80 FR 12163 - Dominion Transmission, Inc., Atlantic Coast Pipeline, LLC; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Planned Supply Header Project and Atlantic Coast Pipeline Project, Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of Public Scoping Meetings

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 44 (March 6, 2015)

Page Range		12163-12166
FR Document		2015-05248

Federal Register, Volume 80 Issue 44 (Friday, March 6, 2015)

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 44 (Friday, March 6, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12163-12166]
From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-05248]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket Nos. PF15-5-000; PF15-6-000]

Dominion Transmission, Inc., Atlantic Coast Pipeline, LLC; Notice
of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Planned
Supply Header Project and Atlantic Coast Pipeline Project, Request for
Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of Public Scoping Meetings

The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) that
will discuss the environmental impacts of the Supply Header Project
(SHP) involving construction and operation of facilities by Dominion
Transmission, Inc. (Dominion) in Pennsylvania and West Virginia, and
the Atlantic Coast Pipeline Project (ACP Project) involving
construction and operation of facilities by Atlantic Coast Pipeline,
LLC (Atlantic) in West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina. The
environmental impacts of both projects will be considered in one EIS,
which will be used by the Commission in its decision-making process to
determine whether the projects are in the public convenience and
necessity.
This notice announces the opening of the scoping process the
Commission will use to gather input from the public and interested
agencies on the projects. Your input will help the Commission staff
determine what issues they need to evaluate in the EIS. Please note
that the scoping period will close on April 28, 2015.
You may submit comments in written form or verbally. Further
details on how to submit written comments are in the Public
Participation section of this notice. If you sent comments on the SHP
or ACP Projects to the Commission before the opening of the dockets on
October 31, 2014, you will need to file those comments under Docket No.
PF15-5-000 or PF15-6-000 to ensure they are considered as part of this
proceeding. In lieu of or in addition to sending written comments, the
Commission invites you to attend any of the public scoping meetings
scheduled as follows:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date and time Location
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Monday, March 9, 2015, 7:00 p.m. Pine Forest High School, 525
Andrews Road, Fayetteville,
NC 28311.
Tuesday, March 10, 2015, 7:00 p.m. Forest Hills Middle School,
1210 Forest Hills Road,
Wilson, NC 27896.
Wednesday, March 11, 2015, 7:00 p.m. William R. Davie Middle
School, 4391 Hwy. 158,
Roanoke Rapids, NC 27870.
Thursday, March 12, 2015, 7:00 p.m. Jolliff Middle School, 1021
Jolliff Road, Chesapeake,
VA 23331.
Monday, March 16, 2015, 7:00 p.m. Dinwiddie Middle School,
11608 Courthouse Road,
Dinwiddie, VA 23841.
Tuesday, March 17, 2015, 7:00 p.m. Prince Edward County High
School Auditorium, 1482
Zion Hill Road, Farmville,
VA 23901.
Wednesday, March 18, 2015, 7:00 p.m. Nelson County Middle School,
6925 Thomas Nelson Highway,
Lovingston, VA 22949.
Thursday, March 19, 2015, 7:00 p.m. Stuarts Draft High School,
1028 Augusta Farms Road,
Stuarts Draft, VA 24477.
Monday, March 23, 2015, 7:00 p.m. Elkins High School, 100
Kennedy Drive, Elkins, WV
26241.
Tuesday, March 24, 2015, 7:00 p.m. Bridgeport High School, 515
Johnson Avenue, Bridgeport,
WV 26330.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

The purpose of these scoping meetings is to provide an opportunity
to verbally comment on the projects. If a significant number of people
are interested in commenting at the meetings, we \1\ may establish a 3-
to 5-minute time limit for each commentor to ensure that all people
wishing to comment have the opportunity in the time allotted for the
meeting. If time limits on comments are implemented, they will be
strictly enforced. A transcript of each meeting will be added to the
Commission's administrative record to ensure that your comments are
accurately recorded.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

\1\ ``We,'' ``us,'' and ``our'' refer to the environmental staff
of the Commission's Office of Energy Projects.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

This notice is being sent to the Commission's current environmental
mailing list for these projects. State and local government
representatives should notify their constituents of these

[[Page 12164]]

planned projects and encourage them to comment on their areas of
concern.
If you are a landowner receiving this notice, a pipeline company
representative may contact you about the acquisition of an easement to
construct, operate, and maintain the planned facilities. The company
would seek to negotiate a mutually acceptable agreement. However, if
the Commission approves the projects, that approval conveys with it the
right of eminent domain. Therefore, if easement negotiations fail to
produce an agreement, the pipeline company could initiate condemnation
proceedings where compensation would be determined in accordance with
state law.
A fact sheet prepared by the FERC entitled ``An Interstate Natural
Gas Facility On My Land? What Do I Need To Know?'' is available for
viewing on the FERC Web site (www.ferc.gov). This fact sheet addresses
a number of typically asked questions, including the use of eminent
domain and how to participate in the Commission's proceedings.

Summary of the Planned Projects

The SHP would involve the construction and operation of
approximately 38.7 miles of pipeline loop \2\ and the modification of
existing compression facilities in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The
pipeline facilities associated with the SHP would be comprised of two
main components: (1) Approximately 3.8 miles of 30-inch-diameter
natural gas pipeline loop adjacent to Dominion's existing LN-25
pipeline in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania; and (2) approximately
34.9 miles of 36-inch-diameter pipeline loop adjacent to Dominion's
existing TL-360 pipeline in Harrison, Doddridge, Tyler, and Wetzel
Counties, West Virginia.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

\2\ A pipeline ``loop'' is a segment of pipe constructed
parallel to an existing pipeline to increase capacity.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

In addition to the planned pipelines, Dominion plans to modify four
existing compressor stations in Westmoreland and Green Counties,
Pennsylvania and Marshall and Wetzel Counties, West Virginia. Dominion
would install new gas-fired turbines that would provide for a combined
increase of 75,700 horsepower of compression. Dominion would also
install new valves, pig launcher/receiver sites,\3\ and associated
appurtenances at these existing compressor station locations.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

\3\ A ``pig'' is a tool that the pipeline company inserts into
and pushes through the pipeline for cleaning the pipeline,
conducting internal inspections, or other purposes.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

The ACP Project would involve the construction and operation of 554
miles of variable diameter natural gas pipeline in West Virginia,
Virginia, and North Carolina. The pipeline facilities associated with
the ACP Project would be comprised of four main components as follows:
Approximately 295.6 miles of 42-inch-diameter pipeline in
Harrison, Lewis, Upshur, Randolph, and Pocahontas Counties, West
Virginia; Highland, Augusta, Nelson, Buckingham, Cumberland, Prince
Edward, Nottoway, Dinwiddie, Brunswick, and Greensville Counties,
Virginia; and Northampton County, North Carolina;
approximately 179.9 miles of 36-inch-diameter pipeline in
Northampton, Halifax, Nash, Wilson, Johnston, Sampson, Cumberland, and
Robeson Counties, North Carolina;
approximately 75.7 miles of 20-inch-diameter lateral
pipeline in Northampton County, North Carolina; and Greensville,
Southampton, Suffolk, and Chesapeake Counties, Virginia; and
approximately 3.1 miles of 16-inch-diameter natural gas
lateral pipeline in Brunswick County, Virginia.
In addition to the planned pipelines, Atlantic plans to construct
and operate three new compressor stations totaling 108,275 horsepower
of compression. These compressor stations would be located in Lewis
County, West Virginia; Buckingham County, Virginia; and Northampton
County, North Carolina. Atlantic would also install metering stations,
valves, pig launcher/receiver sites, and associated appurtenances along
the planned pipeline system.
The SHP and ACP Projects would be capable of delivering 1.5 billion
cubic feet of natural gas per day to seven planned distribution points
in West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina. If approved,
construction of the projects is proposed to begin in September 2016.
The general location of the projects' facilities and a number of
alternatives under consideration are shown in the maps in appendix
1.\4\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

\4\ The appendices referenced in this notice will not appear in
the Federal Register. Copies of the appendices were sent to all
those receiving this notice in the mail and are available at
www.ferc.gov using the link called ``eLibrary'' or from the
Commission's Public Reference Room, 888 First Street NE.,
Washington, DC 20426, or call (202) 502-8371. For instructions on
connecting to eLibrary, refer to the last page of this notice.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Land Requirements for Construction

Construction of the planned facilities would disturb about 12,972
acres of land for the pipeline and aboveground facilities. The typical
construction right-of-way for pipeline facilities would vary between
125 feet wide for the 42-inch-diameter pipeline and 75 feet wide for
the 16-inch-diameter lateral pipeline, with additional workspace needed
in some locations due to site-specific conditions. Following
construction, approximately 4,370 acres of land would be retained for
permanent operation of the facilities. Land affected by construction
but not required for operation would generally be allowed to revert to
former uses.

The EIS Process

The FERC will be the lead federal agency for the preparation of the
EIS. The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) is participating as a cooperating
agency because the ACP Project would cross the Monongahela and George
Washington National Forests in West Virginia and Virginia. As a
cooperating agency, the USFS intends to adopt the EIS per Title 40 of
the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 1506.3 to meet its
responsibilities under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
regarding Atlantic's planned application for a Right-of-Way Grant and
Temporary Use Permit for crossing federally administered lands. The
USFS additionally will assess how the planned pipeline conforms to the
direction contained in the Monongahela and George Washington National
Forests' Land and Resource Management Plans (LRMP). Changes in the LRMP
could be required if the pipeline is authorized across the National
Forests. The EIS will provide the documentation to support any needed
amendments to the LRMPs.
NEPA requires the Commission to take into account the environmental
impacts that could result from an action whenever it considers the
issuance of a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity. NEPA
also requires us to discover and address concerns the public may have
about proposals. This process is referred to as scoping. The main goal
of the scoping process is to focus the analysis in the EIS on the
important environmental issues. By this notice, the Commission requests
public comments on the scope of the issues to address in the EIS. We
will consider all filed comments during the preparation of the EIS.
In the EIS we will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of
the construction and operation of the planned projects under these
general headings:
Geology and soils;
land use;

[[Page 12165]]

water resources, fisheries, and wetlands;
cultural resources;
vegetation and wildlife;
air quality and noise;
endangered and threatened species;
socioeconomics; and
public safety.
We will present our recommendations in the EIS on how to lessen or
avoid impacts on the various resource areas, as applicable.
Dominion and Atlantic are evaluating several route alternatives
that were developed through the company's route selection and
constraint analysis processes or identified by stakeholders during
public outreach efforts. Major route alternatives that have been
identified by Dominion and Atlantic are presented in appendix 1. More
detailed maps of these, and other, potential alternative routes can be
found on the FERC Web site at www.ferc.gov, or Dominion's Web site at
https://www.dom.com/corporate/what-we-do/natural-gas/atlantic-coast-pipeline. Part of our NEPA analysis will include evaluating possible
alternatives to the planned projects or portions of the projects. Thus,
as part of our scoping process, we are specifically soliciting comments
on the range of alternatives for both of the projects.
Although no formal application has been filed, we have already
initiated our NEPA review under the Commission's pre-filing process.
The purpose of the pre-filing process is to encourage early involvement
of interested stakeholders and to identify and resolve issues before
the FERC receives an application. As part of our pre-filing review, we
have begun to contact some federal and state agencies to discuss their
involvement in the scoping process and the preparation of the EIS.
The EIS will present our independent analysis of the issues. We
will publish and distribute the draft EIS for public comment. After the
comment period, we will consider all timely comments and revise the
document, as necessary, before issuing a final EIS. To ensure we have
the opportunity to consider and address your comments, please carefully
follow the instructions in the Public Participation section beginning
on page 8.
With this notice, we are asking agencies with jurisdiction by law
and/or special expertise with respect to the environmental issues
related to these projects to formally cooperate with us in the
preparation of the EIS.\5\ Agencies that would like to request
cooperating agency status should follow the instructions for filing
comments provided under the Public Participation section of this
notice. As discussed above, the USFS has expressed its intention to
participate as a cooperating agency in the preparation of the EIS to
satisfy its NEPA responsibilities related to these projects. In
addition to the USFS, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, and the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have also agreed to participate as
cooperating agencies.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

\5\ The Council on Environmental Quality regulations addressing
cooperating agency responsibilities are at Title 40, Code of Federal
Regulations, Part 1501.6.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Consultations Under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation
Act

In accordance with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation's
implementing regulations for Section 106 of the National Historic
Preservation Act, we are using this notice to initiate consultation
with the applicable State Historic Preservation Offices, and to solicit
their views and those of other government agencies, interested Indian
tribes, and the public on the projects' potential effects on historic
properties.\6\ We will define the project-specific Area of Potential
Effects (APE) in consultation with the SHPOs as the projects develop.
On natural gas facility projects, the APE at a minimum encompasses all
areas subject to ground disturbance (examples include construction
right-of-way, contractor/pipe storage yards, compressor stations, and
access roads). Our EIS for these projects will document our findings on
the impacts on historic properties and summarize the status of
consultations under Section 106.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

\6\ The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation regulations
are at Title 36, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 800. Those
regulations define historic properties as any prehistoric or
historic district, site, building, structure, or object included in
or eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic
Places.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Currently Identified Environmental Issues

We have already identified several issues that we think deserve
attention based on a preliminary review of the planned facilities and
the environmental information provided by Dominion and Atlantic. This
preliminary list of issues may change based on your comments and our
analysis.
Land use impacts, including the exercise of eminent domain
and future land use restrictions;
impacts on property values, tourism, and recreational
resources;
safety issues, such as construction and operation of the
planned facilities near existing residences, schools, businesses, and
military training facilities, and in karst and steep slope terrain;
alternatives, including routing within existing linear
corridors, avoiding private property, National Forests, National
Parkway lands, National Wildlife Refuge land, and other sensitive
environmental features;
impacts on local emergency management systems;
impacts on forested areas and other vegetation;
impacts on surface water resources including springs,
seeps, and wetlands;
impacts on groundwater resources and wells;
impacts on protected species and habitat;
impacts on cultural resources including battlefields,
cemeteries, and historic properties; and
concerns regarding construction and operational noise,
especially related to compressor stations.

Public Participation

You can make a difference by providing us with your specific
comments or concerns about the projects. Your comments should focus on
the potential environmental effects, reasonable alternatives, and
measures to avoid or lessen environmental impacts. The more specific
your comments, the more useful they will be. To ensure that your
comments are timely and properly recorded, please send your comments so
that the Commission receives them in Washington, DC on or before April
28, 2015.
For your convenience, there are three methods you can use to submit
your comments to the Commission. In all instances, please reference the
appropriate project docket number(s) (PF15-5-000 for the SHP and PF15-
6-000 for the ACP Project) with your submission. The Commission
encourages electronic filing of comments and has expert staff available
to assist you at (202) 502-8258 or efiling@ferc.gov.
(1) You can file your comments electronically using the eComment
feature located on the Commission's Web site (www.ferc.gov) under the
link to Documents and Filings. This is an easy method for interested
persons to submit brief, text-only comments on a project;
(2) You can file your comments electronically using the eFiling
feature located on the Commission's Web site (www.ferc.gov) under the
link to Documents and Filings. With eFiling,

[[Page 12166]]

you can provide comments in a variety of formats by attaching them as a
file with your submission. New eFiling users must first create an
account by clicking on ``eRegister.'' You must select the type of
filing you are making. If you are filing a comment on a particular
project, please select ``Comment on a Filing;'' or
(3) You can file a paper copy of your comments by mailing them to
the following address: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC
20426.

Environmental Mailing List

The environmental mailing list includes federal, state, and local
government representatives and agencies; elected officials;
environmental and public interest groups; Native American Tribes; other
interested parties; and local libraries and newspapers. This list also
includes all affected landowners (as defined in the Commission's
regulations) who are potential right-of-way grantors, whose property
may be used temporarily for project purposes, or who own homes within
certain distances of aboveground facilities, as well as anyone who
submits comments on the projects. We will update the environmental
mailing list as the analysis proceeds to ensure that we send the
information related to this environmental review to all individuals,
organizations, and government entities interested in and/or potentially
affected by the planned projects.
Copies of the completed draft EIS will be sent to the environmental
mailing list for public review and comment. If you would prefer to
receive a paper copy of the document instead of the CD version or would
like to remove your name from the mailing list, please return the
attached Information Request (appendix 2).

Becoming an Intervenor

Once Dominion and Atlantic file applications with the Commission,
you may want to become an ``intervenor,'' which is an official party to
the Commission's proceeding. Intervenors play a more formal role in the
process and are able to file briefs, appear at hearings, and be heard
by the courts if they choose to appeal the Commission's final ruling.
An intervenor formally participates in the proceeding by filing a
request to intervene. Instructions for becoming an intervenor are in
the User's Guide under the ``e-filing'' link on the Commission's Web
site. Please note that the Commission will not accept requests for
intervenor status at this time. You must wait until the Commission
receives formal applications for the projects.

Additional Information

Additional information about the projects is available from the
Commission's Office of External Affairs, at (866) 208-FERC, or on the
FERC Web site (www.ferc.gov) using the eLibrary link. Click on the
eLibrary link, click on ``General Search,'' and enter the docket
number, excluding the last three digits in the Docket Number field
(i.e., PF15-5 or PF15-6). Be sure you have selected an appropriate date
range. For assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at
FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or toll free at (866) 208-3676, or for TTY,
contact (202) 502-8659. The eLibrary link also provides access to the
texts of formal documents issued by the Commission, such as orders,
notices, and rulemakings.
In addition, the Commission offers a free service called
eSubscription that allows you to keep track of all formal issuances and
submittals in specific dockets. This can reduce the amount of time you
spend researching proceedings by automatically providing you with
notification of these filings, document summaries, and direct links to
the documents. Go to www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/esubscription.asp.
Finally, public meetings or site visits will be posted on the
Commission's calendar located at www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/EventsList.aspx along with other related information.

Dated: February 27, 2015.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2015-05248 Filed 3-5-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P

12164 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 44 / Friday, March 6, 2015 / Notices

planned projects and encourage them to appurtenances at these existing land for the pipeline and aboveground
comment on their areas of concern. compressor station locations. facilities. The typical construction right-
If you are a landowner receiving this The ACP Project would involve the of-way for pipeline facilities would vary
notice, a pipeline company construction and operation of 554 miles between 125 feet wide for the 42-inch-
representative may contact you about of variable diameter natural gas pipeline diameter pipeline and 75 feet wide for
the acquisition of an easement to in West Virginia, Virginia, and North the 16-inch-diameter lateral pipeline,
construct, operate, and maintain the Carolina. The pipeline facilities with additional workspace needed in
planned facilities. The company would associated with the ACP Project would some locations due to site-specific
seek to negotiate a mutually acceptable be comprised of four main components conditions. Following construction,
agreement. However, if the Commission as follows: approximately 4,370 acres of land
approves the projects, that approval • Approximately 295.6 miles of 42- would be retained for permanent
conveys with it the right of eminent inch-diameter pipeline in Harrison, operation of the facilities. Land affected
domain. Therefore, if easement Lewis, Upshur, Randolph, and by construction but not required for
negotiations fail to produce an Pocahontas Counties, West Virginia; operation would generally be allowed to
agreement, the pipeline company could Highland, Augusta, Nelson, revert to former uses.
initiate condemnation proceedings Buckingham, Cumberland, Prince
The EIS Process
where compensation would be Edward, Nottoway, Dinwiddie,
determined in accordance with state Brunswick, and Greensville Counties, The FERC will be the lead federal
law. Virginia; and Northampton County, agency for the preparation of the EIS.
North Carolina; The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) is
A fact sheet prepared by the FERC • approximately 179.9 miles of 36- participating as a cooperating agency
entitled ‘‘An Interstate Natural Gas inch-diameter pipeline in Northampton, because the ACP Project would cross the
Facility On My Land? What Do I Need Halifax, Nash, Wilson, Johnston, Monongahela and George Washington
To Know?’’ is available for viewing on Sampson, Cumberland, and Robeson National Forests in West Virginia and
the FERC Web site (www.ferc.gov). This Counties, North Carolina; Virginia. As a cooperating agency, the
fact sheet addresses a number of • approximately 75.7 miles of 20- USFS intends to adopt the EIS per Title
typically asked questions, including the inch-diameter lateral pipeline in 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations,
use of eminent domain and how to Northampton County, North Carolina; Part 1506.3 to meet its responsibilities
participate in the Commission’s and Greensville, Southampton, Suffolk, under the National Environmental
proceedings. and Chesapeake Counties, Virginia; and Policy Act (NEPA) regarding Atlantic’s
Summary of the Planned Projects • approximately 3.1 miles of 16-inch- planned application for a Right-of-Way
diameter natural gas lateral pipeline in Grant and Temporary Use Permit for
The SHP would involve the Brunswick County, Virginia. crossing federally administered lands.
construction and operation of In addition to the planned pipelines, The USFS additionally will assess how
approximately 38.7 miles of pipeline Atlantic plans to construct and operate the planned pipeline conforms to the
loop 2 and the modification of existing three new compressor stations totaling direction contained in the Monongahela
compression facilities in Pennsylvania 108,275 horsepower of compression. and George Washington National
and West Virginia. The pipeline These compressor stations would be Forests’ Land and Resource
facilities associated with the SHP would located in Lewis County, West Virginia; Management Plans (LRMP). Changes in
be comprised of two main components: Buckingham County, Virginia; and the LRMP could be required if the
(1) Approximately 3.8 miles of 30-inch- Northampton County, North Carolina. pipeline is authorized across the
diameter natural gas pipeline loop Atlantic would also install metering National Forests. The EIS will provide
adjacent to Dominion’s existing LN–25 stations, valves, pig launcher/receiver the documentation to support any
pipeline in Westmoreland County, sites, and associated appurtenances needed amendments to the LRMPs.
Pennsylvania; and (2) approximately along the planned pipeline system. NEPA requires the Commission to
34.9 miles of 36-inch-diameter pipeline The SHP and ACP Projects would be take into account the environmental
loop adjacent to Dominion’s existing capable of delivering 1.5 billion cubic impacts that could result from an action
TL–360 pipeline in Harrison, feet of natural gas per day to seven whenever it considers the issuance of a
Doddridge, Tyler, and Wetzel Counties, planned distribution points in West Certificate of Public Convenience and
West Virginia. Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina. If Necessity. NEPA also requires us to
In addition to the planned pipelines, approved, construction of the projects is discover and address concerns the
Dominion plans to modify four existing proposed to begin in September 2016. public may have about proposals. This
compressor stations in Westmoreland The general location of the projects’ process is referred to as scoping. The
and Green Counties, Pennsylvania and facilities and a number of alternatives main goal of the scoping process is to
Marshall and Wetzel Counties, West under consideration are shown in the focus the analysis in the EIS on the
Virginia. Dominion would install new maps in appendix 1.4 important environmental issues. By this
gas-fired turbines that would provide for notice, the Commission requests public
Land Requirements for Construction
a combined increase of 75,700 comments on the scope of the issues to
horsepower of compression. Dominion Construction of the planned facilities address in the EIS. We will consider all
would also install new valves, pig would disturb about 12,972 acres of filed comments during the preparation
of the EIS.
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

launcher/receiver sites,3 and associated 4 The appendices referenced in this notice will
In the EIS we will discuss impacts
not appear in the Federal Register. Copies of the
2 A pipeline ‘‘loop’’ is a segment of pipe
appendices were sent to all those receiving this that could occur as a result of the
constructed parallel to an existing pipeline to notice in the mail and are available at www.ferc.gov construction and operation of the
increase capacity. using the link called ‘‘eLibrary’’ or from the planned projects under these general
3 A ‘‘pig’’ is a tool that the pipeline company Commission’s Public Reference Room, 888 First headings:
inserts into and pushes through the pipeline for Street NE., Washington, DC 20426, or call (202)
cleaning the pipeline, conducting internal 502–8371. For instructions on connecting to • Geology and soils;
inspections, or other purposes. eLibrary, refer to the last page of this notice. • land use;

VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:59 Mar 05, 2015 Jkt 235001 PO 00000 Frm 00027 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\06MRN1.SGM 06MRN1

Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 44 / Friday, March 6, 2015 / Notices 12165

• water resources, fisheries, and Agencies that would like to request • safety issues, such as construction
wetlands; cooperating agency status should follow and operation of the planned facilities
• cultural resources; the instructions for filing comments near existing residences, schools,
• vegetation and wildlife; provided under the Public Participation businesses, and military training
• air quality and noise; section of this notice. As discussed facilities, and in karst and steep slope
• endangered and threatened species; above, the USFS has expressed its terrain;
• socioeconomics; and intention to participate as a cooperating • alternatives, including routing
• public safety. within existing linear corridors,
We will present our recommendations agency in the preparation of the EIS to
satisfy its NEPA responsibilities related avoiding private property, National
in the EIS on how to lessen or avoid
to these projects. In addition to the Forests, National Parkway lands,
impacts on the various resource areas,
USFS, the U.S. Bureau of Land National Wildlife Refuge land, and other
as applicable.
Dominion and Atlantic are evaluating Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife sensitive environmental features;
several route alternatives that were Service Great Dismal Swamp National • impacts on local emergency
developed through the company’s route Wildlife Refuge, and the U.S. Army management systems;
Corps of Engineers have also agreed to • impacts on forested areas and other
selection and constraint analysis
participate as cooperating agencies. vegetation;
processes or identified by stakeholders
• impacts on surface water resources
during public outreach efforts. Major Consultations Under Section 106 of the including springs, seeps, and wetlands;
route alternatives that have been National Historic Preservation Act • impacts on groundwater resources
identified by Dominion and Atlantic are and wells;
presented in appendix 1. More detailed In accordance with the Advisory
Council on Historic Preservation’s • impacts on protected species and
maps of these, and other, potential habitat;
alternative routes can be found on the implementing regulations for Section
• impacts on cultural resources
FERC Web site at www.ferc.gov, or 106 of the National Historic
including battlefields, cemeteries, and
Dominion’s Web site at https:// Preservation Act, we are using this
historic properties; and
www.dom.com/corporate/what-we-do/ notice to initiate consultation with the
• concerns regarding construction
natural-gas/atlantic-coast-pipeline. Part applicable State Historic Preservation
and operational noise, especially related
of our NEPA analysis will include Offices, and to solicit their views and
to compressor stations.
evaluating possible alternatives to the those of other government agencies,
planned projects or portions of the interested Indian tribes, and the public Public Participation
projects. Thus, as part of our scoping on the projects’ potential effects on You can make a difference by
process, we are specifically soliciting historic properties.6 We will define the providing us with your specific
comments on the range of alternatives project-specific Area of Potential Effects comments or concerns about the
for both of the projects. (APE) in consultation with the SHPOs projects. Your comments should focus
Although no formal application has as the projects develop. On natural gas on the potential environmental effects,
been filed, we have already initiated our facility projects, the APE at a minimum reasonable alternatives, and measures to
NEPA review under the Commission’s encompasses all areas subject to ground avoid or lessen environmental impacts.
pre-filing process. The purpose of the disturbance (examples include The more specific your comments, the
pre-filing process is to encourage early construction right-of-way, contractor/ more useful they will be. To ensure that
involvement of interested stakeholders pipe storage yards, compressor stations, your comments are timely and properly
and to identify and resolve issues before and access roads). Our EIS for these recorded, please send your comments so
the FERC receives an application. As projects will document our findings on that the Commission receives them in
part of our pre-filing review, we have the impacts on historic properties and Washington, DC on or before April 28,
begun to contact some federal and state summarize the status of consultations 2015.
agencies to discuss their involvement in under Section 106. For your convenience, there are three
the scoping process and the preparation methods you can use to submit your
Currently Identified Environmental
of the EIS. comments to the Commission. In all
The EIS will present our independent Issues
instances, please reference the
analysis of the issues. We will publish We have already identified several appropriate project docket number(s)
and distribute the draft EIS for public issues that we think deserve attention (PF15–5–000 for the SHP and PF15–6–
comment. After the comment period, we based on a preliminary review of the 000 for the ACP Project) with your
will consider all timely comments and planned facilities and the submission. The Commission
revise the document, as necessary, environmental information provided by encourages electronic filing of
before issuing a final EIS. To ensure we Dominion and Atlantic. This comments and has expert staff available
have the opportunity to consider and preliminary list of issues may change to assist you at (202) 502–8258 or
address your comments, please carefully based on your comments and our efiling@ferc.gov.
follow the instructions in the Public analysis. (1) You can file your comments
Participation section beginning on page • Land use impacts, including the electronically using the eComment
8. exercise of eminent domain and future feature located on the Commission’s
With this notice, we are asking land use restrictions; Web site (www.ferc.gov) under the link
agencies with jurisdiction by law
• impacts on property values, to Documents and Filings. This is an
and/or special expertise with respect to
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

tourism, and recreational resources; easy method for interested persons to
the environmental issues related to submit brief, text-only comments on a
these projects to formally cooperate 6 The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation project;
with us in the preparation of the EIS.5 regulations are at Title 36, Code of Federal (2) You can file your comments
Regulations, Part 800. Those regulations define electronically using the eFiling feature
5 The Council on Environmental Quality historic properties as any prehistoric or historic
regulations addressing cooperating agency district, site, building, structure, or object included
located on the Commission’s Web site
responsibilities are at Title 40, Code of Federal in or eligible for inclusion in the National Register (www.ferc.gov) under the link to
Regulations, Part 1501.6. of Historic Places. Documents and Filings. With eFiling,

VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:59 Mar 05, 2015 Jkt 235001 PO 00000 Frm 00028 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\06MRN1.SGM 06MRN1

Document Created: 2018-02-21 09:33:45
Document Modified: 2018-02-21 09:33:45

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
FR Citation		80 FR 12163

80 FR 12163 - Dominion Transmission, Inc., Atlantic Coast Pipeline, LLC; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Planned Supply Header Project and Atlantic Coast Pipeline Project, Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of Public Scoping Meetings

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGYFederal Energy Regulatory Commission

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 44 (March 6, 2015)

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission