81 FR 92807 - National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Heath Compressor Station Abandonment and Line FM-92 Refunctionalization Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 244 (December 20, 2016)

Page Range		92807-92808
FR Document		2016-30549
Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 244 (Tuesday, December 20, 2016)
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 244 (Tuesday, December 20, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 92807-92808]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-30549]



[[Page 92807]]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP17-2-000]


National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation; Notice of Intent To Prepare 
an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Heath Compressor Station 
Abandonment and Line FM-92 Refunctionalization Project and Request for 
Comments on Environmental Issues

    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) will prepare an environmental assessment (EA) that will 
discuss the environmental impacts of the Heath Compressor Station 
Abandonment and Line FM-92 Refunctionalization Project involving 
construction and operation of facilities by National Fuel Gas Supply 
Corporation (National Fuel) in Jefferson County, Pennsylvania. The 
Commission will use this EA in its decision-making process to determine 
whether the project is in the public convenience and necessity.
    This notice announces the opening of the scoping process the 
Commission will use to gather input from the public and interested 
agencies on the project. You can make a difference by providing us with 
your specific comments or concerns about the project. Your comments 
should focus on the potential environmental effects, reasonable 
alternatives, and measures to avoid or lessen environmental impacts. 
Your input will help the Commission staff determine what issues they 
need to evaluate in the EA. To ensure that your comments are timely and 
properly recorded, please send your comments so that the Commission 
receives them in Washington, DC on or before January 13, 2017.
    If you sent comments on this project to the Commission before the 
opening of this docket on October 14, 2016, you will need to file those 
comments in Docket No. CP17-2-000 to ensure they are considered as part 
of this proceeding.
    This notice is being sent to the Commission's current environmental 
mailing list for this project. State and local government 
representatives should notify their constituents of this proposed 
project and encourage them to comment on their areas of concern.

Public Participation

    For your convenience, there are three methods you can use to submit 
your comments to the Commission. The Commission encourages electronic 
filing of comments and has expert staff available to assist you at 
(202) 502-8258 or [email protected] Please carefully follow these 
instructions so that your comments are properly recorded.
    (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 file your comments electronically by 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.'' If you are filing a comment on a particular project, 
please select ``Comment on a Filing'' as the filing type; or
    (3) You can file a paper copy of your comments by mailing them to 
the following address. Be sure to reference the project docket number 
(CP17-2-000) with your submission: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Room 1A, 
Washington, DC 20426.

Summary of the Proposed Project

    National Fuel proposes to abandon the Heath Compressor Station and 
to refunctionalize its existing 3.0 mile, 12-inch diameter Line FM-92 
pipeline from a jurisdictional natural gas transmission pipeline to a 
non-jurisdictional natural gas gathering pipeline in Jefferson County, 
Pennsylvania. Existing above ground structures and piping, not required 
for gathering, would be removed. Underground pipelines associated with 
the compressor station would be abandoned in place.
    The purpose of the Project is to abandon the compressor station due 
to production decline rendering the facility idle.
    National Fuel would also install non-jurisdictional facilities, 
including 610 feet of new non-jurisdictional 12-inch diameter plastic 
pipeline to maintain gas flow along Line FM-92 and gathering 
compression facilities about 3.0 miles northwest of the Heath 
Compressor Station.
    The general location of the project facilities is shown in appendix 
1.\1\
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    \1\ The appendices referenced in this notice will not appear in 
the Federal Register. Copies of appendices were sent to all those 
receiving this notice in the mail and are available at www.ferc.gov 
using the link called ``eLibrary'' or from the Commission's Public 
Reference Room, 888 First Street NE., Washington, DC 20426, or call 
(202) 502-8371. For instructions on connecting to eLibrary, refer to 
the last page of this notice.
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Land Requirements for Construction

    The Project would disturb about 2.9 acres of land owned by National 
Fuel for the aboveground facilities removal and FM-92 
refunctionalization. No new access roads or temporary work space will 
be utilized outside the existing right of way. National Fuel will 
remain in ownership of the land following project activities.

The EA Process

    The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires the 
Commission to take into account the environmental impacts that could 
result from an action whenever it considers the issuance of a 
Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity. NEPA also requires us 
\2\ to discover and address concerns the public may have about 
proposals. This process is referred to as ``scoping.'' The main goal of 
the scoping process is to focus the analysis in the EA on the important 
environmental issues. By this notice, the Commission requests public 
comments on the scope of the issues to address in the EA. We will 
consider all filed comments during the preparation of the EA.
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    \2\ ``We,'' ``us,'' and ``our'' refer to the environmental staff 
of the Commission's Office of Energy Projects.
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    In the EA we will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of 
the construction and operation of the proposed project under these 
general headings:
     Geology and soils;
     Land use;
     Water resources, fisheries, and wetlands;
     Cultural resources;
     Vegetation and wildlife;
     Air quality and noise;
     Endangered and threatened species;
     Public safety; and
     Cumulative impacts
    We will also evaluate reasonable alternatives to the proposed 
project or portions of the project, and make recommendations on how to 
lessen or avoid impacts on the various resource areas.
    The EA will present our independent analysis of the issues. The EA 
will be available in the public record through eLibrary. Depending on 
the comments received during the scoping process, we may also publish 
and distribute the EA to the public for an allotted comment period. We 
will consider all comments on the EA before making our recommendations 
to the Commission.

[[Page 92808]]

To ensure we have the opportunity to consider and address your 
comments, please carefully follow the instructions in the Public 
Participation section, beginning on page 2.
    With this notice, we are asking agencies with jurisdiction by law 
and/or special expertise with respect to the environmental issues of 
this project to formally cooperate with us in the preparation of the 
EA.\3\ Agencies that would like to request cooperating agency status 
should follow the instructions for filing comments provided under the 
Public Participation section of this notice.
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    \3\ The Council on Environmental Quality regulations addressing 
cooperating agency responsibilities are at Title 40, Code of Federal 
Regulations, Part 1501.6.
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Consultations Under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation 
Act

    In accordance with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation's 
implementing regulations for section 106 of the National Historic 
Preservation Act, we are using this notice to initiate consultation 
with the applicable State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), and to 
solicit their views and those of other government agencies, interested 
Indian tribes, and the public on the project's potential effects on 
historic properties.\4\ We will define the project-specific Area of 
Potential Effects (APE) in consultation with the SHPO as the project 
develops. On natural gas facility projects, the APE at a minimum 
encompasses all areas subject to ground disturbance (examples include 
construction right-of-way, contractor/pipe storage yards, compressor 
stations, and access roads). Our EA for this project will document our 
findings on the impacts on historic properties and summarize the status 
of consultations under section 106.
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    \4\ The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation's regulations 
are at Title 36, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 800. Those 
regulations define historic properties as any prehistoric or 
historic district, site, building, structure, or object included in 
or eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic 
Places.
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Environmental Mailing List

    The environmental mailing list includes federal, state, and local 
government representatives and agencies; elected officials; 
environmental and public interest groups; Native American Tribes; other 
interested parties; and local libraries and newspapers. This list also 
includes all affected landowners (as defined in the Commission's 
regulations) who are potential right-of-way grantors, whose property 
may be used temporarily for project purposes, or who own homes within 
certain distances of aboveground facilities, and anyone who submits 
comments on the project. We will update the environmental mailing list 
as the analysis proceeds to ensure that we send the information related 
to this environmental review to all individuals, organizations, and 
government entities interested in and/or potentially affected by the 
proposed project.
    If we publish and distribute the EA, copies of the EA will be sent 
to the environmental mailing list for public review and comment. If you 
would prefer to receive a paper copy of the document instead of the CD 
version or would like to remove your name from the mailing list, please 
return the attached Information Request (appendix 2).

Becoming an Intervenor

    In addition to involvement in the EA scoping process, you may want 
to become an ``intervenor'' which is an official party to the 
Commission's proceeding. Intervenors play a more formal role in the 
process and are able to file briefs, appear at hearings, and be heard 
by the courts if they choose to appeal the Commission's final ruling. 
An intervenor formally participates in the proceeding by filing a 
request to intervene. Instructions for becoming an intervenor are in 
the ``Document-less Intervention Guide'' under the ``e-filing'' link on 
the Commission's Web site. Motions to intervene are more fully 
described at http://www.ferc.gov/resources/guides/how-to/intervene.asp.

Additional Information

    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 at 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., CP17-
2). 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.
    Finally, public meetings or site visits will be posted on the 
Commission's calendar located at www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/
EventsList.aspx along with other related information.

    Dated: December 13, 2016.
Kimberly D. Bose,
 Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-30549 Filed 12-19-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 244 / Tuesday, December 20, 2016 / Notices 92807

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Commission encourages electronic filing Land Requirements for Construction
of comments and has expert staff The Project would disturb about 2.9
Federal Energy Regulatory available to assist you at (202) 502–8258 acres of land owned by National Fuel
Commission or efiling@ferc.gov. Please carefully for the aboveground facilities removal
[Docket No. CP17–2–000] follow these instructions so that your and FM–92 refunctionalization. No new
comments are properly recorded. access roads or temporary work space
National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation; (1) You can file your comments will be utilized outside the existing
Notice of Intent To Prepare an electronically using the eComment right of way. National Fuel will remain
Environmental Assessment for the feature on the Commission’s Web site in ownership of the land following
Proposed Heath Compressor Station (www.ferc.gov) under the link to project activities.
Abandonment and Line FM–92 Documents and Filings. This is an easy
Refunctionalization Project and method for submitting brief, text-only The EA Process
Request for Comments on comments on a project; The National Environmental Policy
Environmental Issues (2) You can file your comments Act (NEPA) requires the Commission to
electronically by using the eFiling take into account the environmental
The staff of the Federal Energy feature on the Commission’s Web site impacts that could result from an action
Regulatory Commission (FERC or (www.ferc.gov) under the link to whenever it considers the issuance of a
Commission) will prepare an Documents and Filings. With eFiling, Certificate of Public Convenience and
environmental assessment (EA) that will you can provide comments in a variety Necessity. NEPA also requires us 2 to
discuss the environmental impacts of of formats by attaching them as a file
the Heath Compressor Station discover and address concerns the
with your submission. New eFiling public may have about proposals. This
Abandonment and Line FM–92 users must first create an account by
Refunctionalization Project involving process is referred to as ‘‘scoping.’’ The
clicking on ‘‘eRegister.’’ If you are filing main goal of the scoping process is to
construction and operation of facilities a comment on a particular project,
by National Fuel Gas Supply focus the analysis in the EA on the
please select ‘‘Comment on a Filing’’ as important environmental issues. By this
Corporation (National Fuel) in Jefferson the filing type; or
County, Pennsylvania. The Commission notice, the Commission requests public
(3) You can file a paper copy of your comments on the scope of the issues to
will use this EA in its decision-making comments by mailing them to the
process to determine whether the address in the EA. We will consider all
following address. Be sure to reference filed comments during the preparation
project is in the public convenience and the project docket number (CP17–2–
necessity. of the EA.
000) with your submission: Kimberly D. In the EA we will discuss impacts that
This notice announces the opening of Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy
the scoping process the Commission could occur as a result of the
Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street construction and operation of the
will use to gather input from the public NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426.
and interested agencies on the project. proposed project under these general
You can make a difference by providing Summary of the Proposed Project headings:
• Geology and soils;
us with your specific comments or National Fuel proposes to abandon • Land use;
concerns about the project. Your the Heath Compressor Station and to • Water resources, fisheries, and
comments should focus on the potential refunctionalize its existing 3.0 mile, 12- wetlands;
environmental effects, reasonable inch diameter Line FM–92 pipeline • Cultural resources;
alternatives, and measures to avoid or from a jurisdictional natural gas • Vegetation and wildlife;
lessen environmental impacts. Your transmission pipeline to a non- • Air quality and noise;
input will help the Commission staff jurisdictional natural gas gathering • Endangered and threatened species;
determine what issues they need to pipeline in Jefferson County, • Public safety; and
evaluate in the EA. To ensure that your Pennsylvania. Existing above ground • Cumulative impacts
comments are timely and properly structures and piping, not required for We will also evaluate reasonable
recorded, please send your comments so gathering, would be removed. alternatives to the proposed project or
that the Commission receives them in Underground pipelines associated with portions of the project, and make
Washington, DC on or before January 13, the compressor station would be recommendations on how to lessen or
2017. abandoned in place. avoid impacts on the various resource
If you sent comments on this project The purpose of the Project is to areas.
to the Commission before the opening of abandon the compressor station due to The EA will present our independent
this docket on October 14, 2016, you production decline rendering the analysis of the issues. The EA will be
will need to file those comments in facility idle. available in the public record through
Docket No. CP17–2–000 to ensure they National Fuel would also install non- eLibrary. Depending on the comments
are considered as part of this jurisdictional facilities, including 610 received during the scoping process, we
proceeding. feet of new non-jurisdictional 12-inch may also publish and distribute the EA
This notice is being sent to the to the public for an allotted comment
diameter plastic pipeline to maintain
Commission’s current environmental period. We will consider all comments
gas flow along Line FM–92 and
mailing list for this project. State and on the EA before making our
gathering compression facilities about
local government representatives should recommendations to the Commission.
3.0 miles northwest of the Heath
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES

notify their constituents of this
Compressor Station.
proposed project and encourage them to using the link called ‘‘eLibrary’’ or from the
The general location of the project
comment on their areas of concern. Commission’s Public Reference Room, 888 First
facilities is shown in appendix 1.1 Street NE., Washington, DC 20426, or call (202)
Public Participation 502–8371. For instructions on connecting to
1 The appendices referenced in this notice will eLibrary, refer to the last page of this notice.
For your convenience, there are three not appear in the Federal Register. Copies of 2 ‘‘We,’’ ‘‘us,’’ and ‘‘our’’ refer to the
methods you can use to submit your appendices were sent to all those receiving this environmental staff of the Commission’s Office of
comments to the Commission. The notice in the mail and are available at www.ferc.gov Energy Projects.

VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:36 Dec 19, 2016 Jkt 241001 PO 00000 Frm 00038 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\20DEN1.SGM 20DEN1
Document Created: 2018-02-14 09:09:42
Document Modified: 2018-02-14 09:09:42
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 92807
81 FR 92807 - National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Heath Compressor Station Abandonment and Line FM-92 Refunctionalization Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGYFederal Energy Regulatory Commission

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 244 (December 20, 2016)

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
