FERC staff prepared a Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for CenterPoint Energy Gas Transmission Company's (CEGT) Carthage to Perryville Project. The proposed Project would consist of an approximately 172.1-mile-long, 42-inch-diameter, interstate natural gas pipeline, two new compressor stations totaling 41,240 horsepower (hp), and associated ancillary facilities. The proposed pipeline would extend from multiple receipt points with intrastate natural gas pipeline facilities near Carthage in Panola County, Texas, to interconnects with four existing, interstate pipelines in Ouachita and Richland Parishes, Louisiana.
The Final EIS was prepared in coordination with our federal cooperating agencies for the Project, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
FERC staff has determined that the proposed Carthage to Perryville Project would result in limited adverse environmental impacts if constructed and operated in accordance with applicable laws and regulations, CEGT's proposed mitigation, and our additional recommended mitigation measures. The primary reasons that the FERC staff concludes the proposed Project would be an environmentally acceptable action are:
- The proposed pipeline route would collocate with or parallel existing rights-of-way for approximately 40 miles, or about 23 percent of the proposed route.
- CEGT would use horizontal directional drills to accomplish pipeline installation across most of the major and sensitive waterbodies traversed by the proposed Project route, including all of the major and/or navigable stream crossings, two designated Louisiana Natural and Scenic Rivers, one Nationwide Rivers Inventory-listed stream, and the river most likely to contain habitat for federally-listed species.
- CEGT would develop site-specific wetland crossing plans and implement an HDD to further avoid and minimize forested wetland impacts at four high-quality forested wetlands identified by the resource agencies.
- CEGT would compensate for all unavoidable wetland impacts through the purchase of wetland mitigation bank credits in the area of the proposed Project.
- CEGT would implement the FERC's Plan and Procedures, including the relatively minor modifications approved in the FEIS, to mitigate impacts to natural resources during construction and operation of the Project.
- All applicable federal, state and local permits and authorizations would be obtained by CEGT prior to initiating activities requiring such permits and authorizations.
- An environmental inspection and monitoring program would ensure compliance with all mitigation measures that become conditions of any FERC authorization.
FERC Commissioners will take into consideration the staff's recommendations and the FEIS when they make a decision on the Project.