83 FR 20804 - Rover Pipeline LLC; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed UGS-Crawford Meter Station Project, and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 89 (May 8, 2018)

Page Range		20804-20806
FR Document		2018-09720
Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 89 (Tuesday, May 8, 2018)
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 89 (Tuesday, May 8, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20804-20806]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-09720]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP18-118-000]


Rover Pipeline LLC; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental 
Assessment for the Proposed UGS-Crawford Meter Station 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 UGS-Crawford Meter Station 
Project involving construction and operation of facilities by Rover 
Pipeline LLC (Rover) in Jefferson County, Ohio. 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 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on 
May 31, 2018.
    If you sent comments on this project to the Commission before the 
opening of this docket on March 15, 2018, you will need to file those 
comments in Docket No. CP18-118-000 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 proposed 
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 proposed 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.
    Rover provided landowners with a fact sheet prepared by the FERC 
entitled An Interstate Natural Gas Facility On My Land? What Do I Need 
To Know? 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. It is also available for viewing on 
the FERC website (www.ferc.gov).

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

[[Page 20805]]

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 website (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 website (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 
(CP18-118-000) with your submission: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, 
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Room 1A, 
Washington, DC 20426.

Summary of the Proposed Project

    Rover proposes to construct, own, and operate a new meter station 
on its Burgettstown Lateral in Jefferson County, Ohio. The UGS-Crawford 
Meter Station Project would receive up to 350 million cubic feet per 
day of natural gas. According to Rover, its project would respond to 
proven market demand for additional receipt point facilities from the 
Marcellus and Utica Shale supply areas.
    The UGS-Crawford Meter Station Project would consist of an 
ultrasonic meter skid and ancillary facilities, as well as a new 
permanent access road.
    The general location of the project facility is shown in appendix 
1.\1\
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    \1\ The appendices referenced in this notice will not appear in 
the Federal Register. Copies of 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

    Construction of the proposed facilities would disturb about 3.6 
acres of land for the aboveground facility. Following construction, 
Rover would maintain about 0.9 acre for permanent operation of the 
project's facilities; the remaining acreage would be restored and 
revert to former uses. In addition, a new permanent access road, 
approximately 25 feet wide and 100 feet long (covering approximately 
0.1 acre of land), would be constructed and maintained. The proposed 
Project site and all workspaces would be within the existing 
Burgettstown Lateral right-of-way.

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 
\2\ 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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    \2\ 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 proposed project under these 
general headings:
     Geology and soils;
     vegetation and wildlife;
     endangered and threatened species;
     cultural resources;
     land use;
     air quality and noise;
     public safety; and
     cumulative impacts

    We will also evaluate reasonable alternatives to the proposed 
project or portions of the project, and make recommendations on how to 
lessen or avoid impacts on the various resource areas.
    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 publish and 
distribute the EA to the public for an allotted comment period. We will 
consider all comments on the EA before making 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 of 
this project to formally cooperate with us in the preparation of the 
EA.\3\ 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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    \3\ 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 applicable State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), 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.\4\ 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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    \4\ The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation's 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; and local libraries. 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 
proposed project.
    If we publish and distribute the EA, copies of the EA will be sent 
to the

[[Page 20806]]

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).

Becoming an Intervenor

    In addition to involvement in the EA scoping process, 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. Instructions for becoming an intervenor are in the Document-
less Intervention Guide under the e-filing link on the Commission's 
website. Motions to intervene are more fully described at http://www.ferc.gov/resources/guides/how-to/intervene.asp.

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 website at 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., CP18-
118). 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: May 1, 2018.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2018-09720 Filed 5-7-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 89 / Tuesday, May 8, 2018 / Notices 20805

carefully follow these instructions so 25 feet wide and 100 feet long (covering preparation of the EA.3 Agencies that
that your comments are properly approximately 0.1 acre of land), would would like to request cooperating
recorded. be constructed and maintained. The agency status should follow the
(1) You can file your comments proposed Project site and all workspaces instructions for filing comments
electronically using the eComment would be within the existing provided under the Public Participation
feature on the Commission’s website Burgettstown Lateral right-of-way. section of this notice.
(www.ferc.gov) under the link to
Documents and Filings. This is an easy The EA Process Consultations Under Section 106 of the
method for submitting brief, text-only National Historic Preservation Act
The National Environmental Policy
comments on a project; Act (NEPA) requires the Commission to In accordance with the Advisory
(2) You can file your comments take into account the environmental Council on Historic Preservation’s
electronically by using the eFiling impacts that could result from an action implementing regulations for section
feature on the Commission’s website whenever it considers the issuance of a 106 of the National Historic
(www.ferc.gov) under the link to Certificate of Public Convenience and Preservation Act, we are using this
Documents and Filings. With eFiling, Necessity. NEPA also requires us 2 to notice to initiate consultation with the
you can provide comments in a variety discover and address concerns the applicable State Historic Preservation
of formats by attaching them as a file public may have about proposals. This Office (SHPO), and to solicit their views
with your submission. New eFiling process is referred to as ‘‘scoping.’’ The and those of other government agencies,
users must first create an account by main goal of the scoping process is to interested Indian tribes, and the public
clicking on eRegister. If you are filing a focus the analysis in the EA on the on the project’s potential effects on
comment on a particular project, please important environmental issues. By this historic properties.4 We will define the
select ‘‘Comment on a Filing’’ as the notice, the Commission requests public project-specific Area of Potential Effects
filing type; or comments on the scope of the issues to (APE) in consultation with the SHPO as
(3) You can file a paper copy of your address in the EA. We will consider all the project develops. On natural gas
comments by mailing them to the filed comments during the preparation facility projects, the APE at a minimum
following address. Be sure to reference of the EA. encompasses all areas subject to ground
the project docket number (CP18–118– In the EA we will discuss impacts that disturbance (examples include
000) with your submission: Kimberly D. could occur as a result of the construction right-of-way, contractor/
Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy construction and operation of the pipe storage yards, compressor stations,
Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street proposed project under these general and access roads). Our EA for this
NE, Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426. headings: project will document our findings on
Summary of the Proposed Project • Geology and soils; the impacts on historic properties and
summarize the status of consultations
Rover proposes to construct, own, and • vegetation and wildlife;
under section 106.
operate a new meter station on its • endangered and threatened species;
Burgettstown Lateral in Jefferson • cultural resources; Environmental Mailing List
County, Ohio. The UGS-Crawford Meter • land use; The environmental mailing list
Station Project would receive up to 350 • air quality and noise; includes federal, state, and local
million cubic feet per day of natural gas. • public safety; and government representatives and
According to Rover, its project would • cumulative impacts agencies; elected officials; Native
respond to proven market demand for We will also evaluate reasonable American Tribes; and local libraries.
additional receipt point facilities from alternatives to the proposed project or This list also includes all affected
the Marcellus and Utica Shale supply portions of the project, and make landowners (as defined in the
areas. recommendations on how to lessen or Commission’s regulations) who are
The UGS-Crawford Meter Station avoid impacts on the various resource potential right-of-way grantors, whose
Project would consist of an ultrasonic areas. property may be used temporarily for
meter skid and ancillary facilities, as The EA will present our independent project purposes, or who own homes
well as a new permanent access road. analysis of the issues. The EA will be within certain distances of aboveground
The general location of the project available in the public record through facilities, and anyone who submits
facility is shown in appendix 1.1 eLibrary. Depending on the comments comments on the project. We will
Land Requirements for Construction received during the scoping process, we update the environmental mailing list as
may publish and distribute the EA to the analysis proceeds to ensure that we
Construction of the proposed facilities the public for an allotted comment send the information related to this
would disturb about 3.6 acres of land for period. We will consider all comments environmental review to all individuals,
the aboveground facility. Following on the EA before making our organizations, and government entities
construction, Rover would maintain recommendations to the Commission. interested in and/or potentially affected
about 0.9 acre for permanent operation To ensure we have the opportunity to by the proposed project.
of the project’s facilities; the remaining consider and address your comments, If we publish and distribute the EA,
acreage would be restored and revert to please carefully follow the instructions copies of the EA will be sent to the
former uses. In addition, a new in the Public Participation section,
permanent access road, approximately beginning on page 2. 3 The Council on Environmental Quality

regulations addressing cooperating agency
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES

1 The appendices referenced in this notice will
With this notice, we are asking responsibilities are at Title 40, Code of Federal
not appear in the Federal Register. Copies of agencies with jurisdiction by law and/ Regulations, Part 1501.6.
appendices were sent to all those receiving this or special expertise with respect to the 4 The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation’s

notice in the mail and are available at www.ferc.gov environmental issues of this project to regulations are at Title 36, Code of Federal
using the link called eLibrary or from the formally cooperate with us in the Regulations, Part 800. Those regulations define
Commission’s Public Reference Room, 888 First historic properties as any prehistoric or historic
Street NE, Washington, DC 20426, or call (202) 502– district, site, building, structure, or object included
8371. For instructions on connecting to eLibrary, 2 We, us, and our refer to the environmental staff in or eligible for inclusion in the National Register
refer to the last page of this notice. of the Commission’s Office of Energy Projects. of Historic Places.

VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:41 May 07, 2018 Jkt 244001 PO 00000 Frm 00019 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\08MYN1.SGM 08MYN1
Document Created: 2018-05-08 01:32:36
Document Modified: 2018-05-08 01:32:36
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 20804
83 FR 20804 - Rover Pipeline LLC; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed UGS-Crawford Meter Station Project, and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGYFederal Energy Regulatory Commission

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 89 (May 8, 2018)

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
