81 FR 22590 - Northern Natural Gas Company; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Planned Northern Lights 2017 Expansion Project, Request for Comments on Environmental Issues
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 74 (April 18, 2016)
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 74 (April 18, 2016)
| Page Range | 22590-22592 | |
| FR Document | 2016-08862 |
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 74 (Monday, April 18, 2016)] [Notices] [Pages 22590-22592] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2016-08862] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. PF15-33-000] Northern Natural Gas Company; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Planned Northern Lights 2017 Expansion Project, 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 Northern Lights 2017 Expansion Project involving construction and operation of facilities by Northern Natural Gas Company (Northern) in Dakota County, Minnesota. 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 [[Page 22591]] that the Commission receives them in Washington, DC on or before May 11, 2016. If you sent comments on this project to the Commission before the opening of this docket on September 28, 2015, you will need to file those comments in Docket No. PF15-33-000 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 planned project and encourage them to comment on their areas of concern. If you are a landowner receiving this notice, a pipeline company representative may contact you about the acquisition of an easement to construct, operate, and maintain the planned facilities. The company would seek to negotiate a mutually acceptable agreement. However, if the Commission approves the project, that approval conveys with it the right of eminent domain. Therefore, if easement negotiations fail to produce an agreement, the pipeline company could initiate condemnation proceedings where compensation would be determined in accordance with state law. A fact sheet prepared by the FERC entitled ``An Interstate Natural Gas Facility On My Land? What Do I Need To Know?'' is available for viewing on the FERC Web site (www.ferc.gov). 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. Public Participation For your convenience, there are three methods you can use to submit your comments to the Commission. The Commission will provide equal consideration to all comments received, whether filed in written form or provided verbally. 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 (PF15-33-000) with your submission: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426. Summary of the Planned Project Northern plans to construct and operate approximately 4.8 miles of branch line loop \1\ extensions in Sherburne and Isanti counties, Minnesota, and to install an additional 15,900-horsepower compressor unit to an existing compressor station site in Rice County, Minnesota. The Northern Lights 2017 Expansion Project would allow Northern to transport an incremental load of 76 million cubic feet on Northern's existing system. According to Northern, its project would meet the firm transportation service elected during an October 2015 open season by Xcel Energy Inc., CenterPoint Energy, Al-Corn Clean Fuel, and Midwest Natural Gas, Inc. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ A pipeline loop is a segment of pipe constructed parallel to an existing pipeline to increase capacity. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Northern Lights 2017 Expansion Project would consist of the following facilities:2.0 miles extending the existing 8-inch-diameter Princeton branch line loop and a new associated valve; 2.8 miles extending the existing 12-inch-diameter St. Cloud branch line loop and a new associated valve; a 15,900-horsepower Solar Mars turbine compressor unit at the Faribault Compressor Station; and cathodic protection test stations. The general location of the project facilities is shown in appendix 1.\2\ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \2\ The appendices referenced in this notice will not appear in the Federal Register. Copies of the appendices were sent to all those receiving this notice in the mail and are available at www.ferc.gov using the link called ``eLibrary'' or from the Commission's Public Reference Room, 888 First Street NE., Washington, DC 20426, or call (202) 502-8371. For instructions on connecting to eLibrary, refer to page 7 of this notice. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Land Requirements for Construction Construction of the planned facilities would disturb about 112.4 acres of land for the aboveground facilities and the pipeline. In addition to its existing facilities, Northern would maintain about 2.1 acres for permanent operation of the project's facilities following construction; the remaining acreage would be restored and revert to former uses. Most of the facilities would be located within Northern's existing easements, offset 20 to 25 feet from Northern's existing pipelines, and thus not require any new permanent easements. 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 planned 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 possible alternatives to the planned project or portions of the project, and make recommendations on how to lessen or avoid impacts on the various resource areas. Although no formal application has been filed, we have already initiated our NEPA review under the Commission's pre-filing process. The purpose of the pre-filing process is to encourage early involvement of interested stakeholders and to identify and resolve issues before the FERC receives an application. As part of our pre-filing review, we have begun to contact some federal and state agencies to discuss their involvement in the scoping process and the preparation of the EA. 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 [[Page 22592]] may also publish and distribute the EA to the public for an allotted comment period. We will consider all comments on the EA before we make 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 related to 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. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \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 Minnesota 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 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. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 planned 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 Once Northern files its application with the Commission, 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. Motions to intervene are more fully described at http://www.ferc.gov/resources/guides/how-to/intervene.asp. Instructions for becoming an intervenor are in the ``Document-less Intervention Guide'' under the ``e-filing'' link on the Commission's Web site. Please note that the Commission will not accept requests for intervenor status at this time. You must wait until the Commission receives a formal application for the project. 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 (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., PF15- 33). 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: April 11, 2016. Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary. [FR Doc. 2016-08862 Filed 4-15-16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
![22590 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 74 / Monday, April 18, 2016 / Notices
Lincoln County, Wisconsin. The project 24.9-kV three phase transformer; (6) an generated from the project is transmitted
does not affect federal lands. interconnected substation located from the powerhouse via two 2.5-kV
g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power adjacent to the powerhouse; and (7) generator leads and a 3.75 MVA 2.4/
Act 16 U.S.C. 791(a)–825(r). appurtenant facilities. 24.9-kV three-phase transformer to the
h. Applicant Contact: Todd P. The project is operated in a limited adjacent substation and into Wisconsin
Jastremski, Asset Manager Hydro peaking mode, with maximum allowed Public Service Corporation’s
Operations, WE Energies, 800 Industrial daily reservoir fluctuations of distribution system. Wisconsin Public
Park Drive, Iron Mountain, MI 49801; or approximately 0.8 feet (1,435.5 feet Service Corporation is proposing to
at (906) 779–4099. NGVD to 1,434.7 feet NGVD). During continue current operations at the
i. FERC Contact: Lee Emery at (202) normal peaking operations, the reservoir Project for the term of the new license.
502–8379 or by email at lee.emery@ is drawn down from the maximum pond l. A copy of the application is
ferc.gov. elevation during the day and refilled at available for review at the Commission
j. This application is not ready for night providing one peaking cycle per in the Public Reference Room or may be
environmental analysis at this time. day. The amount of fluctuation is viewed on the Commission’s Web site at
k. The existing Tomahawk determined primarily by the volume of http://www.ferc.gov using the
Hydroelectric Project consists of: (1) A water which can normally be restored to ‘‘eLibrary’’ link. Enter the docket
27-foot-high, 3,400-foot-long reinforced the Tomahawk reservoir during off-peak number excluding the last three digits in
concrete and embankment dam that hours. During low flow periods, the the docket number field to access the
includes a 2,450-foot-long left project is required to maintain a document. For assistance, contact
embankment section, a 300-foot-long minimum flow of 162 cubic feet per FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov, (866)
right embankment section, 9-foot-long second (cfs) or inflow, whichever is less. 208–3676 (toll free) or (202) 502–8659
sluice gate section, 267-foot-long radial The operation of the Tomahawk Project (TTY). A copy is also available for
gate section, 160-foot-long slab and is coordinated with the downstream inspection and reproduction at the
buttress section, and a 60-foot-long WPS Projects (Grandfather Falls and address in item h above.
abutment section with a crest elevation Alexander Projects) and with the m. You may also register online at
of 1,441.0 feet National Geodetic Grandmother Falls Project to make the http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/
Vertical Datum (NGVD); (2) a 2,773-acre most effective use of the available water esubscription.asp to be notified via
reservoir (Lake Mohawksin) at a full- resource. email of new filings and issuances
pool elevation of 1,435.5 feet NGVD; (3) The normal tailwater elevation of the related to this or other pending projects.
a 67-foot-long by 41-foot-wide project is 1,419.5 feet NGVD. The For assistance, contact FERC Online
powerhouse containing two 1.3- impoundment provides about 14.5 feet Support.
megawatt (MW) generators providing a of gross head for power generation n. Procedural schedule:
combined installed capacity of 2.6 MW; purposes. The hydraulic capacity of the The application will be processed
(4) powerhouse intake trash racks with project is 2,634 cfs and water flowing according to the following preliminary
a 2.7-inch clear bar spacing; (5) two 2.4- through the turbines is discharged via Hydro Licensing Schedule. Revisions to
kilovolt (kV) generator leads and an the draft tubes into the tailrace the schedule may be made as
associated 3.75-megavolt-ampere, 2.4/ immediately below the dam. Electricity appropriate.
Milestone Target date
Notice of Acceptance/Notice of Ready for Environmental Analysis ........................................................................................... June 2016.
Filing of recommendations, preliminary terms and conditions, and fishway prescriptions ........................................................ August 2016.
Issue Environmental Assessment (EA) ....................................................................................................................................... December 2016.
Comments due on EA ................................................................................................................................................................. January 2017.
Modified terms and conditions .................................................................................................................................................... March 2017.
o. Final amendments to the DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Dakota County, Minnesota. The
application must be filed with the Commission will use this EA in its
Commission no later than 30 days from Federal Energy Regulatory decision-making process to determine
the issuance date of the notice of ready Commission whether the project is in the public
for environmental analysis. [Docket No. PF15–33–000] convenience and necessity.
Dated: April 6, 2016. This notice announces the opening of
Northern Natural Gas Company; Notice the scoping process the Commission
Kimberly D. Bose,
of Intent To Prepare an Environmental will use to gather input from the public
Secretary. Assessment for the Planned Northern and interested agencies on the project.
[FR Doc. 2016–08861 Filed 4–15–16; 8:45 am] Lights 2017 Expansion Project, You can make a difference by providing
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P Request for Comments on us with your specific comments or
Environmental Issues concerns about the project. Your
The staff of the Federal Energy comments should focus on the potential
environmental effects, reasonable
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) will prepare an alternatives, and measures to avoid or
environmental assessment (EA) that will lessen environmental impacts. Your
discuss the environmental impacts of input will help the Commission staff
the Northern Lights 2017 Expansion determine what issues they need to
Project involving construction and evaluate in the EA. To ensure that your
operation of facilities by Northern comments are timely and properly
Natural Gas Company (Northern) in recorded, please send your comments so
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![22592 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 74 / Monday, April 18, 2016 / Notices
may also publish and distribute the EA all affected landowners (as defined in such as orders, notices, and
to the public for an allotted comment the Commission’s regulations) who are rulemakings.
period. We will consider all comments potential right-of-way grantors, whose In addition, the Commission offers a
on the EA before we make our property may be used temporarily for free service called eSubscription which
recommendations to the Commission. project purposes, or who own homes allows you to keep track of all formal
To ensure we have the opportunity to within certain distances of aboveground issuances and submittals in specific
consider and address your comments, facilities, and anyone who submits dockets. This can reduce the amount of
please carefully follow the instructions comments on the project. We will time you spend researching proceedings
in the Public Participation section, update the environmental mailing list as by automatically providing you with
beginning on page 2. the analysis proceeds to ensure that we notification of these filings, document
With this notice, we are asking send the information related to this summaries, and direct links to the
agencies with jurisdiction by law and/ environmental review to all individuals, documents. Go to www.ferc.gov/docs-
or special expertise with respect to the organizations, and government entities filing/esubscription.asp.
environmental issues related to this interested in and/or potentially affected Finally, public meetings or site visits
project to formally cooperate with us in by the planned project. will be posted on the Commission’s
the preparation of the EA.4 Agencies If we publish and distribute the EA, calendar located at www.ferc.gov/
that would like to request cooperating copies will be sent to the environmental EventCalendar/EventsList.aspx along
agency status should follow the mailing list for public review and with other related information.
instructions for filing comments comment. If you would prefer to receive
provided under the Public Participation a paper copy of the document instead of Dated: April 11, 2016.
section of this notice. the CD version or would like to remove Kimberly D. Bose,
Consultations Under Section 106 of the your name from the mailing list, please Secretary.
National Historic Preservation Act return the attached Information Request [FR Doc. 2016–08862 Filed 4–15–16; 8:45 am]
In accordance with the Advisory (appendix 2). BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
Council on Historic Preservation’s Becoming an Intervenor
implementing regulations for section
106 of the National Historic Once Northern files its application FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS
Preservation Act, we are using this with the Commission, you may want to COMMISSION
notice to initiate consultation with the become an ‘‘intervenor’’ which is an
official party to the Commission’s [OMB 3060–0743]
Minnesota State Historic Preservation
Office (SHPO), and to solicit their views proceeding. Intervenors play a more
formal role in the process and are able Information Collection Being
and those of other government agencies, Submitted for Review and Approval to
interested Indian tribes, and the public to file briefs, appear at hearings, and be
heard by the courts if they choose to the Office of Management and Budget
on the project’s potential effects on
historic properties.5 We will define the appeal the Commission’s final ruling. AGENCY: Federal Communications
project-specific Area of Potential Effects An intervenor formally participates in Commission.
(APE) in consultation with the SHPO as the proceeding by filing a request to ACTION: Notice and request for
the project develops. On natural gas intervene. Motions to intervene are comments.
facility projects, the APE at a minimum more fully described at http://
encompasses all areas subject to ground www.ferc.gov/resources/guides/how-to/ SUMMARY: As part of its continuing effort
disturbance (examples include intervene.asp. Instructions for becoming to reduce paperwork burdens, and as
construction right-of-way, contractor/ an intervenor are in the ‘‘Document-less required by the Paperwork Reduction
pipe storage yards, compressor stations, Intervention Guide’’ under the ‘‘e-filing’’ Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501–
and access roads). Our EA for this link on the Commission’s Web site. 3520), the Federal Communications
project will document our findings on Please note that the Commission will Commission (FCC or Commission)
the impacts on historic properties and not accept requests for intervenor status invites the general public and other
summarize the status of consultations at this time. You must wait until the Federal agencies to take this
under section 106. Commission receives a formal opportunity to comment on the
application for the project. following information collections.
Environmental Mailing List Comments are requested concerning:
Additional Information
The environmental mailing list Whether the proposed collection of
includes federal, state, and local Additional information about the information is necessary for the proper
government representatives and project is available from the performance of the functions of the
agencies; elected officials; Commission’s Office of External Affairs, Commission, including whether the
environmental and public interest at (866) 208–FERC, or on the FERC Web information shall have practical utility;
groups; Native American tribes; other site (www.ferc.gov) using the eLibrary the accuracy of the Commission’s
interested parties; and local libraries link. Click on the eLibrary link, click on burden estimate; ways to enhance the
and newspapers. This list also includes ‘‘General Search’’ and enter the docket quality, utility, and clarity of the
number, excluding the last three digits information collected; ways to minimize
4 The Council on Environmental Quality
in the Docket Number field (i.e., PF15– the burden of the collection of
regulations addressing cooperating agency
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
33). Be sure you have selected an information on the respondents,
responsibilities are at Title 40, Code of Federal
Regulations, Part 1501.6. appropriate date range. For assistance, including the use of automated
5 The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation please contact FERC Online Support at collection techniques or other forms of
regulations are at Title 36, Code of Federal FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or toll free information technology; and ways to
Regulations, Part 800. Those regulations define at (866) 208–3676, or for TTY, contact further reduce the information
historic properties as any prehistoric or historic
district, site, building, structure, or object included
(202) 502–8659. The eLibrary link also collection burden on small business
in or eligible for inclusion in the National Register provides access to the texts of formal concerns with fewer than 25 employees.
of Historic Places. documents issued by the Commission, The FCC may not conduct or sponsor a
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Document Created: 2016-04-16 01:45:56
Document Modified: 2016-04-16 01:45:56
| 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 | 81 FR 22590 |
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