81 FR 51873 - National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation, Empire Pipeline, Inc.; Notice of Availability of the Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Northern Access 2016 Project
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 151 (August 5, 2016)
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 151 (August 5, 2016)
| Page Range | 51873-51873 | |
| FR Document | 2016-18572 |
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 151 (Friday, August 5, 2016)] [Notices] [Page 51873] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2016-18572] [[Page 51873]] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket Nos. CP15-115-000 and CP15-115-001] National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation, Empire Pipeline, Inc.; Notice of Availability of the Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Northern Access 2016 Project The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or Commission) has prepared an environmental assessment (EA) for the Northern Access 2016 Project, proposed by National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation and Empire Pipeline, Inc. (National Fuel) in the above- referenced dockets. National Fuel requests authorization to construct, operate, and maintain about 99 miles of natural gas transmission pipeline and related facilities in McKean County, Pennsylvania and Allegany, Cattaraugus, Erie, and Niagara Counties, New York. The Project would provide 350,000 dekatherms per day of capacity to markets in the northeastern United States and Canada. The EA assesses the potential environmental effects of the construction and operation of the Northern Access 2016 Project in accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The FERC staff concludes that approval of the proposed project, with appropriate mitigating measures, would not constitute a major federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets participated as cooperating agencies in the preparation of the EA. Cooperating agencies have jurisdiction by law or special expertise with respect to resources potentially affected by the proposal and participate in the NEPA analysis. The proposed Northern Access 2016 Project includes the following facilities:96.9 miles of 24-inch-diameter pipeline in McKean County, Pennsylvania and Allegany, Cattaraugus, and Erie Counties, New York; 0.9 mile of 16-inch-diameter pipeline and 1.2 miles of 24- inch-diameter pipeline in Niagara County, New York; a new 22,000 horsepower (hp) compressor station in Niagara County; an additional 5,000 hp of compression at an existing compressor station in Erie County; a metering, regulation, and delivery station in Erie County; a dehydration facility in Niagara County; tie-ins in McKean, Cattaraugus, and Erie Counties; modification of tie-in facilities in Niagara County; mainline block valves in McKean, Allegany, Cattaraugus, and Erie Counties; and access roads and contractor/staging yards in McKean, Allegany, Cattaraugus, and Erie Counties. The FERC staff mailed copies of the EA to federal, state, and local officials; agency representatives; conservation organizations; local libraries and newspapers; Native American groups; property owners affected by the Project facilities; and parties to this proceeding. In addition, the EA is available for public viewing on the FERC's Web site (www.ferc.gov) using the eLibrary link. A limited number of copies of the EA are available for distribution and public inspection at: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Public Reference Room 888 First Street NE., Room 2A, Washington, DC 20426 (202) 502-8371. Any person wishing to comment on the EA may do so. Your comments should focus on the potential environmental effects, reasonable alternatives, and measures to avoid or lessen environmental impacts. The more specific your comments, the more useful they will be. To ensure that the Commission has the opportunity to consider your comments prior to making its decision on this project, it is important that we receive your comments in Washington, DC on or before August 26, 2016. For your convenience, there are three methods you can use to file your comments with the Commission. In all instances please reference the project docket number (CP15-115-000 or CP15-115-001) with your submission. The Commission encourages electronic filing of comments and has expert staff available to assist you at 202-502-8258 or [email protected]. (1) You can file your comments electronically using the eComment feature located 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 also file your comments electronically 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.'' You must select the type of filing you are making. If you are filing a comment on a particular project, please select ``Comment on a Filing''; or (3) You can file a paper copy of your comments by mailing them to the following address: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426. Any person seeking to become a party to the proceeding must file a motion to intervene pursuant to Rule 214 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedures (18 CFR 385.214).\1\ Only intervenors have the right to seek rehearing of the Commission's decision. The Commission grants affected landowners and others with environmental concerns intervenor status upon showing good cause by stating that they have a clear and direct interest in this proceeding which no other party can adequately represent. Simply filing environmental comments will not give you intervenor status, but you do not need intervenor status to have your comments considered. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ See the previous discussion on the methods for filing comments. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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., CP15- 115). 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. Dated: July 27, 2016. Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary. [FR Doc. 2016-18572 Filed 8-4-16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
![Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 151 / Friday, August 5, 2016 / Notices 51873
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY • a metering, regulation, and delivery users must first create an account by
station in Erie County; clicking on ‘‘eRegister.’’ You must select
Federal Energy Regulatory • a dehydration facility in Niagara the type of filing you are making. If you
Commission County; are filing a comment on a particular
• tie-ins in McKean, Cattaraugus, and project, please select ‘‘Comment on a
[Docket Nos. CP15–115–000 and CP15–115–
001]
Erie Counties; Filing’’; or
• modification of tie-in facilities in (3) You can file a paper copy of your
National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation, Niagara County; comments by mailing them to the
Empire Pipeline, Inc.; Notice of • mainline block valves in McKean, following address: Kimberly D. Bose,
Availability of the Environmental Allegany, Cattaraugus, and Erie Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory
Assessment for the Proposed Northern Counties; and Commission, 888 First Street NE., Room
Access 2016 Project • access roads and contractor/staging 1A, Washington, DC 20426.
yards in McKean, Allegany, Cattaraugus, Any person seeking to become a party
The staff of the Federal Energy and Erie Counties. to the proceeding must file a motion to
Regulatory Commission (FERC or The FERC staff mailed copies of the intervene pursuant to Rule 214 of the
Commission) has prepared an EA to federal, state, and local officials; Commission’s Rules of Practice and
environmental assessment (EA) for the agency representatives; conservation Procedures (18 CFR 385.214).1 Only
Northern Access 2016 Project, proposed organizations; local libraries and intervenors have the right to seek
by National Fuel Gas Supply newspapers; Native American groups; rehearing of the Commission’s decision.
Corporation and Empire Pipeline, Inc. property owners affected by the Project The Commission grants affected
(National Fuel) in the above-referenced facilities; and parties to this proceeding. landowners and others with
dockets. National Fuel requests In addition, the EA is available for environmental concerns intervenor
authorization to construct, operate, and public viewing on the FERC’s Web site status upon showing good cause by
maintain about 99 miles of natural gas (www.ferc.gov) using the eLibrary link. stating that they have a clear and direct
transmission pipeline and related A limited number of copies of the EA interest in this proceeding which no
facilities in McKean County, are available for distribution and public other party can adequately represent.
Pennsylvania and Allegany, inspection at: Federal Energy Regulatory Simply filing environmental comments
Cattaraugus, Erie, and Niagara Counties, Commission, Public Reference Room will not give you intervenor status, but
New York. The Project would provide 888 First Street NE., Room 2A, you do not need intervenor status to
350,000 dekatherms per day of capacity Washington, DC 20426 (202) 502–8371. have your comments considered.
to markets in the northeastern United Any person wishing to comment on Additional information about the
States and Canada. the EA may do so. Your comments project is available from the
The EA assesses the potential should focus on the potential Commission’s Office of External Affairs,
environmental effects of the environmental effects, reasonable at (866) 208–FERC, or on the FERC Web
construction and operation of the alternatives, and measures to avoid or site (www.ferc.gov) using the eLibrary
Northern Access 2016 Project in lessen environmental impacts. The more link. Click on the eLibrary link, click on
accordance with the requirements of the specific your comments, the more useful ‘‘General Search,’’ and enter the docket
National Environmental Policy Act they will be. To ensure that the number excluding the last three digits in
(NEPA). The FERC staff concludes that Commission has the opportunity to the Docket Number field (i.e., CP15–
approval of the proposed project, with consider your comments prior to 115). Be sure you have selected an
appropriate mitigating measures, would making its decision on this project, it is appropriate date range. For assistance,
not constitute a major federal action important that we receive your please contact FERC Online Support at
significantly affecting the quality of the comments in Washington, DC on or FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or toll free
human environment. before August 26, 2016. at (866) 208–3676, or for TTY, contact
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers For your convenience, there are three
(202) 502–8659. The eLibrary link also
and New York State Department of methods you can use to file your
provides access to the texts of formal
Agriculture and Markets participated as comments with the Commission. In all
documents issued by the Commission,
cooperating agencies in the preparation instances please reference the project
such as orders, notices, and
of the EA. Cooperating agencies have docket number (CP15–115–000 or
rulemakings.
jurisdiction by law or special expertise CP15–115–001) with your submission. In addition, the Commission offers a
with respect to resources potentially The Commission encourages electronic free service called eSubscription which
affected by the proposal and participate filing of comments and has expert staff allows you to keep track of all formal
in the NEPA analysis. available to assist you at 202–502–8258 issuances and submittals in specific
The proposed Northern Access 2016 or efiling@ferc.gov. dockets. This can reduce the amount of
Project includes the following facilities: (1) You can file your comments
time you spend researching proceedings
• 96.9 miles of 24-inch-diameter electronically using the eComment
by automatically providing you with
pipeline in McKean County, feature located on the Commission’s
notification of these filings, document
Pennsylvania and Allegany, Web site (www.ferc.gov) under the link
summaries, and direct links to the
Cattaraugus, and Erie Counties, New to Documents and Filings. This is an
documents. Go to www.ferc.gov/docs-
York; easy method for submitting brief, text-
filing/esubscription.asp.
• 0.9 mile of 16-inch-diameter only comments on a project;
(2) You can also file your comments Dated: July 27, 2016.
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES
pipeline and 1.2 miles of 24-inch-
diameter pipeline in Niagara County, electronically using the eFiling feature Kimberly D. Bose,
New York; on the Commission’s Web site Secretary.
• a new 22,000 horsepower (hp) (www.ferc.gov) under the link to [FR Doc. 2016–18572 Filed 8–4–16; 8:45 am]
compressor station in Niagara County; Documents and Filings. With eFiling, BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
• an additional 5,000 hp of you can provide comments in a variety
compression at an existing compressor of formats by attaching them as a file 1 See the previous discussion on the methods for
station in Erie County; with your submission. New eFiling filing comments.
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Document Created: 2016-08-05 06:43:59
Document Modified: 2016-08-05 06:43:59
| 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 51873 |
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