83 FR 1346 - Northwest Pipeline LLC; Notice of Schedule for Environmental Review of the North Seattle Lateral Upgrade Project

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 8 (January 11, 2018)

Page Range		1346-1347
FR Document		2018-00328

Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 8 (Thursday, January 11, 2018)

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 8 (Thursday, January 11, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1346-1347]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-00328]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket Nos. CP17-441-000 and CP17-441-001]


Northwest Pipeline LLC; Notice of Schedule for Environmental 
Review of the North Seattle Lateral Upgrade Project

    On May 11, 2017, Northwest Pipeline LLC (Northwest) filed an 
application with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission 
or FERC) in docket number CP17-441-000 requesting a Certificate of 
Public Convenience and Necessity pursuant to Sections 7(b) and 7(c) of 
the Natural Gas Act to construct and operate certain natural gas 
pipeline facilities. The proposed project is known as the North Seattle 
Lateral Upgrade Project (Project), and would replace an existing 8-
inch-diameter pipeline with a 20-inch-diameter pipeline, increasing the 
design capacity on Northwest's system to serve Puget Sound Energy.
    On October 23, 2017, Northwest filed an amendment to its 
application, and on November 2, 2017, the Commission the issued a 
Notice of Amendment to the Application for the revised Project. Among 
other things, that notice alerted agencies issuing federal 
authorizations of the requirement to complete all necessary reviews and 
to reach a final decision on a request for a federal authorization 
within 90 days of the date of issuance of the Commission staff's 
Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Project. This instant notice 
identifies the FERC staff's planned schedule for the completion of the 
EA for the Project.

Schedule for Environmental Review

    Issuance of EA: February 12, 2018.
    90-day Federal Authorization Decision Deadline: May 13, 2018.
    If a schedule change becomes necessary, additional notice will be 
provided so that the relevant agencies are kept informed of the 
Project's progress.

Project Description

    Northwest proposes to remove approximately 5.8 miles of the 8-inch-
diameter North Seattle Lateral pipeline in Snohomish County, Washington 
and replace it with 20-inch-diameter pipeline, primarily in the same 
trench. The North Seattle Lateral Upgrade Project would consist of the 
following facilities:
     Replace 5.8-miles of 8-inch-diameter pipeline with 20-
inch-diameter pipeline;
     rebuild the existing North Seattle/Everett meter station 
in order to accommodate the increased delivery capacity of the North 
Seattle Lateral;
     relocate an existing 8-inch pig launcher and a 20-inch pig 
receiver; \1\ and
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    \1\ A pig is a tool that the pipeline company inserts into and 
pushes through the pipeline for cleaning the pipeline, conducting 
internal inspections, or other purposes.
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     replace an existing 8-inch mainline valve with a 20-inch 
valve.

Background

    On June 21, 2017, the FERC issued a Notice of Intent to Prepare an 
Environmental Assessment for the Proposed North Seattle Lateral Upgrade 
Project, Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of 
Public Scoping Session (NOI) in Docket No. CP17-441-000. The NOI was 
mailed to 409 parties, including affected landowners; federal, state, 
and local government representatives and agencies; elected officials; 
environmental and public interest groups; Native American tribes; other 
interested parties; and local libraries. We also held a public scoping 
comment session in the Project area on July 13, 2017.
    The primary issues raised by commenters were impacts on residences 
(including noise, dust, drainage, and vegetation clearing), biological 
and water resources impacts, alternative routings for crossing the 
Fritch Mill property, pipeline safety, and impacts on adjacent utility 
easements and infrastructure.
    On October 23, 2017 Northwest amended its application, reducing the 
Project's incremental firm capacity from 196,311 to 159,299 dekatherms 
per day; reducing the length of the replacement 20-inch-diameter 
pipeline by about 1 mile; locating the replacement pig launcher/
receiver at milepost 7.76; and changing the pipeline route between 
mileposts 2.1 and 2.2 so as to divert its pipeline system around the 
Fritch Mill. Accordingly, on November 21, 2017 we issued a Supplemental 
Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Amended 
North Seattle Lateral Upgrade Project and Request for Comments on 
Environmental Issues (NOI) in Docket No. CP17-441-001. The Supplemental 
NOI was mailed to 312 parties, including affected landowners; federal, 
state, and local government representatives and agencies; elected 
officials; environmental and public interest groups; Native American 
tribes; other interested parties; and local libraries.

