81 FR 59208 - Tennessee Gas Transmission, L.L.C.; Notice of Availability of the Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Orion Project

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 167 (August 29, 2016)

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 167 (Monday, August 29, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59208-59209]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-20623]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP16-4-000]


Tennessee Gas Transmission, L.L.C.; Notice of Availability of the 
Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Orion Project

    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) has prepared an environmental assessment (EA) for the Orion 
Project, proposed by Tennessee Gas Transmission, L.L.C. (Tennessee Gas) 
in the above-referenced docket. Tennessee Gas requests authorization to 
construct and operate pipeline facilities, to add new tie-in 
facilities, and to modify an existing compressor station in Wayne and 
Pike Counties, Pennsylvania, which would deliver an additional 135,000 
dekatherms per day of natural gas to meet needs of three contracted 
shippers in the northeast United States.
    The EA assesses the potential environmental effects of the 
construction and operation of the Orion 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 participated as a cooperating 
agency 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 Orion Project includes the following facilities:
     Approximately 12.9 miles of new 36-inch-diameter looping 
\1\ pipeline in Wayne and Pike Counties, Pennsylvania;
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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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     a new internal pipeline inspection (``pig'') \2\ launcher, 
crossover, and connecting facilities at the beginning of the proposed 
pipeline loop in Wayne County;
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    \2\ A ``pig'' is a tool that the pipeline company inserts into 
and pushes through the pipeline for cleaning the pipeline, 
conducting internal inspections, or other purposes.
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     a new pig receiver, crossover, and connecting facilities 
at the end of the proposed pipeline loop in Pike County; and
     modifications at Tennessee Gas's existing Compressor 
Station 323, including rewheeling/restaging of an existing compressor 
and other piping and appurtenant modifications.
    The FERC staff mailed copies of the EA to federal, state, and local 
government representatives and agencies; elected officials; 
environmental and public interest groups; Native American tribes; 
potentially affected landowners and other interested individuals and 
groups; newspapers and libraries in the project area; 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 September 
22, 2016.
    For your convenience, there are three methods you can use to file 
your comments to the Commission. In all instances, please reference the 
project docket number (CP16-4-000) 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 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).\3\ 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.
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    \3\ See the previous discussion on the methods for filing 
comments.

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[[Page 59209]]

    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., CP16-
4). 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: August 23, 2016.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-20623 Filed 8-26-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P