81 FR 95124 - Portland Natural Gas Transmission System; Notice of Application

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 248 (December 27, 2016)

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 248 (Tuesday, December 27, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 95124]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-31095]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP17-24-000]


Portland Natural Gas Transmission System; Notice of Application

    Take notice that on December 12, 2016, Portland Natural Gas 
Transmission System (PNGTS), 700 Louisiana Street, Suite 700, Houston, 
TX 77002-2700, filed an application pursuant to section 7(c) of the 
Natural Gas Act (NGA) and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's 
(Commission) regulations seeking authorization to increase the 
certificated capacity on PNGTS's wholly-owned north system from 
Pittsburg, New Hampshire, to Westbrook, Maine, by 42,000 Mcf/d, all as 
more fully described in the application which is on file with the 
Commission and open to public inspection. The filing may also be viewed 
on the web at http://www.ferc.gov using the ``eLibrary'' link. Enter 
the docket number excluding the last three digits in the docket number 
field to access the document. For assistance, contact FERC at 
[email protected] or call toll-free, (866) 208-3676 or TTY, 
(202) 502-8659.
    Additionally, pursuant to and in accordance with Section 3 of the 
NGA, 15 U.S.C. Section 717b, Part 153 of the Commission's regulations, 
18 CFR part 153, Executive Order 10485, as amended by Executive Order 
12038, and Secretary of Energy Delegation Order No. 0204-112, PNGTS 
requested authorization to increase its authorized import and export 
capacity from 178,000 Mcf/d to 210,000 Mcf/d and to amend the 
Presidential Permit issued to PNGTS on September 24, 1997, as amended 
on November 18, 2003, in Docket No. CP96-248, et, al. to reflect such 
an increase.\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ See Portland Natural Gas Transmission System, 80 FERC ] 
61,346 (1997); and 105 FERC ] 61,235 (2003).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    PNGTS states that the authorizations requested will satisfy the 
requirements of the Continent to Coast Expansion Project, which will 
expand gas service delivery options for the New England market. PNGTS 
proposes no construction or modifications to its existing system or 
border crossing facilities in connection with this request and as such, 
there are no costs associated with the project.
    Any questions regarding this application should be directed to 
Robert Jackson, Manager, Certificates and Regulatory Administration, 
Portland Natural Gas Transmission System, 700 Louisiana Street, Suite 
700, Houston, Texas, or call (832) 320-5487, or by email 
[email protected].
    Pursuant to section 157.9 of the Commission's rules, 18 CFR 157.9, 
within 90 days of this Notice the Commission staff will either: 
Complete its environmental assessment (EA) and place it into the 
Commission's public record (eLibrary) for this proceeding; or issue a 
Notice of Schedule for Environmental Review. If a Notice of Schedule 
for Environmental Review is issued, it will indicate, among other 
milestones, the anticipated date for the Commission staff's issuance of 
the final environmental impact statement (FEIS) or EA for this 
proposal. The filing of the EA in the Commission's public record for 
this proceeding or the issuance of a Notice of Schedule for 
Environmental Review will serve to notify federal and state agencies of 
the timing for the completion of all necessary reviews, and the 
subsequent need to complete all federal authorizations within 90 days 
of the date of issuance of the Commission staff's FEIS or EA.
    There are two ways to become involved in the Commission's review of 
this project. First, any person wishing to obtain legal status by 
becoming a party to the proceedings for this project should, on or 
before the comment date stated below file with the Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Washington, DC 20426, a 
motion to intervene in accordance with the requirements of the 
Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.214 or 
385.211) and the Regulations under the NGA (18 CFR 157.10). A person 
obtaining party status will be placed on the service list maintained by 
the Secretary of the Commission and will receive copies of all 
documents filed by the applicant and by all other parties. A party must 
submit 7 copies of filings made in the proceeding with the Commission 
and must mail a copy to the applicant and to every other party. Only 
parties to the proceeding can ask for court review of Commission orders 
in the proceeding.
    However, a person does not have to intervene in order to have 
comments considered. The second way to participate is by filing with 
the Secretary of the Commission, as soon as possible, an original and 
two copies of comments in support of or in opposition to this project. 
The Commission will consider these comments in determining the 
appropriate action to be taken, but the filing of a comment alone will 
not serve to make the filer a party to the proceeding. The Commission's 
rules require that persons filing comments in opposition to the project 
provide copies of their protests only to the party or parties directly 
involved in the protest.
    Persons who wish to comment only on the environmental review of 
this project should submit an original and two copies of their comments 
to the Secretary of the Commission. Environmental commentors will be 
placed on the Commission's environmental mailing list, will receive 
copies of the environmental documents, and will be notified of meetings 
associated with the Commission's environmental review process. 
Environmental commentors will not be required to serve copies of filed 
documents on all other parties. However, the non-party commentors will 
not receive copies of all documents filed by other parties or issued by 
the Commission (except for the mailing of environmental documents 
issued by the Commission) and will not have the right to seek court 
review of the Commission's final order.
    The Commission strongly encourages electronic filings of comments, 
protests and interventions in lieu of paper using the ``eFiling'' link 
at http://www.ferc.gov. Persons unable to file electronically should 
submit an original and 5 copies of the protest or intervention to the 
Federal Energy regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Washington, 
DC 20426.
    Comment Date: 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on January 10, 2017.

    Dated: December 20, 2016.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-31095 Filed 12-23-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P