82 FR 17988 - PennEast Pipeline Company, LLC; Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Penneast Pipeline Project
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 71 (April 14, 2017)
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 71 (April 14, 2017)
| Page Range | 17988-17988 | |
| FR Document | 2017-07543 |
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 71 (Friday, April 14, 2017)] [Notices] [Page 17988] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2017-07543] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. CP15-558-000] PennEast Pipeline Company, LLC; Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Penneast Pipeline Project The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or Commission) has prepared a final environmental impact statement (EIS) for the PennEast Pipeline Project, proposed by PennEast Pipeline Company, LLC (PennEast) in the above-referenced docket. PennEast requests authorization to construct and operate a 120.2-mile-long greenfield pipeline to provide 1.1 million dekatherms per day of year- round natural gas transportation service from northern Pennsylvania to markets in eastern and southeastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and surrounding states. The 120.2 miles would consist of 116.0 miles of 36- inch-diameter pipeline (78.3 miles in Pennsylvania and 37.7 miles in New Jersey) as well as three laterals totaling 4.2 miles, and up to 47,700 horsepower (hp) of compression at one new compressor station in Carbon County, Pennsylvania. The final EIS assesses the potential environmental effects of the construction and operation of the PennEast Pipeline Project in accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The FERC staff concludes that approval of the proposed project, with the mitigation measures recommended in the EIS, would result in some adverse environmental impacts, but impacts would be reduced to less than significant levels with the implementation of PennEast's proposed and our recommended mitigation measures. This determination is based on our review of the information provided by PennEast and further developed from data requests; field investigations; scoping; literature research; alternatives analysis; and contacts with federal, state, and local agencies as well as Indian tribes and individual members of the public. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resource Conservation Service participated as cooperating agencies in the preparation of the final EIS. Cooperating agencies have jurisdiction by law or special expertise with respect to resources potentially affected by the proposal and participate in the NEPA analysis. Although these agencies provided input to the conclusions and recommendations presented in the final EIS, the agencies will present their own conclusions and recommendations in any respective record of decision or determination for the project. The final EIS addresses the potential environmental effects of the construction and operation of the following project facilities:116.0 miles of new, 36-inch-diameter pipeline extending from Luzerne County, Pennsylvania to Mercer County, New Jersey; the 2.1-mile Hellertown Lateral consisting of 24-inch- diameter pipeline in Northampton County, Pennsylvania; the 0.6-mile Gilbert Lateral consisting of 12-inch- diameter pipeline in Hunterdon County, New Jersey; the 1.5-mile Lambertville Lateral consisting of 36-inch- diameter pipeline in Hunterdon County, New Jersey; new, 47,700 hp Kidder Compressor Station in Kidder Township, Carbon County, Pennsylvania; and associated aboveground facilities including eight metering and regulating stations for interconnections, eleven main line valve sites, and four pig launcher/receiver sites. The FERC staff mailed copies of the final EIS 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. Paper copy versions of this EIS (Volume 1 in paper copy with the remainder on CD) were mailed to those specifically requesting them; all others received a CD version of the complete document. In addition, the final EIS is available for public viewing on the FERC's Web site (www.ferc.gov) using the eLibrary link. A limited number of copies 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. In accordance with the Council on Environmental Quality's (CEQ) regulations implementing NEPA, no agency decision on a proposed action may be made until 30 days after the EPA publishes a notice of availability of the final EIS in the Federal Register. However, the CEQ regulations provide an exception to this rule when an agency decision is subject to a formal internal appeal process that allows other agencies or the public to make their views known. In such cases, the agency decision may be made at the same time the notice of the final EIS is published, allowing both periods to run concurrently. The Commission decision for this proposed action is subject to a 30-day rehearing period. 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., CP15- 558). 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; 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 that 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: April 6, 2017. Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary. [FR Doc. 2017-07543 Filed 4-13-17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
![17988 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 71 / Friday, April 14, 2017 / Notices
review in the Commission’s Public significant levels with the received a CD version of the complete
Reference Room in Washington, DC. implementation of PennEast’s proposed document.
There is an ‘‘eSubscription’’ link on the and our recommended mitigation In addition, the final EIS is available
Web site that enables subscribers to measures. This determination is based for public viewing on the FERC’s Web
receive email notification when a on our review of the information site (www.ferc.gov) using the eLibrary
document is added to a subscribed provided by PennEast and further link. A limited number of copies are
docket(s). For assistance with any FERC developed from data requests; field available for distribution and public
Online service, please email investigations; scoping; literature inspection at: Federal Energy Regulatory
FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov, or call research; alternatives analysis; and Commission, Public Reference Room,
(866) 208–3676 (toll free). For TTY, call contacts with federal, state, and local
888 First Street NE., Room 2A,
(202) 502–8659. agencies as well as Indian tribes and
Washington, DC 20426. (202) 502–8371.
Comment Date: 5:00 p.m. Eastern individual members of the public.
