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Enron Mail |
Donna/Arnold sorry about not making the conference call today. The state of
New Mexico showed up at my office this morning and made a surprise inspection at one of our C/S south of Roswell. I felt the need to tag along with them.... Heres the way it is. The EPA is required to address all federal concerns when they are the lead agency is a permitting issue. Even when it comes to an issue like approving a turbine installation on previously disturbed ground, they are required to ensure compliance with the Endangered Species Act (ESA). This is not a new issue with the EPA. Im having the same thing happen to me by the EPA I had called the EPA in San Francisco about the status of the air permits for the Red Rock expansion for C/S 3 and 4. The permitting engineer told me that prior to issuance of the permits, their air group would need assurances that the ESA regulations are being adressed. I told the engineer that becasue C/S 3 and 4 are on the reservation and that the Navajo Nation has its own EPA group, that the ESA requirements are taken care of by the Navajo Nation EPA. (As you remember, the Navajo Nation verbally told me that surveys would not be requried on the compressor station sites for endangered plants and or animals). I gave the EPA engineer the Navajo Nation Fish and Wiildlife contact and he said that he would give him a call and that he would also check this issue out with the legal attorneys with the EPA. Bottom line is that we are waiting for a response from EPA as to whether surveys would be required or not. I told him that we were expecting the permits by the end of September and that if necessary, I would schedule ESA surveys and circumvent this whole issue. He advised me not to do this. I think his decision had something to do with the EPA usurping authority of the Navajos and asserting authority on Indian Lands without Indian consent. He said he would get back with me on this by Friday as to whether their attorneys agreed that the jurisdiction of the EPA on Navajo Lands when the Navajos have an environmental agency which administrates these types of issues. Im a little irritated that the EPA didnt notify me about this when it first became an issue, but didnt pursue this as I didnt want to possibly delay issuance of the permits. Ill send something out via email when I hear from the EPA. From: Donna Martens/ENRON@enronXgate on 08/16/2001 02:06 PM CDT To: Larry Campbell/ET&S/Enron@ENRON cc: Subject: FW: question on Transwestern Larry -Arnold reported in the weekly meeting today that the EPA is requesting a T&E survey at Stations 3 & 4 prior to issuing air permits. Don't know if you anticipate this being a problem or lengthy process, but Steve Burns sent the following message to me (which I thought I had forwarded to you-sorry looks like I didn't). Any way, I don't know if he could help push the process along or not or if the permits he is talking about are ROW only....if so, give him a call. -----Original Message----- From: Burns, Stephen Sent: Monday, July 30, 2001 10:22 AM To: Martens, Donna Cc: Fritch, Bret; Gutierrez, Cecil; Bagot, Nancy; Westbrook, Roger; Robertson, Linda; Nord, Sue Subject: RE: question on Transwestern Thanks, Donna. The reason I ask is that we've been fighting a long political/policy issue here in Washington on rights-of-way across federal lands. Thus far the issue has focused on telecommunications (EBS and fiber optic cables). The agencies we've been pitted against are the BLM and Forest Service, and the issue is the federal land agencies have tried to raise ROW fees and rents to exorbitant levels in order to get more money out of companies. The agencies have recently said that what they tried to do to fiber cables they'll also do to pipelines. Two weeks ago, I spoke at a pipelines conference in New Orleans on this issue. El Paso pipelines told me they've had a tough time getting compression station upgrade permits from the BLM for their pipeline expansion into California. My request therefore would only be that IF you have any problems with the Forest Service in obtaining permits or new rights-of-way, and you think you might need some help, please feel free to let me know. We meet regularly with Dept of Agriculture senior staff, and should soon meet with the new Forest Service Chief Dale Bosworth. We could help if you have any problems. (Can't help you with the Navajo Nation, though! But seriously, we'd always like to learn if you have problems on Indian lands as well.) Steve Burns Washington Donna Martens/ENRON@enronXgate 07/30/2001 09:27 AM To: Bret Fritch/ENRON@enronXgate cc: Stephen D Burns/Corp/Enron@ENRON, Nancy Bagot/OTS/Enron@ENRON, Cecil Gutierrez/ET&S/Enron@ENRON, Roger Westbrook/ENRON@enronXgate Subject: RE: question on Transwestern Yes -Stations 2, 3 & 4 are on federal land. Station 2 is on national forest land and Stations 3 & 4 is leased to the Navajo Nation. Questions, let me know. Thanks. Donna -----Original Message----- From: Fritch, Bret Sent: Monday, July 30, 2001 9:14 AM To: Martens, Donna Cc: Burns, Stephen; Bagot, Nancy Subject: RE: question on transwestern Donna, Could you please answer the question below for Stephen and Nancy since you are the lead Analyst on the Red Rock project. Thanks, Bret -----Original Message----- From: Bagot, Nancy Sent: Monday, July 30, 2001 8:35 AM To: Fritch, Bret Cc: Burns, Stephen Subject: question on transwestern Bret, this is a question from someone in my office. Can you help? Thanks, Nancy ----- Forwarded by Nancy Bagot/OTS/Enron on 07/30/2001 09:32 AM ----- Stephen D Burns 07/30/2001 08:33 AM To: Nancy Bagot/OTS/Enron@ENRON cc: Subject: question on transwestern Are any of the four compressor station upgrades on the Transwestern line on federal lands?
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