[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 14 (Thursday, January 22, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3321-3322]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-1453]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP98-167-000]


PG&E Gas Transmission, Northwest Corporation; Notice of Intent To 
Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed PG&E Gas 
Transmission, Northwest Corporation's 1998 Expansion Project and 
Request for Comments on Environmental Issues and Notice of Site Visit

January 15, 1998.
    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 construction, installation and 
operation of three new compressor units at three of its existing 
compressor stations proposed in the PG&E Gas Transmission, Northwest 
Corporation's 1998 Expansion Project.\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\ PG&E Gas Transmission, Northwest Corporation'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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Summary of the Proposed Project

    PG&E Gas Transmission, Northwest Corporation (PG&E), formerly 
Pacific Gas Transmission Company, proposes to expand the capacity of 
its facilities in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. PG&E states that the 
proposed compression upgrades would allow PG&E to transport between 
Kingsgate, British Columbia and Stanfield, Oregon up to an additional 
56,000 dekatherms per day on an annual basis. PG&E seeks to increase 
the total horsepower (hp) at three of its existing compressor stations:
    <bullet> 3,100 hp increase at Station 4, located at milepost (MP) 
46.7 on PG&E's existing mainline pipeline in Bonner County, Idaho; 
specifically, by exchanging an existing 13,000 hp unit with a new 
15,000 hp unit and exchanging an existing 13,000 hp unit with a low-
hour 14,100 hp refurbished unit;
    <bullet> 4,700 hp increase at Station 7, located at MP 212.6 on 
PG&E's existing mainline pipeline in Walla Walla County, Washington; 
specifically, by upgrading its existing 35,000 hp unit to 39,700 hp 
through equipment modifications and control setpoint changes; and
    <bullet> 1,500 hp increase at Station 9, located at MP 319.5 on 
PG&E's existing mainline pipeline in Morrow County, Oregon; 
specifically, by exchanging an existing 12,600 hp unit with a new 
14,100 hp unit. PG&E would install a new, higher capacity oil cooler to 
be located immediately outside the compressor building and would adjust 
the temperature control setpoint to the turbine unit.
    The general location map and plot plans for each of the proposed 
compressor station upgrades are shown in Appendix 1. If you are 
interested in obtaining procedural information, please write to the 
Secretary of the Commission.

Land Requirements for Construction

    All construction activities would take place within the existing 
fencelines of all three compressor stations. No new land disturbance 
outside existing compressor station fencelines would be required.

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

[[Page 3322]]

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> Air and noise quality
<bullet> Land use
<bullet> Geology and soils
<bullet> Public safety
<bullet> Endangered and threatened species
<bullet> Cultural resources

    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.
    PG&E has proposed a system alternative, known as the Pipeline 
Looping Alternative, which would involve the looping of PG&E's existing 
mainline with a third, 42-inch-diameter pipeline located between 
Mainline valve (MV) 5-1 in Kootenai County, Idaho and MV 5-2 in Spokane 
County, Washington. The pipeline loop would be about 10.7 miles in 
length. See appendix 2 for an approximate location of this system 
alternative.
    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.

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 provide by PG&E. This preliminary list of 
issues may be changed based on your comments and our analysis.
    <bullet> Four noise-sensitive areas (NSAs) have been identified in 
close proximity to Station 4.
    <bullet> One NSA has been identified in close proximity to Station 
7.
    <bullet> One NSA has been identified in close proximity to Station 
9.
    <bullet> Possible consideration of the Pipeline Looping Alternative 
in lieu of expanding the three existing compressor stations.
    No nonjurisdictional facilities have been identified for this 
project.

Public Participation

    You can make a difference by sending a letter addressing your 
specific comments or concerns about the project. You should focus on 
the potential environmental effects of the proposal, alternatives to 
the proposal (including alternative 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: Mr. David P. Boergers, 
Acting 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 the 
Environmental Review and Compliance Branch, PR-11.1;
    <bullet> Reference Docket No. CP98-167-000; and
    <bullet> Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, DC on or before February 17, 1998.

Notice of Site Visit

    On January 22, 1998, the staff of the Office of Pipeline Regulation 
will be conducting an environmental site visit of PG&E's Pipeline 
Looping Alternative. All parties may attend. Those planning to attend 
must provide their own transportation.
    For further information about where the site inspection will begin, 
please contact Paul McKee at (202) 208-1088.

Becoming an Intervenor

    In addition to involvement in the EA scoping process, you may want 
to become an official party to the proceeding or become an 
``intervenor''. 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 copies of its 
filings to all other parties. If you want to become an intervenor you 
must files a motion to intervene according to Rule 214 of the 
Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.214) (see 
appendix 3).
    You do not need intervenor status to have your environmental 
comments considered.
Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 98-1453 Filed 1-21-98; 8:45 am]
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