The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or Commission) has prepared a final environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Kosciusko Junction Project (Project), proposed by Gulf South Pipeline Company, LLC (Gulf South) and Texas Gas Transmission, LLC (Texas Gas) (collectively the Applicants).^[1] The Applicants request authorization to construct and operate 110.9 miles of various size pipelines, abandon by sale/acquire about 98 miles of existing pipeline, and install new or modify existing aboveground facilities in Washington, Sunflower, Humphreys, Holmes, Attala, Leake, Newton, Jasper, ( printed page 47824) and Clarke Counties, Mississippi. Specifically, Texas Gas would install a new gas-fired compressor unit and modify existing check meters within the existing Greenville Compressor Station (CS). Gulf South proposes to construct two new compressor stations (the Holmes and Kosciusko CSs), install two new compressor units at the existing Isola CS, and construct four new meter stations and associated auxiliary and appurtenant facilities.

FERC is the lead federal agency for authorizing interstate natural gas transmission facilities under the Natural Gas Act of 1938 (NGA) and the lead federal agency for preparation of the final EIS. The final EIS assesses the potential environmental effects of the construction and operation of the Project in accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) ^[2] and the Commission's implementing regulations.^[3] The principal purposes of the final EIS are to: identify and assess the potential effects on the natural and human environment; describe and evaluate reasonable alternatives; identify and recommend mitigation measures; and facilitate public involvement in the environmental review process. The EIS concludes that approval of the proposed Project would have some limited adverse environmental effects; however, with implementation of the Applicants' avoidance, minimization, and mitigation measures, as well as adherence to Commission staff's mitigation measures recommended in the EIS, these effects would be less than significant.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service participated as cooperating agencies in the preparation of the EIS. Cooperating agencies have jurisdiction by law or special expertise with respect to resources potentially affected by the proposal and participate in the NEPA analysis. Although the cooperating agencies provided input towards the conclusions and recommendations presented in the final EIS, the agencies will present their own conclusions and recommendations in their respective records of decision (where applicable) for the Project.

The final EIS addresses the potential environmental effects of the abandonment, construction, modification, and operation of the following facilities in Mississippi.

Texas Gas proposes to do the following:

• abandon by sale to Gulf South the existing Greenville Lateral (GL) and axillary and appurtenant facilities; ^[4] and the existing Isola CS;

• install a new gas-fired compressor unit within the existing Greenville CS totaling 24,160 horsepower (hp); and
• modify existing check meters within the Greenville CS to establish custody transfer measurement between Texas Gas and Gulf South.

Gulf South proposes to do the following:

• acquire the GL and Isola CS from Texas Gas;
• install two new natural gas-fired compressor units totaling 24,615 hp at the Isola CS;
• construct two new pipelines: the 8.1-mile-long, 36-inch-diameter Columbia Gulf Lateral and 102.9-mile-long, 36-inch-diameter Kosciusko Junction (KJ) Pipeline;
• construct two new compressor stations: the Holmes CS with a natural gas-fired compressor unit totaling 23,984 hp along the existing GL, and the Kosciusko CS with three natural gas-fired compressor units totaling 61,293 hp along the new KJ Pipeline; and
• construct four new meter stations: the Columbia Gulf, Destin Check, SONAT, and Kosciusko Meter Stations; ^[5] four mainline valves; and associated tie-ins, launcher/receiver facilities, and appurtenances.

The Commission mailed a copy of the Notice of Availability of the final EIS to federal, state, and local government representatives and agencies; elected officials; environmental and public interest groups; Native American tribes; potentially affected landowners and other interested individuals and groups; and newspapers and libraries in the Project area. The final EIS is only available in electronic format. It may be viewed and downloaded from the FERC's website ( www.ferc.gov), on the natural gas environmental documents page ( https://www.ferc.gov/​industries-data/​natural-gas/​environment/​environmental-documents). In addition, the final EIS may be accessed by using the eLibrary link on the FERC's website. Click on the eLibrary link ( https://elibrary.ferc.gov/​eLibrary/​search) select “General Search” and enter the docket number in the “Docket Number” field, excluding the last three digits ( i.e. CP25-547 or CP25-549). Be sure you have selected an appropriate date range. For assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or toll free at (866) 208-3676, or for TTY, contact (202) 502-8659.

The final EIS is not a decision document. It presents Commission staff's independent analysis of the environmental issues for the Commission to consider when addressing the merits of all issues in this proceeding. Under section 7(c) of the NGA, the Commission determines whether interstate natural gas transportation facilities are in the public convenience and necessity and, if so, grants a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity to construct and operate them. Section 7(b) of the NGA specifies that no natural gas company shall abandon any portion of its facilities subject to the Commission's jurisdiction without the Commission first finding that the abandonment will not negatively affect the present or future public convenience and necessity. The Commission bases its decisions on both economic issues, including need, and environmental effects.

For public inquiries and assistance with making filings such as interventions, comments, or requests for rehearing, contact the Office of Public Participation at (202) 502-6595 or OPP@ferc.gov. Additional information about the Project is available from the FERC website ( www.ferc.gov) using the eLibrary link. The eLibrary link also provides access to the texts of all formal documents issued by the Commission, such as orders, notices, and rulemakings.

In addition, the Commission offers a free service called eSubscription that 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 https://www.ferc.gov/​ferc-online/​overview to register for eSubscription.

(Authority: 18 CFR 2.1.)