41248 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 148 / Monday, August 3, 1998 / Notices

1 Independence Pipeline Company, ANR Pipeline

Company, National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation,

and Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation’s

applications were filed with the Commission under

Section 7 of the Natural Gas Act and Part 157 of

the Commission’s regulations.

2These facilities or portions of these facilities

were previously proposed in Transco’s Seaboard

Expansion Project in Docket No. CP96–545–000.

The Commission staff conducted an environmental

review and had planned to publish an

environmental assessment (EA) for Transco’s

Seaboard Expansion Project. Four comments were

received during the public scoping period.

However, Transco subsequently withdrew its

application on April 4, 1997 and the EA was never

issued.

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory

Commission

[Docket Nos. CP97–315–000, et al., CP97–

319–000, CP98–200–000, and CP98–540–

000]

Independence Pipeline Company;

Supplemental Notice of Intent To

Prepare a Combined Environmental

Impact Statement for the Proposed

Independence Pipeline and Market

Link Expansion Projects, Request for

Comments on Environmental Issues

Associated With the Market Link

Expansion Project, and Notice of

Public Scoping Meetings and Site Visit

July 28, 1998.

The staff of the Federal Energy

Regulatory Commission (FERC or

Commission) has determined that the

proposed Independence Pipeline and

Market Link Expansion Pipeline

Projects are environmentally related

projects and will be combined into one

environmental impact statement (EIS)

pursuant to the National Environmental

Policy Act.1 This EIS will be used by the

Commission in its decision-making

process to determine whether the

proposed actions are in the public

convenience and necessity. This Notice

opens another environmental scoping

comment period (see below). If you have

already provided environmental

comments as an affected property

owner, interested party, agency, or

intervenor for the Independence

Pipeline Project, we request that you not

submit additional scoping/

environmental comments. We are

specifically requesting comments only

from those affected property owners and

interested parties in the Market Link

Expansion Project, project area.

If you are a landowner whose

property will be crossed by the

proposed Market Link Expansion

Project, you may be contacted by a

pipeline company representative about

the acquisition of an easement to

construct, operate, and maintain the

proposed facilities. The pipeline

company may seek to negotiate a

mutually acceptable agreement relative

to land use and access. However, if the

project is approved by the Commission,

the pipeline has the right to use eminent

domain. Therefore, if negotiations fail to

produce an agreement between the

pipeline company and landowner, the

pipeline company would initiate

condemnation proceedings in

accordance with state law. A fact sheet

addressing a number of typically asked

questions, including the use of eminent

domain, is attached to this notice as

appendix 1.

Summary of the Proposed Project

On March 9, 1998, the Commission

issued a ‘‘Notice of Intent to Prepare an

Environmental Impact Statement for the

Proposed Independence Pipeline

Project, Request for Comments on

Environmental Issues, and Notice of

Public Scoping Meetings and Site Visit

(NOI).’’ The NOI described the

Independence Pipeline Project facilities

proposed by ANR Pipeline Company,

Independence Pipeline Company, and

National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation.

This Notice will only describe those

facilities proposed by Transcontinental

Gas Pipe Line Corporation (Transco) in

its Market Link Expansion Project.

Please refer to the NOI of March 9, 1998

for additional detail and project

information concerning the

Independence Pipeline Project.

The facilities discussed below are

proposed by Transcontinental Gas Pipe

Line Corporation (Transco) in its Market

Link Expansion Project, and will be

incorporated into the Commission staff’s

Independence Pipeline Project EIS:

• 24.19 miles of 42-inch-diameter

pipeline loop between mileposts 161.29

and 185.48 in Lycoming and Clinton

Counties, Pennsylvania (Haneyville

Loop); 2

• 13.23 miles of 42-inch-diameter

pipeline loop between mileposts 129.51

and 142.74 in Lycoming County,

Pennsylvania; and 1.79 miles of 36-

inch-diameter pipeline between

mileposts 142.74 and 144.53 in

Lycoming County (Williamsport Loop); 2

• 17.73 miles of 42-inch-diameter

pipeline loop between mileposts 28.56

and 115.18 in Luzerne and Columbia

Counties, Pennsylvania (Benton Loop);

• 6.27 miles of 42-inch-diameter

pipeline loop between mileposts 30.29

and 36.56 in Northampton County,

Pennsylvania (Allentown Loop);

• 29.23 miles of 42-inch-diameter

pipeline loop between mileposts 0.14

and 29.37 in Somerset and Warren

Counties, New Jersey (Clinton Loop);

• 23.88 miles of 42-inch-diameter

pipeline loop between mileposts

1789.53 and 1812.36 in Somerset and

Morris Counties, New Jersey (Stirling

Loop);

• 18.81 miles of 36-inch-diameter

pipeline loop between mileposts

1820.66 and 1839.47 in Bergen and

Essex Counties, New Jersey (Roseland

Loop);

• 5.46 miles of 36-inch-diameter

pipeline loop between mileposts

1802.73 and 1808.19 in Middlesex and

Union Counties, New Jersey

(Woodbridge Loop)2

• 7.10 miles of 36-inch-diameter

pipeline between mileposts 18.96 and

26.06 in Burlington County, New jersey

(Bordentown Loop); and 2

• 0.30 miles of 42-inch-diameter

pipeline loop crossing the Raritan River

between mileposts 1794.70 and 1795.00

in Middlesex County, New Jersey

(Raritan River Loop).

Transco also proposes to:

• Replace about 6.3 miles of 12-inchdiameter pipeline (in the same trench)

with a new 36-inch-diameter pipeline

between mileposts 30.53 and 36.83 in

Burlington County, New Jersey (Mt.

Laurel Replacement); 2

• Install a 36-inch-diameter

interconnect pipeline with a proposed

meter building outlet of Independence

Pipeline Company to Transco’s existing

24-inch-diameter Leidy Lines ‘‘A’’ and

‘‘B’’; and 30-inch-diameter Leidy Line

‘‘C’’ in Clinton County, Pennsylvania

(milepost 194.06).

• Replace the impellers on two

existing 12,600-horsepower (hp),

turbine-driven compressor units at

Compressor Station (C.S.) 520 in

Lycoming County, Pennsylvania;

• Install two new 15,000-hp turbinedriven compressor units; perform the

rewheeling of one existing 12,600-hp

turbine-driven compressor unit, and

perform impeller replacement on two

existing 5,500-hp turbine-driven

compressor units at C.S. 517 in

Columbia County, Pennsylvania;

• Install one 15,000-hp turbine-driven

compressor unit and perform the

rewheeling and uprating of an existing

12,600-hp turbine-driven compressor

unit to 15,000-hp at C.S. 515 in Luzerne

County, Pennsylvania;

• Install one 15,000-hp electric

motor-driven compressor unit and

perform impeller replacement on two

existing 7,000-hp electric motor-driven

compressor units at C.S. 205 in Mercer

County, New Jersey;2

Transco would also perform

modifications to:

• Reduce pressure on Transco’s 42-

inch-diameter Mainline C from 1,200

psig to 800 psig at the existing
Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 148 / Monday, August 3, 1998 / Notices 41249

Centerville Regulator Station at milepost

0.11 in Somerset County, New Jersey;

• Reduce pressure on Transco’s 36-

inch-diameter Mainline D from 800 psig

to 638 psig at existing Roseland

Regulator Station at milepost 1820.66 in

Essex County, New Jersey;

• Reduce pressure on Transco’s 42-

inch diameter Mainline E from 800 psig

to 638 psig at existing Linden Regulator

Station at milepost 1808.19 in Union

County, New Jersey;2 and

• Inlet/outlet headers at existing C.S.

200 to provide flow control under

certain operating conditions on

Transco’s Trenton Woodbury Lateral in

Chester County, Pennsylvania.

The proposed project would deliver

about 663,000 Dts/d for nine customers.

A general location map of the project

facilities is shown in appendix 2.

Land Requirements for Construction

Construction of Transco’s proposed

looping facilities would affect a total of

about 2,485 acres. Of this total, about

1,604 would be disturbed by

construction of the pipeline loops. Of

the remaining 881 acres, about 352 acres

are proposed for use as extra work

spaces; and about 518 acres would be

disturbed by construction and operation

of the aboveground facilities.

About 150.8 miles of the proposed

pipeline right-of-way would parallel

existing rights-of-way (about 98 percent

of the project). Transco would deviate

from existing mainline in several

locations to avoid environmental or

engineering constraints. Transco states

it would require a 85 to 90-footwide

construction right-of-way. Transco

would retain and operate an additional

35 feet from the south edge of its

existing corridor as permanent pipeline

right-of-way. About 516 acres would be

maintained as new permanent right-ofway. Existing land uses on the

remainder of the disturbed areas, as well

as most land uses on the permanent

right-of-way, would be allowed to

continue following construction.

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. The EIS we are preparing will

give the Commission the information to

do that. NEPA also requires us to

discover and address concerns the

public may have about the 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. We encourage

state and local government

representatives to notify their

constituents of this proposed action and

encourage them to comment on their

areas of concern. Local agencies are

requested to provide information on

other projects, either ongoing or

planned, which might conflict with, or

have cumulative effects when

considered in combination with, the

Independence Pipeline Project.

To ensure your comments are

considered, please carefully follow the

instructions in the public participation

section on pages 7 and 8 of this notice.

Currently Identified Environmental

Issues

We have identified a number of issues

based upon our preliminary review of

the proposed facilities, the

environmental information provided by

Transco, and interested parties. Some of

these issues are listed below. Keep in

mind that this is a preliminary list, and

is not a complete list of site-specific

issues. We may add to, subtract from, or

change the list of issues based on your

comments and our analysis.

• Geology and Soils

—Temporary and permanent impact

on farmland soils.

—Mixing of topsoil and subsoil

during construction.

—Compaction of soil by heavy

equipment.

—Effects to acid soils in Burlington

County, New Jersey.

—Effect of blasting during trench

excavation.

—Erosion control and restoration of

the right-of-way.

• Water Resources

—Crossing of 177 perennial

waterbodies (81 in Pennsylvania; 96

in New Jersey).

—Crossing of 5 perennial waterbodies

over 100 feet wide, including Pine

Creek (twice) in Pennsylvania; and

the North Branch of the Raritan,

Passaic, and Rahway Rivers in New

Jersey.

—Effect on water supplies, including

at least 17 private wells within 150

fee of the construction work area

(more to be determined).

• Vegetation and Wildlife

—Crossing of 137.3 acres of wetlands,

including 41.8 acres forested

wetlands.

—Clearing of about 146 acres of forest.

—Effect of construction on wildlife

and fisheries habitat.

—Effect on federally listed

endangered and threatened species

or proposed listed species,

including bald eagle, bog turtle, and

shortnose sturgeon.

• Cultural Resources

—Impact on historic and prehistoric

sites.

—Native American and tribal

concerns.

• Land Use

—Use of eminent domain to acquire

rights-of-way.

—Impact on crop production.

—Proximity to schools and residential

developments.

—Effect on at least 36 residences

within 50 feet of the construction

work area.

—Crossings of septic fields and

drains.

—Effect on local roads.

—Control of unauthorized access to

rights-of-way.

• Recreation and Public Interest Areas

—Crossing of the Tiadaghton State

Forest and Sproul State Forest,

Pennsylvania.

—Crossing of the Hyner State Park

and Lick Run, a Pennsylvania State

Designated ‘‘Wild River’’.

—Crossing of South Branch Nature

Preserve, Clinton Wildlife

Management Area, in New Jersey.

—Crossing of the Great Swamp

National Wildlife Refuge.

—Crossing of several municipal parks,

and the McEvoy and Passaic River

Parks in New Jersey.

• Socioeconomics

—Impact on property values.

—Effect of construction workforce on

demands for services in

surrounding areas.

• Air Quality and Noise

—Impact on local air quality during

construction, and regional air

quality during operation, of

pipelines and compressor stations.

—Noise impact on nearby areas from

construction and operation of

pipelines and compressor stations.

• Reliability and Safety

—Assessment of hazards associated

with natural gas pipelines,

including placement in vicinity of

schools, commercial areas and

residential developments.

• Cumulative Impact

—Assessment of the combined effect

of the proposed project with other

projects which have been or may be

proposed in the same region and

similar time frame.

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
41250 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 148 / Monday, August 3, 1998 / Notices

3The appendices references 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., Washington, DC 20426, Room 2A or call (202)

208–1371. Copies of the appendices were sent to all

those receiving this notice in the mail.

areas. A number of alternatives have

been identified to date, both in filings

made by the applicants and in

comments received. We will evaluate all

feasible alternatives identified.

Our independent analysis of the

issues will be in a Draft EIS which will

be mailed to Federal, state, and local

agencies, public interest groups,

interested individuals, affected

landowners, newspapers, libraries, and

the Commission’s official service list for

these proceedings. A 45-day comment

period will be allotted for review of the

Draft EIS. We will consider all

comments on the Draft EIS and revise

the document, as necessary, before

issuing a Final EIS. The Final EIS will

treat all comments received on the Draft

EIS.

Public Participation and Scoping

Meetings

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 EIS

and considered by the Commission. You

should focus on the potential

environmental effects of the proposal,

alternatives to the proposal (including

alternative routes or compressor station

sites), and measure to avoid or lessen

environmental impact. The more

specific your comments, the more useful

they will be. Please follow the

instructions below to ensure that your

comments are received and properly

recorded:

• Reference Docket Nos. CP97–315–

000 et al.

• Send two copies of your comments

to: David P. Boergers, Acting Secretary

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

888 First St., NE Washington, DC 20426;

• Label one copy for the attention of

the Environmental Review and

Compliance Branch, PR–11.1.

• Please mail your comments so that

they will be received in Washington, DC

on or before September 11, 1998.

In addition to or in lieu of sending

written comments, you are invited to

attend one or more of the four public

scoping meetings being held in the

project area. Meetings will be held at the

following times and locations:

Date Time Location

September 1, 1998 ............................. 7:00 p.m. ............................ Sheraton Inn, Williamsport, 100 Pine Street, Williamsport, Pennsylvania,

(717) 327–8231.

September 2, 1998 ............................. 7:00 p.m. ............................ Hilton, Allentown, 904 East Hamilton Street, Allentown, Pennsylvania,

(610) 433–2221.

September 3, 1998 ............................. 7:00 p.m. ............................ Sheraton Hotel Tara Parsippany, 199 Smith Road, Parsippany, New Jersey, (973) 515–2000.

The purpose of the scoping meetings

is to obtain input from state and local

governments and from the public.

Federal agencies have formal channels

for input into the Federal process

(including separate meetings where

appropriate). Federal agencies are

expected to file their written comments

directly with the FERC and not use the

scoping meetings for this purpose.

Transco will be invited to present a

description of its Market Link

Expansion Project. Interested groups

and individuals are encouraged to

attend the meetings and present oral

comments on the environmental issues

which they believe should be addressed

in the Draft EIS. A transcript will be

made of the meetings and will be made

part of the Commission’s record in this

proceeding. Written comments and oral

comments will be treated equally in our

review.

We are asking a number of Federal

agencies to indicate whether they wish

to cooperate with us in the preparation

of the EIS. These agencies may choose

to participate once they have evaluated

each proposal relative to their agencies’

responsibilities. The list of agencies is

provided in appendix 3.3

On the above dates we will also be

conducting limited site visits to the

project area in the vicinity of each

scoping meeting location. Anyone

interested in participating in the site

visit may contact the Commission’s

Office of External Affairs, identified at

the end of this notice, for more details

and must provide their own

transportation.

Becoming an Intervenor

In addition to involvement in the EIS

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 to all other parties on

the Commission’s service lists for these

proceedings. 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 4). Only intervenors have the

right to seek rehearing of the

Commission’s decision.

The date for filing timely motions to

intervene in this proceeding has passed,

having ended June 11, 1998. Therefore,

parties now seeking to file later

interventions must show good cause, as

required by section 385.213(b)(3), why

this time limitation should be waived.

Environmental issues have been viewed

as good cause for late intervention.

However, you do not need intervenor

status to have your comments

considered.

Environmental Mailing List

Anyone offering scoping comments

will be automatically kept on our

environmental mailing list for the

project. If you do not want to offer

comments at this time you will be taken

off the environmental mailing list.

Additional information about the

proposed project is available from Paul

McKee in the Commission’s Office of

External Affairs at (202) 208–1088.

Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,

Acting Secretary.

[FR Doc. 98–20563 Filed 7–31–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717–01–M

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory

Commission

Sunshine Act Meeting

FEDERAL REGISTER CITATION OF PREVIOUS

ANNOUNCEMENT: July 27, 1998, 63 FR

40116.

PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED TIME AND DATE OF

MEETING: July 29, 1998, 10:00 a.m.