81 FR 13788 - Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC; Notice of Schedule for Environmental Review of the Atlantic Sunrise Expansion Project

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 50 (March 15, 2016)

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 50 (Tuesday, March 15, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13788-13789]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-05772]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP15-138-000]


Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC; Notice of Schedule 
for Environmental Review of the Atlantic Sunrise Expansion Project

    On March 31, 2015, Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC 
(Transco) a subsidiary of Williams Partners L.P. (Williams), filed an 
application with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) in Docket No. CP15-138-000 requesting authorization 
pursuant to section 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act (NGA) and part 157 of 
the Commission's regulations to construct, operate, and maintain 
expansions of its existing interstate natural gas pipeline system in 
Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. 
The proposed project, referred to as the Atlantic Sunrise Expansion 
Project (Project), would provide 1,700,000 dekatherms per day of 
natural gas transportation service from various receipt points in 
Pennsylvania to various delivery points along Transco's existing 
interstate pipeline system.
    FERC issued its Notice of Application for the Project on April 8, 
2015. Among other things, the notice alerted other agencies issuing 
federal authorizations of the requirement to complete all necessary 
reviews and to reach a final decision on the request for a federal 
authorization within 90 days of the date of issuance of the Commission 
staff's final environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Project. 
This notice identifies the FERC staff's planned schedule for completion 
of the final EIS for the Project.

Schedule for Environmental Review

Issuance of Notice of Availability of the final EIS October 21, 2016
90-day Federal Authorization Decision Deadline January 19, 2017

    If a schedule change becomes necessary, an additional notice will 
be provided so that the relevant agencies are kept informed of the 
Project's progress.

Project Description

    The Project includes about 197.7 miles of pipeline composed of the 
following facilities:
     183.7 miles of new 30- and 42-inch-diameter greenfield \1\ 
natural gas pipeline;
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    \1\ A ``greenfield'' pipeline crosses land previously untouched 
by natural gas infrastructure rather than using existing rights-of-
way.
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     11.5 miles of new 36- and 42-inch-diamater pipeline 
looping; \2\
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    \2\ ``Looping'' is the practice of installing a pipeline in 
parallel to another pipeline to increase the capacity along an 
existing stretch of right-of-way, often beyond what can be achieved 
by one pipeline or pipeline expansion.
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     2.5 miles of 30-inch-diameter replacements; and
     associated equipment and facilities.
    The Project's aboveground facilities consist of two new compressor 
stations; additional compression and related modifications to three 
existing compressor stations; two new meter stations and three new 
regulator stations; and minor modifications at existing aboveground 
facilities at various locations to allow for bi-directional flow and 
the installation of supplemental odorization, odor detection, and/or 
odor masking/deodorization equipment.

Background

    On April 4, 2014, the Commission staff granted Transco's request to 
use the FERC's pre-filing environmental review process and assigned the 
Project Docket No. PF14-8-000. On July 18, 2014, the Commission issued 
a Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the 
Planned Atlantic Sunrise Expansion Project, Request for Comments on 
Environmental Issues, and Notice of Public Scoping Meetings (NOI). The 
NOI was sent to federal, state, and local government representatives 
and agencies; elected officials; environmental and public interest 
groups; Native American Tribes; affected property owners; other 
interested parties; and local libraries and newspapers. Major issues 
raised

[[Page 13789]]

during scoping include potential impacts on forested areas, 
groundwater, and threatened and endangered species; socioeconomic 
impacts; land use and recreational impacts; air quality; safety; 
potential cumulative impacts; and potential alternative routes. The 
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is a cooperating agency in the preparation 
of the EIS.
    Additional information about the Project may be obtained by 
contacting the Environmental Project Manager, Joanne Wachholder, by 
telephone at (202) 502-8056 or by electronic mail at 
[email protected].

    Dated: March 9, 2016.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-05772 Filed 3-14-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P