Welcome to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) website for the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review of proposed construction of the Wild Goose Storage, LLC (Wild Goose) Phase 3 Gas Storage Expansion (Phase 3 Expansion). An application for this project was submitted to the CPUC on April 24, 2009 (Application A.09-04-021). The CPUC, through its Environmental Review Team, is conducting an environmental review of the Phase 3 Expansion. This site provides access to public documents and information relevant to the CEQA review process.

Background  

Wild Goose has filed an application with the CPUC to construct the Phase 3 Expansion. The CPUC is the CEQA lead agency.

The Wild Goose Gas Storage Project involves past initial development and expansion, and potential future development, of a depleted and formerly abandoned underground natural gas field (the Wild Goose Gas Field, or field). The Wild Goose Gas Storage Project consists of the initial development between April 1997 and April 1999 (the Base Project) and a later expansion (Phase 2 Expansion) of the Wild Goose Gas Storage Facility (Wild Goose Facility). The Base Project was approved by the CPUC through CPCN Decision 97-06-091. Decision 02-07-036 approved the Phase 2 Expansion. To evaluate the Base Project under CEQA, an Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration were prepared in 1997; for the Phase 2 Expansion, the Wild Goose Storage, Inc. Expansion Project Environmental Impact Report (2002 EIR) was prepared; the EIR was certified in 2002.

For the Phase 3 Expansion, Wild Goose is proposing to expand its existing natural gas storage facility beyond the capabilities currently certified to more fully use the injection, withdrawal, and storage capacity of the most suitable natural gas storage reservoirs in the field, resulting in a cumulative total of approximately 650 million cubic feet per day (MMcfd) of injection, 1,200 MMcfd of withdrawal, and 50 billion cubic feet (Bcf) of storage capacity. The Phase 3 Expansion would increase the physical footprint and current operations at the Wild Goose Facility, and would consist of the following four components:

Further information about the Phase 3 Expansion components is presented in the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Report.

Wild Goose’s continuing objective for the Wild Goose Facility is to provide highly flexible natural gas storage services to a variety of customers, which includes gas utilities, electric utilities, independent electric generators, gas marketers, gas producers, the core, industrial gas users, and other wholesale and retail gas customers. Working towards this objective will help provide increased gas reliability, the potential for reduced energy price volatility, and the potential for more efficient gas transmission service. The purpose of the Phase 3 Gas Storage Expansion Project is to capture the incremental storage, injection and withdrawal capacity of the natural gas storage facility to meet customer demands into the foreseeable future.

Wild Goose’s proposed date to begin construction is August 2010, and proposed online date is May 2013.

Figure 1: Project Location Map shows an overview of the project area, including the location of the Remote Facility Site and the Delevan Interconnect Site.

Application and Proponent’s Environmental Assessment (PEA)

The application and PEA for the Wild Goose Phase 3 Gas Storage Expansion Project is under review by the CPUC and will be made available to the public after it has been determined complete.

Other Documents Available

Notice of Preparation (October 7, 2009)
Application Deemed Complete Letter (TBD)
Notice of Availability (June 7, 2010)
Fact Sheets (TBD)
Public Meeting Summary (TBD)

Supplemental Environmental Impact Report

The Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Report (Draft SEIR) is available here. The public review and comment period commences June 7, 2010 and runs through July 21, 2010. The Notice of Availability, above, provides instructions on submitting comments on the Draft SEIR.

The CPUC held a public meeting to explain the Phase 3 Expansion, discuss the identified impacts that would result from the Phase 3 Expansion, and receive comments on the Draft SEIR from the public. The public meeting was held Tuesday, June 29, 2010, starting at 7 p.m., at the City of Gridley Council Chambers, 685 Kentucky Street, Gridley, California, 95948.

The Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Report (Final SEIR) is available here.

Copies of the Draft SEIR and Final SEIR are available for review at the following public libraries:

Commission Decision

The results of the Commission decision on the project will be presented here, when available.

Construction Progress and Mitigation Monitoring

Reports issued by the CPUC, reports on construction progress, and reports issued as part of the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program will be published here, when available.

For Additional Information

The CPUC, through its Environmental Review Team, is conducting an environmental review of the project. To request additional information or to be added to the mailing list, please contact us by email, fax, or phone, as follows:

The CPUC’s Project Manager is: