

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 192 / Tuesday, October 3, 2000 / Notices 58991

2 ‘‘We,’’ ‘‘us,’’ and ‘‘our’’ refer to the environment

staff of the Office of Energy Projects, part of the

Commission staff.

3The appendices referenced in this notice are not

being printed in the Federal Register. Copies are

available on the Commission’s website at the

‘‘RIMS’’ link or from the Commission’s Public

Reference and Files Maintenance Branch, 888 First

Street, NE, Room 2A, Washington, DC 20426, or call

(202) 208–1371. For instructions on connecting to

RIMS to the last page of this notice. Copies of the

appendices were sent to all those receiving this

notice in the mail.

local agencies; elected officials;

environmental and public interest

groups; Indian tribes that might attach

religious and cultural significance to

historic properties in the area of

potential effects; local libraries and

newspapers; and the Commission’s list

of parties to the proceeding. 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.

Additionally, with this NOI we 2 are

asking those Federal, state, local, and

tribal agencies with jurisdiction and/or

special expertise with respect to

environmental issues to cooperate with

us in the preparation of the EA. These

agencies may choose to participate once

they have evaluated Williams’ proposal

relative to their agencies’

responsibilities. Agencies who would

like to request cooperating status should

follow the instructions for filing

comments described below.

Summary of the Proposed Project

In an ongoing effort to eliminate old,

high maintenance pipelines on its

system, Williams is proposing to

abandon by sale for reclaim another

portion of the Pampa 20-inch pipeline

extending from El Dorado, Kansas to

Neosho Rapids, Kansas (Line G). Over

the years, the Pampa line has been the

source of thousands of leaks and high

maintenance costs, primarily at the

couplings. In view of the age of the line

and the construction techniques used, it

is anticipated that Williams would have

ongoing problem with this pipeline.

Accordingly, Williams has determined

that the best course of action is to

continue to abandon the Pampa line

when opportunity arises.

Williams proposes to abandon by sale

about 64.3 miles of its Line G, consisting

of 59.4 miles of 20-inch-diameter

pipeline and 4.9 miles of 16-inchdiameter pipeline. The purchaser

would, in turn, reclaim about 57.1 miles

of pipeline (4.5 miles of 16-inchdiameter pipeline and 52.6 miles of 20-

inch-diameter pipeline) for salvage and

would abandon in place about 7.2 miles

of pipeline (0.4 mile of 16-inch-diameter

pipeline and 6.8 miles of 20-inchdiameter pipeline).

The pipeline would be abandoned in

place at road and railroad crossings, all

waterbody and wetland crossings, and

any other environmentally sensitive

locations (e.g., residences), unless the

pipe is exposed and is causing a safety

hazard.

Due to a few landowners requesting

that the pipeline be abandoned in place

on their property, Williams is now in

the process of evaluating the amount of

pipe that might be reclaimed versus

what might be abandoned in place and

contacting a possible purchaser to

estimate a market value. Should the

results indicate that the benefits of

reclaiming the pipeline are negligible or

outweighed by abandoning the pipe in

place, then Williams shall reconsider

the current application.

The general location of Williams’

proposed facilities is shown on the map

attached as appendix 2.3

Land Requirements for Abandonment

by Removal

The current permanent right-of-way

width is 66 feet. Removal of the

proposed facilities would require about

462 acres of land, of which 5.2 acres

would be used for additional work

space needed for temporary storage of

the reclaimed pipe until it can be loaded

onto trucks and removed from the area.

Upon completion of the removal project

the current permanent right-of-way and

additional work space no longer be

required and the land would be restored

and would revert back to the landowner

and its former use.

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 NOI, 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.

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, elected officials,

affected landowners, regional public

interest groups, Indian tribes, local

newspapers and 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.

Currently Identified Environmental

Issues

The EA will discuss impacts that

could occur as a result of abandonment

of the proposed project. Landowners

requesting that the pipeline on their

property be abandoned in place has

been identified as an issue that we think

deserves attention based on a

preliminary review of the proposed

facilities and the environmental

information provided by Williams.

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, 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:

• Send original and two copies of

your letter to: David P. Boergers,

Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory

Commission, 888 First St., NE., Room

1A, Washington, DC 20426;

• Label one copy of the comments for

the attention of Environmental Gas

Group 1, PJ–11.1;

• Reference Docket No. CP00–394–

000; and

• Mail yor comments so that they will

be received in Washington, DC on or

before October 30, 2000.

[If you do not want to send comments

at this time but still want to remain on

our mailing list, please return the

Information Request (appendix 3). If you

do not return the Information Request,

you will be removed from the

environmental mailing list.]

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

58992 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 192 / Tuesday, October 3, 2000 / Notices

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 the

Commission’s Office of External Affairs

at (202) 208–0004 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.

Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,

Acting Secretary.

[FR Doc. 00–25309 Filed 10–2–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717–01–M

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory

Commission

Notice of Application for Land and

Shoreline Management Plan

September 27, 2000.

Take notice that the following

hydroelectric application has been filed

with the Commission and is available

for public inspection:

a. Application Type: Land and

Shoreline Management Plan.

b. Project No.: 1417–080.

c. Date Filed: July 28, 2000;

supplemented August 14, 2000.

d. Applicant: Central Nebraska Public

Power and Irrigation District.

e. Name of Project: Kingsley Dam

Hydroelectric Project.

f. Location: The Kingsley Dam Project

is located on the North Platte and Platte

Rivers in Keith, Lincoln, Dawson and

Gosper Counties, Nebraska.

g. Applicant Contact: Mr. Jeremiah

(Jay) L. Maher, Central Nebraska Public

Power and Irrigation District, P.O. Box

740, 415 Lincoln Street, Holdrege, NE

68949.

h. FERC Contact: Questions about this

notice can be answered by Steve

Hocking at (202) 219–2656 or e-mail

address: steve.hocking@ferc.fed.us.

Please note the Commission cannot

accept comments, recommendations,

motions to intervene or protests sent by

e-mail; these documents must be filed as

described below.

i. Deadline for filing comments,

recommendations, motions to intervene

and protests: October 30, 2000.

All documents (original and eight

copies) should be filed with: David P.

Boergers, Secretary, Federal Energy

Commission, 888 First Street, NE,

Washington, DC 20426.

The Commission’s Rules of Practice

and Procedure require all intervenors

filing documents with the Commission

to serve a copy of that document on

each person whose name appears on the

official service list for the project.

Further, if an intervenor files comments

or documents with the Commission

relating to the merits of an issue that

may affect the responsibilities of a

particular resource agency, they must

also serve a copy of the document on

that resource agency.

j. Description of the Application:

Central Nebraska Public Power and

Irrigation District (Central), licensee for

the Kingsley Dam Hydroelectric Project,

filed a Land and Shoreline Management

Plan (LSMP) for Commission approval.

Central filed the plan to satisfy the

requirements of article 421 of its license

issued July 29, 1998. The LSMP

addresses: (1) those project lands and

shorelines that are and will be reserved

for present and future wildlife, public

recreation, residential, agricultural and

other uses; (2) proposed changes in land

use; (3) the protection of least tern and

piping plover nesting sites at Lake

McConaughy; (4) the need to protect

bald eagle perch and roost sites on

project lands; (5) the need to control

aquatic vegetation and sedimentation in

project reservoirs; (6) the use of project

lands and shorelines designated for

public recreation and; (7) Central must

update the LSMP every 5 years.

k. Locations of the application: A

copy of the application is available for

inspection and reproduction at the

Commission’s Public Reference Room at

888 First Street NE, Room 2A,

Washington, DC 20426, or by calling

(202) 208–1371. The application may be

viewed on the web at http://

www.ferc.fed.us/online/rims.htm. Call

(202) 208–2222 for assistance.

Comments, Protests, or Motions to

Intervene—Anyone may submit

comments, a protest, or a motion to

intervene in accordance with the

requirements of Rules of Practice and

Procedure, 18 CFR 385.210, .211, .214.

In determining the appropriate action to

take, the Commission will consider all

protests or other comments filed, but

only those who file a motion to

intervene in accordance with the

Commission’s Rules may become a

party to the proceeding. Any comments,

protests, or motions to intervene must

be received on or before the specified

comment date for the particular

application.

Filing and Service of Responsive

Documents—Any filings must bear in

all capital letters the title

‘‘COMMENTS,’’

‘‘RECOMMENDATIONS FOR TERMS

AND CONDITIONS,’’ ‘‘PROTEST,’’ or

‘‘MOTION TO INTERVENE,’’ as

applicable, and the Project Number (P–

1417–080) of the particular application

to which the filing refers. Any of the

above-named documents must be filed

by providing the original and the

number of copies provided by the

Commission’s regulations to: The

Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory

Commission, 888 First Street, NE,

Washington, DC 20426. A copy of any

motion to intervene must also be served

upon each representative of the

Applicant specified in the particular

application.

Agency Comments—Federal, state,

and local agencies are invited to file

comments on the described application.

A copy of the application may be

obtained by agencies directly from the

applicant. If an agency does not file

comments within the time specified for

filing comments, it will be presumed to

have no comments. One copy of an

agency’s comments must also be sent to

the Applicant’s representatives.

Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,

Acting Secretary.

[FR Doc. 00–25311 Filed 10–2–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717–01–M