THE CALIFORNIA PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
TO: All Interested Parties
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) will direct the preparation of an Environmental Impact Report, referred to as an EIR, for the Carson to Norwalk Pipeline Project proposed by Santa Fe Pacific Pipeline (SFPP) Partners, L.P. (Application No. 97-05-019). Aspen Environmental Group (Aspen), a third-party contractor, under the direction of the CPUC, as the lead California State agency, will prepare a draft and final EIR to comply with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
SUMMARY OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT
A detailed description of the proposed project is included in the attached Initial Study, prepared under the CPUC’s direction. SFPP currently transports approximately 350,000 barrels per day of petroleum products to markets in southern California, Nevada, and Arizona. SFPP proposes to build and operate a new 16-inch petroleum products pipeline extending from SFPP’s existing Watson Station in Carson to the existing SFPP station at Norwalk, California (approximately 13 miles). The new pipeline will transport unleaded gasoline, diesel fuel, and jet fuel. The throughput of the new line will average 190,000 barrels of petroleum products per day; the products shipped will consist of approximately 56% gasoline, 19% jet fuel and 25% diesel.
The 13-mile pipeline would traverse portions of the Cities of Carson, Long Beach, Bellflower, Cerritos and Norwalk, as well as some Los Angeles County land. SFPP also plans to modify existing facilities located in Carson, Norwalk, Industry, and Colton as a part of the proposed expansion project.
PROJECT ALTERNATIVES
Possible alternatives to the project would include:
AVAILABLE INFORMATION
In compliance with CEQA, an Initial Study was prepared for this project, and a copy is attached to this Notice of Preparation. SFPP prepared a Proponent’s Environmental Assessment (PEA) that describes the project in detail and presents an impact analysis in several issue areas. The Initial Study and this Notice of Preparation are also available on the Internet at the following address: http://www.AspenEG.com/SFPP-EIR
The Initial Study and the PEA are also available for review at the locations listed below.
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If necessary, responsible local, State, and Federal agencies may request a copy of SFPP’s application and/or their Proponent’s Environmental Assessment by contacting:
THE EIR PROCESS AND SCHEDULE
Scoping comments are due to the CPUC within 30 days of the date of this NOP (by September 29, 1997). The Draft EIR is expected to be issued in mid-November 1997. There will be a 60-day comment period during which agencies and members of the public may submit comments on the DEIR. The Final EIR is expected to be issued in mid-February 1998.
PROPOSED SCOPE OF THE EIR
The EIR will present the analysis of the environmental impacts of the proposed Carson to Norwalk Pipeline Project and comparative environmental effects of the alternatives, and will identify mitigation measures for potentially significant impacts. The EIR will address the pipeline route between Carson to Norwalk, and also the proposed facility modifications in Carson, Norwalk, Industry, and Colton. It will also evaluate potential secondary impacts of the proposed project: increased shipment of petroleum products through the CalNev and Phoenix-West Pipelines and increases in truck distribution of products in California’s Inland Empire area. The EIR will address all issue areas for which potential significant impacts were identified in the Initial Study (copy attached).
These issue areas are as follows:
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PROJECT SCOPING PROCESS
The process of determining the focus and content of an EIR is known as scoping. Scoping helps to identify the range of actions, alternatives, environmental effects, and mitigation measures to be analyzed in depth, and allows the Lead Agency to eliminate issues from detailed study if they are not pertinent to the final decision on the proposed project. Scoping is also an effective way to bring together and address the concerns of the public, affected agencies, and other interested parties. Significant issues may be identified through public and agency comments.
Scoping is not conducted to resolve differences concerning the merits of the project or to anticipate the ultimate decision on the proposal. Rather, the purpose of scoping is to help ensure that a comprehensive and focused EIR will be prepared that provides a firm basis for the decision-making process. Members of the public, affected Federal, State, and local agencies, the proponent of the action, interest groups, and other interested parties may participate in the scoping process for this project by providing written and verbal comments or recommendations concerning the issues to be analyzed in the EIR. Comments can be given by attending the scheduled scoping meeting listed below, and/or by sending written comments to the address below.
The EIR on SFPP’s Carson to Norwalk Pipeline Project will focus on significant environmental effects, as identified in the Initial Study, or as further identified during the scoping process. Two public and agency scoping sessions will be held at the following date and location.
| Date: | Wednesday, September 17, 1997 | Thursday, September 18, 1997 |
| Time: | 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. | 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. |
| Location: | DeForest Park, Long Beach (on DeForest Street, at west end of Harding Avenue) |
Simms Park, 16614 S. Clark Avenue, Bellflower (north of Flower) |
| Directions: | 91 Freeway to Atlantic, south to Harding, west to DeForest (end of the street), Activity Room directly ahead | 91 Freeway to Bellflower Boulevard, north to Flower Street, west to Clark Avenue, north to Simms Park |
Written scoping comments should be submitted by September 29, 1997, by electronic mail at:
AspenSFPP@aol.com
or by U.S. mail to:
AGENCY COMMENTS
This NOP has been sent to the State responsible and trustee agencies, cooperating Federal agencies, and the State Clearinghouse. A list of agencies receiving this notice is shown in Attachment B. We need to know the views of your agency as to the scope and content of the environmental information which reflects your agency’s statutory responsibilities in connection with the proposed project. Again, responses should identify the issues to be considered in the Draft EIR, including significant environmental issues, alternatives, mitigation measures, and whether the responding agency will be a responsible State or Federal agency or a state trustee agency. Due to the time limits mandated by State laws, your response must be sent at the earliest possible date but no later than 30 days (September 29, 1997) after receipt of this notice. Please send your response to the address listed above.
This Notice of Preparation of an Environmental Impact Report is issued by the CPUC. For further information, contact:
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