80 FR 62065 - Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed New York Bay Expansion Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 199 (October 15, 2015)

Page Range		62065-62067
FR Document		2015-26185

Federal Register, Volume 80 Issue 199 (Thursday, October 15, 2015)

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 199 (Thursday, October 15, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62065-62067]
From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-26185]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP15-527-000]

Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC; Notice of Intent To
Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed New York Bay
Expansion 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 New York Bay Expansion Project
involving construction and operation of facilities by Transcontinental
Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC (Transco) in Chester, Pennsylvania; Essex
and Middlesex, New Jersey; and Richmond, New York. 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 November 8, 2015.
If you sent comments on this project to the Commission before the
opening of this docket on July 8, 2015, you will need to file those
comments in Docket No. CP15-527 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.
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

[[Page 62066]]

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 efiling@ferc.gov. 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
(CP15-527-000) 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

Transco proposes the New York Bay Expansion Project to modify
existing facilities and replace existing pipeline to provide an
additional 115,000 dekatherms per day of firm transportation service to
National Grid New York to meet 2017-2018 winter heating season needs.
The project would involve the following activities at existing
aboveground facilities in the specified towns and municipalities:
Uprate Compressor Station 200 from 30,860 horsepower (hp)
to 33,000 hp (East Whiteland Township, Chester, Pennsylvania);
uprate a unit of Compressor Station 303 from 25,000 hp to
27,500 hp (Roseland Borough, Essex, New Jersey);
add 11,000 hp of electric-driven compression to Compressor
Station 207 (Old Bridge Township, Middlesex, New Jersey); and
install various appurtenances and modifications at three
meter and regulation stations in East Brandywine Township (Chester,
Pennsylvania), Sayreville Borough (Middlesex, New Jersey), and Staten
Island Borough (Richmond, New York).
In addition, Transco proposes to replace three segments of its 42-
inch-diameter Lower New York Bay Lateral pipeline, totaling 0.25 mile,
and uprate the lateral pipeline's operating pressure from 960 to 1000
pounds per square inch in Middlesex County, NJ.
The general location of the project facilities is shown in appendix
1.\1\
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\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.
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Land Requirements for Construction

Construction of the project would disturb about 56.70 acres of land
for the aboveground facilities and 14.05 acres of land for the pipe
replacement; these acres would be restored by Transco and revert to
former uses. The permanent footprint for Compressor Stations 200 and
303 would remain unchanged. The permanent footprint of Compressor
Station 207 would expand by 0.59 acre, and the three existing meter and
regulation stations would expand by combined total of 0.8 acre. No new
acreage would be required for the replacement pipe as Transco would
replace the pipeline in the same permanent right-of-way.

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.
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\2\ ``We,'' ``us,'' and ``our'' refer to the environmental staff
of the Commission's Office of Energy Projects.
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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;
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, 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.\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.
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\3\ The Council on Environmental Quality regulations addressing
cooperating agency responsibilities are at title 40, Code of Federal
Regulations, part 1501.6.
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Consultations Under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation
Act

In accordance with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation's
implementing regulations for section 106 of the National Historic
Preservation Act, we are using this notice to initiate consultation
with the applicable State Historic Preservation Offices (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

[[Page 62067]]

define the project-specific Area of Potential Effects (APE) in
consultation with the SHPOs 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.
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\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.
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Environmental Mailing List

The environmental mailing list includes: Federal, state, and local
government representatives and agencies; elected officials; 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 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 ``Document-less Intervention Guide'' under the ``e-filing'' link on
the Commission's Web site. Motions to intervene are more fully
described at http://www.ferc.gov/resources/guides/how-to/intervene.asp.

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-
527). Be sure you have selected an appropriate date range. For
assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at
FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or toll free at (866) 208-3676, or for TTY,
contact (202) 502-8659. The eLibrary link also provides access to the
texts of formal documents issued by the Commission, such as orders,
notices, and rulemakings.
In addition, the Commission offers a free service called
eSubscription 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: October 8, 2015.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2015-26185 Filed 10-14-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P

Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 199 / Thursday, October 15, 2015 / Notices 62065

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY conference program will be provided in Commission) will prepare an
a subsequent supplemental notice of environmental assessment (EA) that will
Federal Energy Regulatory technical conference. discuss the environmental impacts of
Commission The technical conference will be led the New York Bay Expansion Project
[Docket Nos. ER15–1344–001; ER15–1344–
by Commission staff. The conference is involving construction and operation of
002; ER15–1387–001] open to the public. Pre-registration facilities by Transcontinental Gas Pipe
through the Commission’s Web site Line Company, LLC (Transco) in
PJM Interconnection, L.L.C.; PJM (https://www.ferc.gov/whats-new/ Chester, Pennsylvania; Essex and
Interconnection, L.L.C.; Potomac registration/11-12-15-form.asp) is Middlesex, New Jersey; and Richmond,
Electric Power Company; Notice of encouraged but not required. New York. The Commission will use
Technical Conference The technical conference will not be this EA in its decision-making process
transcribed. However, there will be a to determine whether the project is in
By order dated September 15, 2015,1 free audio cast of the conference. the public convenience and necessity
the Commission directed staff to Anyone wishing to listen to the meeting This notice announces the opening of
convene a technical conference should send an email to Sarah McKinley the scoping process the Commission
regarding PJM Interconnection, L.L.C.’s at sarah.mckinley@ferc.gov by will use to gather input from the public
(PJM) filing, in Docket Nos. ER15–1344– November 3, 2015, to request call-in and interested agencies on the project.
001 and ER15–1344–002, related to cost information. Please reference ‘‘call You can make a difference by providing
responsibility assignments for 61 information for ER15–1344/1387 us with your specific comments or
baseline upgrades included in the recent technical conference’’ in the subject line concerns about the project. Your
update to the PJM Regional of the email. The call-in information comments should focus on the potential
Transmission Expansion Plan (RTEP), will be provided prior to the meeting. environmental effects, reasonable
and regarding requests for rehearing, Persons listening to the technical alternatives, and measures to avoid or
submitted in Docket No. ER15–1387– conference may participate by lessen environmental impacts. Your
001, related to the PJM Transmission submitting questions, either prior to or input will help the Commission staff
Owners’ proposal to change the cost during the technical conference, by determine what issues they need to
allocation methodology for reliability emailing RTEPconference@ferc.gov. evaluate in the EA. To ensure that your
projects selected in the RTEP solely to Commission conferences are comments are timely and properly
address local transmission owner accessible under section 508 of the recorded, please send your comments so
planning criteria. The technical Rehabilitation Act of 1973. For that the Commission receives them in
conference will explore issues related to accessibility accommodations please Washington, DC on or before November
PJM’s application of its Order No. 1000- send an email to accessibility@ferc.gov 8, 2015.
compliant transmission planning or call toll free 1–866–208–3372 (voice) If you sent comments on this project
process 2 to local transmission facilities, or 202–502–8659 (TTY); or send a fax to to the Commission before the opening of
including, but not limited to, the 202–208–2106 with the required this docket on July 8, 2015, you will
process PJM and the PJM Transmission accommodations. need to file those comments in Docket
Owners use to identify local For more information about this No. CP15–527 to ensure they are
transmission needs and to solicit technical conference, please contact considered as part of this proceeding.
proposed solutions to identified local Katherine Scott, 202–502–6495, This notice is being sent to the
transmission needs (such as opening katherine.scott@ferc.gov, regarding Commission’s current environmental
proposal windows),3 and the process Docket Nos. ER15–1344–001 and ER15– mailing list for this project. State and
PJM uses to determine whether a 1344–002; Nicole Buell, 202–502–6846, local government representatives should
transmission solution to an identified nicole.buell@ferc.gov, regarding Docket notify their constituents of this
local transmission need should be No. ER15–1387–001; or Sarah proposed project and encourage them to
selected in the regional transmission McKinley, 202–502–8368, comment on their areas of concern.
plan for purposes of cost allocation as sarah.mckinley@ferc.gov, regarding If you are a landowner receiving this
the more efficient or cost-effective logistical issues. notice, a pipeline company
transmission solution. Dated: October 8, 2015. representative may contact you about
Take notice that such conference will the acquisition of an easement to
Kimberly D. Bose,
be held on November 12, 2015, at the construct, operate, and maintain the
Commission’s headquarters at 888 First Secretary.
proposed facilities. The company would
Street NE., Washington, DC 20426 [FR Doc. 2015–26182 Filed 10–14–15; 8:45 am]
seek to negotiate a mutually acceptable
between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
agreement. However, if the Commission
(Eastern Time) in Hearing Room 7. approves the project, that approval
Additional information regarding the conveys with it the right of eminent
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
domain. Therefore, if easement
1 PJM Interconnection, L.L.C., 152 FERC ¶ 61,197
Federal Energy Regulatory negotiations fail to produce an
(2015).
2 Transmission Planning and Cost Allocation by Commission agreement, the pipeline company could
Transmission Owning and Operating Public initiate condemnation proceedings
Utilities, Order No. 1000, FERC Stats. & Regs.
[Docket No. CP15–527–000] where compensation would be
¶ 31,323 (2011), order on reh’g, Order No. 1000–A, determined in accordance with state
139 FERC ¶ 61,132, order on reh’g, Order No. 1000– Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

B, 141 FERC ¶ 61,044 (2012), aff’d sub nom. S.C. Company, LLC; Notice of Intent To law.
Pub. Serv. Auth. v. FERC, 762 F.3d 41 (D.C. Cir. Transco provided landowners with a
Prepare an Environmental Assessment
2014). fact sheet prepared by the FERC entitled
for the Proposed New York Bay
3 As discussed in the order establishing the ‘‘An Interstate Natural Gas Facility On
technical conference, Dominion Resources Services’ Expansion Project and Request for
My Land? What Do I Need To Know?’’
revisions to its individual transmission planning Comments on Environmental Issues
criteria will not be discussed at the technical
This fact sheet addresses a number of
conference. PJM Interconnection, L.L.C., 152 FERC The staff of the Federal Energy typically asked questions, including the
¶ 61,197 at P15 (2015). Regulatory Commission (FERC or use of eminent domain and how to

VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:19 Oct 14, 2015 Jkt 238001 PO 00000 Frm 00054 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\15OCN1.SGM 15OCN1

Document Created: 2018-02-27 08:52:18
Document Modified: 2018-02-27 08:52:18

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 62065

80 FR 62065 - Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed New York Bay Expansion Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGYFederal Energy Regulatory Commission

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 199 (October 15, 2015)

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission