83 FR 5619 - Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Sierrita Gas Pipeline LLC Sierrita Compressor Expansion Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 27 (February 8, 2018)

Page Range		5619-5620
FR Document		2018-02527
Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 27 (Thursday, February 8, 2018)
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 27 (Thursday, February 8, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5619-5620]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-02527]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket Nos. CP18-37-000; CP18-38-000]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the 
Proposed Sierrita Gas Pipeline LLC Sierrita Compressor Expansion 
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 Sierrita Compressor Expansion 
Project involving construction and operation of facilities by Sierrita 
Gas Pipeline LLC (Sierrita) in Pima County, Arizona. 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 March 5, 2018.
    If you sent comments on this project to the Commission before the 
opening of this docket on December 21, 2017, you will need to file 
those comments in Docket No. CP18-37-000 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.
    Sierrita 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 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 
(CP18-37-000) 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

    Sierrita proposes to construct and operate new natural gas 
compression, metering, and pipeline facilities on its existing Line No. 
2177 in Pima County, Arizona. Sierrita is also requesting approval to 
amend its existing Natural Gas Act Section 3 authorization and 
Presidential Permit for the project's increased capacity. Specifically, 
the project would increase Sierrita's authorized capacity of its 
existing international border crossing near Sasabe, Arizona from 
approximately 200,846 Dekatherms per day to 631,389 Dekatherms per day 
(627,000,000 cubic feet per day).
    The Sierrita Compressor Expansion Project would consist of the 
following facilities, all in Pima County:
     One new 15,900 horsepower compressor station (Sierrita 
Compressor Station);
     suction and discharge piping and various station yard 
auxiliary facilities to connect the Sierrita Compressor Station with 
Line No. 2177;
     one new 10-inch Ultrasonic meter at the existing San 
Joaquin Meter Station on Line No. 2177; and
     the relocation of the existing ``Mainline Valve 2'' and an 
associated inspection tool launcher and receiver from milepost 1.2 to 
milepost 6.5 on Line No. 2177.
    The general location of the project facilities 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 18.7 
acres of land for the aboveground and auxiliary facilities. Following 
construction, Sierrita would maintain about 15.7 acres for permanent 
operation of the compressor station including station piping and 
auxiliary facilities, and about 1.1 acres for operation of the mainline 
valve. The remaining acreage would be restored and revert to former 
uses.

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

[[Page 5620]]

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;
     land use;
     water resources (including floodplains), fisheries, and 
wetlands;
     cultural resources;
     vegetation and wildlife;
     air quality and noise;
     endangered and threatened species;
     socioeconomics;
     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 also 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; 
environmental and public interest groups; 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 
proposed project.
    If we publish and distribute the EA, copies of the EA 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).

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-
37). 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: February 2, 2018.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2018-02527 Filed 2-7-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 27 / Thursday, February 8, 2018 / Notices 5619

Dated: February 2, 2018. the acquisition of an easement to metering, and pipeline facilities on its
Kimberly D. Bose, construct, operate, and maintain the existing Line No. 2177 in Pima County,
Secretary. proposed facilities. The company would Arizona. Sierrita is also requesting
[FR Doc. 2018–02531 Filed 2–7–18; 8:45 am] seek to negotiate a mutually acceptable approval to amend its existing Natural
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P agreement. However, if the Commission Gas Act Section 3 authorization and
approves the project, that approval Presidential Permit for the project’s
conveys with it the right of eminent increased capacity. Specifically, the
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY domain. Therefore, if easement project would increase Sierrita’s
negotiations fail to produce an authorized capacity of its existing
Federal Energy Regulatory agreement, the pipeline company could international border crossing near
Commission initiate condemnation proceedings Sasabe, Arizona from approximately
[Docket Nos. CP18–37–000; CP18–38–000] where compensation would be 200,846 Dekatherms per day to 631,389
determined in accordance with state Dekatherms per day (627,000,000 cubic
Notice of Intent To Prepare an law. feet per day).
Environmental Assessment for the Sierrita provided landowners with a The Sierrita Compressor Expansion
Proposed Sierrita Gas Pipeline LLC fact sheet prepared by the FERC entitled Project would consist of the following
Sierrita Compressor Expansion Project ‘‘An Interstate Natural Gas Facility On facilities, all in Pima County:
and Request for Comments on My Land? What Do I Need To Know?’’ • One new 15,900 horsepower
Environmental Issues This fact sheet addresses a number of compressor station (Sierrita Compressor
typically asked questions, including the Station);
The staff of the Federal Energy use of eminent domain and how to • suction and discharge piping and
Regulatory Commission (FERC or participate in the Commission’s various station yard auxiliary facilities
Commission) will prepare an proceedings. It is also available for to connect the Sierrita Compressor
environmental assessment (EA) that will viewing on the FERC website Station with Line No. 2177;
discuss the environmental impacts of (www.ferc.gov). • one new 10-inch Ultrasonic meter
the Sierrita Compressor Expansion at the existing San Joaquin Meter
Project involving construction and Public Participation Station on Line No. 2177; and
operation of facilities by Sierrita Gas For your convenience, there are three • the relocation of the existing
Pipeline LLC (Sierrita) in Pima County, methods you can use to submit your ‘‘Mainline Valve 2’’ and an associated
Arizona. The Commission will use this comments to the Commission. The inspection tool launcher and receiver
EA in its decision-making process to Commission encourages electronic filing from milepost 1.2 to milepost 6.5 on
determine whether the project is in the of comments and has expert staff Line No. 2177.
public convenience and necessity. available to assist you at (202) 502–8258 The general location of the project
This notice announces the opening of or FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov. Please facilities is shown in appendix 1.1
the scoping process the Commission carefully follow these instructions so
will use to gather input from the public Land Requirements for Construction
that your comments are properly
and interested agencies on the project. recorded. Construction of the proposed facilities
You can make a difference by providing (1) You can file your comments would disturb about 18.7 acres of land
us with your specific comments or electronically using the eComment for the aboveground and auxiliary
concerns about the project. Your feature on the Commission’s website facilities. Following construction,
comments should focus on the potential (www.ferc.gov) under the link to Sierrita would maintain about 15.7 acres
environmental effects, reasonable Documents and Filings. This is an easy for permanent operation of the
alternatives, and measures to avoid or method for submitting brief, text-only compressor station including station
lessen environmental impacts. Your comments on a project; piping and auxiliary facilities, and
input will help the Commission staff (2) You can file your comments about 1.1 acres for operation of the
determine what issues they need to electronically by using the eFiling mainline valve. The remaining acreage
evaluate in the EA. To ensure that your feature on the Commission’s website would be restored and revert to former
comments are timely and properly (www.ferc.gov) under the link to uses.
recorded, please send your comments so Documents and Filings. With eFiling, The EA Process
that the Commission receives them in you can provide comments in a variety
Washington, DC on or before March 5, of formats by attaching them as a file The National Environmental Policy
2018. with your submission. New eFiling Act (NEPA) requires the Commission to
If you sent comments on this project users must first create an account by take into account the environmental
to the Commission before the opening of clicking on eRegister. If you are filing a impacts that could result from an action
this docket on December 21, 2017, you comment on a particular project, please whenever it considers the issuance of a
will need to file those comments in select ‘‘Comment on a Filing’’ as the Certificate of Public Convenience and
Docket No. CP18–37–000 to ensure they filing type; or Necessity. NEPA also requires us 2 to
are considered as part of this (3) You can file a paper copy of your discover and address concerns the
proceeding. comments by mailing them to the public may have about proposals. This
This notice is being sent to the following address. Be sure to reference
1 The appendices referenced in this notice will
Commission’s current environmental the project docket number (CP18–37–
not appear in the Federal Register. Copies of
mailing list for this project. State and 000) with your submission: Kimberly D.
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES

appendices were sent to all those receiving this
local government representatives should Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy notice in the mail and are available at www.ferc.gov
notify their constituents of this Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street using the link called eLibrary or from the
proposed project and encourage them to NE, Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426. Commission’s Public Reference Room, 888 First
Street NE, Washington, DC 20426, or call (202) 502–
comment on their areas of concern. 8371. For instructions on connecting to eLibrary,
If you are a landowner receiving this Summary of the Proposed Project
refer to the last page of this notice.
notice, a pipeline company Sierrita proposes to construct and 2 We, us, and our refer to the environmental staff

representative may contact you about operate new natural gas compression, of the Commission’s Office of Energy Projects.

VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:18 Feb 07, 2018 Jkt 244001 PO 00000 Frm 00017 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\08FEN1.SGM 08FEN1
Document Created: 2018-02-08 00:16:10
Document Modified: 2018-02-08 00:16:10
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 5619
83 FR 5619 - Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Sierrita Gas Pipeline LLC Sierrita Compressor Expansion Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGYFederal Energy Regulatory Commission

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 27 (February 8, 2018)

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
