80_FR_28354 80 FR 28259 - Kern River Gas Transmission Company; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Summerlin Pipe Replacement Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues

80 FR 28259 - Kern River Gas Transmission Company; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Summerlin Pipe Replacement Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 95 (May 18, 2015)

Page Range28259-28261
FR Document2015-11922

Federal Register, Volume 80 Issue 95 (Monday, May 18, 2015)
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 95 (Monday, May 18, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28259-28261]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-11922]


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

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP15-132-000]


Kern River Gas Transmission Company; Notice of Intent To Prepare 
an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Summerlin Pipe Replacement 
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 Summerlin Pipe Replacement 
Project involving construction and operation of facilities by Kern 
River Gas Transmission Company (Kern River) in Clark County, Nevada. 
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. 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. 
Your input will help the Commission staff determine what issues they 
need to evaluate in the EA. 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 June 11, 2015.
    If you sent comments on this project to the Commission before the 
opening of this docket on March 26, 2015, you will need to file those 
comments in Docket

[[Page 28260]]

No. CP15-132-000 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.
    Kern River 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).

Public Participation

    For your convenience, there are three methods you can use to submit 
your comments to the Commission. The Commission encourages electronic 
filing of comments and has expert staff available to assist you at 
(202) 502-8258 or [email protected]. Please carefully follow these 
instructions so that your comments are properly recorded.
    (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 submitting brief, 
text-only comments on a project;
    (2) You can file your comments electronically by 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.'' If you are filing a comment on a particular project, 
please select ``Comment on a Filing'' as the filing type; or
    (3) You can file a paper copy of your comments by mailing them to 
the following address. Be sure to reference the project docket number 
(CP15-132-000) with your submission: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, 
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Room 1A, 
Washington, DC 20426.

Summary of the Proposed Project

    Kern River proposes the Summerlin Pipe Replacement Project to 
replace a 1.56-mile-long segment of its existing 36-inch-diameter A-
line pipeline from milepost 543.63 to 545.19 in Clark County, Nevada. 
When originally constructed, this portion of the A-line was designed as 
pipeline located in a Class I location. This pipe segment must be 
upgraded with thicker-walled pipe to satisfy U.S. Department of 
Transportation safety regulations for a Class 3 location as a result of 
a planned residential development in the vicinity of the existing 
pipeline.
    In order to maintain delivery to Kern River's customers, the 
pipeline segment would remain in service until the new pipeline segment 
is constructed and placed into service, after which the old segment 
would be removed. Due to a crossover of two existing pipelines, the new 
pipeline segment would be installed at a 25-foot offset from another 
existing Kern River line (B-line) for 1.15 miles and at a 25-foot 
offset from the existing A-line for 0.41 mile. To allow for 
uninterrupted service during the project, Kern River would install a 
new 24-inch-diameter crossover valve near milepost 0 of the project by 
hot tapping the 36-inch-diameter A-line and installing crossover piping 
to the 24-inch-diameter B-line crossover piping. An existing 0.22-acre 
valve and pig \1\ launcher yard would be expanded by 0.37 acre to 
accommodate the new crossover valve and crossover piping. The general 
location of the project facilities is shown in appendix 1.\2\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ 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.
    \2\ 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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Pipeline facilities are proposed to be installed and removed 
between October 2015 and December 2015. Kern River expects the new 
pipeline segment to be placed into service by December 29, 2015.

Land Requirements for Construction

    Construction of the proposed facilities would disturb about 39.30 
acres of land, which includes 9.74 acres of permanent right-of-way, 
22.23 acres of construction right-of-way (i.e., additional temporary 
workspace, contractor staging yards), and 7.33 acres of access roads. 
Kern River proposes to use a 100-foot-wide construction right-of-way to 
install the replacement pipeline and remove the existing pipeline 
segment. Of the 31.97 acres used for construction along the pipeline 
route, 26.12 acres was previously disturbed by construction of the 
existing A-line and B-line.
    Following construction, Kern River would maintain 9.74 acres for 
permanent operation of the project's facilities with only 1.10 acres of 
new disturbance, accounting for overlapping rights-of-way with A-line 
and B-line and previously disturbed land. The remaining acreage used 
during construction would be restored according to Kern River's 
project-specific Reclamation Plan and revert to former uses.
    The proposed pipeline crosses 0.44 mile (9.22 acres) of land owned 
and managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), 1.06 miles (27.34 
acres) of private property, and 0.06 mile (2.74 acres) owned by Clark 
County.

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 
\3\ 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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \3\ ``We,'' ``us,'' and ``our'' refer to the environmental staff 
of the Commission's Office of Energy Projects.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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 resources, fisheries, and wetlands;
     cultural resources;
     vegetation and wildlife;

[[Page 28261]]

     air quality and noise;
     endangered and threatened species;
     public safety; and
     cumulative impacts.
    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 2.
    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.\4\ 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. Currently, the BLM has 
expressed its intention to participate as a cooperating agency in the 
preparation of the EA to satisfy its NEPA responsibilities related to 
this project.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \4\ 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.\5\ 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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \5\ 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

    We have already identified issues that we think deserve attention 
based on a preliminary review of the proposed facilities and the 
environmental information provided by Kern River, namely the impact on 
federally listed threatened and endangered species as well as BLM 
identified species. Other issues may be added based on your comments 
and our analysis.

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, 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 of the EA 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-
132). 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 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: May 12, 2015.
Kimberly D. Bose,
 Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2015-11922 Filed 5-15-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P



                                                                                    Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 95 / Monday, May 18, 2015 / Notices                                                   28259

                                                    DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY                                    Coordination and Cost Allocation of                   intervention is necessary to become a
                                                                                                            Transmission Projects with the Mid-                   party to the proceeding.
                                                    Federal Energy Regulatory                               Continent Area Power Pool and                            eFiling is encouraged. More detailed
                                                    Commission                                              Southwest Power Pool, Inc. of                         information relating to filing
                                                                                                            Northwestern Corporation.                             requirements, interventions, protests,
                                                    Combined Notice of Filings #1                              Filed Date: 5/4/15.                                service, and qualifying facilities filings
                                                       Take notice that the Commission                         Accession Number: 20150504–5256.                   can be found at: http://www.ferc.gov/
                                                    received the following exempt                              Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 5/26/15.                   docs-filing/efiling/filing-req.pdf. For
                                                    wholesale generator filings:                               Docket Numbers: ER15–1668–000.                     other information, call (866) 208–3676
                                                       Docket Numbers: EG15–82–000.                            Applicants: Phoenix Energy Group,                  (toll free). For TTY, call (202) 502–8659.
                                                       Applicants: Balko Wind                               LLC.                                                    Dated: May 5, 2015.
                                                    Transmission, LLC.                                         Description: Initial rate filing per               Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
                                                       Description: Self-Certification of                   35.12 Application for MBR Authority to                Deputy Secretary.
                                                    Exempt Wholesale Generator Status of                    be effective 6/5/2015.
                                                                                                                                                                  [FR Doc. 2015–11811 Filed 5–15–15; 8:45 am]
                                                    Balko Wind Transmission, LLC.                              Filed Date: 5/5/15.
                                                                                                                                                                  BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
                                                       Filed Date: 5/5/15.                                     Accession Number: 20150505–5092.
                                                       Accession Number: 20150505–5095.                        Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 5/26/15.
                                                       Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 5/26/15.                        Docket Numbers: ER15–1669–000.                     DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
                                                       Take notice that the Commission                         Applicants: PJM Interconnection,
                                                    received the following electric rate                    L.L.C.                                                Federal Energy Regulatory
                                                    filings:                                                   Description: § 205(d) rate filing per              Commission
                                                       Docket Numbers: ER15–958–002.                        35.13(a)(2)(iii): Original Service
                                                       Applicants: Transource Kansas, LLC.                  Agreement No. 4104; Queue No. U2–                     [Docket No. CP15–132–000]
                                                       Description: Compliance filing per 35:               045/W4–063 to be effective 4/7/2015.
                                                    Transource Kansas Compliance Filing to                     Filed Date: 5/5/15.                                Kern River Gas Transmission
                                                    be effective 4/3/2015.                                     Accession Number: 20150505–5154.                   Company; Notice of Intent To Prepare
                                                       Filed Date: 5/4/15.                                     Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 5/26/15.                   an Environmental Assessment for the
                                                       Accession Number: 20150504–5195.                        Docket Numbers: ER15–1670–000.                     Proposed Summerlin Pipe
                                                       Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 5/26/15.                        Applicants: Southern California                    Replacement Project and Request for
                                                       Docket Numbers: ER15–1466–001.                       Edison Company.                                       Comments on Environmental Issues
                                                       Applicants: ISO New England Inc.,                       Description: § 205(d) rate filing per
                                                                                                                                                                     The staff of the Federal Energy
                                                    New England Power Company.                              35.13(a)(2)(iii): Amended Desert Harvest
                                                                                                                                                                  Regulatory Commission (FERC or
                                                       Description: Tariff Amendment per                    LGIA to be effective 5/6/2015.
                                                                                                                                                                  Commission) will prepare an
                                                    35.17(b): Errata to Filing of First Rev                    Filed Date: 5/5/15.
                                                                                                                                                                  environmental assessment (EA) that will
                                                    Service Agreement Nos. TSA–NEP–83                          Accession Number: 20150505–5157.
                                                                                                                                                                  discuss the environmental impacts of
                                                    and TSA–NEP–86 to be effective                             Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 5/26/15.
                                                                                                                                                                  the Summerlin Pipe Replacement
                                                    6/7/201.                                                   Docket Numbers: ER15–1671–000.                     Project involving construction and
                                                       Filed Date: 5/4/15.                                     Applicants: Public Service Company                 operation of facilities by Kern River Gas
                                                       Accession Number: 20150504–5201.                     of Colorado.                                          Transmission Company (Kern River) in
                                                       Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 5/26/15.                        Description: § 205(d) rate filing per              Clark County, Nevada. The Commission
                                                       Docket Numbers: ER15–1665–000.                       35.13(a)(2)(iii): 2015–5–5_TSGT-Blue                  will use this EA in its decision-making
                                                       Applicants: Greenleaf Power                          River E&P–405–0.0.0-Filing to be                      process to determine whether the
                                                    Management LLC.                                         effective 7/4/2015.                                   project is in the public convenience and
                                                       Description: Initial rate filing per                    Filed Date: 5/5/15.                                necessity.
                                                    35.12 Baseline new to be effective                         Accession Number: 20150505–5159.                      This notice announces the opening of
                                                    6/30/2015.                                                 Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 5/26/15.                   the scoping process the Commission
                                                       Filed Date: 5/4/15.                                     Docket Numbers: ER15–1672–000.                     will use to gather input from the public
                                                       Accession Number: 20150504–5208.                        Applicants: Evergreen Wind Power II,               and interested agencies on the project.
                                                       Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 5/26/15.                     LLC.                                                  You can make a difference by providing
                                                       Docket Numbers: ER15–1666–000.                          Description: Initial rate filing per               us with your specific comments or
                                                       Applicants: Southwest Power Pool,                    35.12 Application for Market-Based Rate               concerns about the project. Your
                                                    Inc.                                                    Authority to be effective 7/5/2015.                   comments should focus on the potential
                                                       Description: Compliance Filing for                      Filed Date: 5/5/15.                                environmental effects, reasonable
                                                    Order No. 1000, Regarding Interregional                    Accession Number: 20150505–5168.                   alternatives, and measures to avoid or
                                                    Coordination and Cost Allocation of                        Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 5/26/15.                   lessen environmental impacts. Your
                                                    Transmission Projects with the Mid-                        The filings are accessible in the                  input will help the Commission staff
                                                    Continent Area Power Pool and                           Commission’s eLibrary system by                       determine what issues they need to
                                                    NorthWestern Corporation of Southwest                   clicking on the links or querying the                 evaluate in the EA. To ensure that your
                                                    Power Pool, Inc.                                        docket number.                                        comments are timely and properly
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                       Filed Date: 5/4/15.                                     Any person desiring to intervene or                recorded, please send your comments so
                                                       Accession Number: 20150504–5253.                     protest in any of the above proceedings               that the Commission receives them in
                                                       Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 5/26/15.                     must file in accordance with Rules 211                Washington, DC on or before June 11,
                                                       Docket Numbers: ER15–1667–000.                       and 214 of the Commission’s                           2015.
                                                       Applicants: Northwestern                             Regulations (18 CFR 385.211 and                          If you sent comments on this project
                                                    Corporation.                                            385.214) on or before 5:00 p.m. Eastern               to the Commission before the opening of
                                                       Description: Compliance Filing for                   time on the specified comment date.                   this docket on March 26, 2015, you will
                                                    Order No. 1000, Regarding Interregional                 Protests may be considered, but                       need to file those comments in Docket


                                               VerDate Sep<11>2014   18:52 May 15, 2015   Jkt 235001   PO 00000   Frm 00041   Fmt 4703   Sfmt 4703   E:\FR\FM\18MYN1.SGM   18MYN1


                                                    28260                           Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 95 / Monday, May 18, 2015 / Notices

                                                    No. CP15–132–000 to ensure they are                       (3) You can file a paper copy of your                Land Requirements for Construction
                                                    considered as part of this proceeding.                  comments by mailing them to the                           Construction of the proposed facilities
                                                       This notice is being sent to the                     following address. Be sure to reference                would disturb about 39.30 acres of land,
                                                    Commission’s current environmental                      the project docket number (CP15–132–                   which includes 9.74 acres of permanent
                                                    mailing list for this project. State and                000) with your submission: Kimberly D.                 right-of-way, 22.23 acres of construction
                                                    local government representatives should                 Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy                        right-of-way (i.e., additional temporary
                                                    notify their constituents of this                       Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street                workspace, contractor staging yards),
                                                    proposed project and encourage them to                  NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426.                    and 7.33 acres of access roads. Kern
                                                    comment on their areas of concern.                      Summary of the Proposed Project                        River proposes to use a 100-foot-wide
                                                       If you are a landowner receiving this                                                                       construction right-of-way to install the
                                                    notice, a pipeline company                                Kern River proposes the Summerlin                    replacement pipeline and remove the
                                                    representative may contact you about                    Pipe Replacement Project to replace a                  existing pipeline segment. Of the 31.97
                                                    the acquisition of an easement to                       1.56-mile-long segment of its existing                 acres used for construction along the
                                                    construct, operate, and maintain the                    36-inch-diameter A-line pipeline from                  pipeline route, 26.12 acres was
                                                    proposed facilities. The company would                  milepost 543.63 to 545.19 in Clark                     previously disturbed by construction of
                                                    seek to negotiate a mutually acceptable                 County, Nevada. When originally                        the existing A-line and B-line.
                                                    agreement. However, if the Commission                   constructed, this portion of the A-line                   Following construction, Kern River
                                                    approves the project, that approval                     was designed as pipeline located in a                  would maintain 9.74 acres for
                                                    conveys with it the right of eminent                    Class I location. This pipe segment must               permanent operation of the project’s
                                                    domain. Therefore, if easement                          be upgraded with thicker-walled pipe to                facilities with only 1.10 acres of new
                                                    negotiations fail to produce an                         satisfy U.S. Department of                             disturbance, accounting for overlapping
                                                    agreement, the pipeline company could                   Transportation safety regulations for a                rights-of-way with A-line and B-line and
                                                    initiate condemnation proceedings                       Class 3 location as a result of a planned              previously disturbed land. The
                                                    where compensation would be                             residential development in the vicinity                remaining acreage used during
                                                    determined in accordance with state                     of the existing pipeline.                              construction would be restored
                                                    law.                                                      In order to maintain delivery to Kern                according to Kern River’s project-
                                                       Kern River provided landowners with                  River’s customers, the pipeline segment                specific Reclamation Plan and revert to
                                                    a fact sheet prepared by the FERC                       would remain in service until the new                  former uses.
                                                    entitled ‘‘An Interstate Natural Gas                    pipeline segment is constructed and                       The proposed pipeline crosses 0.44
                                                    Facility On My Land? What Do I Need                     placed into service, after which the old               mile (9.22 acres) of land owned and
                                                    To Know?’’ This fact sheet addresses a                  segment would be removed. Due to a                     managed by the Bureau of Land
                                                    number of typically asked questions,                    crossover of two existing pipelines, the               Management (BLM), 1.06 miles (27.34
                                                    including the use of eminent domain                     new pipeline segment would be                          acres) of private property, and 0.06 mile
                                                    and how to participate in the                           installed at a 25-foot offset from another             (2.74 acres) owned by Clark County.
                                                    Commission’s proceedings. It is also                    existing Kern River line (B-line) for 1.15
                                                                                                                                                                   The EA Process
                                                    available for viewing on the FERC Web                   miles and at a 25-foot offset from the
                                                    site (www.ferc.gov).                                    existing A-line for 0.41 mile. To allow                   The National Environmental Policy
                                                                                                            for uninterrupted service during the                   Act (NEPA) requires the Commission to
                                                    Public Participation                                                                                           take into account the environmental
                                                                                                            project, Kern River would install a new
                                                      For your convenience, there are three                 24-inch-diameter crossover valve near                  impacts that could result from an action
                                                    methods you can use to submit your                      milepost 0 of the project by hot tapping               whenever it considers the issuance of a
                                                    comments to the Commission. The                         the 36-inch-diameter A-line and                        Certificate of Public Convenience and
                                                    Commission encourages electronic filing                 installing crossover piping to the 24-                 Necessity. NEPA also requires us 3 to
                                                    of comments and has expert staff                        inch-diameter B-line crossover piping.                 discover and address concerns the
                                                    available to assist you at (202) 502–8258               An existing 0.22-acre valve and pig 1                  public may have about proposals. This
                                                    or efiling@ferc.gov. Please carefully                   launcher yard would be expanded by                     process is referred to as ‘‘scoping.’’ The
                                                    follow these instructions so that your                  0.37 acre to accommodate the new                       main goal of the scoping process is to
                                                    comments are properly recorded.                         crossover valve and crossover piping.                  focus the analysis in the EA on the
                                                       (1) You can file your comments                       The general location of the project                    important environmental issues. By this
                                                    electronically using the eComment                       facilities is shown in appendix 1.2                    notice, the Commission requests public
                                                    feature on the Commission’s Web site                      Pipeline facilities are proposed to be               comments on the scope of the issues to
                                                    (www.ferc.gov) under the link to                        installed and removed between October                  address in the EA. We will consider all
                                                    Documents and Filings. This is an easy                  2015 and December 2015. Kern River                     filed comments during the preparation
                                                    method for submitting brief, text-only                  expects the new pipeline segment to be                 of the EA.
                                                    comments on a project;                                                                                            In the EA we will discuss impacts that
                                                                                                            placed into service by December 29,
                                                       (2) You can file your comments                                                                              could occur as a result of the
                                                                                                            2015.
                                                    electronically by using the eFiling                                                                            construction and operation of the
                                                    feature on the Commission’s Web site                      1 A ‘‘pig’’ is a tool that the pipeline company
                                                                                                                                                                   proposed project under these general
                                                    (www.ferc.gov) under the link to                        inserts into and pushes through the pipeline for       headings:
                                                    Documents and Filings. With eFiling,                    cleaning the pipeline, conducting internal                • Geology and soils;
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                    you can provide comments in a variety                   inspections, or other purposes.                           • land use;
                                                    of formats by attaching them as a file
                                                                                                              2 The appendices referenced in this notice will         • water resources, fisheries, and
                                                                                                            not appear in the Federal Register. Copies of          wetlands;
                                                    with your submission. New eFiling                       appendices were sent to all those receiving this          • cultural resources;
                                                    users must first create an account by                   notice in the mail and are available at www.ferc.gov
                                                                                                                                                                      • vegetation and wildlife;
                                                    clicking on ‘‘eRegister.’’ If you are filing            using the link called ‘‘eLibrary’’ or from the
                                                                                                            Commission’s Public Reference Room, 888 First
                                                    a comment on a particular project,                      Street NE., Washington, DC 20426, or call (202)          3 ‘‘We,’’ ‘‘us,’’ and ‘‘our’’ refer to the
                                                    please select ‘‘Comment on a Filing’’ as                502–8371. For instructions on connecting to            environmental staff of the Commission’s Office of
                                                    the filing type; or                                     eLibrary, refer to the last page of this notice.       Energy Projects.



                                               VerDate Sep<11>2014   18:52 May 15, 2015   Jkt 235001   PO 00000   Frm 00042   Fmt 4703   Sfmt 4703   E:\FR\FM\18MYN1.SGM   18MYN1


                                                                                      Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 95 / Monday, May 18, 2015 / Notices                                                  28261

                                                       • air quality and noise;                               facility projects, the APE at a minimum              An intervenor formally participates in
                                                       • endangered and threatened species;                   encompasses all areas subject to ground              the proceeding by filing a request to
                                                       • public safety; and                                   disturbance (examples include                        intervene. Instructions for becoming an
                                                       • cumulative impacts.                                  construction right-of-way, contractor/               intervenor are in the User’s Guide under
                                                       We will also evaluate reasonable                       pipe storage yards, compressor stations,             the ‘‘e-filing’’ link on the Commission’s
                                                    alternatives to the proposed project or                   and access roads). Our EA for this                   Web site.
                                                    portions of the project, and make                         project will document our findings on
                                                    recommendations on how to lessen or                       the impacts on historic properties and               Additional Information
                                                    avoid impacts on the various resource                     summarize the status of consultations                   Additional information about the
                                                    areas.                                                    under section 106.                                   project is available from the
                                                       The EA will present our independent                                                                         Commission’s Office of External Affairs,
                                                    analysis of the issues. The EA will be                    Currently Identified Environmental
                                                                                                                                                                   at (866) 208–FERC, or on the FERC Web
                                                    available in the public record through                    Issues
                                                                                                                                                                   site at www.ferc.gov using the
                                                    eLibrary. Depending on the comments                          We have already identified issues that            ‘‘eLibrary’’ link. Click on the eLibrary
                                                    received during the scoping process, we                   we think deserve attention based on a                link, click on ‘‘General Search’’ and
                                                    may also publish and distribute the EA                    preliminary review of the proposed                   enter the docket number, excluding the
                                                    to the public for an allotted comment                     facilities and the environmental                     last three digits in the Docket Number
                                                    period. We will consider all comments                     information provided by Kern River,                  field (i.e., CP15–132). Be sure you have
                                                    on the EA before making our                               namely the impact on federally listed                selected an appropriate date range. For
                                                    recommendations to the Commission.                        threatened and endangered species as                 assistance, please contact FERC Online
                                                    To ensure we have the opportunity to                      well as BLM identified species. Other                Support at FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov
                                                    consider and address your comments,                       issues may be added based on your                    or toll free at (866) 208–3676, or for
                                                    please carefully follow the instructions                  comments and our analysis.                           TTY, contact (202) 502–8659. The
                                                    in the Public Participation section,
                                                                                                              Environmental Mailing List                           eLibrary link also provides access to the
                                                    beginning on page 2.
                                                                                                                                                                   texts of formal documents issued by the
                                                       With this notice, we are asking                           The environmental mailing list                    Commission, such as orders, notices,
                                                    agencies with jurisdiction by law and/                    includes federal, state, and local                   and rulemakings.
                                                    or special expertise with respect to the                  government representatives and                          In addition, the Commission offers a
                                                    environmental issues of this project to                   agencies; elected officials;                         free service called eSubscription which
                                                    formally cooperate with us in the                         environmental and public interest                    allows you to keep track of all formal
                                                    preparation of the EA.4 Agencies that                     groups; Native American Tribes; other                issuances and submittals in specific
                                                    would like to request cooperating                         interested parties; and local libraries              dockets. This can reduce the amount of
                                                    agency status should follow the                           and newspapers. This list also includes              time you spend researching proceedings
                                                    instructions for filing comments                          all affected landowners (as defined in               by automatically providing you with
                                                    provided under the Public Participation                   the Commission’s regulations) who are                notification of these filings, document
                                                    section of this notice. Currently, the                    potential right-of-way grantors, whose               summaries, and direct links to the
                                                    BLM has expressed its intention to                        property may be used temporarily for                 documents. Go to www.ferc.gov/docs-
                                                    participate as a cooperating agency in                    project purposes, or who own homes                   filing/esubscription.asp.
                                                    the preparation of the EA to satisfy its                  within certain distances of aboveground                 Finally, public meetings or site visits
                                                    NEPA responsibilities related to this                     facilities, and anyone who submits                   will be posted on the Commission’s
                                                    project.                                                  comments on the project. We will                     calendar located at www.ferc.gov/
                                                    Consultations Under Section 106 of the                    update the environmental mailing list as             EventCalendar/EventsList.aspx along
                                                    National Historic Preservation Act                        the analysis proceeds to ensure that we              with other related information.
                                                                                                              send the information related to this
                                                      In accordance with the Advisory                         environmental review to all individuals,               Dated: May 12, 2015.
                                                    Council on Historic Preservation’s                        organizations, and government entities               Kimberly D. Bose,
                                                    implementing regulations for section                      interested in and/or potentially affected            Secretary.
                                                    106 of the National Historic                              by the proposed project.                             [FR Doc. 2015–11922 Filed 5–15–15; 8:45 am]
                                                    Preservation Act, we are using this                          If we publish and distribute the EA,              BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
                                                    notice to initiate consultation with the                  copies of the EA will be sent to the
                                                    applicable State Historic Preservation                    environmental mailing list for public
                                                    Office (SHPO), and to solicit their views                 review and comment. If you would                     DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
                                                    and those of other government agencies,                   prefer to receive a paper copy of the
                                                    interested Indian tribes, and the public                  document instead of the CD version or                Federal Energy Regulatory
                                                    on the project’s potential effects on                     would like to remove your name from                  Commission
                                                    historic properties.5 We will define the                  the mailing list, please return the
                                                    project-specific Area of Potential Effects                                                                     [Docket No. CP15–348–000]
                                                                                                              attached Information Request (appendix
                                                    (APE) in consultation with the SHPO as                    2).                                                  Southern Star Central Gas Pipeline,
                                                    the project develops. On natural gas
                                                                                                              Becoming an Intervenor                               Inc.; Notice of Request Under Blanket
                                                                                                                                                                   Authorization
                                                      4 The Council on Environmental Quality
                                                                                                                In addition to involvement in the EA
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                    regulations addressing cooperating agency                 scoping process, you may want to                       Take notice that on April 30, 2015,
                                                    responsibilities are at Title 40, Code of Federal
                                                    Regulations, Part 1501.6.                                 become an ‘‘intervenor’’ which is an                 Southern Star Central Gas Pipeline, Inc.
                                                      5 The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation’s       official party to the Commission’s                   (Southern Star), 4700 State Highway 56,
                                                    regulations are at Title 36, Code of Federal              proceeding. Intervenors play a more                  Owensboro, Kentucky 42301, filed a
                                                    Regulations, Part 800. Those regulations define           formal role in the process and are able              prior notice application pursuant to
                                                    historic properties as any prehistoric or historic
                                                    district, site, building, structure, or object included
                                                                                                              to file briefs, appear at hearings, and be           sections 157.205, 157.208, 157.211, and
                                                    in or eligible for inclusion in the National Register     heard by the courts if they choose to                157.216 of the Federal Energy
                                                    of Historic Places.                                       appeal the Commission’s final ruling.                Regulatory Commission’s (Commission)


                                               VerDate Sep<11>2014    18:52 May 15, 2015   Jkt 235001   PO 00000   Frm 00043   Fmt 4703   Sfmt 4703   E:\FR\FM\18MYN1.SGM   18MYN1



Document Created: 2015-12-16 07:39:31
Document Modified: 2015-12-16 07:39:31
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionNotices
FR Citation80 FR 28259 

2025 Federal Register | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy
USC | CFR | eCFR