3106 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 13 / Wednesday, January 21, 1998 / Notices

Comment date: February 13, 1998, in

accordance with Standard Paragraph E

at the end of this notice.

2. Metropolitan Edison Company

[Docket No. DR98–27–000]

Take notice that on December 29,

1997, Metropolitan Edison Company,

filed a request for approval of changes

in depreciation rates made on or after

April 19, 1994 and prior to December

22, 1997, for accounting purposes only

pursuant to Section 302 of the Federal

Power Act. The proposed changes were

approved for retail purposes by the

Pennsylvania Public Utility

Commission.

Comment date: February 13, 1998, in

accordance with Standard Paragraph E

at the end of this notice.

3. Pennsylvania Electric Company

[Docket No. DR98–29–000]

Take notice that on December 29,

1997, Pennsylvania Electric Company,

filed a request for approval of changes

in depreciation rates made on or after

April 19, 1994 and prior to December

22, 1997, for accounting purposes only

pursuant to Section 302 of the Federal

Power Act. The proposed changes were

approved for retail purposes by the

Pennsylvania Public Utility

Commission.

Comment date: February 13, 1998, in

accordance with Standard Paragraph E

at the end of this notice.

4. Wisconsin Power & Light Company

[Docket No. DR98–30–000]

Take notice that on December 29,

1997, Wisconsin Power & Light

Company, filed a request for approval of

changes in depreciation rates made on

or after April 19, 1994 and prior to

December 19, 1997, for accounting

purposes only pursuant to Section 302

of the Federal Power Act. The proposed

changes were approved for retail

purposes by the Public Service

Commission of Wisconsin.

Comment date: February 13, 1998, in

accordance with Standard Paragraph E

at the end of this notice.

5. MidAmerican Energy Company

[Docket No. ER97–4466–001]

Take notice that on December 12,

1997, MidAmerican Energy Company

tendered for filing its compliance filing

in the above-referenced docket.

Comment date: January 28, 1998, in

accordance with Standard Paragraph E

at the end of this notice.

6. Wisconsin Electric Power Company

[Docket No. ER98–1177–000]

Take notice that Wisconsin Electric

Power Company (Wisconsin Electric) on

December 24, 1997, tendered for filing

an electric service agreement under its

Coordination Sales Tariff (FERC Electric

Tariff, Original Volume No. 2).

Wisconsin Electric respectfully requests

an effective date January 2, 1998.

Wisconsin Electric is authorized to state

that Tenaska Power Services Company

joins in the requested effective date.

Copies of the filing have been served

on Tenaska Power Services Company,

the Michigan Public Service

Commission, and the Public Service

Commission of Wisconsin.

Comment date: January 28, 1998, in

accordance with Standard Paragraph E

at the end of this notice.

7. Southern California Edison Company

[Docket No. ER98–1261–000]

Take notice that on December 31,

1997, Southern California Edison

Company (Edison) tendered for filing a

Surcharge to the Transmission Access

Charges for retail customers.

Copies of this filing were served upon

the Public Utilities Commission of the

State of California and all interested

parties.

Comment date: January 30, 1998, in

accordance with Standard Paragraph E

at the end of this notice.

8. California Independent System

Corporation

[Docket No. ER98–1309–000]

Take notice that on December 30,

1997, the California Independent

System Corporation (ISO), tendered for

filing a Participating Generator

Agreement executed by the ISO and

Texaco Exploration and Production Inc.,

for approval by the Commission.

The ISO states that this filing has been

served on all parties listed on the

official service list in the above

referenced dockets, including the

California Public Service Commission.

Comment date: January 30, 1998, in

accordance with Standard Paragraph E

at the end of this notice.

9. California Independent System

Corporation

[Docket No. ER98–1310–000]

On December 30, 1997, the California

Independent System Corporation (ISO),

tendered for filing a Participating

Generator Agreement executed by the

ISO and El Segundo Power, LLC for

approval by the Commission.

The ISO states that this filing has been

served on all parties listed on the

official service list in the above

referenced dockets, including the

California Public Service Commission.

Comment date: January 30, 1998, in

accordance with Standard Paragraph E

at the end of this notice.

Standard Paragraph

E. Any person desiring to be heard or

to protest said filing should file a

motion to intervene or protest with the

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,

888 First Street, N.E., Washington, D.C.

20426, in accordance with Rules 211

and 214 of the Commission’s Rules of

Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.211

and 18 CFR 385.214). All such motions

or protests should be filed on or before

the comment date. 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 proceeding.

Any person wishing to become a party

must file a motion to intervene. Copies

of this filing are on file with the

Commission and are available for public

inspection.

David P. Boergers,

Acting Secretary.

[FR Doc. 98–1338 Filed 1–20–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory

Commission

[Docket Nos. CP97–168–000 and CP97–169–

000]

Alliance Pipeline L.P.; Notice of Public

Meetings on the Draft Environmental

Impact Statement for the Proposed

Alliance Pipeline Project

January 14, 1998.

The Office of Pipeline Regulation’s

environmental staff will conduct public

meetings to receive comments on the

Alliance Pipeline Project Draft

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).

All of the meetings will begin promptly

at 7:00 p.m. The dates and locations of

the meetings are:

• Monday, February 2, 1998: Valley

City High School Cafeteria, 460 Central

Avenue West, Valley City, ND, (701)

845–0483.

• Tuesday, February 3, 1998:

Kennedy School Auditorium, 824

Seventh Street, Willmar, MN, (320) 231–

8490.

• Wednesday, February 4, 1998: New

Hampton Community Center, 112 East

Spring Street, New Hampton, IA, (515)

394–5464.

• Thursday, February 5, 1998:

Mendota Civic Center, 1901 Tom

Merwin Drive, Mendota, IL, (815) 539–

3411.

Interested groups and individuals are

encouraged to attend and present oral

comments on the environmental impact

described in the draft EIS. Transcripts of
Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 13 / Wednesday, January 21, 1998 / Notices 3107

1 Vector Pipeline L.P.’s applications in Docket

Nos. CP98–131–000 and CP98–133–000 were filed

with the Commission under Section 3 of the Natural

Gas Act and part 153 of the Commission’s

regulations and under Section 7 of the Natural Gas

Act and Part 157 of the Commission’s regulations,

respectively.

2The appendices referenced in this notice are not

being printed in the Federal Register. Copies are

available from the Commission’s Public Reference

and Files Maintenance Branch, 888 First Street, NE,

Room 2A, Washington DC 20426, or call (202) 208–

1371. Copies of the appendices were sent to all

those receiving this notice in the mail.

the meetings will be prepared. For

further information, contact Paul McKee

in the Commission’s Office of External

Affairs, at (202) 208–1088.

Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,

Acting Secretary.

[FR Doc. 98–1337 Filed 1–20–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717–01–M

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory

Commission

[Docket No. CP98–131–000 and CP98–133–

000]

Vector Pipeline L.P.; Notice of Intent

To Prepare an Environmental Impact

Statement for the Proposed Vector

Pipeline Project and Request for

Comments on Environmental Issues,

and Notice of Public Scoping Meetings

and Site Visit

January 14, 1998.

The staff of the Federal Energy

Regulatory Commission (FERC or

Commission) will prepare an

environmental impact statement (EIS)

that will discuss the environmental

impacts of the construction and

operation of the facilities proposed in

the Vector Pipeline Project.1 This EIS

will be used by the Commission in its

decision-making process to determine

whether the project is in the public

convenience and necessity.

Additionally, with this notice we are

asking a number of Federal Agencies

(see appendix 2) with jurisdiction and/

or special expertise with respect to

environmental issues to cooperate with

us in the preparation of the EIS. These

agencies may choose to participate once

they have evaluated the proposal

relative to their agencies’

responsibilities.2

Summary of the Proposed Project

Vector Pipeline L.P. (Vector) proposes

to build new natural gas pipeline and

compression facilities to transport 1.0

billion cubic feet per day of natural gas

from Joliet, Illinois to St. Clair,

Michigan. Accessing natural gas

supplies from the Chicago area, the

Vector Pipeline Project would deliver

gas volumes within Michigan and to

Vector Pipeline Limited Partnership

(Vector Canada) at the U.S./Canada

border facility.

