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 West Lorain Project involving construction and operation of facilities by Columbia Gas Transmission Corporation (Columbia) in Lorain and Holmes Counties, Ohio. Columbia would increase the operating pressure of Columbia's existing 14-mile-long 20-inch diameter Line L-2542 from 440 pounds per square in gauge (psig) to 630 psig and increase the operating pressure on 5.5 miles of Columbia's existing 12-inch diameter Line V from 500 psig to 550 psig.
Columbia's application was filed with the Commission on January 23, 2001, under section 7 of the Natural Gas Act and Part 157 of the Commission's regulations.
Columbia would also abandon by replacement seven existing compressor units with a combined horsepower (hp) of 4,320, four gas coolers, and an existing building and appurtenances at its Wellington Compressor Station in Lorain County, Ohio and replace the abandoned compressors with two 4,500 hp electric driven compressor units. 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.
A fact sheet prepared by the FERC entitled “An Interstate Natural Gas Facility On My Land? What Do I Need To Know?” was attached to the project notice Columbia provided to landowners. This fact sheet addresses a number of typically asked questions, including how to participate in the Commission's proceedings. It is available for viewing on the FERC Internet website (www.ferc.fed.us).
Summary of the Proposed Project
Columbia is proposing the West Lorain Project to provide Northeast Ohio Natural Gas Corporation with up to 140,000 Dth/d (40 Mdth/d annually) for redelivery to FirstEnergy Trading Services, Inc. both wholly owned subsidiaries of First Energy Corp. The additional volumes of natural gas would be provided to FirstEnergy Corp. to supply installing five new combustion turbines to be installed adjacent to two existing combustion turbines at FirstEnergy Corp.'s West Lorain Plant in Lorain County, Ohio.
No ground disturbing activities would be involved with the uprating of these pipelines. All construction and ground disturbing activity would occur within the existing fenced area of the Wellington Compressor Station. The general location of Columbia's facilities is shown on the map attached as appendix 1.
The appendices referenced in this notice are not being printed in the Federal Register. Copies are available on the Commission's website at the “RIMS” link or from the Commission's Public Reference and Files Maintenance Branch, 888 First Street, NE, Room 2A, Washington, DC 20426, or call (202) 208-1371. For instructions on connecting to RIMS refer to the last page of this notice. Copies of the appendices were sent to all those receiving this notice in the mail.
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.
“We”, “us”, and “our” refer to the environmental staff of the Office of Energy Projects (OEP).
The EA will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of the construction and operation of the proposed project under these general headings:
- Cultural resources
- Reliability and safety
- Air quality and noise
- Threatened and endangered species
We will 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.
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, alternatives to the proposal (including alternative locations or routes), and measures to avoid or lessen environment 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: David P. Boergers, 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 1, PJ-11.1;
- Reference Docket No. CP01-70-000; and
- Mail your comments so that they will be received in Washington, DC on or before April 30, 2001.
Comments, protests and interventions may also be filed electronically via the Internet in lieu of paper. See 18 CFR 385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions on the Commission's web site at http://www.ferc.fed.us/efi/doorbell.htm under the link to the User's Guide. Before you can file comments you will need to create an account which can be created by clicking on “Login to File” and then “New User Account.”
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 provide 14 copies of its filings to the Secretary of the Commission and must sent 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). Only intervenors have the right to seek rehearing of the Commission's decision.
Interventions may also be filed electronically via the Internet in lieu of paper. See the previous discussion on filing comments electronically.
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.
Additional information about the proposed project is available from the Commission's Office of External Affairs at (202) 208-1088 or on the FERC website (www.ferc.fed.us) using the “RIMS” link to information in this docket number. Click on the “RIMS” link, select “Docket #” from the RIMS Menu, and follow the instructions. For assistance with access to RIMS, the RIMS helpline can be reached at (202) 208-2222.
Similarly, the “CIPS” link on the FERC Internet website provides access to the texts of formal documents issued by the Commission, such as orders, notices, and rulemakings. From the FERC Internet website, click on the “CIPS” link, select “Docket #” from the CIPS menu, and follow the instructions. For assistance with access to CIPS, the CIPS helpline can be reached at (202) 208-2474.
Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 01-8076 Filed 4-2-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M