82 FR 57436 - National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Planned FM100 Modernization Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 232 (December 5, 2017)

Page Range		57436-57438
FR Document		2017-26140
Federal Register, Volume 82 Issue 232 (Tuesday, December 5, 2017)
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 232 (Tuesday, December 5, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57436-57438]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-26140]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. PF17-10-000]


National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation; Notice of Intent To Prepare 
an Environmental Assessment for the Planned FM100 Modernization 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 FM100 Modernization Project 
involving construction and operation of facilities by National Fuel Gas 
Supply Corporation (National Fuel) in Cameron, Clearfield, Elk, McKean, 
and Potter Counties, 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 December 29, 2017.
    If you sent comments on this project to the Commission before the 
opening of this docket on September 14, 2017, you will need to file 
those comments in Docket No. PF17-10-000 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 planned 
project and encourage them to comment on their areas of concern.
    If you are a landowner receiving this notice, a pipeline company 
representative may contact you about the acquisition of an easement to 
construct, operate, and maintain the planned facilities. The company 
would seek to negotiate a mutually acceptable agreement. However, if 
the Commission approves the project, that approval conveys with it the 
right of eminent domain. Therefore, if easement negotiations fail to 
produce an agreement, the pipeline company could initiate condemnation 
proceedings where compensation would be determined in accordance with 
state law.
    A fact sheet prepared by the FERC entitled ``An Interstate Natural 
Gas Facility On My Land? What Do I Need To Know?'' is available for 
viewing on the FERC Web site (www.ferc.gov). This fact sheet addresses 
a number of typically asked questions, including the use of eminent 
domain and how to participate in the Commission's proceedings.

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 
(PF17-10-000) with your submission: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, 
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Room 1A, 
Washington, DC 20426.

Summary of the Planned Project

    National Fuel plans to abandon, construct, and operate certain 
pipeline and compressor facilities in order to modernize its system to 
meet existing delivery requirements. The FM100 Modernization Project 
would consist of the following facilities and actions:
     Abandonment in place of approximately 12 miles of 12-inch-
diameter pipeline (Line FM120) in Cameron and Elk Counties;
     abandonment in place of approximately 44.9 miles of 12-
inch-diameter pipeline (Line FM100) in Clearfield, Cameron, Elk, and 
Potter Counties;
     abandonment by removal of the existing Costello Compressor 
Station in Potter County;
     installation of 28.9 miles of new 12- or 16-inch-diameter 
natural gas pipeline in McKean and Potter Counties; \1\
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    \1\ National Fuel is currently gauging interest from shippers 
along this section of new pipeline. If enough interest is received, 
National Fuel may expand the pipeline diameter from 12 to 16 inches, 
resulting in an increase in capacity on National Fuel's system, 
making the project an expansion project.
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     installation of the new Marvindale Compressor Station (up 
to 2,000 horsepower) in McKean County;

[[Page 57437]]

     installation of 1.2 miles of 24-inch-diameter natural gas 
pipeline loop \2\ in Potter County;
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    \2\ A pipeline loop is a segment of pipe constructed parallel to 
an existing pipeline to increase capacity.
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     installation of approximately 12.5 miles of 6-inch-
diameter FlexSteel^(copyright) pipeline into National Fuel's 
existing Line FM120 in Elk and Cameron Counties;
     installation of approximately 355 feet of 6-inch-diameter 
pipeline and aboveground piping/valves to replace the existing FM120 
pipeline in order to keep an existing producer delivery point tied into 
the system in Cameron County; and
     installation of interconnects, valves, metering, and other 
appurtenant facilities.
    The general location of the project facilities is shown in appendix 
1.\3\
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    \3\ The appendices referenced in this notice will not appear in 
the Federal Register. Copies of the 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

    Preliminary calculations are that construction of the planned 
facilities would disturb about 369 acres of land for the aboveground 
facilities, insertion, and the construction of the pipelines. Following 
construction, National Fuel would maintain about 188 acres for 
permanent operation of the project's facilities; the remaining acreage 
would be restored and revert to former uses. About 93 percent of the 
planned pipeline route parallels existing pipeline, utility, or road 
rights-of-way. National Fuel is still determining the disturbance 
required for the abandonment of lines FM100 and FM120.

