81_FR_81313 81 FR 81091 - Northern Natural Gas Company; Notice of Availability of the Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Northern Lights 2017 Expansion Project

81 FR 81091 - Northern Natural Gas Company; Notice of Availability of the Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Northern Lights 2017 Expansion Project

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 222 (November 17, 2016)

Page Range81091-81092
FR Document2016-27614

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 222 (Thursday, November 17, 2016)
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 222 (Thursday, November 17, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 81091-81092]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-27614]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP16-472-000]


Northern Natural Gas Company; Notice of Availability of the 
Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Northern Lights 2017 
Expansion Project

    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) has prepared an environmental assessment (EA) for the 
Northern Lights 2017 Expansion Project, proposed by Northern Natural 
Gas Company (Northern) in the above-referenced docket. Northern 
requests authorization to construct, operate, and maintain new natural 
gas facilities in Sherburne, Isanti, and Rice counties, Minnesota, to 
provide for approximately 76,000 dekatherms per day to serve increased 
markets for industrial, commercial, and residential uses.
    The EA assesses the potential environmental effects of the 
construction and operation of the Northern Lights 2017 Expansion 
Project in accordance with the requirements of the National 
Environmental Policy Act. 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 Northern Lights 2017 Expansion Project includes the following 
facilities:
     Approximately 2 miles of 8-inch-diameter pipeline loop \1\ 
in Sherburne County;
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    \1\ A pipeline ``loop'' is a segment of pipe installed adjacent 
to an existing pipeline and connected to the existing pipeline at 
both ends.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

     approximately 2.8 miles of 12-inch-diameter pipeline loop 
in Isanti County; and
     an additional 15,900-horsepower compression unit at 
Northern's existing Faribault Compressor Station in Rice County.
    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; and newspapers and libraries in the project area. 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:

[[Page 81092]]

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 on or 
before Friday, December 9, 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 (CP16-472-000) 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).\2\ 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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ See the previous discussion on the methods for filing 
comments.
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    Additional information about the proposed 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-
472). 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: November 9, 2016.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-27614 Filed 11-16-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P



                                                                              Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 222 / Thursday, November 17, 2016 / Notices                                                     81091

