83 FR 51937 - Northern Natural Gas Company; Notice of Schedule for Environmental Review of the Northern Lights 2019 Expansion and Rochester Projects

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 199 (October 15, 2018)

Page Range		51937-51938
FR Document		2018-22383

Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 199 (Monday, October 15, 2018)

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 199 (Monday, October 15, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51937-51938]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-22383]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP18-534-000]


Northern Natural Gas Company; Notice of Schedule for 
Environmental Review of the Northern Lights 2019 Expansion and 
Rochester Projects

    On July 27, 2018, Northern Natural Gas Company (Northern) filed an 
application in Docket No. CP18-534-000 requesting a Certificate of 
Public Convenience and Necessity pursuant to Section 7(c) of the 
Natural Gas Act to construct and operate certain natural gas pipeline 
facilities. The proposal has two major components, known as the 
Northern Lights 2019 Expansion Project and the Rochester Project, which 
together would provide approximately 138,504 dekatherms per day of 
upstream firm natural gas transportation service to serve increased 
markets for industrial, commercial, and residential uses.
    On August 10, 2018, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 
(Commission or FERC) issued its Notice of Application for the 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 projects. This instant notice 
identifies the FERC staff's planned schedule for the completion of the 
EA for the projects.

Schedule for Environmental Review

Issuance of EA November 21, 2018
90-day Federal Authorization Decision Deadline February 19, 2019

    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

    The projects consist of new pipeline and compression facilities, 
all in the state of Minnesota. The Rochester Project component includes 
12.6 miles

[[Page 51938]]

of new 16-inch-diameter pipeline in Olmsted County (Rochester 
Greenfield Lateral); increase of maximum allowable operating pressure 
on an 8-mile-long segment of 16-inch-diameter pipeline in Freeborn and 
Mower Counties; a new town border station in Olmsted County, including 
a pig receiver; relocation of a regulator from Freeborn to Mower 
County; and appurtenant facilities, including two valves and a pig 
launcher at milepost (MP) 0.0 of the Rochester Greenfield Lateral.
    The Northern Lights Expansion Project component includes 10.0 miles 
of new 24-inch-diameter pipeline in Hennepin and Wright Counties; 4.3 
miles of new 8-inch-diameter pipeline loop extension in Morrison 
County; 1.6 miles of new 6-inch-diameter pipeline loop in Le Sueur 
County; 3.1 miles of new 24-inch-diameter pipeline extension in Carver 
County; a new 11,153-horsepower (hp) compressor station in Carver 
County; an additional 15,900 hp of compression at the existing 
Faribault Compressor Station in Rice County; an additional 15,900 hp of 
compression at the existing Owatonna Compressor Station in Steele 
County; and appurtenant facilities, including valves, pig launchers, 
and pig receivers in Hennepin, Wright, Morrison, Le Sueur, and Carver 
Counties.

Background

    On February 6, 2018, the Commission issued a Notice of Intent to 
Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Planned Northern Lights 
2019 Expansion Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues 
(NOI). The NOI addressed both the Northern Lights 2019 Expansion and 
the Rochester Project components, and was issued during the pre-filing 
review of the projects in Docket No. PF18-1-000 and was sent to 
affected landowners; federal, state, and local government agencies; 
elected officials; environmental and public interest groups; Native 
American tribes; other interested parties; and local libraries and 
newspapers.
    In response to the NOI, the Commission received comments from the 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, Minnesota Department of Natural 
Resources, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Minnesota State Historic 
Preservation Office; one Native American tribe; ten landowners; and one 
public interest group. The primary issues raised by the commentors were 
karst terrain, groundwater, surface waterbodies, special status 
species, property values, local economy, land use, and air quality and 
noise impacts from construction and operation of pipeline facilities. 
All substantive comments will be addressed in the EA.
    The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is a cooperating agency in 
the preparation of the EA.

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 projects are 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., 
CP18-534), 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 [email protected]. 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: October 9, 2018
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2018-22383 Filed 10-12-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P

Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 199 / Monday, October 15, 2018 / Notices 51937

Distribution Members under the DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov. or call
Commission’s regulations 1 (866) 208–3676 (toll free). For TTY, call
implementing Section 210 of the Public Federal Energy Regulatory (202) 502–8659.
Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978, Commission Dated: October 5, 2018.
all as more fully explained in the [Docket No. ER19–53–000] Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
petition.
Deputy Secretary.
Any person desiring to intervene or to SR Millington, LLC; Supplemental
protest in this proceeding must file in [FR Doc. 2018–22327 Filed 10–12–18; 8:45 am]
Notice That Initial Market-Based Rate
accordance with Rules 211 and 214 of Filing Includes Request for Blanket BILLING CODE 6717–01–P

the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Section 204 Authorization
Procedure (18 CFR 385.211 and
385.214) on or before 5:00 p.m. Eastern This is a supplemental notice in the DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
time on the specified comment date. above-referenced proceeding of SR
Millington, LLC’s application for Federal Energy Regulatory
Protests will be considered by the Commission
Commission in determining the market-based rate authority, with an
appropriate action to be taken, but will accompanying rate tariff, noting that [Docket No. CP18–534–000]
not serve to make protestants parties to such application includes a request for
the proceeding. Any person wishing to blanket authorization, under 18 CFR Northern Natural Gas Company; Notice
become a party must file a notice of part 34, of future issuances of securities of Schedule for Environmental Review
intervention or motion to intervene, as and assumptions of liability. of the Northern Lights 2019 Expansion
appropriate. Such notices, motions, or Any person desiring to intervene or to and Rochester Projects
protests must be filed on or before the protest should file with the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 On July 27, 2018, Northern Natural
comment date. Anyone filing a motion Gas Company (Northern) filed an
to intervene or protest must serve a copy First Street NE, Washington, DC 20426,
in accordance with Rules 211 and 214 application in Docket No. CP18–534–
of that document on the Petitioner. 000 requesting a Certificate of Public
The Commission encourages of the Commission’s Rules of Practice
and Procedure (18 CFR 385.211 and Convenience and Necessity pursuant to
electronic submission of protests and Section 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act to
interventions in lieu of paper, using the 385.214). Anyone filing a motion to
intervene or protest must serve a copy construct and operate certain natural gas
FERC Online links at http:// pipeline facilities. The proposal has two
www.ferc.gov. To facilitate electronic of that document on the Applicant.
Notice is hereby given that the major components, known as the
service, persons with internet access Northern Lights 2019 Expansion Project
who will eFile a document and/or be deadline for filing protests with regard
to the applicant’s request for blanket and the Rochester Project, which
listed as a contact for an intervenor together would provide approximately
must create and validate an authorization, under 18 CFR part 34, of
future issuances of securities and 138,504 dekatherms per day of upstream
eRegistration account using the firm natural gas transportation service to
eRegistration link. Select the eFiling assumptions of liability, is October 25,
2018. serve increased markets for industrial,
link to log on and submit the commercial, and residential uses.
The Commission encourages
intervention or protests. On August 10, 2018, the Federal
Persons unable to file electronically electronic submission of protests and
interventions in lieu of paper, using the Energy Regulatory Commission
should submit an original and 5 copies (Commission or FERC) issued its Notice
of the intervention or protest to the FERC Online links at http://
www.ferc.gov. To facilitate electronic of Application for the Project. Among
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, other things, that notice alerted agencies
888 First Street NE, Washington, DC service, persons with internet access
who will eFile a document and/or be issuing federal authorizations of the
20426. requirement to complete all necessary
The filings in the above proceeding listed as a contact for an intervenor
must create and validate an reviews and to reach a final decision on
are accessible in the Commission’s
eRegistration account using the a request for a federal authorization
eLibrary system by clicking on the
eRegistration link. Select the eFiling within 90 days of the date of issuance
appropriate link in the above list. They
link to log on and submit the of the Commission staff’s Environmental
are also available for review in the
intervention or protests. Assessment (EA) for the projects. This
Commission’s Public Reference Room in
Persons unable to file electronically instant notice identifies the FERC staff’s
Washington, DC. There is an
should submit an original and 5 copies planned schedule for the completion of
eSubscription link on the website that
of the intervention or protest to the the EA for the projects.
enables subscribers to receive email
notification when a document is added Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Schedule for Environmental Review
to a subscribed docket(s). For assistance 888 First Street NE, Washington, DC
20426. Issuance of EA November 21, 2018
with any FERC Online service, please 90-day Federal Authorization Decision
The filings in the above-referenced
email FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov, or Deadline February 19, 2019
proceeding are accessible in the
call (866) 208–3676 (toll free). For TTY,
Commission’s eLibrary system by If a schedule change becomes
call (202) 502–8659.
Comment Date: 5:00 p.m. Eastern time clicking on the appropriate link in the necessary, additional notice will be
on October 19, 2018. above list. They are also available for provided so that the relevant agencies
electronic review in the Commission’s
khammond on DSK30JT082PROD with NOTICES

are kept informed of the Project’s
Dated: October 9, 2018. Public Reference Room in Washington, progress.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr., DC. There is an eSubscription link on
Deputy Secretary. the website that enables subscribers to Project Description
[FR Doc. 2018–22355 Filed 10–12–18; 8:45 am] receive email notification when a The projects consist of new pipeline
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P document is added to a subscribed and compression facilities, all in the
docket(s). For assistance with any FERC state of Minnesota. The Rochester
1 18 CFR 292.303(a)–(b). Online service, please email Project component includes 12.6 miles

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Document Created: 2018-10-13 10:04:30
Document Modified: 2018-10-13 10:04:30

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 51937

83 FR 51937 - Northern Natural Gas Company; Notice of Schedule for Environmental Review of the Northern Lights 2019 Expansion and Rochester Projects

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGYFederal Energy Regulatory Commission

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 199 (October 15, 2018)

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission