FERC Friday issued favorable draft environmental nods for Guardian Pipeline LLC’s expansion and extension project in Illinois and Wisconsin and Gulf South Pipeline Co. LP’s proposed Southeast Expansion Project in Mississippi and Alabama.

The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission concluded that both projects would have “limited adverse environmental impacts,” provided appropriate mitigating measures are followed.

The Guardian project calls for the construction of 83.6 miles of 30-inch diameter pipeline and 25.9 miles of 20-inch diameter pipeline, two new 39,000 horsepower electric motor-driven compressor stations and associated facilities in Illinois and Wisconsin [CP07-8]. The extended pipeline would meet the growing demand for natural gas in eastern Wisconsin and provide pipeline-on-pipeline competition for many customers for the first time.

The project calls for Guardian to extend the length of its system by about 106 miles from its current terminus near Ixonia in northwestern Jefferson County, WI, to Green Bay. The proposed expansion would result in about 537,200 Dth/d of additional gas transmission capacity to serve the state of Wisconsin.

Assuming FERC approval, the pipeline said it plans to begin construction in early 2008, and place it into operation by later that year.

The Guardian project would establish a second interstate gas pipeline presence in eastern Wisconsin to benefit those utilities and consumers who have yet to experience pipeline competition in their area, the company said. ANR Pipeline has been the sole pipeline provider in much of eastern Wisconsin for years.

The Gulf South Pipeline project calls for the construction of approximately 111 miles of 42-inch diameter pipeline, three new compressor stations and ancillary pipeline facilities in eastern Louisiana, Central Mississippi and western Alabama [CP07-032].

The Southeast Expansion Project would facilitate movement of gas farther east into the interstate pipeline grid. This project also would provide Florida markets access to reliable onshore gas supplies. The project is targeted for in-service during the first half of 2008.

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