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 
\4\ 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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    \4\ 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 planned project under these 
general headings:
     Geology and soils;
     land use;
     water resources, fisheries, and wetlands;
     cultural resources;
     vegetation and wildlife;
     socioeconomics;
     air quality and noise;
     endangered and threatened species;
     public safety; and
     cumulative impacts.
    We will also evaluate possible alternatives to the planned project 
or portions of the project, and make recommendations on how to lessen 
or avoid impacts on the various resource areas.
    Although no formal application has been filed, we have already 
initiated our NEPA review under the Commission's pre-filing process. 
The purpose of the pre-filing process is to encourage early involvement 
of interested stakeholders and to identify and resolve issues before 
the FERC receives an application. As part of our pre-filing review, we 
have begun to contact some federal and state agencies to discuss their 
involvement in the scoping process and the preparation of the EA.
    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 we make our recommendations 
to the Commission. 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 
related to this project to formally cooperate with us in the 
preparation of the EA.\5\ 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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    \5\ 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 Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office, 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.\6\ 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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    \6\ The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation 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; 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 planned project.
    If we publish and distribute the EA, copies 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).

[[Page 57438]]

Becoming an Intervenor

    Once National Fuel files its application with the Commission, 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. Motions to intervene are more fully described at 
http://www.ferc.gov/resources/guides/how-to/intervene.asp. Instructions 
for becoming an intervenor are in the ``Document-less Intervention 
Guide'' under the ``e-filing'' link on the Commission's Web site. 
Please note that the Commission will not accept requests for intervenor 
status at this time. You must wait until the Commission receives a 
formal application for the project.

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 (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., PF17-
10). 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 sessions 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: November 29, 2017.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2017-26140 Filed 12-4-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 232 / Tuesday, December 5, 2017 / Notices 57437