[[Page 1347]]

    Comments on the Supplemental NOI concerned the need for relocating 
the pipeline off the existing right-of-way; impacts to springs, 
wetlands, and mature forest from the newly routed segment, and 
alternatives.

Additional Information

    In order to receive notification of the issuance of the EA and to 
keep track of all formal issuances and submittals in specific dockets, 
the Commission offers a free service called eSubscription. 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.
    Additional information about the Project is available from the 
Commission's Office of External Affairs at (866) 208-FERC or on the 
FERC website (www.ferc.gov). Using the eLibrary link, select General 
Search from the eLibrary menu, enter the selected date range and Docket 
Number excluding the last three digits (i.e., CP17-441), and follow the 
instructions. For assistance with access to eLibrary, the helpline can 
be reached at (866) 208-3676, TTY (202) 502-8659, or at 
FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov. The eLibrary link on the FERC website also 
provides access to the texts of formal documents issued by the 
Commission, such as orders, notices, and rule makings.

    Dated: January 5, 2018.
Kimberly D. Bose,
 Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2018-00328 Filed 1-10-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P

1346 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 8 / Thursday, January 11, 2018 / Notices

the facility’s experience with energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY • rebuild the existing North Seattle/
management—collected in the SEP Everett meter station in order to
Enrollment Form; (2) Basic facility Federal Energy Regulatory accommodate the increased delivery
information about its energy use, energy Commission capacity of the North Seattle Lateral;
consumption, and energy performance • relocate an existing 8-inch pig
[Docket Nos. CP17–441–000 and CP17–441–
indicators—collected in the SEP 001] launcher and a 20-inch pig receiver; 1
Application Form; (3) Information on and
Northwest Pipeline LLC; Notice of • replace an existing 8-inch mainline
energy performance improvement in
Schedule for Environmental Review of valve with a 20-inch valve.
SEP-certified facilities—collected in the
SEP Energy Performance Improvement the North Seattle Lateral Upgrade Background
Report; (4) Information on the costs and Project
On June 21, 2017, the FERC issued a
benefits of participating in SEP On May 11, 2017, Northwest Pipeline Notice of Intent to Prepare an
(optional; not required for SEP LLC (Northwest) filed an application Environmental Assessment for the
certification)—collected in the SEP with the Federal Energy Regulatory Proposed North Seattle Lateral Upgrade
Voluntary Costs/Benefits Form. 50001 Commission (Commission or FERC) in Project, Request for Comments on
Ready collects only a subset of the same docket number CP17–441–000 Environmental Issues, and Notice of
types of information in categories (1), requesting a Certificate of Public Public Scoping Session (NOI) in Docket
(2), and (3), and without the need for Convenience and Necessity pursuant to No. CP17–441–000. The NOI was
external audit. Sections 7(b) and 7(c) of the Natural Gas mailed to 409 parties, including affected
Act to construct and operate certain landowners; federal, state, and local
Background data will primarily be government representatives and
natural gas pipeline facilities. The
used to track basic information about agencies; elected officials;
proposed project is known as the North
SEP and 50001 Ready participants and environmental and public interest
Seattle Lateral Upgrade Project (Project),
identify opportunities to provide and would replace an existing 8-inch- groups; Native American tribes; other
participants with technical assistance. diameter pipeline with a 20-inch- interested parties; and local libraries.
Basic information about a facility’s diameter pipeline, increasing the design We also held a public scoping comment
energy use, energy consumption, and capacity on Northwest’s system to serve session in the Project area on July 13,
energy performance indicators will be Puget Sound Energy. 2017.
used to administer SEP and 50001 On October 23, 2017, Northwest filed The primary issues raised by
Ready. Information on energy an amendment to its application, and on commenters were impacts on residences
performance improvement will be used November 2, 2017, the Commission the (including noise, dust, drainage, and
by DOE to manage and track issued a Notice of Amendment to the vegetation clearing), biological and
participation cycles, and to track the Application for the revised Project. water resources impacts, alternative
results of participation in SEP and Among other things, that notice alerted routings for crossing the Fritch Mill
50001 Ready. For SEP, optional agencies issuing federal authorizations property, pipeline safety, and impacts
information on costs and benefits of SEP of the requirement to complete all on adjacent utility easements and
participation will be used to conduct necessary reviews and to reach a final infrastructure.
decision on a request for a federal On October 23, 2017 Northwest
and refine analysis on the costs and amended its application, reducing the
benefits of SEP participation. Responses authorization within 90 days of the date
of issuance of the Commission staff’s Project’s incremental firm capacity from
to the DOE’s Information Collection 196,311 to 159,299 dekatherms per day;
Request will be voluntary. Environmental Assessment (EA) for the
Project. This instant notice identifies the reducing the length of the replacement
(5) Annual Estimated Number of FERC staff’s planned schedule for the 20-inch-diameter pipeline by about 1
Respondents: 575; completion of the EA for the Project. mile; locating the replacement pig
(6) Annual Estimated Number of launcher/receiver at milepost 7.76; and
Schedule for Environmental Review changing the pipeline route between
Total Responses: 475;
Issuance of EA: February 12, 2018. mileposts 2.1 and 2.2 so as to divert its
(7) Annual Estimated Number of pipeline system around the Fritch Mill.
90-day Federal Authorization
Burden Hours: 650; Decision Deadline: May 13, 2018. Accordingly, on November 21, 2017 we
(8) Annual Estimated Reporting and If a schedule change becomes issued a Supplemental Notice of Intent
Recordkeeping Cost Burden: $31,295. necessary, additional notice will be to Prepare an Environmental
provided so that the relevant agencies Assessment for the Amended North
Statutory Authority: Accelerating Seattle Lateral Upgrade Project and
Investment in Industrial Energy Efficiency. are kept informed of the Project’s
progress. Request for Comments on
Executive Order 13624, 77 FR 54779 (Aug. Environmental Issues (NOI) in Docket
30, 2012); 42 U.S.C. 16191. Project Description No. CP17–441–001. The Supplemental
Paul Scheihing, Northwest proposes to remove NOI was mailed to 312 parties,
Technology Manager, Advanced approximately 5.8 miles of the 8-inch- including affected landowners; federal,
Manufacturing Office. diameter North Seattle Lateral pipeline state, and local government
in Snohomish County, Washington and representatives and agencies; elected
[FR Doc. 2018–00361 Filed 1–10–18; 8:45 am]
replace it with 20-inch-diameter officials; environmental and public
srobinson on DSK9F5VC42PROD with NOTICES

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P
pipeline, primarily in the same trench. interest groups; Native American tribes;
The North Seattle Lateral Upgrade other interested parties; and local
Project would consist of the following libraries.
facilities:
• Replace 5.8-miles of 8-inch-
1 A pig is a tool that the pipeline company inserts

into and pushes through the pipeline for cleaning
diameter pipeline with 20-inch- the pipeline, conducting internal inspections, or
diameter pipeline; other purposes.

VerDate Sep<11>2014 00:05 Jan 11, 2018 Jkt 244001 PO 00000 Frm 00020 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\11JAN1.SGM 11JAN1

Document Created: 2018-01-11 04:54:23
Document Modified: 2018-01-11 04:54:23

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		83 FR 1346

83 FR 1346 - Northwest Pipeline LLC; Notice of Schedule for Environmental Review of the North Seattle Lateral Upgrade Project

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGYFederal Energy Regulatory Commission

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 8 (January 11, 2018)

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission