81_FR_67532 81 FR 67342 - Northern Natural Gas Company; Notice of Schedule for Environmental Review of the Northern Lights 2017 Expansion Project

81 FR 67342 - Northern Natural Gas Company; Notice of Schedule for Environmental Review of the Northern Lights 2017 Expansion Project

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 190 (September 30, 2016)

Page Range67342-67342
FR Document2016-23679

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 190 (Friday, September 30, 2016) 
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 190 (Friday, September 30, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 67342]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-23679]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket Nos. CP16-472-000; PF15-33-000]


Northern Natural Gas Company; Notice of Schedule for 
Environmental Review of the Northern Lights 2017 Expansion Project

    On June 25, 2016, Northern Natural Gas Company (Northern) filed an 
application in Docket No. CP16-472-000 requesting a Certificate of 
Public Convenience and Necessity pursuant to Section 7(c) of the 
Natural Gas Act to construct and operate certain natural gas pipeline 
facilities. The proposed project is known as the Northern Lights 2017 
Expansion Project (Project), and would expand the capacity of 
Northern's market area facilities in Minnesota.
    On July 8, 2016, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 
(Commission or FERC) issued its Notice of Application for the Project. 
Among other things, that notice alerted agencies issuing federal 
authorizations of the requirement to complete all necessary reviews and 
to reach a final decision on a request for a federal authorization 
within 90 days of the date of issuance of the Commission staff's 
Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Project. This instant notice 
identifies the FERC staff's planned schedule for the completion of the 
EA for the Project.

Schedule for Environmental Review

Issuance of EA--November 9, 2016
90-day Federal Authorization Decision Deadline--February 7, 2017

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

Project Description

    The proposed Project includes 2 miles of 8-inch-diameter pipeline 
loop in Sherburne County, Minnesota; 2.8 miles of 12-inch-diameter 
pipeline loop in Isanti County, Minnesota; as well as an additional 
15,900-horsepower compression unit at Northern's existing Faribault 
Compressor Station in Rice County, Minnesota. The Project would allow 
Northern to transport an incremental load of approximately 76,000 
dekatherms per day.

Background

    On April 11, 2016, the Commission issued a Notice of Intent to 
Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Planned Northern Lights 
2017 Expansion Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues 
(NOI). The NOI was issued during the pre-filing review of the Project 
in Docket No. PF15-33-000 and was sent to affected landowners; federal, 
state, and local government agencies; elected officials; environmental 
and public interest groups; Native American tribes; other interested 
parties; and local libraries and newspapers. In response to the NOI, 
the Commission received comments from the Minnesota Department of 
Natural Resources (MN DNR) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 
(EPA). The primary issue raised by the MN DNR was a request to describe 
potential impacts to the Rum River and any associated mitigation 
measures. The primary issues raised by the EPA were requests to address 
a range of specific environmental issues of concern in pipeline 
construction.

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 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.
    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, select 
``General Search'' from the eLibrary menu, enter the selected date 
range and ``Docket Number'' excluding the last three digits (i.e., 
CP16-472), 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.

    Dated: September 26, 2016.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-23679 Filed 9-29-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P

