Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 53 / Friday, March 20, 2009 / Notices 11935 

1A pipeline ‘‘loop’’ is a segment of pipe installed 

adjacent and parallel to an existing pipeline system 

that is connected to the system at both ends. A loop 

allows more gas to be moved through that portion 

of the pipeline system or functions as a backup 

system. 

2On February 27, 2009, Texas Eastern filed its 

application with the Commission under Section 7 

of the Natural Gas Act and Part 157 of the 

Commission’s Regulations. Prior to the formal 

application filing, Commission staff initiated its 

review of the TEMAX and TIME III Projects under 

the Commission’s Pre-filing Process on July 25, 

2008, in Docket No. PF08–27–000. As indicated in 

the Notice of Application issued by the Commission 

on March 11, 2009, the Pre-filing Process for these 

projects has ended and this proceeding will be 

conducted in Docket No. CP09–68–000. 

and Big Creek No. 3 (FERC No. 120), 

located in Fresno and Madera Counties, 

California, and has prepared a final 

Environmental Impact Statement (final 

EIS) for the projects. 

SCE’s existing 865-megawatt Big 

Creek System includes the integrated 

operation of nine major powerhouses, 

six major reservoirs, numerous small 

diversions, various conveyance 

facilities, and electrical transmission 

lines, authorized under seven 

Commission licenses. The four projects 

evaluated in the draft EIS occupy about 

6,870 acres of federal land administered 

by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 

Forest Service, in the Sierra National 

Forest. 

In the final EIS, staff evaluates the 

applicant’s proposal and alternatives for 

relicensing the projects. The final EIS 

documents the views of governmental 

agencies, non-governmental 

organizations, affected Indian tribes, the 

public, the license applicant, and 

Commission staff. 

Copies of the final EIS are available 

for review in the Commission’s Public 

Reference Branch, Room 2A, located at 

888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 

20426. The final EIS also may be viewed 

on the Internet at http://www.ferc.gov 

under the eLibrary link. Enter the 

docket number (P–067, P–2175, P–2085, 

or P–120) to access the document. For 

assistance, contact FERC Online 

Support at 

FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or tollfree at 1–866–208–3676, or for TTY, 

(202) 502–8659. 

CD versions of the final EIS have been 

mailed to everyone on the mailing list 

for the projects. Copies of the CD, as 

well as a limited number of paper 

copies, are available from the Public 

Reference Room identified above. 

You may also register online at 

http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/ 

esubscription.asp to be notified via email of new filings and issuances 

related to these or other pending 

projects. For assistance, contact FERC 

Online Support. 

For further information, contact James 

Fargo at (202) 502–6095 or at 

james.fargo@ferc.gov. 

Kimberly D. Bose, 

Secretary. 

[FR Doc. E9–6074 Filed 3–19–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

Federal Energy Regulatory 

Commission 

[Docket No. CP09–68–000] 

Texas Eastern Transmission, LP; 

Supplemental Notice of Intent To 

Prepare an Environmental Assessment 

for the Proposed TEMAX and TIME III 

Projects and Alternative and Request 

for Comments on Environmental 

Issues 

March 13, 2009. 

As previously noticed on November 

18, 2008, and supplemented herein, the 

staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory 

Commission (FERC or Commission) will 

prepare an environmental assessment 

(EA) that will discuss environmental 

impacts that could result from the 

construction and operation of the Texas 

Eastern Market Area Crossing Project 

(TEMAX) and Texas Eastern 

Incremental Market Area Expansion III 

Project (TIME III) proposed by Texas 

Eastern Transmission, LP (Texas 

Eastern). The projects are proposed by 

Texas Eastern to expand the natural gas 

transportation capacity of its existing 

pipeline system in southern 

Pennsylvania. The EA will be used by 

the Commission in its decision-making 

process to determine whether the 

project is in the public convenience and 

necessity. 

This Supplemental Notice of Intent 

(NOI) announces the opening of a 

limited scoping period the Commission 

will use to gather input from the public 

and interested agencies on the proposed 

projects, and specifically, the 

Chambersburg Alternative consisting of 

about 12.5 miles of additional pipeline 

replacement in Franklin and Adams 

Counties, Pennsylvania. Your input will 

help determine which issues need to be 

evaluated in the EA regarding the 

Chambersburg Alternative in the event 

that Texas Eastern is unable to install 

the proposed compressor unit at the 

Heidlersburg Compressor Station. Please 

note that the limited scoping period for 

the Chambersburg Alternative will close 

on April 13, 2009. 

This notice is being sent to 

landowners affected by the 

Chambersburg Alternative; Federal, 

State, and local government 

representatives and agencies; 

environmental and public interest 

groups; elected officials; Native 

American Tribes; other interested 

parties; and local libraries and 

newspapers. State and local government 

representatives are asked to notify their 

constituents of the planned project and 

to encourage them to comment on their 

areas of concern. 

