82 FR 29063 - Informational Notice Regarding Public Notification Procedures for the Northern Pass Transmission Line Project

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 122 (June 27, 2017)

Page Range		29063-29064
FR Document		2017-13418

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is notifying the public of changes to the public notification procedures for consultation under the National Historic Preservation Act for the Northern Pass Transmission Line Project, including implementation of the Programmatic Agreement developed for the Project.

Federal Register, Volume 82 Issue 122 (Tuesday, June 27, 2017)

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 122 (Tuesday, June 27, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29063-29064]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-13418]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

[Docket No. PP-371]


Informational Notice Regarding Public Notification Procedures for 
the Northern Pass Transmission Line Project

AGENCY:  Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of changes to the public notification procedures for 
consultation under the National Historic Preservation Act for the 
Northern Pass Transmission Line Project.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is notifying the public of 
changes to the public notification procedures for consultation under 
the National Historic Preservation Act for the Northern Pass 
Transmission Line Project, including implementation of the Programmatic 
Agreement developed for the Project.

DATES: DOE is changing the public notification procedures for 
consultation under the National Historic Preservation Act for the 
Northern Pass Transmission Line Project effective June 14, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Requests for information about the proposed project and 
DOE's Section 106 review should be addressed to: Brian Mills, Office of 
Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability (OE-20), U.S. Department of 
Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585; or by email 
to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  For information on DOE's review of 
the Presidential permit application, contact Brian Mills by one of the 
methods listed in ADDRESSES above, or at 202-586-8267.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    Executive Order (E.O.) 10485, as amended by E.O. 12038, requires 
that before an electric transmission facility may be constructed, 
operated, maintained, or connected at the U.S. international border, a 
Presidential permit must be issued by DOE. E.O. 10485 provides that DOE 
may issue a Presidential permit upon finding issuance of the permit to 
be consistent with the public interest and after obtaining favorable 
recommendations from the U.S. Departments of State and Defense. In 
determining whether issuance of a Presidential permit would be 
consistent with the public interest, DOE takes into account the 
potential effects of the issuance of a Presidential permit for the 
proposed project's international border crossing on historic properties 
listed in or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic 
Places (NRHP) and gives the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation 
(ACHP) and state historic preservation offices (SHPOs) an opportunity 
to comment, in accordance with Section 106 of the National Historic 
Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966 (54 United States Code (U.S.C.) 306108) 
(Section 106), as amended, and the Section 106 implementing regulations 
(36 CFR part 800).
    On October 14, 2010, NPT applied to DOE for a Presidential permit 
to construct, operate, maintain, and connect a high-voltage direct 
current (HVDC) transmission line across the U.S.-Canada border (the 
proposed Project). On July 1, 2013, NPT submitted an amended 
Presidential permit application to DOE (see 78 FR 50405 (Aug. 19, 
2013)). On August 31, 2015, NPT further amended its Presidential permit 
application to DOE (see 80 FR

[[Page 29064]]

58725 (Sep. 30, 2015)). The amended applications are summarized below.

Applicant's Proposal

    In the July 2013 amended application, NPT proposed to construct and 
operate a primarily overhead high voltage direct current (HVDC) 
electric transmission line that would originate at an HVDC converter 
station to be constructed at the Des Cantons Substation in 
Qu[eacute]bec, Canada, then would be converted from HVDC to alternating 
current (AC) in Franklin, NH, and would continue to its southern 
terminus in Deerfield, NH. The proposed facilities would be capable of 
transmitting up to 1200 megawatts (MW) of power.
    The New Hampshire portion of the proposed Project would be a single 
circuit 300 kilovolt (kV) HVDC transmission line running approximately 
153 miles from the U.S. border crossing with Canada near the community 
of Pittsburg, NH, to a new HVDC-to-AC transformer facility to be 
constructed in Franklin, NH. From Franklin, NH, to the Project terminus 
at the Public Service Company of New Hampshire's existing Deerfield 
Substation located in Deerfield, NH, the proposed Project would consist 
of 34 miles of 345-kV AC electric transmission line. The total length 
of the proposed Project would be approximately 187 miles.
    NPT's August 2015 application amendment (80 FR 58725) changed the 
proposed transmission line route by adding three miles of buried 
transmission line adjacent to a road not previously analyzed, adding 
two new transition stations (one in Bridgewater and one in Bethlehem; 
both would transition the transmission line between aboveground and 
buried) of approximately one acre each, and increasing the amount of 
proposed buried transmission line from approximately eight miles to 
approximately 60 miles with a total proposed Project length of 
approximately 192 miles. In addition, the amendment proposed a minor 
shift (less than 100 feet) in the international border crossing 
location, changed the project size from 1,200 MW to 1,000 MW with a 
potential transfer capability of 1,090 MW and included other design 
changes (e.g., change in converter technology and type of cable). A 
copy of the amended Presidential permit application and maps of the 
proposed Project route can be found at the DOE environmental impact 
statement (EIS) Web site (http://www.northernpasseis.us).