• installation of 1.2 miles of 24-inch- filed comments during the preparation Consultations Under Section 106 of the
diameter natural gas pipeline loop 2 in of the EA. National Historic Preservation Act
Potter County; In the EA we will discuss impacts that
• installation of approximately 12.5 could occur as a result of the In accordance with the Advisory
miles of 6-inch-diameter FlexSteel© construction and operation of the Council on Historic Preservation’s
pipeline into National Fuel’s existing planned project under these general implementing regulations for Section
Line FM120 in Elk and Cameron headings: 106 of the National Historic
Counties; • Geology and soils; Preservation Act, we are using this
• installation of approximately 355 • land use; notice to initiate consultation with the
feet of 6-inch-diameter pipeline and Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation
• water resources, fisheries, and
aboveground piping/valves to replace Office, and to solicit their views and
wetlands;
the existing FM120 pipeline in order to those of other government agencies,
• cultural resources;
keep an existing producer delivery point interested Indian tribes, and the public
• vegetation and wildlife; on the project’s potential effects on
tied into the system in Cameron County;
• socioeconomics; historic properties.6 We will define the
and
• installation of interconnects, valves, • air quality and noise; project-specific Area of Potential Effects
metering, and other appurtenant • endangered and threatened species; (APE) in consultation with the SHPO as
facilities. • public safety; and the project develops. On natural gas
The general location of the project • cumulative impacts. facility projects, the APE at a minimum
facilities is shown in appendix 1.3 We will also evaluate possible encompasses all areas subject to ground
alternatives to the planned project or disturbance (examples include
Land Requirements for Construction portions of the project, and make construction right-of-way, contractor/
Preliminary calculations are that recommendations on how to lessen or pipe storage yards, compressor stations,
construction of the planned facilities avoid impacts on the various resource and access roads). Our EA for this
would disturb about 369 acres of land areas. project will document our findings on
for the aboveground facilities, insertion, Although no formal application has the impacts on historic properties and
and the construction of the pipelines. been filed, we have already initiated our summarize the status of consultations
Following construction, National Fuel NEPA review under the Commission’s under Section 106.
would maintain about 188 acres for pre-filing process. The purpose of the
permanent operation of the project’s pre-filing process is to encourage early Environmental Mailing List
facilities; the remaining acreage would involvement of interested stakeholders The environmental mailing list
be restored and revert to former uses. and to identify and resolve issues before includes federal, state, and local
About 93 percent of the planned the FERC receives an application. As government representatives and
pipeline route parallels existing part of our pre-filing review, we have agencies; elected officials; Native
pipeline, utility, or road rights-of-way. begun to contact some federal and state American Tribes; other interested
National Fuel is still determining the agencies to discuss their involvement in parties; and local libraries and
disturbance required for the the scoping process and the preparation newspapers. This list also includes all
abandonment of lines FM100 and of the EA. affected landowners (as defined in the
FM120. The EA will present our independent Commission’s regulations) who are
The EA Process analysis of the issues. The EA will be potential right-of-way grantors, whose
available in the public record through property may be used temporarily for
The National Environmental Policy eLibrary. Depending on the comments project purposes, or who own homes
Act (NEPA) requires the Commission to received during the scoping process, we within certain distances of aboveground
take into account the environmental may also publish and distribute the EA facilities, and anyone who submits
impacts that could result from an action to the public for an allotted comment comments on the project. We will
whenever it considers the issuance of a period. We will consider all comments update the environmental mailing list as
Certificate of Public Convenience and on the EA before we make our the analysis proceeds to ensure that we
Necessity. NEPA also requires us 4 to recommendations to the Commission. send the information related to this
discover and address concerns the To ensure we have the opportunity to environmental review to all individuals,
public may have about proposals. This consider and address your comments, organizations, and government entities
process is referred to as scoping. The please carefully follow the instructions interested in and/or potentially affected
main goal of the scoping process is to in the Public Participation section, by the planned project.
focus the analysis in the EA on the beginning on page 2.
important environmental issues. By this With this notice, we are asking If we publish and distribute the EA,
notice, the Commission requests public agencies with jurisdiction by law and/ copies will be sent to the environmental
comments on the scope of the issues to or special expertise with respect to the mailing list for public review and
address in the EA. We will consider all environmental issues related to this comment. If you would prefer to receive
project to formally cooperate with us in a paper copy of the document instead
2 A pipeline loop is a segment of pipe constructed
the preparation of the EA.5 Agencies of the CD version or would like to
parallel to an existing pipeline to increase capacity.
that would like to request cooperating remove your name from the mailing list,
3 The appendices referenced in this notice will
agency status should follow the please return the attached Information
not appear in the Federal Register. Copies of the
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES

appendices were sent to all those receiving this instructions for filing comments Request (appendix 2).
notice in the mail and are available at www.ferc.gov provided under the Public Participation
using the link called ‘‘eLibrary’’ or from the 6 The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation
Commission’s Public Reference Room, 888 First
section of this notice.
regulations are at Title 36, Code of Federal
Street NE., Washington, DC 20426, or call (202) Regulations, Part 800. Those regulations define
502–8371. For instructions on connecting to 5 The Council on Environmental Quality historic properties as any prehistoric or historic
eLibrary, refer to the last page of this notice. regulations addressing cooperating agency district, site, building, structure, or object included
4 We, us, and our refer to the environmental staff responsibilities are at Title 40, Code of Federal in or eligible for inclusion in the National Register
of the Commission’s Office of Energy Projects. Regulations, Part 1501.6. of Historic Places.

VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:13 Dec 04, 2017 Jkt 244001 PO 00000 Frm 00015 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\05DEN1.SGM 05DEN1
Document Created: 2017-12-04 23:45:12
Document Modified: 2017-12-04 23:45:12
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 57436
82 FR 57436 - National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Planned FM100 Modernization Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGYFederal Energy Regulatory Commission

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 232 (December 5, 2017)

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