If you are a landowner receiving this 

notice, you may be contacted by a Texas 

Eastern representative about the 

acquisition of an easement to construct, 

operate, and maintain the planned 

facilities. The pipeline company would 

seek to negotiate a mutually acceptable 

agreement. 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 Federal or State law. 

A fact sheet prepared by the FERC 

entitled ‘‘An Interstate Natural Gas 

Facility On My Land? What Do I Need 

To Know?’’ is available for viewing on 

the FERC Internet Web site (http:// 

www.ferc.gov). 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. 

Summary of the Proposed Projects 

Texas Eastern’s existing natural gas 

pipeline system consists of over 9,000 

miles of pipeline from the Gulf Coast to 

the Northeastern United States, and 

includes its Main Line 1 and Main Line 

2. 

To expand its system in southern 

Pennsylvania Texas Eastern is 

requesting authorization to replace 25.9 

miles of various diameter pipeline, 

construct 9.6 miles of loop,1 use of 0.8 

mile of existing pipeline, and construct 

26.5 miles of new pipeline lateral.2 In 

addition, Texas Eastern requests 

authorization to add 85,633 horsepower 

(hp) of compression at four existing 

compressor stations and abandon 9,500 

hp of compression at one compressor 

station, resulting in a net increase of 

76,133 hp of compression for the 

projects. Texas Eastern also requests 

authorization to uprate the maximum 

allowable operating pressure of its 

existing Lines 1 and 2 from 1,000 to 

11936 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 53 / Friday, March 20, 2009 / Notices 

3The appendices referenced in this notice are not 

being printed in the Federal Register. Copies of all 

appendices are available on the Commission’s Web 

site at the ‘‘eLibrary’’ link or from the Commission’s 

Public Reference Room, 888 First Street, NE., 

Washington, DC 20426, or call (202) 502–8371. For 

instructions on connecting to eLibrary, refer to the 

‘‘Additional Information’’ section of this notice. 

Copies of the appendices were sent to all those 

receiving this notice in the mail. Requests for 

detailed maps of the proposed facilities should be 

made directly to Texas Eastern. 

4 ’’We,’’ ‘‘us,’’ and ‘‘our’’ refer to the 

environmental staff of the FERC’s Office of Energy 

Projects. 

5The original NOI for the TEMAX and TIME III 

Projects was issued on November 18, 2008, and the 

scoping period closed on December 19, 2008. The 

original NOI was sent to affected landowners; 

Federal, State, and local government agencies; 

elected officials; Native American groups; other 

interested parties; and local libraries and 

newspapers. 

1,112 pounds per square inch gauge for 

268 miles between its Uniontown and 

Marietta Compressor Stations. The 

proposed facilities are located in 

Greene, Bedford, Franklin, Adams, 

Lancaster and York Counties, 

Pennsylvania. 

The purpose of the TEMAX Project is 

to provide additional natural gas 

transportation capacity of 395,000 

dekatherms per day (Dth/d) from a 

receipt point with the Rockies Express 

Pipeline LLC in Clarington, Ohio, to an 

interconnect with Transcontinental Gas 

Pipeline Company, LLC (Transco) in 

York County, Pennsylvania. The TIME 

III Project would provide additional 

transportation capacity of 60,000 Dth/d 

from a receipt point in Oakford, 

Pennsylvania to the same interconnect 

with Transco. 

More specifically, Texas Eastern plans 

the following: 

The Holbrook Discharge 

• Construct 0.5 mile of 36-inchdiameter loop as an addition onto the 

existing Line 30; 

• Replace 9.2 miles of the existing 20- 

inch-diameter Line 2 and 24-inchdiameter Line 1 with 36-inch-diameter 

pipeline; and 

• Construct 9.1 miles of 36-inchdiameter loop. 

The Uniontown Discharge 

• Replace 3.7 miles of the existing 24- 

inch-diameter Line 1 with 36-inchdiameter pipeline. 

The Bedford Discharge 

• Replace 6.8 miles of the existing 24- 

inch-diameter Line 1 with 36-inchdiameter pipeline. 

The Chambersburg Discharge 

• Replace 2.1 miles of the existing 24- 

inch-diameter Line 1 with 36-inchdiameter pipeline, and the 

Chambersburg Alternative would 

consist of about 12.5 miles of additional 

pipeline replacement with 36-inchdiameter pipeline. 

The Heidlersburg Discharge 

• Replace 2.4 miles of the existing 24- 

inch-diameter Line 1 with 36-inchdiameter pipeline. 

The Marietta Extension 

• Replace 1.7 miles of the existing 24- 

inch-diameter Line 1 with 36-inchdiameter pipeline; 

• Utilize 0.8 mile of existing 36-inchdiameter pipeline crossing the 

Susquehanna River; and 

• Construct 26.5 miles of new 30- 

inch-diameter pipeline lateral to the 

interconnect with Transco. 

The Holbrook Compressor Station 

• Abandon one 2,000-horsepower 

(hp) reciprocating gas-powered 

compressor unit; and 

• Install a 13,333-hp turbine-driven 

centrifugal compressor. 

The Uniontown Compressor Station 

• Install a 20,000-hp electric-powered 

compressor unit. 

The Bedford Compressor Station 

• Install pressure regulators on Line 1 

and 2. 

The Chambersburg Compressor 

• Abandon three reciprocating gaspowered compressor units totaling 

7,500 hp; 

• Install a new 27,000-hp electricpowered compressor unit; and 

• Add 3,330 hp to the existing 

electric-powered compressor unit. 

The Heidlersburg Compressor Station 

• Install a 22,000-hp electric-powered 

compressor unit. 

The Chambersburg Alternative was 

filed in the event that electricity is not 

available to support the proposed 

horsepower modifications at the 

proposed Heidlersburg Compressor 

Station in Adams County. Specifically, 

the Chambersburg Alternative consists 

of adding an additional 12.5 miles of 36- 

inch-diameter pipeline replacement to 

the Chambersburg Discharge. The power 

company supplying the electric power 

to the proposed additional compression 

at the Heidlersburg Compressor Station 

is conducting a study to determine if the 

electricity is available to support the 

station modification. To ensure the 

projects can supply the proposed 

natural gas volume on schedule, this 

alternative was developed in the event 

the electricity for the compressor station 

is not available. 

The general location of the planned 

facilities and the Chambersburg 

Alternative is shown in appendix A.3

Land Requirement for Construction 

Construction of the TEMAX/TIME III 

Projects would require about 602.1 acres 

of land including pipeline, aboveground 

facilities, appurtenant facilities, and 

pipe storage and contractor yards. 

Following construction, about 543.2 

acres would be used for operation of the 

proposed facilities. If constructed, the 

Chambersburg Alternative would 

require an additional 184.0 acres for 

construction. The area disturbed during 

construction but not required for 

operation and would generally be 

allowed to revert to pre-construction 

condition. 

The planned pipeline loops would be 

located within and directly adjacent to 

Texas Eastern’s existing pipeline 

facilities to the extent practicable. 

Construction and operation of the 

modifications to existing compressor 

stations would occur within the existing 

facilities. 

The EA Process 

The National Environmental Policy 

Act (NEPA) requires the Commission to 

take into account the environmental 

impact that could result whenever it 

considers the issuance of a Certificate of 

Public Convenience and Necessity. 

NEPA also requires us 4 to discover and 

address concerns the public may have 

about proposals. This process is referred 

to as ‘‘scoping.’’ The main goal of the 

scoping process is to focus the analysis 

in the EA on the important 

environmental issues. By this 

Supplemental NOI, the Commission 

staff requests public comments on the 

scope of the issues to address in the EA, 

and specifically for comments on the 

Chambersburg Alternative.5 All 

comments received will be considered 

during the preparation of the EA. 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. 

The EA will discuss impacts that 

could occur as a result of the 

construction and operation of the 

Projects under these general headings: 

• Geology and soils; 

• Land use and visual quality; 

• Water quality and wetlands; 

• Cultural resources; 

• Vegetation and wildlife; 

• Threatened and endangered 

species; 

• Air quality and noise; and 

• Reliability and safety. 

Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 53 / Friday, March 20, 2009 / Notices 11937 

We will also evaluate possible 

alternatives to the proposed projects or 

portions of the projects, and make 

recommendations on how to lessen or 

avoid impacts on the various resource 

areas. 

Our independent analysis of the 

issues will be presented 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; Native American Tribes; 

interested individuals; affected 

landowners; newspapers; libraries; and 

the Commission’s official service list for 

this proceeding. A comment period will 

be allotted for review when the EA is 

published. We will consider all 

comments on the EA before we make 

our recommendations to the 

Commission. To ensure your comments 

are considered, please carefully follow 

the instructions in the Public 

Participation section below. 

Currently Identified Environmental 

Issues 

Based on our review of Texas 

Eastern’s recently filed Chambersburg 

Alternative and preliminary 

consultations with other agencies, we 

have already identified several 

environmental issues that we think 

deserve attention. This preliminary list 

of issues for the Chambersburg 

Alternative may be changed based on 

your comments and our analysis: 

• Location near the Michaux State 

Forest; 

• Crosses the Caledonia State Park; 

and 

• Crosses the Appalachian National 

Scenic Trail. 

