Document ID: FERC-2008-0433-0001
Agency: ferc
Document Type: Notice
Title: Intent to Prepare Environmental Assessment: Proposed Love Ranch Relocation Project; TransColorado Gas Transmission Company
Posted Date: 2008-03-24T04:00Z

[Federal Register: March 24, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 57)]
[Notices]               
[Page 15515-15516]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr24mr08-61]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket Nos. CP05-45-001; CP06-401-001]

 
TransColorado Gas Transmission Company; Notice of Intent To 
Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Love Ranch 
Relocation Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues

March 18, 2008.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) will prepare an environmental assessment (EA) that will 
discuss the potential environmental impacts of the Love Ranch 
Relocation Project involving the relocation of previously authorized, 
but uninstalled, natural gas transmission system facilities by 
TransColorado Gas Transmission Company (TransColorado) in Rio Blanco 
County, Colorado. 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 notice announces the opening of the scoping process the 
Commission will use to gather input from the public and interested 
agencies on the project. Your input will help determine which issues 
need to be evaluated in the EA. Please note that the scoping period 
will close on April 18, 2008. Details on how to submit comments are 
provided in the ``Public Participation'' section of this notice.
    This notice is being sent to affected landowners; federal, state, 
and local government agencies; 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 this proposed project and to encourage them to comment 
on their areas of concern.
    A fact sheet prepared by the FERC entitled ``An Interstate Natural 
Gas Facility On My Land? What Do I Need To Know?'' addresses a number 
of typically asked questions, including the use of eminent domain and 
how to participate in the Commission's proceedings. It is available for 
viewing on the FERC Internet Web site (http://www.ferc.gov).

Summary of the Proposed Project

    TransColorado proposes to relocate two compressor units previously 
authorized for installation at the existing Greasewood Compressor 
Station to an alternative site about 6 miles west (referred to as the 
Love Ranch Compressor Station site). Both locations are in Rio Blanco 
County, Colorado. Specifically, TransColorado proposes to amend its 
authorizations for both the North Expansion Project in Docket No. CP05-
45-000 and the Blanco-Meeker Expansion Project in Docket No. CP06-401-
000 to relocate a 2,370 horsepower unit and a 3,550 horsepower unit, 
respectively, to the Love Ranch Compressor Station site. TransColorado 
further seeks authority to construct and operate a new interconnect 
with Rockies Express Pipeline, LLC (Rockies Express) at the existing 
Meeker Compressor Station.
    Both compressor units were originally authorized to allow 
TransColorado to deliver up to 300,000 dekatherms per day (Dth/d) to 
Williams Energy Marketing and Trading Company (Williams) through 
Wyoming Interstate Company's pipeline system. Installation of the units 
was deferred to coincide with an increase in Williams' contract 
quantities beginning January 1, 2008. TransColorado states that 
relocating the compressor units and the new interconnect would 
accommodate the changing market needs of Williams on the TransColorado 
pipeline system and increases the overall delivery flexibility of the 
pipeline. Upon installation of the two compressors at the Love Ranch 
Compressor Station site, TransColorado would be capable of delivering 
130,000 Dth/d to WIC at the Greasewood Compressor Station and 210,000 
Dth/d to Rockies Express via the proposed interconnect at the Meeker 
Compressor Station.
    Construction and operation of the proposed project would affect 7.2 
acres, including the compressor station (6.75 acres), access road (0.25 
acre), and the meter station (0.2 acre). The compressor station would 
be located immediately adjacent to TransColorado's existing natural gas 
transmission pipeline system on privately-owned rangeland that is 
currently used for grazing. TransColorado would access the site by a 
new 230-foot-long by 50-foot-wide access road off of Rio Blanco County 
Road 5.
    The general location of the proposed facilities is shown in 
appendix 1.\1\
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    \1\ The appendices referenced in this notice are not being 
printed in the Federal Register. Copies of all appendices are 
available on the Commission's website 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 TransColorado.
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The EA Process

    We \2\ are preparing this EA to comply with the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) which requires the Commission to take 
into account the environmental impact that could result if it 
authorizes TransColorado's proposal. By this notice, we are also asking 
federal, state, and local agencies with jurisdiction and/or special 
expertise with respect to environmental issues to formally cooperate 
with us in the preparation of the EA. Agencies that would like to 
request cooperating status should follow the instructions for filing 
comments provided below.
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    \2\ ``We,'' ``us,'' and ``our'' refer to the environmental staff 
of the FERC's Office of Energy Projects.
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    NEPA also requires the FERC 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 
Notice of Intent, we are requesting public comments on the scope of the 
issues to address in the EA. All comments received will be considered 
during the preparation of the EA.
    The EA will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of the 
construction and operation of the proposed project under these general 
headings:
 Geology and soils
 land use and visual quality
 cultural resources
 vegetation and wildlife (including threatened and endangered 
species)
 air quality and noise
 reliability and safety.
    We will also evaluate possible alternatives to the proposed project 
or portions of the project, where necessary, and make recommendations 
on how to lessen or avoid impacts on the various resource areas.

[[Page 15516]]

    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, interested individuals, affected landowners, 
local libraries and newspapers, 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 make our recommendations to the Commission.
    To ensure your comments are received and considered, please 
carefully follow the instructions in the ``Public Participation'' 
section below.

Public Participation

    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 EA and considered by the Commission. 
You should focus on the potential environmental effects of the proposal 
and alternatives to the proposal, including alternative compressor 
station sites 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: 
Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 
First Street, NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426;
     Label one copy of the comments for the attention of Gas 
Branch 1, PJ-11.1;
     Reference Docket Nos. CP05-45-001 and CP06-401-001; and
     Mail your comments so that they will be received in 
Washington, DC, on or before April 18, 2008.
    Please note that the Commission strongly encourages electronic 
filing of any comments, interventions, or protests to this proceeding. 
See Title 18 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 
385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions on the Commission's Internet 
Web site at http://www.ferc.gov under the ``eFiling'' link and the link 
to the User's Guide. Prepare your submission in the same manner as you 
would if filing on paper and save it to a file on your hard drive. 
Before you can file comments you will need to create an account by 
clicking on ``Login to File'' and then ``New User Account.'' You will 
be asked to select the type of filing you are making. This filing is 
considered a ``Comment on Filing.'' In addition, there is a ``Quick 
Comment'' option available, which is an easy method for interested 
persons to submit text only comments on a project. The Quick-Comment 
User Guide can be viewed at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling/
quick-comment-guide.pdf. Quick Comment does not require a FERC 
eRegistration account; however, you will be asked to provide a valid 
email address. All comments submitted under either eFiling or the Quick 
Comment option are placed in the public record for the specified 
docket.

Becoming an Intervenor

    In addition to involvement in the EA 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 send one electronic copy (using the 
Commission's eFiling system) or 14 paper 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).\3\ Only intervenors 
have the right to seek rehearing of the Commission's decision.
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    \3\ Interventions may also be filed electronically via the 
Internet in lieu of paper. See the previous discussion on filing 
comments electronically.
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    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 which would not be 
adequately represented by any other parties. You do not need intervenor 
status to have your environmental comments considered.

Environmental Mailing List

    As described above, we may publish and distribute the EA for 
comment. If you are interested in receiving an EA for review and/or 
comment, please return the Environmental Mailing List Form (appendix 
3). If you do not return the Environmental Mailing List Form, you will 
be taken off the mailing list. All individuals who provide written 
comments will remain on our environmental mailing list for this 
project.

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, then 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.
    Finally, any public meetings or site visits scheduled for this 
proposed project will be posted on the Commission's calendar located at 
http://www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/EventsList.aspx along with other 
related information.

Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E8-5852 Filed 3-21-08; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717-01-P