[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 122 (Thursday, June 25, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34646-34647]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-16897]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket Nos. CP96-809-000, et al. and CP96-810-000]


Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline, L.L.C.; Notice of Availability of 
the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Maritimes 
Phase II Project

June 19, 1998
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) has prepared this final environmental impact statement 
(FEIS) on the natural gas pipeline facilities proposed by Maritimes & 
Northeast Pipeline, L.L.C. in the above-references dockets and referred 
to as the Maritimes Phase II Project.
    The staff prepared the FEIS to satisfy the requirements of the 
National Environmental Policy Act. The staff concludes that approval of 
the proposed project, with appropriate mitigating measures as proposed 
and recommended, would have limited adverse environmental impact.
    The FEIS assesses the potential environmental effects of 
construction and operation of the following facilities in Maine:
    <bullet> A total of about 347.0 miles of pipeline, consisting of 
200.1 miles of 24- and 30-inch-diameter mainline between Westbrook in 
York County and Woodland (Baileyville) in Washington County, and five 
laterals totaling 146.9 miles of 4- to 16-inch-diameter pipeline;
    <bullet> About 31,160 horsepower of new compression at two new 
compressor stations;
    <bullet> Twelve new meter stations; and
    <bullet> Associated aboveground facilities, including 35 block 
valves and remote blow-off valves.
    The purpose of the proposed facilities would be to transport 
440,000 thousand cubic feet per day of natural gas to existing and new 
natural gas markets in Maine and the northeast. These natural gas 
supplies would come from new reserves being developed in offshore Nova 
Scotia, Canada.
    The FEIS has been placed in the public files of the FERC and is 
available for public inspection at: Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission, Public Reference and Files Maintenance Branch, 888 First 
Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20426, (202) 208-1371.
    A limited number of copies are available at this location.
    Copies of the FEIS have been mailed to Federal, state, and local 
agencies, public interest groups, interested individuals, newspapers, 
and parties to this proceeding.
    In accordance with Council of Environmental Quality (CEQ) 
regulations implementing National Environmental Policy Act, no agency 
decision on the proposed action may be made until 30 days after the 
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency publishes a notice of availability 
of the FEIS. However, the CEQ regulations provide an exception to this 
rule on timing when an agency decision is subject to a formal internal 
appeal process which allows other agencies or the public to make their 
views known. In such cases, the agency decision may be made at the same 
time that the notice of the FEIS is published, allowing both

[[Page 34647]]

appeal periods to run concurrently. Should the Commission issue 
Maritimes a Certificate for the proposed action, it would be subject to 
a 30-day rehearing period.
    Additional information about the proposed project is available from 
Paul McKee in the Commission's Office of External Affairs, at (202) 
208-1088.
David P. Boergers,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 98-16897 Filed 6-24-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M