Final Environmental Impact Statement on the Federal Energy Administration's Proposed Action to Allocate Naphtha for SNG Production by the Indiana Gas Company

摘要

FEA is considering an allocation of naphtha feedstock of 3.8 million barrels per year to the Indiana Gas Company for operation of its proposed synthetic natural gas (SNG) plant in Pike Township, a rural suburb of Indianapolis. With an expected SNG output of 20,820,000 Mcf per year, this plant will provide about 20% of the total gas supply available to Indiana Gas. Operation of the plant is expected to result in annual pollution emissions: 1374 tons of sulfur oxides, 272 tons of nitrogen oxides, and 35 tons of particulate matter. Incremental emissions due to plant operation relative to existing emissions in Marion County are less than 1%. Compliance with Federal and State primary and secondary ambient air quality standards is expected. The EIS predicts a potential violation of the EPA regulation for the prevention of significant air quality deterioration for sulfur oxide in a Class II area, based on preliminary engineering designs. This potential violation can be avoided through several methods. Effluents discharged into the county sewer system and a nearby stream should have no impact except under abnormal conditions with small probability of occurrence. Water consumption requirements of 600,000 gallons are not expected to significantly tax the area's water resources. Potential noise impacts were determined to be negligible. All other operational impacts on population, roads, community facilities and services, and ecological systems were judged to be minimal. Environmental impacts resulting from various alternatives ranging from full allocation through denial of an allocation are discussed. The analysis of the alternatives of no allocation or a partial allocation highlights loss of jobs and associated wages due to non-availability of gas supplies. To the extent that some industrial and commercial users would use fuel oil as an alternate fuel, the end result would be an increase in air contaminant emissions. (ERA citation 03:044330)