

[Federal Register: August 10, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 154)]
[Notices]               
[Page 45036]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr10au07-73]                         


[[Page 45036]]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP07-32-000]

 
Gulf South Pipeline Company, LP; Notice of Availability of the 
Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Southeast 
Expansion Project

August 3, 2007.
    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) has prepared this Final Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) for the natural gas pipeline facilities proposed by Gulf South 
Pipeline Company, LP (Gulf South) under the above-referenced docket. 
Gulf South's Southeast Expansion Project (Project) would be located in 
various counties and parishes in eastern Louisiana, Mississippi, and 
western Alabama.
    The Final EIS was prepared to satisfy the requirements of the 
National Environmental Policy Act. The FERC staff concludes that the 
proposed Project, with the appropriate mitigation measures as 
recommended, would have limited adverse environmental impact.
    The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA), and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE) are 
federal cooperating agencies for the development of this EIS. A federal 
cooperating agency has jurisdiction by law or special expertise with 
respect to any environmental impact involved with the proposal and is 
involved in the NEPA analysis.
    Gulf South indicates that the general purpose of the proposed 
Project is to provide producers in eastern Texas and northern Louisiana 
an eastern market outlet for production from CenterPoint Energy Gas 
Transmission Company in the Perryville, Louisiana, area.
    The Final EIS addresses the potential environmental impacts 
resulting from the construction and operation of the following 
facilities:
     Approximately 111 miles of 42-inch-diameter natural gas 
transmission pipeline extending easterly from Simpson County, 
Mississippi, to Choctaw County, Alabama;
     Three new compressor stations, the Delhi, Harrisville, and 
Destin Compressor Stations, located in Richland County, Louisiana; 
Simpson County, Mississippi; and Choctaw County, Alabama, respectively; 
and
     Other ancillary facilities including five meter and 
regulator (M/R) facilities, eight mainline valves, one side valve, and 
two pig launcher and/or receiver facilities.
    Dependent upon Commission approval, Gulf South proposes to complete 
construction and begin operating the proposed Project in January 2008.
    The Final EIS has been placed in the public files of the FERC and 
is available for public inspection at:Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission, Public Reference Room, 888 First Street, NE., Room 
2A,Washington, DC 20426, (202) 502-8371.
    A limited number of copies of the Final EIS are available from the 
Public Reference Room identified above. In addition, CD copies of the 
Final EIS have been mailed to affected landowners; various federal, 
state, and local government agencies; elected officials; environmental 
and public interest groups; Native American tribes; local libraries and 
newspapers; intervenors; and other individuals that expressed an 
interest in the proposed Project. Hard-copies of the Final EIS have 
also been mailed to those who requested that format during the scoping 
and comment periods for the proposed Project.
    In accordance with the Council on Environmental Quality's (CEQ) 
regulations implementing NEPA, no agency decision on a proposed action 
may be made until 30 days after the U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency (EPA) publishes a notice of availability of a Final EIS. 
However, the CEQ regulations provide an exception to this rule when an 
agency decision is subject to a formal internal process that allows 
other agencies or the public to make their views known. In such cases, 
the agency decision may be made at the same time the notice of the 
Final EIS is published, allowing both periods to run concurrently. 
Should the FERC issue Gulf South authorizations for the proposed 
Project, it would be subject to a 30-day rehearing period. Therefore, 
the Commission could issue its decision concurrently with the EPA's 
notice of availability.
    Additional information about the proposed 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). To access information 

via the FERC Web site, click on the ``eLibrary'' link, then click on 
``General Search'' and enter the docket number (CP07-032), excluding 
the last three digits, in the Docket Number field. Be sure you have 
selected an appropriate date range. The ``eLibrary'' link provides 
access to the texts of formal documents issued by the Commission, such 
as orders, notices, and rulemakings. For assistance with ``eLibrary,'' 
please contact FERC Online Support at FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or 
toll-free at 1-866-208-3676, or for TTY, contact (202) 502-8659.
    In addition, the Commission now offers a free service called 
eSubscription that 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 
these documents. To learn more about eSubscription and to sign-up for 
this service, please go to http://www.ferc.gov/esubscribenow.htm.


Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E7-15628 Filed 8-9-07; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