Time on May 8, 2017. The U.S. Environmental Protection In accordance with the Council on
Agency (EPA), U.S. Army Corps of Environmental Quality’s (CEQ)
Dated: April 6, 2017.
Engineers, and U.S. Department of regulations implementing NEPA, no
Kimberly D. Bose,
Agriculture, Natural Resource agency decision on a proposed action
Secretary. may be made until 30 days after the EPA
Conservation Service participated as
[FR Doc. 2017–07545 Filed 4–13–17; 8:45 am] publishes a notice of availability of the
cooperating agencies in the preparation
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
of the final EIS. Cooperating agencies final EIS in the Federal Register.
have jurisdiction by law or special However, the CEQ regulations provide
expertise with respect to resources an exception to this rule when an
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
potentially affected by the proposal and agency decision is subject to a formal
Federal Energy Regulatory participate in the NEPA analysis. internal appeal process that allows other
Commission Although these agencies provided input agencies or the public to make their
to the conclusions and views known. In such cases, the agency
[Docket No. CP15–558–000] recommendations presented in the final decision may be made at the same time
EIS, the agencies will present their own the notice of the final EIS is published,
PennEast Pipeline Company, LLC; conclusions and recommendations in allowing both periods to run
Notice of Availability of the Final any respective record of decision or concurrently. The Commission decision
Environmental Impact Statement for determination for the project. for this proposed action is subject to a
the Proposed Penneast Pipeline
The final EIS addresses the potential 30-day rehearing period.
Project
environmental effects of the Additional information about the
The staff of the Federal Energy construction and operation of the project is available from the
Regulatory Commission (FERC or following project facilities:
Commission’s Office of External Affairs,
Commission) has prepared a final • 116.0 miles of new, 36-inch-
at (866) 208–FERC, or on the FERC Web
environmental impact statement (EIS) diameter pipeline extending from
site (www.ferc.gov) using the eLibrary
for the PennEast Pipeline Project, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania to
link. Click on the eLibrary link, click on
proposed by PennEast Pipeline Mercer County, New Jersey;
‘‘General Search,’’ and enter the docket
Company, LLC (PennEast) in the above- • the 2.1-mile Hellertown Lateral
number excluding the last three digits in
referenced docket. PennEast requests consisting of 24-inch-diameter pipeline
the Docket Number field (i.e., CP15–
authorization to construct and operate a in Northampton County, Pennsylvania;
558). Be sure you have selected an
120.2-mile-long greenfield pipeline to • the 0.6-mile Gilbert Lateral
appropriate date range. For assistance,
provide 1.1 million dekatherms per day consisting of 12-inch-diameter pipeline
in Hunterdon County, New Jersey; please contact FERC Online Support at
of year-round natural gas transportation
FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or toll free
service from northern Pennsylvania to • the 1.5-mile Lambertville Lateral
consisting of 36-inch-diameter pipeline at (866) 208–3676; for TTY, contact
markets in eastern and southeastern
in Hunterdon County, New Jersey; (202) 502–8659. The eLibrary link also
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and
• new, 47,700 hp Kidder Compressor provides access to the texts of formal
surrounding states. The 120.2 miles
Station in Kidder Township, Carbon documents issued by the Commission,
would consist of 116.0 miles of 36-inch-
County, Pennsylvania; and such as orders, notices, and
diameter pipeline (78.3 miles in
• associated aboveground facilities rulemakings.
Pennsylvania and 37.7 miles in New
Jersey) as well as three laterals totaling including eight metering and regulating In addition, the Commission offers a
4.2 miles, and up to 47,700 horsepower stations for interconnections, eleven free service called eSubscription that
(hp) of compression at one new main line valve sites, and four pig allows you to keep track of all formal
compressor station in Carbon County, launcher/receiver sites. issuances and submittals in specific
Pennsylvania. The FERC staff mailed copies of the dockets. This can reduce the amount of
The final EIS assesses the potential final EIS to federal, state, and local time you spend researching proceedings
environmental effects of the government representatives and by automatically providing you with
construction and operation of the agencies; elected officials; notification of these filings, document
PennEast Pipeline Project in accordance environmental and public interest summaries, and direct links to the
with the requirements of the National groups; Native American tribes; documents. Go to www.ferc.gov/docs-
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The potentially affected landowners and filing/esubscription.asp.
FERC staff concludes that approval of other interested individuals and groups; Dated: April 6, 2017.
the proposed project, with the and newspapers and libraries in the
Kimberly D. Bose,
mitigation measures recommended in project area. Paper copy versions of this
the EIS, would result in some adverse EIS (Volume 1 in paper copy with the Secretary.
environmental impacts, but impacts remainder on CD) were mailed to those [FR Doc. 2017–07543 Filed 4–13–17; 8:45 am]
would be reduced to less than specifically requesting them; all others BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
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Document Created: 2017-04-14 00:56:18
Document Modified: 2017-04-14 00:56:18
| 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 | 82 FR 17988 |
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