80 FR 18394 - Northwest Pipeline LLC; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Union Meter Station Upgrade Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 65 (April 6, 2015)
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 65 (April 6, 2015)
| Page Range | 18394-18396 | |
| FR Document | 2015-07768 |
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 65 (Monday, April 6, 2015)] [Notices] [Pages 18394-18396] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2015-07768] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. CP15-110-000] Northwest Pipeline LLC; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Union Meter Station Upgrade Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or Commission) will prepare an environmental assessment (EA) that will discuss the environmental impacts of the Union Meter Station Upgrade Project involving construction and operation of facilities by Northwest Pipeline LLC (Northwest) in Union County, Oregon. The Commission will use this EA in its decision-making process to determine whether the project is 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 project. Your input will help the Commission staff determine what issues they need to evaluate in the EA. Please note that the scoping period will close on April 27, 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 this project to the Commission before the opening of this docket on March 6, 2015, you will need to file those comments in Docket No. CP15-110-000 to ensure they are considered as part of this proceeding. This notice is being sent to the Commission's current environmental mailing list for this project. State and local government representatives should notify their constituents of this proposed project 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 proposed facilities. The company would seek to negotiate a mutually acceptable agreement. However, if the Commission approves the project, 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. Northwest provided landowners with a fact sheet prepared by the FERC entitled ``An Interstate Natural Gas Facility On My Land? What Do I Need To Know?'' This fact sheet addresses a number of typically asked questions, including how to participate in the Commission's proceedings. It is also available for viewing on the FERC Web site (www.ferc.gov). Summary of the Proposed Project Northwest proposes to modify its existing meter station in Grande Ronde Valley, southeast of La Grande, Union County, Oregon. The Union Meter Station Upgrade Project would increase the existing Union Meter Station's capacity from approximately 3,120,000 to 5,500,000 standard cubic feet per day of natural gas in accordance with a Facility Agreement between Northwest and Avista Corporation, a local distribution company. The general location of the project facilities is shown in appendix 1.\1\ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ The appendices referenced in this notice will not appear in the Federal Register. Copies of 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 The project would require approximately 0.2 acre of total surface use occurring on previously disturbed and graveled land. Project construction would occur within the existing 50-foot-wide by 100-foot- long Union Meter Station property. The EA Process The National Environmental Policy Act (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 \2\ 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 EA on the important environmental issues. By this notice, the Commission requests public comments on the scope of the issues to address in the EA. We will consider all filed comments during the preparation of the EA. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \2\ ``We,'' ``us,'' and ``our'' refer to the environmental staff of the Commission's Office of Energy Projects. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- [[Page 18395]] In the EA we will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of the construction and operation of the proposed project under these general headings:geology and soils; land use; water use and quality; cultural resources; vegetation and wildlife; air quality and noise; endangered and threatened species; and public safety. We will also evaluate reasonable alternatives to the proposed project or portions of the project, and make recommendations on how to lessen or avoid impacts on the various resource areas. The EA will present our independent analysis of the issues. The EA will be available in the public record through eLibrary. Depending on the comments received during the scoping process, we may also publish and distribute the EA to the public for an allotted comment period. We will consider all comments on the EA before making our recommendations to the Commission. 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 4. With this notice, we are asking agencies with jurisdiction by law and/or special expertise with respect to the environmental issues of this project to formally cooperate with us in the preparation of the EA.\3\ 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. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \3\ 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 Office (SHPO), and to solicit their views and those of other government agencies, interested Indian tribes, and the public on the project's potential effects on historic properties.\4\ We will define the project-specific Area of Potential Effects (APE) in consultation with the SHPO as the project develops. 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 EA for this project will document our findings on the impacts on historic properties and summarize the status of consultations under Section 106. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \4\ The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation's 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. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Public Participation You can make a difference by providing us with your specific comments or concerns about the project. 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 27, 2015. For your convenience, there are three methods which you can use to submit your comments to the Commission. In all instances please reference the project docket number (CP15-110-000) with your submission. The Commission encourages electronic filing of comments and has expert staff available to assist you at (202) 502-8258 or [email protected]. (1) You can file your comments electronically using the eComment feature 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 on the Commission's Web site (www.ferc.gov) under the link to Documents and Filings. With eFiling, 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) whose property may be used temporarily for project purposes, or who own property within certain distances of aboveground facilities, and anyone who submits comments on the project. 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 proposed project. If we publish and distribute the EA, copies 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 In addition to involvement in the EA scoping process, 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. Additional Information Additional information about the project is available from the Commission's Office of External Affairs, at (866) 208-FERC, or on the FERC Web site at 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., CP15- 110). Be sure you have selected an appropriate date range. For assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at [email protected] or toll free at (866) 208-3676, or for TTY, contact (202) 502-8659. The [[Page 18396]] 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 now offers a free service called eSubscription which 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: March 27, 2015. Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary. [FR Doc. 2015-07768 Filed 4-3-15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
![18394 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 65 / Monday, April 6, 2015 / Notices
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY determined in accordance with state
Purpose of the Board: The purpose of law.
the Board is to make recommendations Federal Energy Regulatory Northwest provided landowners with
to DOE–EM and site management in the Commission a fact sheet prepared by the FERC
areas of environmental restoration, [Docket No. CP15–110–000] entitled ‘‘An Interstate Natural Gas
waste management, and related Facility On My Land? What Do I Need
activities. Northwest Pipeline LLC; Notice of To Know?’’ This fact sheet addresses a
Tentative Agenda Topics: Intent To Prepare an Environmental number of typically asked questions,
Assessment for the Proposed Union including how to participate in the
Wednesday, April 22, 2015 Meter Station Upgrade Project and Commission’s proceedings. It is also
Æ EM Program Update Request for Comments on available for viewing on the FERC Web
Æ EM SSAB Chairs’ Round Robin: Environmental Issues site (www.ferc.gov).
Topics, Achievements, and The staff of the Federal Energy Summary of the Proposed Project
Accomplishments Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Æ EM Budget Update Commission) will prepare an Northwest proposes to modify its
environmental assessment (EA) that will existing meter station in Grande Ronde
Æ Roundtable Discussion: DOE Valley, southeast of La Grande, Union
Communication Strategies discuss the environmental impacts of
the Union Meter Station Upgrade County, Oregon. The Union Meter
Æ Public Comment Period Station Upgrade Project would increase
Project involving construction and
Thursday, April 23, 2015 operation of facilities by Northwest the existing Union Meter Station’s
Pipeline LLC (Northwest) in Union capacity from approximately 3,120,000
Æ DOE Headquarters News and Views to 5,500,000 standard cubic feet per day
Æ EM Headquarters Waste Disposition County, Oregon. The Commission will
use this EA in its decision-making of natural gas in accordance with a
Update Facility Agreement between Northwest
process to determine whether the
Æ EM Safety Culture Presentation and Avista Corporation, a local
project is in the public convenience and
Æ Public Comment necessity. distribution company.
Public Participation: The EM SSAB This notice announces the opening of The general location of the project
Chairs welcome the attendance of the the scoping process the Commission facilities is shown in appendix 1.1
public at their advisory committee will use to gather input from the public Land Requirements for Construction
meetings and will make every effort to and interested agencies on the project.
accommodate persons with physical Your input will help the Commission The project would require
disabilities or special needs. If you staff determine what issues they need to approximately 0.2 acre of total surface
require special accommodations due to evaluate in the EA. Please note that the use occurring on previously disturbed
a disability, please contact David Borak scoping period will close on April 27, and graveled land. Project construction
at least seven days in advance of the 2015. would occur within the existing 50-foot-
meeting at the phone number listed You may submit comments in written wide by 100-foot-long Union Meter
above. Written statements may be filed form or verbally. Further details on how Station property.
either before or after the meeting with to submit written comments are in the The EA Process
the Designated Federal Officer, David Public Participation section of this
Borak, at the address or telephone listed notice. If you sent comments on this The National Environmental Policy
above. Individuals who wish to make project to the Commission before the Act (NEPA) requires the Commission to
oral statements pertaining to agenda opening of this docket on March 6, take into account the environmental
items should also contact David Borak. 2015, you will need to file those impacts that could result from an action
Requests must be received five days comments in Docket No. CP15–110–000 whenever it considers the issuance of a
prior to the meeting and reasonable to ensure they are considered as part of Certificate of Public Convenience and
provision will be made to include the this proceeding. Necessity. NEPA also requires us 2 to
presentation in the agenda. The This notice is being sent to the discover and address concerns the
Designated Federal Officer is Commission’s current environmental public may have about proposals. This
empowered to conduct the meeting in a mailing list for this project. State and process is referred to as ‘‘scoping.’’ The
fashion that will facilitate the orderly local government representatives should main goal of the scoping process is to
conduct of business. Individuals notify their constituents of this focus the analysis in the EA on the
wishing to make public comment will proposed project and encourage them to important environmental issues. By this
be provided a maximum of five minutes comment on their areas of concern. notice, the Commission requests public
to present their comments. If you are a landowner receiving this comments on the scope of the issues to
Minutes: Minutes will be available by notice, a pipeline company address in the EA. We will consider all
writing or calling David Borak at the representative may contact you about filed comments during the preparation
address or phone number listed above. the acquisition of an easement to of the EA.
Minutes will also be available at the construct, operate, and maintain the
following Web site: http:// proposed facilities. The company would 1 The appendices referenced in this notice will
www.em.doe.gov/stakepages/ seek to negotiate a mutually acceptable not appear in the Federal Register. Copies of
agreement. However, if the Commission appendices were sent to all those receiving this
ssabchairs.aspx. notice in the mail and are available at www.ferc.gov
tkelley on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
approves the project, that approval using the link called ‘‘eLibrary’’ or from the
Issued at Washington, DC, on March 30, conveys with it the right of eminent Commission’s Public Reference Room, 888 First
2015. domain. Therefore, if easement Street NE., Washington, DC 20426, or call (202)
LaTanya R. Butler, negotiations fail to produce an 502–8371. For instructions on connecting to
Deputy Committee Management Officer. eLibrary, refer to the last page of this notice.
agreement, the pipeline company could 2 ‘‘We,’’ ‘‘us,’’ and ‘‘our’’ refer to the
[FR Doc. 2015–07804 Filed 4–3–15; 8:45 am] initiate condemnation proceedings environmental staff of the Commission’s Office of
BILLING CODE 6450–01–P where compensation would be Energy Projects.
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![18396 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 65 / Monday, April 6, 2015 / Notices
eLibrary link also provides access to the Commission strongly encourages m. Individuals desiring to be included
texts of formal documents issued by the electronic filing. Please file motions to on the Commission’s mailing list should
Commission, such as orders, notices, intervene, protests, comments, or so indicate by writing to the Secretary
and rulemakings. recommendations using the of the Commission.
In addition, the Commission now Commission’s eFiling system at http:// n. Comments, Protests, or Motions to
offers a free service called eSubscription www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp. Intervene: Anyone may submit
which allows you to keep track of all Commenters can submit brief comments comments, a protest, or a motion to
formal issuances and submittals in up to 6,000 characters, without prior intervene in accordance with the
specific dockets. This can reduce the registration, using the eComment system requirements of Rules of Practice and
amount of time you spend researching at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/ Procedure, 18 CFR 385.210, .211, .214.
proceedings by automatically providing ecomment.asp. You must include your In determining the appropriate action to
you with notification of these filings, name and contact information at the end take, the Commission will consider all
document summaries, and direct links of your comments. For assistance, protests or other comments filed, but
to the documents. Go to www.ferc.gov/ please contact FERC Online Support at only those who file a motion to
docs-filing/esubscription.asp. FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov, (866) intervene in accordance with the
Finally, public meetings or site visits 208–3676 (toll free), or (202) 502–8659
Commission’s Rules may become a
will be posted on the Commission’s (TTY). In lieu of electronic filing, please
party to the proceeding. Any comments,
calendar located at www.ferc.gov/ send a paper copy to: Secretary, Federal
protests, or motions to intervene must
EventCalendar/EventsList.aspx along Energy Regulatory Commission, 888
be received on or before the specified
with other related information. First Street NE., Washington, DC 20426.
comment date for the particular
Dated: March 27, 2015. Please include the project number (P–
application.
Kimberly D. Bose,
803–105) on any comments, motions to
intervene, protests, or recommendations o. Filing and Service of Responsive
Secretary. Documents: Any filing must (1) bear in
filed.
[FR Doc. 2015–07768 Filed 4–3–15; 8:45 am] all capital letters the title
k. Description of Request: The
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
licensee requests Commission approval ‘‘COMMENTS’’, ‘‘PROTEST’’, or
for a temporary variance of the ‘‘MOTION TO INTERVENE’’ as
minimum flow requirements of Article applicable; (2) set forth in the heading
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY the name of the applicant and the
39 of the project license. The licensee
Federal Energy Regulatory proposes to reduce flows from Philbrook project number of the application to
Commission Reservoir to 0.8 cubic feet per second which the filing responds; (3) furnish
(cfs) (with an additional 0.2 cfs flow the name, address, and telephone
[Project No. 803–105] buffer) to ensure the availability of cold number of the person protesting or
water storage for spring-run Chinook intervening; and (4) otherwise comply
Pacific Gas and Electric Company; with the requirements of 18 CFR
salmon during the fish holding period
Notice of Application Accepted for 385.2001 through 385.2005. All
in the summer. The licensee explains
Filing, Soliciting Comments, Motions comments, motions to intervene, or
that current drought conditions have
To Intervene, and Protests protests must set forth their evidentiary
resulted in depressed storage levels in
Take notice that the following Philbrook Reservoir and that spring-run basis and otherwise comply with the
hydroelectric application has been filed Chinook salmon have already entered requirements of 18 CFR 4.34(b). All
with the Commission and is available Butte Creek. The licensee requests the comments, motions to intervene, or
for public inspection: above variance until June 1, 2015, or protests should relate to project works
a. Type of Application: Application until conditions improve, as determined which are the subject of the variance.
for Temporary Variance of Minimum by the licensee and resource agencies at Agencies may obtain copies of the
Flow Requirement monthly meetings. application directly from the applicant.
b. Project No.: 803–105 l. Locations of the Application: A A copy of any protest or motion to
c. Date Filed: March 25, 2015 copy of the application is available for intervene must be served upon each
d. Applicant: Pacific Gas and Electric inspection and reproduction at the representative of the applicant specified
Company (licensee) Commission’s Public Reference Room, in the particular application. If an
e. Name of Project: DeSabla located at 888 First Street, NE., Room intervener files comments or documents
Centerville 2A, Washington, DC 20426, or by calling with the Commission relating to the
f. Location: Butte Creek and West (202) 502–8371. This filing may also be merits of an issue that may affect the
Branch Feather River in Butte County, viewed on the Commission’s Web site at responsibilities of a particular resource
California http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/ agency, they must also serve a copy of
g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power elibrary.asp. Enter the docket number the document on that resource agency.
Act, 16 U.S.C. 791(a)–825(r). excluding the last three digits in the A copy of all other filings in reference
h. Applicant Contact: Mr. Rich Doble, docket number field to access the to this application must be accompanied
Senior License Coordinator, Pacific Gas document. You may also register online by proof of service on all persons listed
and Electric Company, Mail Code: at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/ in the service list prepared by the
N11C, P.O. Box 770000, San Francisco, esubscription.asp to be notified via Commission in this proceeding, in
CA 94177. Phone (415) 973–4480 email of new filings and issuances accordance with 18 CFR 4.34(b) and
tkelley on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
i. FERC Contact: Mr. John Aedo, (415) related to this or other pending projects. 385.2010.
369–3335, or john.aedo@ferc.gov For assistance, call 1–866–208–3676 or Dated: March 30, 2015.
j. Deadline for filing comments, email FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov, for
Kimberly D. Bose,
motions to intervene, protests, and TTY, call (202) 502–8659. A copy is also
recommendations is 15 days from the available for inspection and Secretary.
issuance date of this notice by the reproduction at the address in item (h) [FR Doc. 2015–07763 Filed 4–3–15; 8:45 am]
Commission (April 14, 2015). The above. BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
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Document Created: 2015-12-18 11:18:00
Document Modified: 2015-12-18 11:18:00
| 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 18394 |
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