30730 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 110 / Thursday, June 7, 2001 / Notices

4 Interventions may also be filed electronically via

the Internet in lieu of paper. See the previous

discussion on filing comments electronically.

1 GSX–US’ applications in Docket Nos. CP01–

176–000 and CP01–179–000 were filed with the

Commission under sections 7(c) and 3 of the

Natural Gas Act respectively.

2 Georgia Strait Crossing Pipeline Ltd (GSXCanada) proposes to construct a pipeline to

transport the natural gas delivered to the Canadian

border by GSX–US to Vancouver Island for use in

new power plants. This proposal is currently under

review by the National Energy Board in Canada.

The location of the Canadian facilities is shown in

Appendix 1.

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), 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:

• Send an original and two copies of

your letter to: David P. Boergers,

Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory

Commission, 888 First St., N.E., Room

1A, Washington, DC 20426.

• Label one copy of the comments for

the attention of Gas Group 1, PJ–11.1.

• Reference Docket No. CP01–180–

000.

• Mail your comments so that they

will be received in Washington, DC on

or before July 9, 2001.

Comments, protests and interventions

may be filed electronically via the

internet in lieu of paper. See, 18 CFR

385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions

on the Commission’s web site at http:/

/www.ferc.fed.us/efi/doorbell.htm.

Before you can file comments you will

need to create an account by clicking on

‘‘Login to File’’ and then ‘‘New User

Account.’’

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 3). If you

do not return the Information Request,

you will be taken off the mailing list.

Public Scoping Meetings and Site Visit

In addition to or in lieu of sending

written comments, we invite you to

attend the public scoping meetings that

the FERC will conduct in the project

area. The locations and times for these

meetings are listed below.

• Tuesday, June 26, 2001, 7:00 p.m.—

Quality Inn and Suites, 17 Gateway

Boulevard East, Savannah, Georgia

31419, (912) 925–2700.

• Wednesday, June 27, 2001, 7:00

p.m.—Embassy Suites, 500 Mall

Boulevard, Glynn Place Mall,

Brunswick, Georgia 31525, (912) 264–

6100.

• Thursday, June 28, 2001, 7:00

p.m.—Clarion Hotel Airport, Conference

Center, 2101 Dixie Clipper Drive,

Jacksonville, Florida 32218, (904) 741–

1997.

The public scoping meetings are

designed to provide you with more

detailed information and another

opportunity to offer your comments on

the proposed project Cypress

representatives will be present at the

scoping meetings to describe their

proposal. Interested groups and

individuals are encouraged to attend the

meetings and to present comments on

the environmental issues they believe

should be addressed in the EIS. A

transcript of each meeting will be made

so that your comments will be

accurately recorded.

On June 26 through 28, 2001 we will

also be conducting a site visit to the

project area. This will be an on-theground inspection, conducted by

automobile on public roads, or where

access to private property has been

granted (specific locations to be

determined later). 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 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 of its filings to all

other parties on the Commission’s

service list for this proceeding. 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 2).4 Only

intervenors have the right to seek

rehearing of the Commission’s decision.

Affected landowners and parties with

environmental concerns may be granted

intervenor status upon showing good

cause by stating that they have a clear

and direct interest in this proceeding

that would not be adequately

represented by any other parties. You do

not need intervenor status to have your

environmental comments considered.

Availability of Additional Information

Additional information about the

proposed project is available from the

Commission’s Office of External Affairs

at (202) 208–1088 or on the FERC

website (www.ferc.gov) using the

‘‘RIMS’’ link to information in this

docket number. Click on the ‘‘RIMS’’

link, select ‘‘Docket #’’ from the RIMS

Menu, and follow the instructions. For

assistance with access to RIMS, the

RIMS helpline can be reached at (202)

208–2222.

Similarly, the ‘‘CIPS’’ link on the

FERC Internet website provides access

to the texts of formal documents issued

by the Commission, such as orders,

notices, and rulemakings. From the

FERC Internet website, click on the

‘‘CIPS’’ link, select ‘‘Docket #’’ from the

CIPS menu, and follow the instructions.

For assistance with access to CIPS, the

CIPS helpline can be reached at (202)

208–2474.

David P. Boergers,

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 01–14339 Filed 6–6–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717–01–M

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory

Commission

[Docket No. CP01–176–000, Docket No.

