The FERC staff has prepared a final environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Gulf South Pipeline Company L.P.'s (Gulf South) proposed Southeast Expansion Project (Project).
The proposed Project would include the construction and operation of approximately 111 miles of a 42-inch-diameter natural gas pipeline, the construction of three new compressor stations, and the construction of ancillary pipeline facilities including meter and regulation facilities, mainline valves, and pigging facilities. These proposed facilities would be constructed and operated in Eastern Louisiana, Central Mississippi and Western Alabama, specifically: Richland Parish, Louisiana; Simpson, Smith, Jasper, and Clarke Counties, Mississippi; and Choctaw County, Alabama.
The purpose of this proposed project is to provide producers in eastern Texas and northern Louisiana an eastern market outlet for production from CenterPoint Energy Gas Transmission Company (CenterPoint) in the Perryville, Louisiana, area.
This Final EIS was prepared to satisfy the requirement of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and was prepared in cooperation with the United States Army Corps of Engineers, Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Environmental Protection Agency.
The FERC staff concludes that if the proposed Project is found to be in the public interest and is constructed and operated in accordance with Gulf South's proposed minimization and mitigation measures as well as its recommended mitigation measures, the proposed facilities would have limited adverse environmental impacts. The FERC staff reached this conclusion based in part on:
- The proposed pipeline route would be collocated with or parallel to existing rights-of-way for approximately 73 miles, or about 66 percent of the proposed Project;
- Gulf South would implement its Plan and Procedures which would minimize and mitigate impacts to natural resources during construction and operation of the Project;
- Gulf South would implement an environmental inspection and monitoring program that would ensure compliance with all proposed and recommended mitigation measures;
- Consultation with the FWS as required by Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act would be completed, and appropriate mitigation measures would be in place before construction would be allowed to commence;
- Consultation with the State Historic Preservation Officers and Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, as required by Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, would be complete before construction would be allowed to commence; and
- Gulf South would develop site-specific wetland crossing plans for significant areas containing mature cypress and tupelo trees, in consultation with federal and state resources agencies, and would compensate for all unavoidable wetland impacts through the purchase of wetland mitigation bank credits in the area of the proposed Project.
The FERC Commissioners will take into consideration staff's recommendations and the final EIS when they make decisions on the Project.