
[Federal Register: February 11, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 27)]
[Notices]
[Page 6868-6870]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr11fe09-36]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP07-398-002]


Gulf Crossing Pipeline Company LLC; Notice of Intent To Prepare
An Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Mira Compressor Station
Amendment and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues

February 4, 2009.
    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 Mira Compressor Station

[[Page 6869]]

Amendment (Mira Amendment) involving construction and operation of
facilities by Gulf Crossing Pipeline Company LLC (Gulf Crossing) in
Caddo Parish, Louisiana.\1\ This EA will be used by the Commission in
its decision-making process to determine whether the project is in the
public convenience and necessity.
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    \1\ On December 5, 2008, Gulf South filed its application with
the Commission under section 7 of the Natural Gas Act and Part 157
of the Commission's regulations. The Commission issued its Notice of
Application on December 16, 2008.
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    This notice announces the opening of the scoping process we will
use to gather input from the public and interested agencies on the
project. Your input will help the Commission staff determine which
issues need to be evaluated in the EA. Please note that the scoping
period will close on March 6, 2009.
    This notice is being sent to affected landowners; federal, state,
and local government representatives and agencies; elected officials;
environmental and public interest groups; Native American Tribes; other
interested parties; and local libraries and newspapers. State and local
government representatives are asked to notify their constituents of
this planned project and 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?'' is available for
viewing on the FERC Web site (www.ferc.gov). This fact sheet addresses
a number of typically asked questions, and how to participate in the
Commission's proceedings. It is available for viewing on the FERC
Internet Web site (www.ferc.gov).

Summary of the Proposed Project

    Gulf Crossing proposes to upgrade the two previously certificated
turbine-compressor units at the Mira Compressor Station to larger
turbine compressor units to increase the total horsepower of the Mira
Compressor Station by 14,896. Gulf Crossing would install a new Solar
Mars 100-15000S/C452 natural gas-fired turbine and a Solar Titan 130-
20502S/C653 natural gas-fired turbine in place of the previous units
for a total Station horsepower of 35,500. In addition, minor upgrades
to the station's auxiliary facilities would be required.
    The general 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 of all appendices, other
than Appendix 1 (maps), are available on the Commission's Web site
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
last page of this notice. Copies of the appendices were sent to all
those receiving this notice in the mail.
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    If approved, Gulf Crossing proposes to commence construction of the
proposed facilities in July 2009.

Land Requirements for Construction

    All construction activities associated with the modifications to
the Mira Compressor Station would be located within the previously
certificated facility footprint. A total of 20 acres would be utilized
during construction, and 10 acres would be retained within the fenced
area of the compressor station.

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.
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, the Commission staff
requests public comments on the scope of the issues to 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.
    In the EA we \3\ will discuss impacts that could occur as a result
of the construction and operation of the proposed project under these
general headings:
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    \3\ ``We'', ``us'', and ``our'' refer to the environmental staff
of the Office of Energy Projects (OEP).
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     Geology and soils;
     Land use;
     Water resources, fisheries, and wetlands;
     Cultural resources;
     Vegetation and wildlife;
     Air quality and noise;
     Endangered and threatened species;
     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 make
our recommendations to the Commission. To ensure your comments are
considered, please carefully follow the instructions in the public
participation section below.
    With this NOI, we are 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. These agencies may choose to participate once they have
evaluated the proposal relative to their responsibilities. Additional
agencies that would like to request cooperating agency status should
follow the instructions for filing comments provided under the Public
Participation section of this NOI.

Currently Identified Environmental Issues

    We have identified potential impacts to air quality and a potential
increase in noise impacts as two issues that we think deserve attention
based on a preliminary review of the proposed facilities and the
environmental information provided by Gulf Crossing. This preliminary
list of issues may be changed based on your comments and our analysis.

Public Participation

    You can make a difference by providing us with your specific
comments or concerns about the Mira Amendment. Your comments should
focus on the potential environmental effects, reasonable alternatives,
and measures to avoid or lessen environmental impacts. The more
specific your comments, the more useful they will be. To ensure that
your comments are timely and properly recorded, please send in your
comments so that they will be received in Washington, DC on or before
March 6, 2009.
    For your convenience, there are three methods in which you can use
to submit your comments to the Commission. In all instances please
reference the project docket number CP07-398-002 with your submission.
The Commission encourages electronic filing of comments and has
dedicated eFiling

[[Page 6870]]

expert staff available to assist you at 202-502-8258 or
efiling@ferc.gov.
    (1) You may file your comments electronically by using the Quick
Comment feature, which is located on the Commission's internet Web site
at http://www.ferc.gov under the link to Documents and Filings. A Quick
Comment is an easy method for interested persons to submit text-only
comments on a project;
    (2) You may file your comments electronically by using the eFiling
feature, which is located on the Commission's internet Web site at
http://www.ferc.gov under the link to Documents and Filings. eFiling
involves preparing your submission in the same manner as you would if
filing on paper, and then saving the file on your computer's hard
drive. You will attach that file as your submission. New eFiling users
must first create an account by clicking on ``Sign up'' or
``eRegister.'' You will be asked to select the type of filing you are
making. A comment on a particular project is considered a ``Comment on
a Filing;'' or
    (3) You may file your comments via mail to the Commission by
sending an original and two copies of your letter to: Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First St., NE.,
Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426.

Label one copy of the comments for the attention of Gas Branch 3,
PJ11.3.

Environmental Mailing List

    An effort is being made to send this notice to all individuals,
organizations, and government entities interested in and/or potentially
affected by the proposed project. This includes all landowners who are
potential right-of-way grantors, whose property may be used temporarily
for project purposes, or who own homes within distances defined in the
Commission's regulations of certain aboveground facilities.
    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 2). If you do not return the Information Request, you will be
taken off the mailing list.

Becoming an Intervenor

    In addition to involvement in the EA scoping process, you may want
to become an ``intervenor,'' which is an official party to the
proceeding. Intervenors play a more formal role in the process and are
able to file briefs, appear at hearings, and be heard by the courts if
they choose to appeal the Commission's final ruling. An intervenor
formally participates in a Commission proceeding by filing a request to
intervene. Instructions for becoming an intervenor are included in the
User's Guide under the ``e-filing'' link on the Commission's Web site.

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 (www.ferc.gov) using the eLibrary link. Click on
the eLibrary link, click 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 www.ferc.gov/esubscribenow.htm.
    Finally, public meetings or site visits 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. E9-2866 Filed 2-10-09; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