Public Participation 

You can make a difference by 

providing us with your specific 

comments or concerns about the 

TEMAX/TIME III Projects. Your 

comments should focus on the potential 

environmental effects of the proposal, 

reasonable alternatives, and measures to 

avoid or lessen environmental impact. 

The more specific your comments, the 

more useful they will be. To ensure that 

your comments are timely and properly 

recorded, please send in your comments 

so that they will be received in 

Washington, DC on or before April 13, 

2009. 

For your convenience, there are three 

methods you can use to submit your 

written comments to the Commission. 

In all instances, please reference the 

project docket number CP09–68–000 

with your submission. The Commission 

encourages electronic filing of 

comments and has dedicated eFiling 

expert staff available to assist you at 

202–502–8258 or efiling@ferc.gov. 

(1) You may file your comments 

electronically by using the Quick 

Comment feature, which is located on 

the Commission’s internet Web site at 

http://www.ferc.gov under the link to 

Documents and Filings. A Quick 

Comment is an easy method for 

interested persons to submit text-only 

comments on a project; 

(2) You may file your comments 

electronically by using the eFiling 

feature, which is located on the 

Commission’s Internet Web site at 

http://www.ferc.gov under the link to 

Documents and Filings. eFiling involves 

preparing your submission in the same 

manner as you would if filing on paper, 

and then saving the file on your 

computer’s hard drive. You will attach 

that file as your submission. New 

eFiling users must first create an 

account by clicking on ‘‘Sign up’’ or 

‘‘eRegister.’’ You will be asked to select 

the type of filing you are making. A 

comment on a particular project is 

considered a ‘‘Comment on a Filing;’’ or 

(3) You may file your comments via 

mail to the Commission by sending an 

original and two copies of your letter to: 

Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal 

Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 

First St., NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC 

20426. 

Label one copy of the comments for 

the attention of Gas Branch 1, PJ–11.1. 

Becoming an Intervenor 

In addition to involvement in the EA 

scoping process, you may become an 

‘‘intervenor,’’ which is an official party 

to the proceeding now that Texas 

Eastern has formally filed its application 

with the Commission. Intervenors play 

a more formal role in the process and 

are able to file briefs, appear at hearings, 

and be heard by the courts if they 

choose to appeal the Commission’s final 

ruling. An intervenor formally 

participates in a Commission 

proceeding by filing a request to 

intervene. Instructions for becoming an 

intervenor are included in the User’s 

Guide under the ‘‘eFiling’’ link on the 

Commission’s Internet Web site. 

Environmental Mailing List 

An effort is being made to send this 

notice to all individuals, organizations, 

and government entities interested in 

and/or potentially affected by the 

planned project. This includes all 

landowners who are potential right-ofway grantors, whose property may be 

used temporarily for project purposes, 

or who own homes within distances 

defined in the Commission’s regulations 

of certain aboveground facilities. 

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 B). If 

you do not return the Information 

Request, you will be taken off the 

mailing list. 

Availability of Additional Information 

Additional information about the 

project is available from the 

Commission’s Office of External Affairs, 

at 1–866–208–FERC or on the FERC 

Internet Web site (http://www.ferc.gov) 

using the eLibrary link. Click on the 

eLibrary link, click on ‘‘General Search’’ 

and enter the docket number excluding 

the last three digits in the Docket 

Number field. Be sure you have selected 

an appropriate date range. For 

assistance, please contact FERC Online 

Support at FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov 

or toll free at 1–866–208–3676, or for 

TTY, contact (202)502–8659. The 

eLibrary link also provides access to the 

texts of formal documents issued by the 

Commission, such as orders, notices, 

and rulemakings. 

In addition, the Commission now 

offers a free service called eSubscription 

which allows you to keep track of all 

formal issuances and submittals in 

specific dockets. This can reduce the 

amount of time you spend researching 

proceedings by automatically providing 

you with notification of these filings, 

document summaries and direct links to 

the documents. Go to 

http://www.ferc.gov/esubscribenow.htm. 

Public meetings or site visits will be 

posted on the Commission’s calendar 

located at http://www.ferc.gov/ 

EventCalendar/EventsList.aspx along 

with other related information. 

Finally, to request additional 

information on the project or to provide 

comments directly to the project 

sponsor, you can contact Texas Eastern 

directly by calling toll free at 1–800– 

831–0043. Also, Texas Eastern has 

established an Internet Web site at 

http://www.spectraenergy.com/ 

what_we_do/projects/temax_timeiii/ 

with additional information about the 

projects. 

Kimberly D. Bose, 

Secretary. 

[FR Doc. E9–6077 Filed 3–19–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE