80 FR 23267 - Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC; Notice of Intent To Prepare a Supplement Environmental Assessment for the Amended Rock Springs Expansion Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 80 (April 27, 2015)
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 80 (April 27, 2015)
| Page Range | 23267-23269 | |
| FR Document | 2015-09689 |
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 80 (Monday, April 27, 2015)] [Notices] [Pages 23267-23269] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2015-09689] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. CP15-169-000] Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC; Notice of Intent To Prepare a Supplement Environmental Assessment for the Amended Rock Springs Expansion Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or Commission) will prepare a supplemental environmental assessment (EA) that will discuss the environmental impacts of the amendment to the Rock Springs Expansion Project (Project) involving construction and operation of facilities by Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC (Transco) in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The Commission will use this supplemental EA in its decision-making process to determine whether the amendment to 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 comments should focus on the potential environmental effects, reasonable alternatives, and measures to avoid or lessen environmental impacts. Your input will help the Commission staff determine what issues they need to evaluate in the supplemental EA. Please note that the scoping period will close on May 20, 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 April 13, 2015 you will need to file those comments in Docket No. CP15-169- 000 to ensure they are considered as part of this proceeding. This notice is being sent to the Commission's current environmental mailing list and includes landowners affected by the amended 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 planned 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. Transco 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 the use of eminent domain and 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 Project and Proposed Route Modification On March 19, 2015, FERC issued an Order Issuing Certificate (Order) to Transco authorizing the Rock Springs Expansion Project. The EA for the Project in Docket No. CP14-504-000 was issued on November 14, 2014. On March 19, 2015, Transco accepted the Order pursuant to section 157.20(a) of the Commission's Regulations. The Project is an expansion of Transco's existing pipeline system which will enable Transco to provide 192,000 dekatherms per day of incremental firm transportation capacity from Transco's Station 210 Zone 6 Pool in Mercer County, New Jersey to Old Dominion Electric Cooperative's approved Wildcat Point Generating Facility in Cecil County, Maryland. In this amendment, Transco proposes to modify the previously authorized pipeline route in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The proposed alignment modification occurs from milepost (MP) 7.60 to MP 8.29 (a total of 0.69 mile). Transco is proposing to adjust the pipeline centerline alignment from the originally authorized property to the adjacent property to the east. The proposed minor route modification would not affect any new landowners, as the adjacent property owner owns other parcels on which the pipeline is sited. Additionally, the route modification would result in minor changes in workspace configurations on two other properties, including a reduction in permanent easement. The general location map 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 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 No new workspace impacts would occur as a result of the proposed minor route modification. The minor route modification has been designed to result in no net gain of workspace required for Project construction. 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 supplemental EA on the important environmental issues. By this notice, the Commission requests public comments on the scope of the issues to address in the supplemental EA. We will consider all filed comments during the preparation of the supplemental EA. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \2\ ``We,'' ``us,'' and ``our'' refer to the environmental staff of the Commission's Office of Energy Projects. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- In the supplemental 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 resources, fisheries, and wetlands; cultural resources; vegetation and wildlife; air quality and noise; endangered and threatened species; [[Page 23268]] public safety; and cumulative impacts. We will also evaluate reasonable alternatives to the proposed route modification. The supplemental 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 5. With this notice, we are asking agencies with jurisdiction by law and/or special expertise with respect to the environmental issues related to this project to formally cooperate with us in the preparation of the supplemental 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 supplemental 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. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Currently Identified Environmental Issues The change in land use impacts includes reductions of 0.37 acre of forest land and 0.07 acre of agricultural land, and increases of 0.39 acre of open land and 0.04 acre of commercial/industrial land. 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 May 20, 2015. For your convenience, there are three methods you can use to submit your comments to the Commission. In all instances, please reference the project docket number (CP15-169-000) 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 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, 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 landowners affected by the route modification, 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, and anyone who submits comments on the project. If we publish and distribute the supplemental 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 supplemental 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- 169). 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 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 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 [[Page 23269]] 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: April 20, 2015. Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr., Deputy Secretary. [FR Doc. 2015-09689 Filed 4-24-15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
![Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 80 / Monday, April 27, 2015 / Notices 23267
time on the specified comment date. opening of this docket on April 13, 2015 Transco is proposing to adjust the
Protests may be considered, but you will need to file those comments in pipeline centerline alignment from the
intervention is necessary to become a Docket No. CP15–169–000 to ensure originally authorized property to the
party to the proceeding. they are considered as part of this adjacent property to the east. The
eFiling is encouraged. More detailed proceeding. proposed minor route modification
information relating to filing This notice is being sent to the would not affect any new landowners,
requirements, interventions, protests, Commission’s current environmental as the adjacent property owner owns
service, and qualifying facilities filings mailing list and includes landowners other parcels on which the pipeline is
can be found at: http://www.ferc.gov/ affected by the amended Project. State sited. Additionally, the route
docs-filing/efiling/filing-req.pdf. For and local government representatives modification would result in minor
other information, call (866) 208–3676 should notify their constituents of this changes in workspace configurations on
(toll free). For TTY, call (202) 502–8659. proposed project and encourage them to two other properties, including a
comment on their areas of concern. reduction in permanent easement.
Dated: April 21, 2015.
If you are a landowner receiving this The general location map of the
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr., notice, a pipeline company project facilities is shown in appendix
Deputy Secretary. representative may contact you about 1.1
[FR Doc. 2015–09663 Filed 4–24–15; 8:45 am] the acquisition of an easement to
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P construct, operate, and maintain the Land Requirements for Construction
planned facilities. The company would No new workspace impacts would
seek to negotiate a mutually acceptable occur as a result of the proposed minor
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY agreement. However, if the Commission route modification. The minor route
approves the project, that approval modification has been designed to result
Federal Energy Regulatory conveys with it the right of eminent in no net gain of workspace required for
Commission domain. Therefore, if easement Project construction.
[Docket No. CP15–169–000] negotiations fail to produce an
agreement, the pipeline company could The EA Process
Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line initiate condemnation proceedings The National Environmental Policy
Company, LLC; Notice of Intent To where compensation would be Act (NEPA) requires the Commission to
Prepare a Supplement Environmental determined in accordance with state take into account the environmental
Assessment for the Amended Rock law. impacts that could result from an action
Springs Expansion Project and Transco provided landowners with a whenever it considers the issuance of a
Request for Comments on fact sheet prepared by the FERC entitled Certificate of Public Convenience and
Environmental Issues ‘‘An Interstate Natural Gas Facility On Necessity. NEPA also requires us 2 to
My Land? What Do I Need To Know?’’ discover and address concerns the
The staff of the Federal Energy This fact sheet addresses a number of public may have about proposals. This
Regulatory Commission (FERC or typically-asked questions, including the process is referred to as ‘‘scoping.’’ The
Commission) will prepare a use of eminent domain and how to main goal of the scoping process is to
supplemental environmental assessment participate in the Commission’s focus the analysis in the supplemental
(EA) that will discuss the environmental proceedings. It is also available for EA on the important environmental
impacts of the amendment to the Rock viewing on the FERC Web site issues. By this notice, the Commission
Springs Expansion Project (Project) (www.ferc.gov). requests public comments on the scope
involving construction and operation of
Summary of the Project and Proposed of the issues to address in the
facilities by Transcontinental Gas Pipe
Route Modification supplemental EA. We will consider all
Line Company, LLC (Transco) in
filed comments during the preparation
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The On March 19, 2015, FERC issued an of the supplemental EA.
Commission will use this supplemental Order Issuing Certificate (Order) to In the supplemental EA, we will
EA in its decision-making process to Transco authorizing the Rock Springs discuss impacts that could occur as a
determine whether the amendment to Expansion Project. The EA for the result of the construction and operation
the project is in the public convenience Project in Docket No. CP14–504–000 of the proposed project under these
and necessity. was issued on November 14, 2014. On general headings:
This notice announces the opening of March 19, 2015, Transco accepted the • Geology and soils;
the scoping process the Commission Order pursuant to section 157.20(a) of • land use;
will use to gather input from the public the Commission’s Regulations. The • water resources, fisheries, and
and interested agencies on the project. Project is an expansion of Transco’s wetlands;
Your comments should focus on the existing pipeline system which will • cultural resources;
potential environmental effects, enable Transco to provide 192,000 • vegetation and wildlife;
reasonable alternatives, and measures to dekatherms per day of incremental firm • air quality and noise;
avoid or lessen environmental impacts. transportation capacity from Transco’s • endangered and threatened species;
Your input will help the Commission Station 210 Zone 6 Pool in Mercer
staff determine what issues they need to County, New Jersey to Old Dominion 1 The appendices referenced in this notice will
evaluate in the supplemental EA. Please Electric Cooperative’s approved Wildcat not appear in the Federal Register. Copies of the
note that the scoping period will close appendices were sent to all those receiving this
Point Generating Facility in Cecil
Rmajette on DSK2VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
notice in the mail and are available at www.ferc.gov
on May 20, 2015. County, Maryland. using the link called ‘‘eLibrary’’ or from the
You may submit comments in written In this amendment, Transco proposes Commission’s Public Reference Room, 888 First
form or verbally. Further details on how to modify the previously authorized Street NE., Washington, DC 20426, or call (202)
to submit written comments are in the pipeline route in Lancaster County, 502–8371. For instructions on connecting to
eLibrary, refer to the last page of this notice.
Public Participation section of this Pennsylvania. The proposed alignment 2 ‘‘We,’’ ‘‘us,’’ and ‘‘our’’ refer to the
notice. If you sent comments on this modification occurs from milepost (MP) environmental staff of the Commission’s Office of
project to the Commission before the 7.60 to MP 8.29 (a total of 0.69 mile). Energy Projects.
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![Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 80 / Monday, April 27, 2015 / Notices 23269
by automatically providing you with interventions in lieu of paper using the Enter the docket number excluding the
notification of these filings, document ‘‘eFiling’’ link at http://www.ferc.gov. last three digits in the docket number
summaries, and direct links to the Persons unable to file electronically field to access the document. For
documents. Go to www.ferc.gov/docs- should submit an original and 5 copies assistance, contact FERC at
filing/esubscription.asp. of the protest or intervention to the FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or call
Finally, public meetings or site visits Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, toll-free, (866) 208–3676 or TTY, (202)
will be posted on the Commission’s 888 First Street NE., Washington, DC 502–8659.
calendar located at www.ferc.gov/ 20426. Any questions regarding this
EventCalendar/EventsList.aspx along This filing is accessible on-line at Application should be directed to
with other related information. http://www.ferc.gov, using the Michael T. Loeffler, Senior Director,
Dated: April 20, 2015. ‘‘eLibrary’’ link and is available for Certificates and External Affairs for
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr., electronic review in the Commission’s Northern, 1111South 103rd Street,
Public Reference Room in Washington, Omaha, Nebraska 68124, or by calling
Deputy Secretary.
DC. There is an ‘‘eSubscription’’ link on (402) 398–7103.
[FR Doc. 2015–09689 Filed 4–24–15; 8:45 am] Any person may, within 60 days after
the Web site that enables subscribers to
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P the issuance of the instant notice by the
receive email notification when a
document is added to a subscribed Commission, file pursuant to Rule 214
docket(s). For assistance with any FERC of the Commission’s Procedural Rules
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (18 CFR 385.214) a motion to intervene
Online service, please email
Federal Energy Regulatory FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov, or call or notice of intervention. Any person
Commission (866) 208–3676 (toll free). For TTY, call filing to intervene or the Commission’s
(202) 502–8659. staff may, pursuant to section 157.205 of
[Docket No. EL15–60–000] the Commission’s Regulations under the
Comment Date: 5:00 p.m. Eastern
Time on May 11, 2015. NGA (18 CFR 157.205) file a protest to
Bonneville Power Administration v. the request. If no protest is filed within
Puget Sound Energy, Inc.; Notice of Dated: April 21, 2015. the time allowed therefore, the proposed
Complaint Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr., activity shall be deemed to be
Take notice that on April 20, 2015, Deputy Secretary. authorized effective the day after the
pursuant to section 206 of the Federal [FR Doc. 2015–09664 Filed 4–24–15; 8:45 am] time allowed for protest. If a protest is
Energy Regulatory Commission’s BILLING CODE 6717–01–P filed and not withdrawn within 30 days
(Commission) Rules of Practice and after the time allowed for filing a
Procedure, 18 CFR 385.206 and sections protest, the instant request shall be
206 and 306 of the Federal Power Act, DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY treated as an application for
16 U.S.C. 824(e) and 825(e), Bonneville authorization pursuant to section 7 of
Power Administration (Complainant) Federal Energy Regulatory the NGA.
filed a formal complaint against Puget Commission Pursuant to section 157.9 of the
Sound Energy, Inc. (Respondent) [Docket No. CP15–162–000] Commission’s rules, 18 CFR 157.9,
alleging that the omission of the within 90 days of this Notice the
Respondent’s formula transmission rate Northern Natural Gas Company; Notice Commission staff will either: Complete
under its jurisdictional open access of Request Under Blanket its environmental assessment (EA) and
transmission tariff to account for and Authorization place it into the Commission’s public
reimburse Respondent’s transmission record (eLibrary) for this proceeding; or
customers for prior period adjustments Take notice that on April 10, 2015 issue a Notice of Schedule for
result in an unjust and unreasonable Northern Natural Gas Company Environmental Review. If a Notice of
rate, as more fully explained in the (Northern), 1111 South 103rd Street, Schedule for Environmental Review is
complaint. Omaha, Nebraska 68124 filed a prior issued, it will indicate, among other
The Complainant states that a copy of notice request pursuant to sections milestones, the anticipated date for the
the complaint has been served on the 157.205 and 157.208 of the Commission staff’s issuance of the final
Respondent. Commission’s regulations under the environmental impact statement (FEIS)
Any person desiring to intervene or to Natural Gas Act for authorization to or EA for this proposal. The filing of the
protest this filing must file in construct and operate certain facilities EA in the Commission’s public record
accordance with Rules 211 and 214 of within Northern’s existing Kermit for this proceeding or the issuance of a
the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Compressor Station located near Kermit, Notice of Schedule for Environmental
Procedure (18 CFR 385.211, 385.214). Texas. Specifically, Northern proposes Review will serve to notify federal and
Protests will be considered by the to: (i) Install and operate a new 15,900 state agencies of the timing for the
Commission in determining the horsepower compressor unit at the completion of all necessary reviews, and
appropriate action to be taken, but will Kermit Compressor Station; and (ii) the subsequent need to complete all
not serve to make protestants parties to relocate approximately 200 feet of pipe federal authorizations within 90 days of
the proceeding. Any person wishing to to tie-in the new compressor. The the date of issuance of the Commission
become a party must file a notice of project is referred to as the Permian II staff’s FEIS or EA.
intervention or motion to intervene, as Expansion Project. Northern states that Persons who wish to comment only
appropriate. The Respondent’s answer the proposed project will result in an on the environmental review of this
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and all interventions, or protests must incremental increase of 112,000 project should submit an original and
be filed on or before the comment date. dekatherms per day, all as more fully set two copies of their comments to the
The Respondent’s answer, motions to forth in the application which is on file Secretary of the Commission.
intervene, and protests must be served with the Commission and open to Environmental commenter’s will be
on the Complainants. public inspection. The filing may also placed on the Commission’s
The Commission encourages be viewed on the web at http:// environmental mailing list, will receive
electronic submission of protests and www.ferc.gov using the ‘‘eLibrary’’ link. copies of the environmental documents,
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Document Created: 2015-12-16 08:29:31
Document Modified: 2015-12-16 08:29:31
| 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 23267 |
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