Section 106 Review

    Section 106 of the NHPA requires federal agencies to take into 
account the potential effects of their undertakings that require 
federal funding, approvals, or permits on historic properties and to 
give the ACHP and SHPOs an opportunity to comment. Compliance with 
Section 106 also requires consultation with other consulting parties, 
which may include federally-recognized Indian tribes, representatives 
of local governments, the applicant, certain individuals and 
organizations with a demonstrated interest in the proposed undertaking 
due to the nature of their legal or economic relation to the 
undertaking or affected properties, or their concern with the 
undertaking's effects on historic properties (36 CFR 800.2). The public 
is also a participant in the Section 106 process, and federal agencies 
must also seek and consider the views of the public (36 CFR 800.2(d)). 
If adverse effects on historic properties are anticipated, agencies 
develop measures to avoid, minimize, or mitigate those adverse effects 
through consultation.
    DOE initiated Section 106 consultation with the NH SHPO--the New 
Hampshire Division of Historical Resources--in February 2011 in 
response to NPT's 2010 Presidential permit application. DOE suspended 
its Section 106 consultation following notification from NPT that NPT 
would be submitting an amended Presidential permit application. DOE re-
engaged the NH SHPO in 2013 to continue Section 106 consultation on 
NPT's amended Presidential permit application submission; through 
consultation with the NH SHPO and other consulting federal agencies, 
DOE defined the area of potential effects (APE) (36 CFR 800.16(d)) and 
identified potential additional consulting parties (36 CFR 800.2). The 
ACHP was invited to participate in DOE's Section 106 consultation in 
January 2014; ACHP formally joined DOE's Section 106 consultation in 
February 2015. Additional consulting parties (36 CFR 800.2) were 
invited to participate in DOE's Section 106 consultation in January 
2014. DOE initiated consultation with the VT SHPO--the Vermont Division 
of Historic Preservation--in June 2016 to address the portion of the 
APE within Vermont.
    When the potential effects on historic properties are complex, 
involve large land areas, and cannot be fully determined prior to 
approval of an undertaking, an agency's obligations under Section 106 
are satisfied by negotiation and execution of a legally binding 
agreement called a Programmatic Agreement or PA. DOE has developed a 
draft PA through which it proposes to satisfy the Section 106 
requirements for the proposed Northern Pass project. All information 
for the public regarding the Section 106 process are available at DOE's 
Section 106 Consultation Page for the proposed Northern Pass 
Transmission Line Project: http://www.northernpasseis.us/consultations/section106/.

Change in Public Notification Procedure for Section 106 Consultation

    The Section 106 implementing regulations provide for specific 
public involvement opportunities in the Section 106 process. The level 
of public involvement is determined on a project-by-project basis by 
the federal agency implementing Section 106. DOE previously indicated 
that it would notify the public about the Section 106 process through 
future Federal Register notices (see 78 FR 54876 (Sept. 6, 2013)). DOE 
is no longer using the Federal Register to notify the public regarding 
Section 106. Going forward, DOE will continue to provide updates and 
information to the public, including about opportunities for public 
involvement, regarding the Section 106 process through DOE's Section 
106 Consultation Page for the Project: http://www.northernpasseis.us/consultations/section106/. In accordance with this decision, on June 
14, 2017, DOE notified the public that the draft Section 106 
Programmatic Agreement for the Northern Pass Transmission Project was 
available to the public at this site.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on June 16, 2017.
Brian Mills,
Director, Transmission Permitting & Technical Assistance, Office of 
Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability.
[FR Doc. 2017-13418 Filed 6-26-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P

29064 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 122 / Tuesday, June 27, 2017 / Notices

58725 (Sep. 30, 2015)). The amended Section 106 Review binding agreement called a
applications are summarized below. Section 106 of the NHPA requires Programmatic Agreement or PA. DOE
federal agencies to take into account the has developed a draft PA through which
Applicant’s Proposal it proposes to satisfy the Section 106
potential effects of their undertakings
In the July 2013 amended application, that require federal funding, approvals, requirements for the proposed Northern
NPT proposed to construct and operate or permits on historic properties and to Pass project. All information for the
a primarily overhead high voltage direct give the ACHP and SHPOs an public regarding the Section 106 process
current (HVDC) electric transmission opportunity to comment. Compliance are available at DOE’s Section 106
line that would originate at an HVDC with Section 106 also requires Consultation Page for the proposed
consultation with other consulting Northern Pass Transmission Line
converter station to be constructed at
parties, which may include federally- Project: http://www.northernpasseis.us/
the Des Cantons Substation in Québec,
recognized Indian tribes, representatives consultations/section106/.
Canada, then would be converted from
HVDC to alternating current (AC) in of local governments, the applicant, Change in Public Notification
Franklin, NH, and would continue to its certain individuals and organizations Procedure for Section 106 Consultation
southern terminus in Deerfield, NH. The with a demonstrated interest in the The Section 106 implementing
proposed facilities would be capable of proposed undertaking due to the nature regulations provide for specific public
transmitting up to 1200 megawatts of their legal or economic relation to the involvement opportunities in the
(MW) of power. undertaking or affected properties, or Section 106 process. The level of public
The New Hampshire portion of the their concern with the undertaking’s involvement is determined on a project-
proposed Project would be a single effects on historic properties (36 CFR by-project basis by the federal agency
800.2). The public is also a participant implementing Section 106. DOE
circuit 300 kilovolt (kV) HVDC
in the Section 106 process, and federal previously indicated that it would
transmission line running
agencies must also seek and consider notify the public about the Section 106
approximately 153 miles from the U.S.
the views of the public (36 CFR process through future Federal Register
border crossing with Canada near the
800.2(d)). If adverse effects on historic notices (see 78 FR 54876 (Sept. 6,
community of Pittsburg, NH, to a new
properties are anticipated, agencies 2013)). DOE is no longer using the
HVDC-to-AC transformer facility to be
develop measures to avoid, minimize, or Federal Register to notify the public
constructed in Franklin, NH. From
mitigate those adverse effects through regarding Section 106. Going forward,
Franklin, NH, to the Project terminus at
consultation. DOE will continue to provide updates
the Public Service Company of New DOE initiated Section 106
Hampshire’s existing Deerfield and information to the public, including
consultation with the NH SHPO—the about opportunities for public
Substation located in Deerfield, NH, the New Hampshire Division of Historical
proposed Project would consist of 34 involvement, regarding the Section 106
Resources—in February 2011 in process through DOE’s Section 106
miles of 345-kV AC electric response to NPT’s 2010 Presidential
transmission line. The total length of the Consultation Page for the Project: http://
permit application. DOE suspended its www.northernpasseis.us/consultations/
proposed Project would be Section 106 consultation following
approximately 187 miles. section106/. In accordance with this
notification from NPT that NPT would decision, on June 14, 2017, DOE notified
NPT’s August 2015 application be submitting an amended Presidential the public that the draft Section 106
amendment (80 FR 58725) changed the permit application. DOE re-engaged the Programmatic Agreement for the
proposed transmission line route by NH SHPO in 2013 to continue Section Northern Pass Transmission Project was
adding three miles of buried 106 consultation on NPT’s amended available to the public at this site.
transmission line adjacent to a road not Presidential permit application
previously analyzed, adding two new submission; through consultation with Issued in Washington, DC, on June 16,
2017.
transition stations (one in Bridgewater the NH SHPO and other consulting
and one in Bethlehem; both would Brian Mills,
federal agencies, DOE defined the area
transition the transmission line between of potential effects (APE) (36 CFR Director, Transmission Permitting &
Technical Assistance, Office of Electricity
aboveground and buried) of 800.16(d)) and identified potential Delivery and Energy Reliability.
approximately one acre each, and additional consulting parties (36 CFR
[FR Doc. 2017–13418 Filed 6–26–17; 8:45 am]
increasing the amount of proposed 800.2). The ACHP was invited to
BILLING CODE 6450–01–P
buried transmission line from participate in DOE’s Section 106
approximately eight miles to consultation in January 2014; ACHP
approximately 60 miles with a total formally joined DOE’s Section 106 DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
proposed Project length of consultation in February 2015.
approximately 192 miles. In addition, Additional consulting parties (36 CFR Federal Energy Regulatory
the amendment proposed a minor shift 800.2) were invited to participate in Commission
(less than 100 feet) in the international DOE’s Section 106 consultation in
border crossing location, changed the January 2014. DOE initiated [Docket No. ER17–1871–000]
project size from 1,200 MW to 1,000 consultation with the VT SHPO—the Bayshore Solar B, LLC; Supplemental
MW with a potential transfer capability Vermont Division of Historic Notice That Initial Market-Based Rate
of 1,090 MW and included other design Preservation—in June 2016 to address Filing Includes Request for Blanket
changes (e.g., change in converter the portion of the APE within Vermont.
mstockstill on DSK30JT082PROD with NOTICES

Section 204 Authorization
technology and type of cable). A copy of When the potential effects on historic
the amended Presidential permit properties are complex, involve large This is a supplemental notice in the
application and maps of the proposed land areas, and cannot be fully above-referenced proceeding of
Project route can be found at the DOE determined prior to approval of an Bayshore Solar B, LLC’s application for
environmental impact statement (EIS) undertaking, an agency’s obligations market-based rate authority, with an
Web site (http://www.northernpasseis under Section 106 are satisfied by accompanying rate tariff, noting that
.us). negotiation and execution of a legally such application includes a request for

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Document Created: 2018-11-14 10:14:51
Document Modified: 2018-11-14 10:14:51

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
Action		Notice of changes to the public notification procedures for consultation under the National Historic Preservation Act for the Northern Pass Transmission Line Project.
Dates		DOE is changing the public notification procedures for consultation under the National Historic Preservation Act for the Northern Pass Transmission Line Project effective June 14, 2017.
Contact		For information on DOE's review of the Presidential permit application, contact Brian Mills by one of the
FR Citation		82 FR 29063