[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 41 (Thursday, March 2, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11662-11664]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-5111]



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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
[Docket Nos. CP95-61-000 and CP95-62-000]


Columbia Gas Transmission Corp.; Notice of Intent To Prepare an 
Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Majorsville/Crawford Storage 
Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues

February 24, 1995.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or the 
Commission) will prepare an environmental assessment (EA) that will 
discuss the environmental impacts of the construction and operation of 
facilities proposed in the Majorsville/Crawford Storage Project.\1\ 
This EA will be used by the Commission in its decision-making process 
to determine if an environmental impact statement is necessary and 
whether to approve the project.

    \1\Columbia Gas Transmission Corporation's applications in 
Docket Nos. CP95-61-000 and CP95-62-000 were 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

    In Docket No. CP95-61-000, Columbia Gas Transmission Corporation 
(Columbia) requests Commission authorization to temporarily deactivate 
the storage operations at its Majorsville-Heard Storage Complex to 
allow coal mining operations by the Consol Pennsylvania Coal Company 
and/or its affiliates. Columbia needs to deactivate its storage 
facilities when the coal mining operation is nearby since ``long wall 
mining'' typically causes surface subsidence which could result in 
adverse impact on the wells and pipelines. Once mining has ended, 
Columbia would determine if the facility can be reactivated or should 
be permanently abandoned.
    At the Majorsville/Heard Storage Complex in Greene and Washington 
Counties, Pennsylvania and Marshall County, West Virginia, Columbia 
proposes to temporarily deactivate portions of the storage field for at 
least the next 13 years. This would include:
    <bullet> Abandoning up to 238 wells; and
    <bullet> Abandoning up to 60 miles of existing pipeline.
    In Docket No. CP95-62-000, Columbia requests Commission 
authorization to increase its natural gas storage capability and to 
construct and operate additional facilities at its Crawford Storage 
Field and Crawford Compressor Station to offset the temporary 
deactivation of the Majorsville-Heard Storage Complex. Columbia 
proposes to increase:
    <bullet> The storage capability of the Crawford Storage Field by 5 
billion cubic feet (Bcf) to 52 Bcf;
    <bullet> The annual withdrawals by 8.15 Bcf to 17.65 Bcf; and
    <bullet> The design day deliverability by 67.2 million cubic feet 
per day (MMcfd) to 232.2 MMcfd.
    At the Crawford Storage Field in Hocking County, Ohio, Columbia 
proposes to:
    <bullet> Drill four new wells;
    <bullet> Construct about 5.01 miles of pipeline, including:

--2.30 miles of 20-inch-diameter pipeline replacing 1.40 mile of 16-
inch-diameter pipeline and 0.90 mile of 10- and 8-inch-diameter 
pipeline;
--0.80 mile of 10-inch-diameter pipeline replacing 0.80 mile of 4-inch-
diameter pipeline;
--0.76 mile of 10-inch-diameter new pipeline;
--0.36 mile of 8-inch-diameter pipeline replacing 0.40 mile of 4-inch-
diameter pipeline;
--0.45 mile of 8-inch-diameter new pipeline;
--0.32 mile of 6-inch-diameter pipeline replacing 0.30 mile of 4-inch-
diameter pipeline; and
--0.02 mile of 6-inch-diameter new pipeline.

    <bullet> Install other appurtenant facilities, including:

--Wellhead measurement stations at four new and two existing wells;
--Electric measurement cables within the right-of-way to the four new 
wells;
--Up to 10 pig launching/receiving facilities; and
--Valve replacement sets at six existing and one new well.

    [[Page 11663]] At the Crawford Compressor Station in Fairfield 
County, Ohio, Columbia proposes to:
    <bullet> Add a third dehydration contactor and related reboiler and 
piping;
    <bullet> Add a gas cooler to each of the three existing compressor 
units;
    <bullet> Replace a compressor cylinder on one of the existing 
compressor units; and
    <bullet> Add a gas cleaner and make other changes.
    The general location of the project facilities is shown in appendix 
1. Specific locations of the proposed Crawford Storage Field facilities 
are shown in appendix 2.\2\

    \2\The appendices referenced in this notice are not being 
printed in the Federal Register. Copies are available from the 
Commission's Public Reference and Files Maintenance Branch, Room 
3104, 941 North Capitol Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426, or call 
(202) 208-1371. Copies of the appendices were sent to all those 
receiving this notice in the mail.
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Land Requirements for Construction

Majorsville/Heard Storage Complex

    The temporary deactivation of the Majorsville/Heard Storage Complex 
facilities would require some construction activity. Abandonment of the 
pipelines (either in place or by removal) would occur within the 
existing right-of-way. Abandonment and plugging of the wells would 
require some disturbance in the immediate area of the well.

Crawford Storage Field

    Construction and operation of the four proposed new well sites 
would disturb a total of about 2.8 acres of land.
    columbia intends to use its existing 50-foot-wide right-of-way for 
removal of the existing pipelines and construction of the small 
diameter (less than 18-inch-diameter) replacement pipelines. All new 
pipelines would be constructed within a 50-foot-wide right-of-way. For 
the 20-inch-diameter replacement pipeline, Columbia proposes to use a 
75-foot-wide construction right-of-way, of which 50 feet would be 
existing right-of-way and 25 feet would be new temporary right-of-way. 
All of the replacement pipelines would be built in about the same 
location as the existing pipelines. All other appurtenant facilities 
would be constructed within the right-of-way for the new and 
replacement pipelines. Construction of the pipelines would affect about 
43.1 acres of land.
    Extra temporary work space would be also required for staging areas 
for topsoil segregation; for road, wetland and stream crossings; 
equipment mobilization; and contractor and pipe storage yards. Columbia 
estimates that these extra work spaces would temporarily disturb about 
7.1 acres of land.
    Following construction, the new and replacement pipelines would be 
within a 50-foot-wide permanent right-of-way centered on the pipeline. 
All temporary construction right-of-way and extra workspaces would be 
restored and allowed to revert to their former use. About 7.5 acres of 
land would be required for the new permanent right-of-way.

Crawford Compressor Station

    Construction of the additional facilities at the Crawford 
Compressor Station would take place entirely within the existing 
station fenceline.

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 
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> Geology and soils.
    <bullet> Water resources, fisheries, and wetlands.
    <bullet> Vegetation and wildlife.
    <bullet> Endangered and threatened species.
    <bullet> Land use.
    <bullet> Cultural resources.
    <bullet> Air quality.
    <bullet> Public safety.
    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.
    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 
recommend that the Commission approve or not 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 Columbia. Keep in mind that 
this is a preliminary list. The list of issues may be added to, 
subtracted from, or changed based on your comments and our analysis. 
Issues are:

Crawford Storage Field

    <bullet> The pipelines would cross three perennial waterbodies and 
eight non-forested wetlands.
    <bullet> The pipelines may cross or be near historic structures and 
archeological sites.
    <bullet> Two pipeline segments would cross a state scenic highway 
(State Route 374).
    <bullet> Construction of one pipeline segment would take place 
within 50 feet of three residences.
    <bullet> Some of the pipeline segments would possibly cross 
potential habitat for the Indiana bat, a federally listed endangered 
species.
    <bullet> Increasing the capacity of the storage field may increase 
the potential for leakage.

Crawford Compressor Station

    <bullet> Some of the additional facilities would be within a 100-
year floodplain.
    <bullet> The reboiler for the dehydration contactor would slightly 
increase the NO<INF>X emission levels of the station.

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 follow the instructions below to ensure 
that your comments are received and properly recorded:
    <bullet> Address your letter to: Lois Cashell, Secretary, Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission, 825 North Capitol St., N.E., Washington, 
D.C. 20426. [[Page 11664]] 
    <bullet> Reference Docket Nos. CP95-61-000 and CP95-62-000.
    <bullet> Send a copy of your letter to: Ms. Laura Turner, EA 
Project Manager, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 825 North 
Capitol Street., N.E., Room 7312, Washington, D.C. 20426.
    <bullet> Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, D.C. on or before April 3, 1995.
If you wish to receive a copy of the EA, you should request one from 
Ms. Turner at the above address.

Becoming and 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 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).
    The date for filing timely motions to intervene in this proceeding 
has passed. Therefore, parties now seeking to file late interventions 
must show good cause, as required by Sec. 385.214(b)(3), why this time 
limitation should be waived. Environmental issues have been viewed as 
good cause for late intervention. You do not need intervenor status to 
have your scoping comments considered.
    Additional information about the proposed project is available from 
Ms. Laura Turner, EA Project Manager, at (202) 208-0916.
Lois D. Cashell,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 95-5111 Filed 3-1-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M