                                                    no new project facilities or operational                at the scoping meeting or may be                      DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
                                                    changes, but proposes that both projects                viewed on the web at http://
                                                    be combined under a single license.                     www.ferc.gov using the ‘‘eLibrary’’ link              Federal Energy Regulatory
                                                       m. A copy of the application is                      (see item m above).                                   Commission
                                                    available for review at the Commission                                                                        [Docket No. CP16–472–000]
                                                    in the Public Reference Room or may be                  Environmental Site Review
                                                    viewed on the Commission’s Web site at                                                                        Northern Natural Gas Company; Notice
                                                                                                               The Applicant and FERC staff will
                                                    http://www.ferc.gov using the                                                                                 of Availability of the Environmental
                                                                                                            conduct a project Environmental Site
                                                    ‘‘eLibrary’’ link. Enter the docket                                                                           Assessment for the Proposed Northern
                                                                                                            Review beginning at 1:00 p.m. on
                                                    number excluding the last three digits in                                                                     Lights 2017 Expansion Project
                                                    the docket number field to access the                   December 13, 2016. All interested
                                                    document. For assistance, contact FERC                  individuals, organizations, and agencies                The staff of the Federal Energy
                                                    Online Support. A copy is also available                are invited to attend. All participants               Regulatory Commission (FERC or
                                                    for inspection and reproduction at the                  should meet at the Upper Beaver Falls                 Commission) has prepared an
                                                    address in item h above.                                Project facility, located at 9692 New                 environmental assessment (EA) for the
                                                       You may also register online at http://              York State Route 126, Castorland, New                 Northern Lights 2017 Expansion Project,
                                                    www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/                               York. All participants are responsible                proposed by Northern Natural Gas
                                                    esubscription.asp to be notified via                    for their own transportation to the site              Company (Northern) in the above-
                                                    email of new filings and issuances                      and during the site visit. Anyone with                referenced docket. Northern requests
                                                    related to this or other pending projects.              questions about the Environmental Site                authorization to construct, operate, and
                                                    For assistance, contact FERC Online                     Review should contact Mr. Jeff Kirch,                 maintain new natural gas facilities in
                                                    Support.                                                Northern New York Regional Operator                   Sherburne, Isanti, and Rice counties,
                                                       n. Scoping Process: The Commission                   for Algonquin Power (Beaver Falls) LLC,               Minnesota, to provide for approximately
                                                    intends to prepare an environmental                     at 315–783–5854 or Jeffrey.kirch@                     76,000 dekatherms per day to serve
                                                    assessment (EA) on the projects in                      eaglecreekre.com.                                     increased markets for industrial,
                                                    accordance with the National                                                                                  commercial, and residential uses.
                                                    Environmental Policy Act. The EA will                   Objectives                                              The EA assesses the potential
                                                    consider both site-specific and                                                                               environmental effects of the
                                                                                                              At the scoping meetings, the staff will:            construction and operation of the
                                                    cumulative environmental impacts and
                                                    reasonable alternatives to the proposed                 (1) Summarize the environmental issues                Northern Lights 2017 Expansion Project
                                                    action.                                                 tentatively identified for analysis in the            in accordance with the requirements of
                                                                                                            EA; (2) solicit from the meeting                      the National Environmental Policy Act.
                                                    Scoping Meetings                                        participants all available information,               The FERC staff concludes that approval
                                                      FERC staff will conduct one agency                    especially quantifiable data, on the                  of the proposed project, with
                                                    scoping meeting and one public                          resources at issue; (3) encourage                     appropriate mitigating measures, would
                                                    meeting. The agency scoping meeting                     statements from experts and the public                not constitute a major federal action
                                                    will focus on resource agency and non-                  on issues that should be analyzed in the              significantly affecting the quality of the
                                                    governmental organization (NGO)                         EA, including viewpoints in opposition                human environment.
                                                    concerns, while the public scoping                      to, or in support of, the staff’s                       The Northern Lights 2017 Expansion
                                                    meeting is primarily for public input.                  preliminary views; (4) determine the                  Project includes the following facilities:
                                                    All interested individuals,                             resource issues to be addressed in the                  • Approximately 2 miles of 8-inch-
                                                    organizations, and agencies are invited                 EA; and (5) identify those issues that                diameter pipeline loop 1 in Sherburne
                                                    to attend one or both of the meetings,                  require a detailed analysis, as well as               County;
                                                    and to assist the staff in identifying the              those issues that do not require a                      • approximately 2.8 miles of 12-inch-
                                                    scope of the environmental issues that                  detailed analysis.                                    diameter pipeline loop in Isanti County;
                                                    should be analyzed in the EA. The times                                                                       and
                                                    and locations of these meetings are as                  Procedures                                              • an additional 15,900-horsepower
                                                    follows:                                                                                                      compression unit at Northern’s existing
                                                                                                              The meetings are recorded by a                      Faribault Compressor Station in Rice
                                                    Agency Scoping Meeting                                  stenographer and become part of the                   County.
                                                      Date: Tuesday, December 13, 2016.                     formal record of the Commission                         The FERC staff mailed copies of the
                                                      Time: 9:00 a.m.                                       proceeding on the projects.                           EA to federal, state, and local
                                                      Place: Croghan Volunteer Fire                           Individuals, organizations, and                     government representatives and
                                                    Department.                                             agencies with environmental expertise                 agencies; elected officials;
                                                      Address: 6860 Fire Hall Street,                       and concerns are encouraged to attend                 environmental and public interest
                                                    Croghan, New York.                                      the meeting and to assist the staff in                groups; Native American tribes;
                                                    Public Scoping Meeting                                  defining and clarifying the issues to be              potentially affected landowners and
                                                                                                            addressed in the EA.                                  other interested individuals and groups;
                                                       Date: Tuesday, December 13, 2016.                                                                          and newspapers and libraries in the
                                                       Time: 7:00 p.m.                                        Dated: November 9, 2016.                            project area. In addition, the EA is
                                                       Place: Croghan Volunteer Fire
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                                                                            Kimberly D. Bose,                                     available for public viewing on the
                                                    Department.                                                                                                   FERC’s Web site (www.ferc.gov) using
                                                                                                            Secretary.
                                                       Address: 6860 Fire Hall Street,                                                                            the eLibrary link. A limited number of
                                                                                                            [FR Doc. 2016–27618 Filed 11–16–16; 8:45 am]
                                                    Croghan, New York.                                                                                            copies of the EA are available for
                                                       Copies of the Scoping Document                       BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
                                                                                                                                                                  distribution and public inspection at:
                                                    (SD1) outlining the subject areas to be
                                                    addressed in the EA were distributed to                                                                         1 A pipeline ‘‘loop’’ is a segment of pipe installed
                                                    the parties on the Commission’s mailing                                                                       adjacent to an existing pipeline and connected to
                                                    list. Copies of the SD1 will be available                                                                     the existing pipeline at both ends.



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                                                    81092                     Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 222 / Thursday, November 17, 2016 / Notices

                                                    Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,                   status upon showing good cause by                     project does not occupy any federal
                                                    Public Reference Room, 888 First Street                 stating that they have a clear and direct             land.
                                                    NE., Room 2A, Washington, DC 20426,                     interest in this proceeding which no                     The EA contains the staff’s analysis of
                                                    (202) 502–8371.                                         other party can adequately represent.                 the potential impacts of the project and
                                                       Any person wishing to comment on                     Simply filing environmental comments
                                                    the EA may do so. Your comments                                                                               concludes that licensing the project,
                                                                                                            will not give you intervenor status, but
                                                    should focus on the potential                                                                                 with appropriate environmental
                                                                                                            you do not need intervenor status to
                                                    environmental effects, reasonable                                                                             protective measures, would not
                                                                                                            have your comments considered.
                                                    alternatives, and measures to avoid or                                                                        constitute a major federal action that
                                                                                                               Additional information about the
                                                    lessen environmental impacts. The more                                                                        would significantly affect the quality of
                                                                                                            proposed project is available from the
                                                    specific your comments, the more useful                 Commission’s Office of External Affairs,              the human environment.
                                                    they will be. To ensure that the                        at (866) 208–FERC, or on the FERC Web                    A copy of the EA is available for
                                                    Commission has the opportunity to                       site (www.ferc.gov) using the eLibrary                review at the Commission in the Public
                                                    consider your comments prior to                         link. Click on the eLibrary link, click on            Reference Room or may be viewed on
                                                    making its decision on this project, it is              ‘‘General Search,’’ and enter the docket              the Commission’s Web site at http://
                                                    important that we receive your                          number excluding the last three digits in             www.ferc.gov using the ‘‘eLibrary’’ link.
                                                    comments in Washington, DC on or                        the Docket Number field (i.e., CP16–                  Enter the docket number, excluding the
                                                    before on or before Friday, December 9,                 472). Be sure you have selected an                    last three digits in the docket number
                                                    2016.                                                   appropriate date range. For assistance,               field, to access the document. For
                                                       For your convenience, there are three                please contact FERC Online Support at                 assistance, contact FERC Online
                                                    methods you can use to file your                        FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or toll free
                                                    comments to the Commission. In all                                                                            Support at FERCOnlineSupport@
                                                                                                            at (866) 208–3676, or for TTY, contact                ferc.gov, at (866) 208–3676 (toll free), or
                                                    instances, please reference the project                 (202) 502–8659. The eLibrary link also
                                                    docket number (CP16–472–000) with                                                                             (202) 502–8659 (TTY).
                                                                                                            provides access to the texts of formal
                                                    your submission. The Commission                         documents issued by the Commission,                      You may also register online at http://
                                                    encourages electronic filing of                         such as orders, notices, and                          www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/
                                                    comments and has expert staff available                 rulemakings.                                          esubscription.asp to be notified via
                                                    to assist you at (202) 502–8258 or                         In addition, the Commission offers a               email of new filings and issuances
                                                    efiling@ferc.gov.                                       free service called eSubscription which               related to this project or other pending
                                                       (1) You can file your comments                                                                             projects. For assistance, contact FERC
                                                                                                            allows you to keep track of all formal
                                                    electronically using the eComment                                                                             Online Support.
                                                                                                            issuances and submittals in specific
                                                    feature on the Commission’s Web site
                                                                                                            dockets. This can reduce the amount of                   Any comments should be filed within
                                                    (www.ferc.gov) under the link to
                                                                                                            time you spend researching proceedings                30 days from the date of this notice. The
                                                    Documents and Filings. This is an easy
                                                                                                            by automatically providing you with                   Commission strongly encourages
                                                    method for submitting brief, text-only
                                                                                                            notification of these filings, document               electronic filing. Please file comments
                                                    comments on a project;
                                                                                                            summaries, and direct links to the                    using the Commission’s eFiling system
                                                       (2) You can also file your comments
                                                                                                            documents. Go to www.ferc.gov/docs-                   at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/
                                                    electronically using the eFiling feature
                                                                                                            filing/esubscription.asp.                             efiling.asp. Commenters can submit
                                                    on the Commission’s Web site
                                                    (www.ferc.gov) under the link to                          Dated: November 9, 2016.                            brief comments up to 6,000 characters,
                                                    Documents and Filings. With eFiling,                    Kimberly D. Bose,                                     without prior registration, using the
                                                    you can provide comments in a variety                   Secretary.                                            eComment system at http://
                                                    of formats by attaching them as a file                  [FR Doc. 2016–27614 Filed 11–16–16; 8:45 am]          www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/
                                                    with your submission. New eFiling                       BILLING CODE 6717–01–P                                ecomment.asp. You must include your
                                                    users must first create an account by                                                                         name and contact information at the end
                                                    clicking on ‘‘eRegister.’’ You must select                                                                    of your comments. For assistance,
                                                    the type of filing you are making. If you               DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY                                  please contact FERC Online Support. In
                                                    are filing a comment on a particular                                                                          lieu of electronic filing, please send a
                                                    project, please select ‘‘Comment on a                   Federal Energy Regulatory                             paper copy to: Secretary, Federal Energy
                                                    Filing’’; or                                            Commission
                                                                                                                                                                  Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street
                                                       (3) You can file a paper copy of your
                                                                                                                                                                  NE., Washington, DC 20426. The first
                                                    comments by mailing them to the                         [Project No. 2335–039–ME]                             page of any filing should include docket
                                                    following address: Kimberly D. Bose,
                                                    Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory                    Brookfield White Pine Hydro LLC;                      number P–2335–039.
                                                    Commission, 888 First Street NE., Room                  Notice of Availability of Environmental                  For further information, contact Amy
                                                    1A, Washington, DC 20426.                               Assessment                                            Chang at (202) 502–8250 or amy.chang@
                                                       Any person seeking to become a party                                                                       ferc.gov.
                                                    to the proceeding must file a motion to                   In accordance with the National
                                                                                                            Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and                    Dated: November 9, 2016.
                                                    intervene pursuant to Rule 214 of the
                                                                                                            the Federal Energy Regulatory                         Kimberly D. Bose,
                                                    Commission’s Rules of Practice and
                                                                                                            Commission’s (Commission)
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES




                                                    Procedures (18 CFR 385.214).2 Only                                                                            Secretary.
                                                    intervenors have the right to seek                      regulations, 18 CFR part 380 (Order No.               [FR Doc. 2016–27617 Filed 11–16–16; 8:45 am]
                                                    rehearing of the Commission’s decision.                 486, 52 FR 47897), the Office of Energy               BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
                                                    The Commission grants affected                          Projects has reviewed the application
                                                    landowners and others with                              for a new license for the Williams
                                                    environmental concerns intervenor                       Hydroelectric Project, located on the
                                                                                                            Kennebec River in Somerset County,
                                                       2 See the previous discussion on the methods for     Maine, and has prepared an
                                                    filing comments.                                        Environmental Assessment (EA). The


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Document Created: 2016-11-17 02:59:36
Document Modified: 2016-11-17 02:59:36
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 81091 

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