CP01–179–000]

Georgia Strait Crossing Pipeline LP;

Notice of Intent To Prepare an

Environmental Impact Statement for

the Proposed Georgia Strait Crossing

Project, Request for Comments on

Environmental Issues, and Notice of

Public Scoping Meetings and Site Visit

June 1, 2001.

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 Georgia Strait Crossing

Pipeline LP’s (GSX–US) proposed

Georgia Strait Crossing (GSX) Project in

Whatcom and San Juan Counties,

Washington.1 The proposed facilities

would transport natural gas from

existing pipeline systems near Sumas,

Washington to the United States/Canada

border in Boundary Pass.2 The GSX

Project would involve the construction

and operation of about 47 miles of 20-

and 16-inch-diameter pipeline and a

new 10,302-horsepower (hp)

compressor station. The FERC will use

Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 110 / Thursday, June 7, 2001 / Notices 30731

3 ‘‘We,’’ ‘‘us,’’ ‘‘our’’ refer to the staff of the

FERC’s Office of Energy Projects.

4The appendices referenced in this notice are not

being printed in the Federal Register. Copies are

available on the Commission’s website at the

‘‘RIMS’’ link or from the Commission’s Public

Reference and Files Maintenance Branch, 888 First

Street, NE., Room 2A, Washington, DC 20426, or

call (202) 208–1371. For instructions on connecting

to RIMS, refer to the last page of this notice. Copies

of the appendices were sent to all those receiving

this notice in the mail.

this EIS in its decision making process

to determine whether the project is in

the public convenience and necessity.

If you are a landowner receiving this

notice, you may be contacted by a GSX–

US representative about the acquisition

of an easement to construct, operate,

and maintain the proposed 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 state law.

A fact sheet prepared by the FERC

entitled ‘‘An Interstate Natural Gas

Facility on My Land? What Do I Need

To Know?’’ should have been attached

to the project notice GSX–US provided

to landowners. This fact sheet addresse

a number of typically asked questions,

including the use of eminent domain

and how to participate in the

Commission’s proceedings. The fact

sheet is available for viewing on the

FERC Internet website (www.fer.gov).

This notice is being sent to affected

landowners along GSX–US’ proposed

route; Federal, state, and local

government agencies; elected officials;

environmental and public interest

groups; Indian tribes that might attach

religious and cultural significance to

historic properties in the area of

potential effect; local libraries and

newspapers; and the Commission’s list

of parties to the proceeding. We 3

encourage government representatives

to notify their constituents of this

proposed action and encourage them to

comment on their areas of concern.

Additionally, with this notice we are

asking other Federal, state, local, and

tribal agencies with jurisdiction and/or

special expertise with respect to

environmental issues in the project area

to cooperate with us in the preparation

of the EIS. These agencies may choose

to participate once they have evaluated

GSX–US’ proposal relative to their

responsibilities. Agencies who would

like to request cooperating status should

follow the instructions for filing

comments described later in this notice.

Summary of the Proposed Project

The GSX Project would transport

94,000 decatherms per day of natural

gas from proposed interconnect

facilities with the existing Westcoast

Energy Inc. pipeline at the United

States/Canada border and Northwest

Pipeline Corporation (Northwest)

pipeline near Sumas, Washington to an

interconnect with a pipeline proposed

by GSX–Canada in Boundary Pass.

GSX–US’ proposed action consists of

the construction and operation of:

• Pipeline interconnect facilities

between the proposed GSX system and

the existing Westcoast Energy Inc.

system at the international border

between the United States and Canada,

including a receipt point meter station

and 500 feet of 20-inch-diameter

upstream piping located adjacent to

Northwest’s existing Sumas Compressor

Station in Whatcom County,

Washington (additional metering

facilities would be installed at the same

location to provide for a secondary

source of gas from the Northwest

system);

• About 32 miles of 20-inch-diameter

pipeline extending from the

interconnect facilities at the

international border between the United

States and Canada near Sumas,

Washington, across Whatcom County, to

a new compressor station (Cherry Point

Compressor Station) near Cherry Point,

Washington;

• A new compressor station (GSX

Cherry Point Compressor Station)

consisting of one 10,302-hp two-stage

compressor package near Cherry Point,

Washington;

• About 1 mile of 16-inch-diameter

pipeline extending from the GSX Cherry

Point Compressor Station to the

beginning of the marine portion of the

pipeline at the edge of the Strait of

Georgia; and

• About 14 miles of 16-inch-diameter

marine pipeline extending from the

edge of the Strait of Georgia near Cherry

Point, Washington to the edge of the

international border between the United

States and Canada at a point about

midway between the west end of Patos

Island (Washington) and the east end of

Suturna Island (British Columbia) in

Boundary Pass.

The general location of the major

project facilities is shown in appendices

1 and 2.4

Because the project involves siting,

constructing, operating, and

maintaining pipeline facilities at the

international border between the United

States and Canada, GSX–US requested a

Presidential Permit in Docket No. CP01–

179–000.

The GSX Project is scheduled to be in

service by late October 2003.

Preliminary construction activities,

including work at the GSX Cherry Point

Compressor Station and the shoreline

horizontal directional drill segment, are

scheduled to take place during the late

summer/fall of 2002. Construction of the

majority of the project facilities,

including the onshore and offshore

pipeline segments and the aboveground

facilities, would be completed during

the spring/summer/fall of 2003. The

approximate duration of construction

would be 200 to 250 days for the

compressor station and 90 to 150 days

for the pipeline.

Land Requirement for Construction

Construction of onshore pipeline

facilities would affect a total of about

410 acres of land in Whatcom County,

Washington. Following construction,

about 200 acres would be retained as

permanent right-of-way. The remaining

210 acres of temporary work space

would be restored and allowed to revert

to former use.

GSX–US proposes to use a 100-footwide construction right-of-way unless

topography or other conditions require

modifications. In addition to the 100-

foot-wide construction right-of-way,

temporary extra workspace would be

necessary at most improved road and

railroad crossings, for side hill cuts,

areas requiring deeper burial, and

additional spoil storage areas. A 50-footwide permanent right-of-way would be

acquired. About 74 percent of the

onshore pipeline route would parallel

existing pipeline, road, railroad, or

powerline rights-of-way.

GSX–US indicates that construction

of its offshore pipeline facilities would

disturb about 46 acres. Based on a 3-

foot-wide permanent marine right-ofway, GSX–US estimates that the

offshore permanent right-of-way would

be 5.1 acres.

The GSX–US receipt point facilities

would be constructed on 17.9 acres of

land of which 10.0 acres would be

within Northwest’s existing Sumas

Compressor Station site. The GSX

Cherry Point Compressor Station would

be constructed on a 9.6-acre site. Valves

and valve access roads (outside of the

compressor station and interconnect

sites) would occupy 1.6 acres, of which

all but 0.3 acre would be within the

construction area for the pipeline

facilities.

Disturbances related to modifying

access roads for pipeline construction

would affect about 7.2 acres. Pipe

storage/contractor yard or rail sidings

30732 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 110 / Thursday, June 7, 2001 / Notices

5 Interventions may also be filed electronically via

the Internet in lieu of paper. See the previous

discussion on filing comments electronically.

would occupy 68.6 acres, of which 41.9

acres have been previously disturbed for

other uses. Additional temporary work

areas for the horizontal directional drill

at Cherry Point would include 24.3

acres of which 8.9 acres would be

within the Gulf Road right-of-way.

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

solicit and address concerns the public

may have about proposals. We call this

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

process is to focus the EIS on the

important environmental issues. By this

Notice of Intent, the Commission

requests public comments on the scope

of issues it will address in the EIS. All

comments received are considered

during the preparation of the EIS.

Our independent analysis of the

issues will be in the Draft EIS, which

will be mailed to Federal, state, and

local agencies; elected officials;

environmental and public interest

groups; affected landowners and other

interested individuals; Indian tribes;

newspapers; libraries; and the

Commission’s official service list for

this proceeding. 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

include our response to each comment

received on the Draft EIS and will be

used by the Commission in its decisionmaking process to determine whether to

approve the project.

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 provided by

GSX–US. This preliminary list of issues

may be changed based on your

comments and our analysis.

• The area has a history of seismic

activity.

• A total of 42 perennial or

intermittent waterbodies (onshore) and

the Strait of Georgia would be crossed.

• The project would cross

commercial and recreational fisheries.

• The project may affect four

federally listed threatened or

endangered speciies and six species of

special concern.

• The project may cross areas with

significance to Native Americans.

• Construction would disturb 288

acres of agricultural land, 66 acres of

non-forested open space, 47 acres of

woodland, and 7 acres of developed

land in Whatcom County, Washington.

• Construction would interfere with

ship navigation, commercial fishing,

and recreational boating in the Georgia

Strait.

• The project crosses the Cherry Point

State Aquatic Reserve.

• The GSX Cherry Point Compressor

Station would have an impact on air

quality and the noise environment of

the area.

Public Participation, Scoping Meetings,

and Site Visit

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 locations and 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.

• Send an original and two copies of

your letter to: David P. Boergers,

Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory

Commission, 888 First Street, NE.,

Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426;

• Refer to Docket No. CP01–176–000;

• Label one copy of your comments

for the attention of the Gas Group 2, PJ–

11.2; and

• Mail your comments so that they

will be received in Washington, DC on

or before July 5, 2001.

Comments may also be filed

electronically via the internet in lieu of

paper. See 18 CFR 385.2001(a)(1)(iii)

and the instructions on the

Commission’s website at http://

www.ferc.gov under the ‘‘e-Filing’’ link

and the link to the User’s Guide. Before

you can file comments you will need to

create an account by clicking on ‘‘Login

to File’’ and then ‘‘New User Account.’’

Everyone who responds to this notice

or comments throughout the EIS process

will be retained on our mailing list. If

you do not want to send comments at

this time but still want to keep informed

and receive copies of the Draft and Final

EIS, please return the Information

Request (appendix 4). You must send

comments or return the Information

Request for your name to remain on the

mailing list.

In addition to or in lieu of sending

written comments, we invite you to

attend the public scoping meetings that

the FERC will conduct in the project

area. The locations and times for these

meetings are listed below.

• Tuesday, June 26, 2001, 7:00 p.m.—

Lynden High School (cafeteria), 1201

Bradley Road, Lynden, Washington

98264, (360) 354–4401.

• Thursday, June 28, 2001, 7:00

p.m.—Senior Services San Juan Center,

589 Nash Street, Friday Harbor,

Washington 98250, (360) 378–9102.

The public scoping meetings are

designed to provide you with more

detailed information and another

opportunity to offer your comments on

the proposed project. GSX–US

representatives will be present at the

scoping meetings to describe their

proposal. Interested groups and

individuals are encouraged to attend the

meetings and to present comments on

the environmental issues they believe

should be addressed in the Draft EIS. A

transcript of each meeting will be

prepared so that your comments will be

accurately recorded.

On Wednesday, June 27, 2001, our

staff will also be visiting some project

areas. The meeting location for the site

visit will be announced at the Lynden

scoping meeting. Anyone interested in

participating in a site visit may contact

the Commission’s Office of External

Affairs at (202) 208–1088 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 of its filings to all

other parties on the Commission’s

service list for this proceeding. 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 3).5 Only

Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 110 / Thursday, June 7, 2001 / Notices 30733

intervenors have the right to seek

rehearing of the Commission’s decision.

Affected landowners and parties with

environmental concerns may be granted

intervenor status upon showing good

cause by stating that they have a clear

and direct interest in this proceeding

that would not be adequately

represented by any other parties. You do

not need intervenor status to have your

environmental comments considered.

Availability of Additional Information

Additional information about the

proposed project is available from the

Commission’s Office of External Affairs

at (202) 208–1008 or on the FERC

website (www.ferc.gov) using the

‘‘RIMS’’ link to information in this

docket number. Click on the ‘‘RIMS’’

link, select ‘‘Docket#’’ from the RIMS

Menu, and follow the instructions. For

assistance the RIMS helpline can be

reached at (202) 208–2222.

Similarly, the ‘‘CIPS’’ link on the

FERC Internet website provides access

to the texts of formal documents issued

by the Commission, such as orders,

notices, and rulemakings. From the

FERC Internet website, click on the

‘‘CIPS’’ link, select ‘‘Docket#’’ from the

CIPS Menu, and follow the instructions.

For assistance the CIPS helpline can be

reached at (202) 208–2474.

David P. Boergers,

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 01–14338 Filed 6–6–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717–01–M

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory

Commission

Notice of Application Accepted for

Filing and Soliciting Comments,

Protests, Motions To Intervene,

Recommendations, and Terms and

Conditions

June 1, 2001.

Take notice that the following

hydroelectric application has been filed

with the Commission and is available

for public inspection:

a. Type of Application: Conduit

Exemption.

b. Project No.: 12021–000.

c. Date filed: May 14, 2001.

d. Applicants: Donald K. and Diane G.

Campbell.

e. Name of Project: Powercat

Production Facility.

f. Location: On a water supply

pipeline of an existing fish rearing

facility in Twin Falls County, Idaho.

The water source is an existing artesian

well. The project would not occupy

federal or tribal lands.

g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power

Act 16 U.S.C. 791(a)–825(r).

h. Applicant Contact: Mr. Thomas

McCauley, P.O. Box 175, Buhl, ID

83316, (208) 543–8486.

i. FERC Contact: James Hunter, (202)

219–2839.

j. Status of Environmental Analysis:

This application is ready for

environmental analysis at this time—see

the following paragraphs about filing

responsive documents.

k. Deadline for filing comments,

protests and motions to intervene: July

6, 2001.

All documents (original and eight

copies) should be filed with: David P.

Boergers, Secretary, Federal Energy

Regulatory Commission, 888 First

Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426.

Comments, protests, and motions to

intervene may be filed electronically via

the internet in lieu of paper. See, 18

CFR 385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the

instructions on the Commission’s web

site at http://www.ferc.fed.us/efi/

doorbell.htm.

Please include the project number (P–

12021–000) on any comments, protests,

or motions filed.

The Commission’s Rules of Practice

and Procedure require all interveners

filing documents with the Commission

to serve a copy of that document on

each person in the official service list

for the project. Further, if an intervener

files comments or documents with the

Commission relating to the merits of an

issue that may affect the responsibilities

of a particular resource agency, they

must also serve a copy of the document

on that resource agency.

l. Description of Project: The project

would consist of a turbine and a 20-

kilowatt generator connected to a 10-

inch-diameter water supply pipeline

being installed to provide additional

water to the fish rearing facility. The

generating equipment would be

supported by a concrete pad and would

augment the existing power supply to

the fish farm. The average annual

generation would be 150,000

kilowatthours.

m. Available Locations of

Application: A copy of the application

is available for inspection and

reproduction at the Commission’s

Public Reference and Files Maintenance

Branch, located at 888 First Street, N.E.,

Room 2A, Washington, D.C. 20426, or

by calling (202) 208–1371. This filing

maybe viewed on http://

www.ferc.fed.us/online/rims.htm (call

(202) 208–2222 for assistance). A copy

is also available for inspection and

reproduction at the address shown in

item h above.

Development Application—Any

qualified applicant desiring to file a

competing application must submit to

the Commission, on or before the

specified deadline date for the

particular application, a competing

development application, or a notice of

intent to file such an application.

Submission of a timely notice of intent

allows an interested person to file the

competing development application no

later than 120 days after the specified

deadline date for the particular

application. Applications for

preliminary permits will not be

accepted in response to this notice.

Notice of Intent—A notice of intent

must specify the exact name, business

address, and telephone number of the

prospective applicant, and must include

an unequivocal statement of intent to

submit, if such an application may be

filed, either a preliminary permit

application or a development

application (specify which type of

application). A notice of intent must be

served on the applicant(s) named in this

public notice.

Protests or Motions to Intervene—

Anyone may submit a protest or a

motion to intervene in accordance with

the requirements of Rules of Practice

and Procedure, 18 CFR 385.210,

385.211, and 385.214. In determining

the appropriate action to take, the

Commission will consider all protests

filed, but only those who file a motion

to intervene in accordance with the

Commission’s Rules may become a

party to the proceeding. Any protests or

motions to intervene must be received

on or before the specified deadline date

for the particular application.

Filing and Service of Responsive

Documents—The application is ready

for environmental analysis at this time,

and the Commission is requesting

comments, reply comments,

recommendations, terms and

conditions, and prescriptions.

The Commission directs, pursuant to

section 4.34(b) of the Regulations (see

Order No. 533 issued May 8, 1991, 56

FR 23108, May 20, 1991) that all

comments, recommendations, terms and

conditions and prescriptions concerning

the application be filed with the

Commission within 30 days from the

issuance date of this notice. All reply

comments must be filed with the

Commission within 45 days from the

date of this notice.

Anyone may obtain an extension of

time for these deadlines from the

Commission only upon a showing of

good cause or extraordinary