[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 87 (Friday, May 3, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19922-19923]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-11050]



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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
[Docket No. CP96-127-000]


Columbia Gas Transmission Corporation; Notice of Intent To 
Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Lanham X-2 Storage 
Replacement Project and Request For Comments on Environmental Issues

April 29, 1996.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) will prepare an environmental assessment (EA) that will 
discuss the environmental impacts of the construction, abandonment, and 
operation of the facilities proposed in the Lanham X-2 Storage 
Replacement Project.\1\ This EA will be used by the Commission in its 
decision-making process to determine whether an environmental impact 
statement is necessary and whether to approve the project.
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    \1\ Columbia Gas Transmission Corporation's application was 
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

    Columbia Gas Transmission Corporation (Columbia) proposes to 
construct and operate approximately 6.8 miles of storage pipelines 
consisting of 0.6 mile of 12-inch-diameter, 0.8 mile of 10-inch-
diameter, 0.8 mile of 8-inch-diameter, 2.6 miles of 6-inch-diameter, 
and 2.0 miles of 4-inch-diameter pipelines. These facilities would 
replace approximately 7.5 miles of existing storage pipelines proposed 
for abandonment consisting of 0.4 mile of 12-inch-diameter, 1.0 mile of 
10-inch-diameter, 0.5 mile of 8-inch-diameter, 2.3 miles of 6-inch-
diameter, and 3.3 miles of 4-inch-diameter pipelines. All of these 
facilities are within the Lanham X-2 Storage Field in Kanawha and 
Putnam Counties, West Virginia. Columbia proposes these actions to 
replace aged, deteriorated facilities.
    The project would also involve the replacement of wellhead piping 
and measurement facilities at 20 existing wells, installation of an on-
line pigging system on the 10-inch-diameter pipeline, and installation 
of fluid gathering facilities. Columbia would also construct four pig 
launchers and receivers, one gate valve setting, and three anode beds 
with associated rectifier poles and cables. In addition, storage well 
7067 would be abandoned and storage well 7126 would be converted to an 
observation well.
    The location of the project facilities is shown in appendix 1.\2\
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    \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, 888 
First Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 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

    Approximately 43 percent of the replacement pipeline would be 
located in new rights-of-way. The remaining construction rights-of-way 
would partially or fully overlap Columbia's existing rights-of-way. 
Columbia intends to use a75-foot-wide construction right-of-way for 
approximately 55 percent of the replacement pipeline. Columbia would 
use a 100-foot-wide construction right-of-way for the remaining 45 
percent of the replacement pipeline for side hill cuts and topsoil 
conservation areas. Additional working spaces adjacent to the 
construction right-or-way (such as for stream crossings and staging 
areas) would be identified during the environmental analysis and 
approved before use.
    Over, about 104d acres of land would be disturbed by construction 
and abandonment, including three new access roads, one pipeyard, and 45 
staging areas. Columbia would also widen as many as 25 existing access 
roads to be used for the project. Full control of all areas where 
existing pipeline would be abandoned in-place (approximately 22 acres) 
and all disturbed areas outside of the new permanent rights-of-way 
(approximately 62 acres) would revert back to landowners after 
construction and restoration have been completed.

The EA Process

    The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires the 
Commission to take into account the environmental

[[Page 19923]]

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> public safety
<bullet> land use
<bullet> endangered and threatened species
<bullet> cultural resources

    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:

    <bullet> Eleven residences are near the construction rights-of-
way.
    <bullet> Waterbodies would be crossed at 19 locations by new and 
retirement construction. One of these, the Pocatalico River, has 
been designated as a high quality stream and is over 100 feet wide 
at two proposed wet ditch crossings.
    <bullet> Construction and abandonment activity would disturb 23 
wetlands.
    <bullet> Cultural resources have been identified.

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, 888 First Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 
20426;
    <bullet> Reference Docket No. CP96-127-000;
    <bullet> Send a copy of your letter to: Ms. Elizabeth Secrest, EA 
Project Manager, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First 
Street, N.E., Room 72-50, Washington, D.C. 20426; and
    <bullet> Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, D.C. on or before June 6, 1996.

If you wish to receive a copy of the EA, you should request one from 
Ms. Secrest at the above address.

Becoming an 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 2).
    The date for filing of timely motions to intervene in this 
proceeding has passed. Therefore, parties now seeking to file late 
interventions must show good cause, as required by section 
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. Elizabeth Secrest, EA Project Manager, at (202) 208-0918.
Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 96-11050 Filed 5-2-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M