81 FR 44855 - Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company, L.L.C.; Notice of Schedule for Environmental Review of the Abandonment and Capacity Restoration Project

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 132 (July 11, 2016)

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 132 (Monday, July 11, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44855-44856]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-16235]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP15-88-000]


Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company, L.L.C.; Notice of Schedule for 
Environmental Review of the Abandonment and Capacity Restoration 
Project

    On February 13, 2015, Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company, L.L.C. 
(Tennessee) filed an application in Docket No. CP15-88-000 pursuant to 
sections 7(b) and 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act, requesting a certificate 
of public convenience and necessity to construct, operate, and maintain 
certain natural gas pipeline facilities, and authorization to abandon 
certain facilities, collectively known as the Abandonment and Capacity 
Restoration Project (Project). The Project purpose is to disconnect and 
abandon segments of the Tennessee pipeline system, which would be 
removed from interstate natural gas service. Tennessee further proposes 
as part of the Project to construct and operate new natural gas 
infrastructure to maintain the service and capacity of the remaining 
existing natural gas system at its current level.
    On March 2, 2015, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 
(Commission or FERC) issued its Notice of Application for the Project. 
The notice alerted agencies responsible for issuing federal 
authorizations of the requirement to complete necessary reviews and 
reach a final decision on a request for a federal authorization within 
90 days of the date of issuance of the Environmental Assessment (EA) 
prepared by Commission staff. 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--September 2, 2016
90-day Federal Authorization Decision Deadline--December 1, 2016

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

Project Description

    Tennessee proposes to abandon in place and remove from service 
approximately 964 miles of Tennessee's existing pipelines that run from 
Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, through Tennessee and Kentucky, to 
Columbiana County, Ohio. Tennessee currently operates six parallel 
pipelines that transport natural gas from the Gulf of Mexico region to 
the Northeast markets. The proposed Project would occur on Tennessee's 
existing 100 and 200 Lines. In order to replace capacity that would be 
lost due to the abandonment, Tennessee would modify and construct 
certain facilities along the existing pipelines not proposed for 
abandonment including four new mid-point compressor stations in Ohio, a 
new 7.7-mile-long pipeline loop \1\ in Kentucky, and modifications to 
existing compressor stations in Kentucky. The Project would also 
require the removal of certain crossovers, taps, valves and 
miscellaneous pipe, and the relocation and/or installation of new taps 
to complete the physical separation of the abandoned line from 
Tennessee's retained pipelines.
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    \1\ A pipeline loop is a segment of pipe constructed parallel to 
an existing pipeline to increase capacity.
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Background

    On April 17, 2015, the Commission issued a Notice of Intent To 
Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Abandonment and 
Capacity Restoration 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

[[Page 44856]]

interested parties; and local libraries and newspapers. In response to 
Tennessee's application and the NOI, the Commission received comments 
from affected landowners, interested individuals and organizations, 
elected officials, and federal, state, and local agencies.
    The primary issues raised by the commentors included concerns about 
increasing pressure in older pipelines, exposed pipelines, and 
corrosion; concerns about repurposing existing pipelines for transport 
of natural gas liquids; air quality and noise impacts; karst topography 
and cumulative impacts.

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 spent researching proceedings by 
automatically providing notification of these filings, document 
summaries, and direct links to the documents. Go to www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/esubscription.asp.
    The FERC's eLibrary system can also be used to search formal 
issuances and submittals from the public docket. To use, select the 
``eLibrary'' link, select ``General Search'' from the eLibrary menu 
located at www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/elibrary.asp, enter the selected 
date range and ``Docket Number'' excluding the last three digits (i.e., 
CP15-88), 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.
    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).

     Dated: June 30, 2016.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-16235 Filed 7-8-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P