67342 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 190 / Friday, September 30, 2016 / Notices DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Dated: September 23, 2016. Background Kimberly D. Bose, On April 11, 2016, the Commission Federal Energy Regulatory Secretary. issued a Notice of Intent to Prepare an Commission [FR Doc. 2016–23676 Filed 9–29–16; 8:45 am] Environmental Assessment for the BILLING CODE 6717–01–P Planned Northern Lights 2017 [Docket No. ID–8011–000] Expansion Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues Wheeler, Brent E.; Notice of Filing DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (NOI). The NOI was issued during the Federal Energy Regulatory pre-filing review of the Project in Docket Take notice that on September 22, No. PF15–33–000 and was sent to 2016, Brent E. Wheeler filed an Commission affected landowners; federal, state, and application for authorization to hold [Docket Nos. CP16–472–000; PF15–33–000] local government agencies; elected interlocking positions, pursuant to officials; environmental and public section 305(b) of the Federal Power Act, Northern Natural Gas Company; Notice interest groups; Native American tribes; 16 U.S.C. 825d(b), Part 45 of the of Schedule for Environmental Review other interested parties; and local Regulations of the Federal Energy of the Northern Lights 2017 Expansion libraries and newspapers. In response to Regulatory Commission (Commission), Project the NOI, the Commission received 18 CFR part 45, and Order 664.1 On June 25, 2016, Northern Natural comments from the Minnesota Any person desiring to intervene or to Gas Company (Northern) filed an Department of Natural Resources (MN protest this filing must file in application in Docket No. CP16–472– DNR) and the U.S. Environmental accordance with Rules 211 and 214 of 000 requesting a Certificate of Public Protection Agency (EPA). The primary the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Convenience and Necessity pursuant to issue raised by the MN DNR was a Procedure (18 CFR 385.211, 385.214). Section 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act to request to describe potential impacts to Protests will be considered by the construct and operate certain natural gas the Rum River and any associated Commission in determining the pipeline facilities. The proposed project mitigation measures. The primary issues appropriate action to be taken, but will is known as the Northern Lights 2017 raised by the EPA were requests to not serve to make protestants parties to Expansion Project (Project), and would address a range of specific the proceeding. Any person wishing to expand the capacity of Northern’s environmental issues of concern in become a party must file a notice of market area facilities in Minnesota. pipeline construction. intervention or motion to intervene, as On July 8, 2016, the Federal Energy Additional Information appropriate. Such notices, motions, or Regulatory Commission (Commission or protests must be filed on or before the FERC) issued its Notice of Application In order to receive notification of the comment date. On or before the for the Project. Among other things, that issuance of the EA and to keep track of comment date, it is not necessary to notice alerted agencies issuing federal all formal issuances and submittals in serve motions to intervene or protests authorizations of the requirement to specific dockets, the Commission offers on persons other than the Applicant. complete all necessary reviews and to a free service called eSubscription. This reach a final decision on a request for can reduce the amount of time you The Commission encourages spend researching proceedings by a federal authorization within 90 days of electronic submission of protests and automatically providing you with the date of issuance of the Commission interventions in lieu of paper using the notification of these filings, document staff’s Environmental Assessment (EA) ‘‘eFiling’’ link at http://www.ferc.gov. summaries, and direct links to the for the Project. This instant notice Persons unable to file electronically documents. Go to www.ferc.gov/docs- identifies the FERC staff’s planned should submit an original and 5 copies filing/esubscription.asp. schedule for the completion of the EA of the protest or intervention to the Additional information about the for the Project. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Project is available from the 888 First Street NE., Washington, DC Schedule for Environmental Review Commission’s Office of External Affairs 20426. Issuance of EA—November 9, 2016 at (866) 208–FERC or on the FERC Web This filing is accessible on-line at 90-day Federal Authorization Decision site (www.ferc.gov). Using the http://www.ferc.gov, using the Deadline—February 7, 2017 ‘‘eLibrary’’ link, select ‘‘General Search’’ ‘‘eLibrary’’ link and is available for If a schedule change becomes from the eLibrary menu, enter the electronic review in the Commission’s necessary, additional notice will be selected date range and ‘‘Docket Public Reference Room in Washington, provided so that the relevant agencies Number’’ excluding the last three digits DC. There is an ‘‘eSubscription’’ link on are kept informed of the Project’s (i.e., CP16–472), and follow the the Web site that enables subscribers to progress. instructions. For assistance with access receive email notification when a to eLibrary, the helpline can be reached Project Description document is added to a subscribed at (866) 208–3676, TTY (202) 502–8659, docket(s). For assistance with any FERC The proposed Project includes 2 miles or at FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov. The Online service, please email of 8-inch-diameter pipeline loop in eLibrary link on the FERC Web site also FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov, or call Sherburne County, Minnesota; 2.8 miles provides access to the texts of formal (866) 208–3676 (toll free). For TTY, call of 12-inch-diameter pipeline loop in documents issued by the Commission, Isanti County, Minnesota; as well as an mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES (202) 502–8659. such as orders, notices, and rule additional 15,900-horsepower makings. Comment Date: 5:00 p.m. Eastern compression unit at Northern’s existing Time on October 13, 2016. Dated: September 26, 2016. Faribault Compressor Station in Rice County, Minnesota. The Project would Kimberly D. Bose, 1 Comm’n Authorization to Hold Interlocking allow Northern to transport an Secretary. Positions, 112 FERC ¶61,298 (2005) (‘‘Order No. 664’’); order on reh’g, 114 FERC ¶ 61,142 (2006) incremental load of approximately [FR Doc. 2016–23679 Filed 9–29–16; 8:45 am] (‘‘Order No. 664–A’’). 76,000 dekatherms per day. BILLING CODE 6717–01–P VerDate Sep<11>2014 20:49 Sep 29, 2016 Jkt 238001 PO 00000 Frm 00054 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 9990 E:\FR\FM\30SEN1.SGM 30SEN1


Document Created: 2018-02-09 13:33:31
Document Modified: 2018-02-09 13:33:31
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionNotices
FR Citation81 FR 67342 
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