81 FR 10883 - Draft Environmental Assessment on a Proposed Right-of-Way Permit Application for Pipelines Crossing Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge, Brazoria County, TX
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 41 (March 2, 2016)
Fish and Wildlife Service
Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 41 (March 2, 2016)
| Page Range | 10883-10884 | |
| FR Document | 2016-04566 |
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 41 (Wednesday, March 2, 2016)] [Notices] [Pages 10883-10884] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2016-04566] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service [FWS-R2-R-2016-N245; FXRS12610200000-167-FF02R06000] Draft Environmental Assessment on a Proposed Right-of-Way Permit Application for Pipelines Crossing Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge, Brazoria County, TX AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), make available the draft Environmental Assessment (dEA) for issuance of a right-of-way (ROW) permit to Praxair, Inc. (Praxair) for construction, operation, and maintenance of a 24-inch carbon steel pipeline for transport of nitrogen, and a 14-inch carbon steel pipeline for transport of hydrogen, within an existing maintained 4.3-mile ROW pipeline corridor, with 21 existing pipelines crossing the Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in Brazoria County, Texas. DATES: To ensure consideration of written comments on the issues and possible alternatives to be addressed in the documents, they must be received no later than April 1, 2016. ADDRESSES: Comments, questions, and requests for further information may be submitted by U.S. mail to Project Leader, Texas Mid-coast NWR Complex, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2547 County Road 316, Brazoria, TX 77422; by email at [email protected]; by phone at 979-964-4011; or by fax to 979-964-4021. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, make available the dEA for issuance of a ROW permit for a segment (4.3 miles) of the Praxair Dual Pipeline System Project on the Brazoria NWR. In accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), we advise the public that: 1. We have gathered the information necessary to determine impacts and formulate alternatives for the dEA related to potential issuance of a ROW to the Applicant (Praxair); and 2. The Applicant has developed a Construction Plan as part of the application for a ROW permit, which describes the measures the Applicant has agreed to take to minimize and mitigate impacts of the project. Proposed Action The proposed action involves the issuance of a 10-foot ROW permit by the FWS and the subsequent construction, operation, and maintenance of the Proposed Project. The term of the permit would be for 30 years. Construction methods, including matting the entire temporary work area, directional drilling under wetlands rather than open trench, and utilizing a push/pull method for laying the pipe through the salty prairie, are all designed to minimize the impact to refuge habitats and wildlife. Although impacts have been minimized, wildlife utilizing the existing ROW and adjacent habitat will be disturbed and/or displaced during construction. The applicant proposes to provide funds to be utilized to conserve natural habitats that will be added to the Brazoria or San Bernard NWR. Proposed Project Praxair proposes to use a combination of conventional open trenching and subsurface Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) in its construction methods to cross the refuge lands. The proposed two pipelines would be constructed at the same time, near the center of an existing maintained 300-foot-wide pipeline corridor, 4.3 miles in length, between existing pipelines. The existing pipeline corridor pre- dates FWS ownership of the land in fee title, and extends from Farm-to- Market Road 2004 on the northeast end to Austin Bayou on the southwest end. Construction of the proposed pipelines would require a 100-foot- wide temporary work area, including 90 feet of temporary workspace used during construction activities, and a 10-foot-wide ROW after construction is complete. Praxair is working with FWS staff in the development of its proposed plan of operations in order to determine construction methods and develop measures to avoid or minimize potential adverse impacts during construction activities. However, some impacts are unavoidable and can reasonably be anticipated during pipeline construction, operations, and maintenance activities. Conventional trenching for simultaneous construction of the proposed two pipelines would require excavation of an open trench approximately 5.5 to 6 feet deep, 8 feet wide at the bottom, and 19 feet wide at the surface, with an approximately 45- [[Page 10884]] degree slope on the sides, depending on soil conditions. Workspace required for HDD sites would be 300 feet by 300 feet. Alternatives The only alternative to the proposed action that we are considering as part of this process is the No Action alternative, in which no ROW permit would be issued. Under a No Action alternative, the FWS would not issue the requested ROW permit; therefore, the Applicant would likely seek an alternate alignment, establishing a new ROW corridor around the refuge, as described in the dEA. Public Availability of Documents In addition to any methods in ADDRESSES, you can view or obtain documents at the following locations:Texas Mid-Coast National Wildlife Refuge Complex Headquarters Office, CR 316, Brazoria, TX, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Our Web site: http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/Plan/plansinprogress.html. At the following public libraries: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Library Address Phone number ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Brazoria County Library--City of 250 Circle Way, 979-415-2590 Lake Jackson Branch. Lake Jackson, TX 77566. Brazoria County Library-- 401 E Cedar Street, 979-864-1519 Angleton Branch. Angleton, TX 77515. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Submitting Comments/Issues for Comment We consider comments substantive if they: Question, with reasonable basis, the accuracy of the information in the document; Question, with reasonable basis, the adequacy of the environmental assessment (EA); Present reasonable alternatives other than those presented in the EA; and/or Provide new or additional information relevant to the assessment. Public Availability of Comments Written comments we receive become part of the public record associated with this action. Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can request in your comment that we withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. We will not consider anonymous comments. All submissions from organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or businesses, will be made available for public disclosure in their entirety. Authorities NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and its implementing regulations; and the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 (Refuge Administration Act), as amended by the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 (Refuge Improvement Act). Dated: February 25, 2016. Joy Nicholopoulos, Acting Regional Director, Southwest Region, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. [FR Doc. 2016-04566 Filed 3-1-16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4333-15-P
![Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 41 / Wednesday, March 2, 2016 / Notices 10883
establishment of a visitor contact station Dated: February 1, 2016. 2. The Applicant has developed a
or office at or near the refuge. Alexandra Pitts, Construction Plan as part of the
Alternative C, which was developed Acting Regional Director, Pacific Southwest application for a ROW permit, which
to take into consideration the forecasted
Region, Sacramento, California. describes the measures the Applicant
[FR Doc. 2016–04571 Filed 2–29–16; 11:15 am] has agreed to take to minimize and
decline in budgets for the National
BILLING CODE 4310–15–P mitigate impacts of the project.
Wildlife Refuge System, proposes to
reduce or eliminate many of the current Proposed Action
management activities occurring on the DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR The proposed action involves the
refuge, as well as to close the refuge to issuance of a 10-foot ROW permit by the
all public access. Under Alternative C, Fish and Wildlife Service FWS and the subsequent construction,
the Service’s management actions operation, and maintenance of the
[FWS–R2–R–2016–N245;
would be limited to the minimum FXRS12610200000–167–FF02R06000] Proposed Project. The term of the permit
necessary to meet statutory would be for 30 years. Construction
responsibilities under the Endangered Draft Environmental Assessment on a methods, including matting the entire
Species Act of 1973 and National Proposed Right-of-Way Permit temporary work area, directional
Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Application for Pipelines Crossing drilling under wetlands rather than
Act of 1997. Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge, open trench, and utilizing a push/pull
Brazoria County, TX method for laying the pipe through the
Public Meetings salty prairie, are all designed to
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, minimize the impact to refuge habitats
The locations, dates, and times of Interior. and wildlife. Although impacts have
public meetings will be listed in a ACTION: Notice of availability; request been minimized, wildlife utilizing the
planning update distributed to the for comments. existing ROW and adjacent habitat will
project mailing list and posted on the be disturbed and/or displaced during
refuge planning Web site, at http:// SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service (FWS), make available construction. The applicant proposes to
www.fws.gov/refuge/Guadalupe- provide funds to be utilized to conserve
Nipomo_Dunes/what_we_do/ the draft Environmental Assessment
(dEA) for issuance of a right-of-way natural habitats that will be added to the
planning.html. Brazoria or San Bernard NWR.
(ROW) permit to Praxair, Inc. (Praxair)
Review and Comment for construction, operation, and Proposed Project
maintenance of a 24-inch carbon steel Praxair proposes to use a combination
Copies of the Draft CCP/EA may be pipeline for transport of nitrogen, and a of conventional open trenching and
obtained by writing to the refuge 14-inch carbon steel pipeline for subsurface Horizontal Directional
planner (see ADDRESSES). Copies of the transport of hydrogen, within an Drilling (HDD) in its construction
Draft CCP/EA may be viewed at the existing maintained 4.3-mile ROW methods to cross the refuge lands. The
same address and the following local pipeline corridor, with 21 existing proposed two pipelines would be
libraries; Guadalupe Branch of the Santa pipelines crossing the Brazoria National constructed at the same time, near the
Maria Public Library, 4719 W. Main Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in Brazoria center of an existing maintained 300-
Street, Guadalupe, CA 93434; and the County, Texas. foot-wide pipeline corridor, 4.3 miles in
Santa Maria Public Library (Main DATES: To ensure consideration of length, between existing pipelines. The
Library), 421 S. McClelland Street, written comments on the issues and existing pipeline corridor pre-dates
Santa Maria, California 93454. The Draft possible alternatives to be addressed in FWS ownership of the land in fee title,
CCP/EA will also be available for the documents, they must be received and extends from Farm-to-Market Road
viewing and downloading online, at no later than April 1, 2016. 2004 on the northeast end to Austin
http://www.fws.gov/refuge/Guadalupe- ADDRESSES: Comments, questions, and Bayou on the southwest end.
Nipomo_Dunes/what_we_do/ requests for further information may be Construction of the proposed pipelines
planning.html. submitted by U.S. mail to Project would require a 100-foot-wide
Leader, Texas Mid-coast NWR Complex, temporary work area, including 90 feet
Comments on the Draft CCP/EA U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2547 of temporary workspace used during
should be addressed to the refuge County Road 316, Brazoria, TX 77422; construction activities, and a 10-foot-
planner (see ADDRESSES). by email at jennifer_sanchez@fws.gov; wide ROW after construction is
At the end of the review and comment by phone at 979–964–4011; or by fax to complete. Praxair is working with FWS
period for the Draft CCP/EA, comments 979–964–4021. staff in the development of its proposed
will be analyzed by the Service and SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, U.S. plan of operations in order to determine
addressed in the Final CCP/EA. Before Fish and Wildlife Service, make construction methods and develop
including your address, phone number, available the dEA for issuance of a ROW measures to avoid or minimize potential
email address, or other personal permit for a segment (4.3 miles) of the adverse impacts during construction
identifying information in your Praxair Dual Pipeline System Project on activities. However, some impacts are
comment, you should be aware that the Brazoria NWR. In accordance with unavoidable and can reasonably be
your entire comment—including your the requirements of the National anticipated during pipeline
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
personal identifying information—may Environmental Policy Act of 1969 construction, operations, and
be made publicly available at any time. (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), we maintenance activities. Conventional
While you can ask us in your comment advise the public that: trenching for simultaneous construction
to withhold your personal identifying 1. We have gathered the information of the proposed two pipelines would
information from public review, we necessary to determine impacts and require excavation of an open trench
formulate alternatives for the dEA approximately 5.5 to 6 feet deep, 8 feet
cannot guarantee that we will be able to
related to potential issuance of a ROW wide at the bottom, and 19 feet wide at
do so.
to the Applicant (Praxair); and the surface, with an approximately 45-
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![10884 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 41 / Wednesday, March 2, 2016 / Notices
degree slope on the sides, depending on ROW permit; therefore, the Applicant • Texas Mid-Coast National Wildlife
soil conditions. Workspace required for would likely seek an alternate Refuge Complex Headquarters Office,
HDD sites would be 300 feet by 300 feet. alignment, establishing a new ROW CR 316, Brazoria, TX, between the hours
Alternatives corridor around the refuge, as described of 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday
in the dEA. through Friday.
The only alternative to the proposed
action that we are considering as part of Public Availability of Documents • Our Web site: http://www.fws.gov/
this process is the No Action alternative, southwest/refuges/Plan/
in which no ROW permit would be In addition to any methods in plansinprogress.html.
ADDRESSES, you can view or obtain
issued. Under a No Action alternative, • At the following public libraries:
the FWS would not issue the requested documents at the following locations:
Library Address Phone number
Brazoria County Library—City of Lake Jackson Branch ......... 250 Circle Way, Lake Jackson, TX 77566 ............................. 979–415–2590
Brazoria County Library—Angleton Branch ............................ 401 E Cedar Street, Angleton, TX 77515 ............................... 979–864–1519
Submitting Comments/Issues for Dated: February 25, 2016. Wildlife Service Headquarters, MS:
Comment Joy Nicholopoulos, BPHC; 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls
Acting Regional Director, Southwest Region, Church, VA 22041–3803.
We consider comments substantive if U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. When submitting comments, please
they: indicate the name of the applicant and
[FR Doc. 2016–04566 Filed 3–1–16; 8:45 am]
• Question, with reasonable basis, the BILLING CODE 4333–15–P the PRT# you are commenting on. We
accuracy of the information in the will post all comments on http://
document; www.regulations.gov. This generally
• Question, with reasonable basis, the DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR means that we will post any personal
adequacy of the environmental information you provide us (see the
assessment (EA); Fish and Wildlife Service Public Comments section below for
• Present reasonable alternatives [Docket No. FWS–HQ–IA–2016–0047; more information). Viewing Comments:
other than those presented in the EA; FXIA16710900000–156–FF09A30000] Comments and materials we receive will
and/or be available for public inspection on
• Provide new or additional Endangered Species; Marine http://www.regulations.gov, or by
information relevant to the assessment. Mammals; Receipt of Applications for appointment, between 8 a.m. and 4
Permit p.m., Monday through Friday, except
Public Availability of Comments Federal holidays, at the U.S. Fish and
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Wildlife Service, Division of
Written comments we receive become Interior. Management Authority, 5275 Leesburg
part of the public record associated with ACTION: Notice of receipt of applications Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041–3803;
this action. Before including your for permit. telephone 703–358–2095.
address, phone number, email address,
SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
or other personal identifying
information in your comment, you Wildlife Service, invite the public to Brenda Tapia, (703) 358–2104
should be aware that your entire comment on the following applications (telephone); (703) 358–2281 (fax);
comment—including your personal to conduct certain activities with DMAFR@fws.gov (email).
identifying information—may be made endangered species, marine mammals, SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
publicly available at any time. While or both. With some exceptions, the I. Public Comment Procedures
you can request in your comment that Endangered Species Act (ESA) and
we withhold your personal identifying Marine Mammal Protection Act A. How do I request copies of
information from public review, we (MMPA) prohibit activities with listed applications or comment on submitted
cannot guarantee that we will be able to species unless Federal authorization is applications?
do so. We will not consider anonymous acquired that allows such activities. Send your request for copies of
comments. All submissions from DATES: We must receive comments or applications or comments and materials
organizations or businesses, and from requests for documents on or before concerning any of the applications to
individuals identifying themselves as April 1, 2016. We must receive requests the contact listed under ADDRESSES.
representatives or officials of for marine mammal permit public Please include the Federal Register
organizations or businesses, will be hearings, in writing, at the address notice publication date, the PRT-
made available for public disclosure in shown in the ADDRESSES section by number, and the name of the applicant
their entirety. April 1, 2016. in your request or submission. We will
Authorities ADDRESSES: Submitting Comments: You not consider requests or comments sent
may submit comments by one of the to an email or address not listed under
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and its following methods: ADDRESSES. If you provide an email
implementing regulations; and the • Federal eRulemaking Portal: http:// address in your request for copies of
National Wildlife Refuge System www.regulations.gov. Follow the applications, we will attempt to respond
Administration Act of 1966 (Refuge instructions for submitting comments to your request electronically.
Administration Act), as amended by the on Docket No. FWS–HQ–IA–2016–0047. Please make your requests or
National Wildlife Refuge System • U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public comments as specific as possible. Please
Improvement Act of 1997 (Refuge Comments Processing, Attn: Docket No. confine your comments to issues for
Improvement Act). FWS–HQ–IA–2016–0047; U.S. Fish and which we seek comments in this notice,
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Document Created: 2018-02-02 15:04:04
Document Modified: 2018-02-02 15:04:04
| Category | Regulatory Information | |
| Collection | Federal Register | |
| sudoc Class | AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106: | |
| Publisher | Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration | |
| Section | Notices | |
| Action | Notice of availability; request for comments. | |
| Dates | To ensure consideration of written comments on the issues and | |
| FR Citation | 81 FR 10883 |
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