Vector requests Commission

authorization, in Docket No. CP98–133–

000, to construct, lease, and operate the

following facilities:

• Construct 265.9 miles of 42-inch

diameter pipeline in Illinois, Indiana,

and Michigan extending from Joliet,

Illinois in Will County to Oakland

County, Michigan (Segment 1). About

33 miles would be in Illinois, 67.7 miles

would be in Indiana, and 165.2 miles

would be in Michigan;

• Lease of 58.8 miles of an existing

36-inch-diameter pipeline in Michigan

from Oakland County to St. Clair

County (Segment 2);

• Construct 3.7 miles of 42-inchdiameter pipeline in St. Clair County,

Michigan terminating at the border of

the United States (U.S.) and Canada

near St. Clair, Michigan (Segment 3);

• Construct five new meter/regulating

stations including two in Will County,

Illinois, one in Livingston County,

Michigan, one in Oakland County,

Michigan, and one in St. Clair County,

Michigan;

• Construct two compressor stations

each with 30,000 horsepower of

compression in LaPorte County,

Indiana, and Oakland County,

Michigan; and

• Construct associated pipeline

facilities, including 21 new mainline

valves, 3 pig launchers, 2 pig receivers,

and permanent access roads.

The general location of Vector’s

proposed project facilities is shown in

appendix 1. If you are interested in

obtaining procedural information,

please write to the Secretary of the

Commission.

In addition, Vector requests in Docket

No. CP98–131–000 a Presidential Permit

to construct, operate, and maintain

facilities at the International Border

between the U.S. and Canada near St.

Clair, Michigan. Vector’s pipeline

would terminate at the point of

interconnection with the Canadian

facilities of Vector Canada.

Land Requirements for Construction

The Vector Pipeline Project would

include 58.8 miles of leased existing

pipeline. Vector would construct about

253.4 miles (94 percent) of the new

pipeline parallel to various existing

utility rights-of-way. Only 15.1 miles (6

percent) of the route would be

constructed on newly created right-ofway that does not parallel existing

rights-of-way. Where possible, Vector’s

right-of-way would overlap the existing

rights-of-way as much as 50 feet during

construction to minimize impacts.

Vector’s pipeline would deviate from

the existing rights-of-way in selected

locations to avoid impact on homes and

existing utility structures (meter

stations, etc.). The pipeline would also

deviate from the existing rights-of-way

in selected locations to improve

waterbody crossings and for other

environmental or engineering reasons.

Construction of the Vector Pipeline

Project would affect a total of about

3,581.9 acres of land including extra

workspace and aboveground facilities.

Of this total, about 3,268.1 acres would

be disturbed by the construction rightsof-way, 270.9 acres would be disturbed

by extra workspace, and 42.9 acres

would be disturbed by the aboveground

facilities and access roads. All these

acreage figures are subject to change.

Vector would generally use a right-ofway width of 100 feet for construction.

The Vector Pipeline Project would also

require extra temporary work areas for

waterbody, highway, and railroad

crossing; for additional topsoil storage;

and for pipe storage and equipment

yards. Following construction and

restoration of the right-of-way and

temporary work spaces, Vector would

retain a 30- to 50-foot-wide permanent

pipeline right-of-way depending on

whether the pipeline is adjacent to other

utilities or on new right-of-way. Total

land requirements for the permanent

right-of-way would be about 1,185.4

acres. The project would also require an

additional 22.1 acres for the operation of

the new aboveground facilities and 0.9

acres for the operation of permanent

access roads. Vector would restore the

remaining 2,373.5 acres of land affected

by construction of the project and allow

these areas to revert to their former use.

The EIS 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 EIS 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 EIS. All comments

received are considered during the

preparation of the EIS. State and local

government representatives are

encouraged to notify their constituents