80 FR 78727 - Dominion Carolina Gas Transmission; Notice of Schedule for Environmental Review of the Columbia to Eastover Project

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 242 (December 17, 2015)

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 242 (Thursday, December 17, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78727-78728]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-31720]


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

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP15-504-000]


Dominion Carolina Gas Transmission; Notice of Schedule for 
Environmental Review of the Columbia to Eastover Project

    On May 29, 2015, Dominion Carolina Gas Transmission (Dominion) 
filed an application in Docket No. CP15-504-000 requesting a 
Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity pursuant to Section 
7(c) of the Natural Gas Act to construct and operate certain natural 
gas pipeline facilities. The proposed project is known as the Columbia 
to Eastover Project (Project), and would provide 18,000 dekatherms per 
day of firm transportation service to the existing International Paper 
Plant in Eastover, South Carolina.
    On June 12, 2015, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 
(Commission or

[[Page 78728]]

FERC) issued its Notice of Application for the Project. The notice 
informed agencies issuing federal authorizations of the requirement 
under EPAct 2005 section 313 to complete all necessary reviews and to 
reach a final decision on a request for a federal authorization within 
90 days of the date of issuance of the Commission staff's Environmental 
Assessment (EA) for the Project. This Notice of Schedule identifies the 
Commission staff's planned schedule for the completion of the EA for 
the Project.

Schedule for Environmental Review

Issuance of EA--February 19, 2016
90-day Federal Authorization Decision Deadline--May 19, 2016
    If a schedule change becomes necessary, additional notice will be 
provided so that the relevant agencies are kept informed of the 
Project's progress.

Project Description

    For the Columbia to Eastover Project, Dominion would construct and 
operate approximately 28 miles of new 8-inch-diameter natural gas 
pipeline and new appurtenant facilities in Calhoun and Richland 
Counties, South Carolina.

Background

    On July 16, 2015, the Commission issued a Notice of Intent to 
Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Columbia to 
Eastover Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues 
(NOI). The NOI was sent to affected landowners; federal, state, and 
local government agencies; elected officials; environmental and public 
interest groups; Native American tribes; other interested parties; and 
local libraries and newspapers. The Commission received comments from 
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, South Carolina Department of 
Natural Resources, Friends of the Congaree Swamp, McEntire Joint 
National Guard Base, Richland County Conservation Commission, Congaree 
Riverkeeper, and several landowners including Beckham Swamp LLC, Belle 
Grove LLC, and St. Matthews Church. In addition to general opposition 
to the Project, we received requests for minor and major reroutes of 
the pipeline to utilize more existing utility rights-of-way and a 
reduction in number and length of access roads. The primary 
environmental issues raised by the commentors are potential impacts on 
the following resources: sensitive fish species, the Cowasee Basin, 
specific archaeological sites, local tree farms, and recreation areas.

Additional Information

    In order to receive notification of the issuance of the EA and to 
keep track of all formal issuances and submittals in specific dockets, 
the Commission offers a free service called eSubscription. 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.
    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 (www.ferc.gov). Using the ``eLibrary'' link, select 
``General Search'' from the eLibrary menu, enter the selected date 
range and ``Docket Number'' excluding the last three digits (i.e., 
CP15-504), and follow the instructions. For assistance with access to 
eLibrary, the helpline can be reached at (866) 208-3676, TTY (202) 502-
8659, or at [email protected]. The eLibrary link on the FERC 
Web site also provides access to the texts of formal documents issued 
by the Commission, such as orders, notices, and rule makings.

     Dated: December 11, 2015.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2015-31720 Filed 12-16-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P