Central New York Oil and Gas Company, LLC; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed MARC I Hub Line Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of Public Scoping Meeting and Onsite Review, 63462-63465 [2010-25966]
Download as PDF
63462
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 199 / Friday, October 15, 2010 / Notices
Description: Energy West
Development, Inc. resubmits their
baseline filing, FERC Gas Tariff, First
Revised Volume No 1 in compliance
with the Commission’s 3/19/10 Order,
to be effective 10/27/2010.
Filed Date: 10/08/2010.
Accession Number: 20101008–5000.
Comment Date: 5 p.m. Eastern Time
on Wednesday, October 20, 2010.
mstockstill on DSKH9S0YB1PROD with NOTICES
Docket Numbers: RP10–1400–001.
Applicants: Chandeleur Pipe Line
Company.
Description: Chandeleur Pipe Line
Company submits revised tariff Sections
2, 8.2, et al to its FERC Gas Tariff, Third
Revised Volume No 1 pursuant to Order
587–U, to be effective 11/1/2010.
Filed Date: 10/08/2010.
Accession Number: 20101008–5001.
Comment Date: 5 p.m. Eastern Time
on Wednesday, October 20, 2010.
Any person desiring to protest this
filing must file in accordance with Rule
211 of the Commission’s Rules of
Practice and Procedure (18 CFR
385.211). Protests to this filing will be
considered by the Commission in
determining the appropriate action to be
taken, but will not serve to make
protestants parties to the proceeding.
Such protests must be filed on or before
5 p.m. Eastern time on the specified
comment date. Anyone filing a protest
must serve a copy of that document on
all the parties to the proceeding.
The Commission encourages
electronic submission of protests in lieu
of paper using the ‘‘eFiling’’ link at
https://www.ferc.gov. Persons unable to
file electronically should submit an
original and 14 copies of the protest to
the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, 888 First Street, NE.,
Washington, DC 20426.
This filing is accessible on-line at
https://www.ferc.gov, using the
‘‘eLibrary’’ link and is available for
review in the Commission’s Public
Reference Room in Washington, DC.
There is an ‘‘eSubscription’’ link on the
Web site that enables subscribers to
receive e-mail notification when a
document is added to a subscribed
docket(s). For assistance with any FERC
Online service, please e-mail
FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov, or call
(866) 208–3676 (toll free). For TTY, call
(202) 502–8659.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2010–26044 Filed 10–14–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. RM11–2–000]
Smart Grid Interoperability Standards;
Notice of Docket Designation for Smart
Grid Interoperability Standards
October 7, 2010.
1. The Energy Independence and
Security Act of 2007 (EISA) 1 lays out
the policy of the United States with
regard to modernization of the nation’s
electricity transmission and distribution
system and directs the development of
a framework to achieve interoperability
of smart grid devices and systems,
including protocols and model
standards for information management.2
EISA directs the National Institute of
Standards and Technology (NIST) to
coordinate the development of this
framework. Once the Commission is
satisfied that NIST’s work has led to
‘‘sufficient consensus’’ on
interoperability standards, EISA directs
the Commission to ‘‘institute a
rulemaking proceeding to adopt such
standards and protocols as may be
necessary to insure smart-grid
functionality and interoperability in
interstate transmission of electric
power, and regional and wholesale
electricity markets.’’ 3
2. In August 2009, NIST launched a
three-phase plan to expedite the
development of smart grid
interoperability standards. In the first
phase, NIST led the smart grid
community in a participatory public
process to identify applicable standards,
as well as priorities for additional
standardization activities. In January
2010, NIST released a framework and
roadmap that identified a number of
standards that are applicable to the
ongoing development of the smart grid.4
After further discussion with
stakeholders and an analysis of the
standards’ cyber security protections,
NIST has now identified five suites of
standards that it states are ready for
consideration by regulatory authorities.
While the Commission has made no
determination yet on whether ‘‘sufficient
consensus’’ exists for these standards,
the Commission is issuing this notice to
1 Public
Law 110–140, 121 Stat. 1492 (2007).
1305(a), to be codified at 15 U.S.C.
17385(a).
3 EISA 1305(d), to be codified at 15 U.S.C.
17385(d).
4 Framework and Roadmap for Smart Grid
Interoperability Standards, Release 1.0, NIST
Special Publication 1108, January 2010, available at
https://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/releases/upload/
smartgrid_interoperability_final.pdf.
2 EISA
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designate the docket captioned above
for a possible rulemaking proceeding
pursuant to EISA section 1305(d).
3. In accordance with the Federal
Administrative Procedure Act,5 the
Commission will issue a Notice of
Proposed Rulemaking for comment
before adopting any of the five suites of
standards identified by NIST.
4. For the convenience of interested
stakeholders, the Commission has
placed NIST’s announcement and
descriptions of the standards that have
been prepared by NIST in the record of
this proceeding. These documents are
available for review at the Commission
in the Public Reference Room or may be
viewed on the Commission’s Web site
under the above docket number at
https://www.ferc.gov using the eLibrary
link. 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.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2010–25965 Filed 10–14–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. CP10–480–000]
Central New York Oil and Gas
Company, LLC; Notice of Intent To
Prepare an Environmental Assessment
for the Proposed MARC I Hub Line
Project and Request for Comments on
Environmental Issues, and Notice of
Public Scoping Meeting and Onsite
Review
September 22, 2010.
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 MARC I Hub Line Project involving
construction and operation of facilities
by Central New York Oil and Gas
Company, LLC (CNYOG) in Bradford,
Sullivan, and Lycoming Counties,
Pennsylvania. This EA will be used by
the Commission 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.
55
U.S.C. 551–59; 701–06 (2006).
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Your input will help the Commission
staff determine what issues need to be
evaluated in the EA. Please note that the
scoping period will close on October 25,
2010.
Comments may be submitted in
written form or verbally. Further details
on how to submit written comments are
provided in the Public Participation
section of this notice. In lieu of or in
addition to sending written comments,
the Commission invites you to attend
the public scoping meeting scheduled as
follows: FERC Public Scoping Meeting,
MARC I Hub Line Project, October 13,
2010, at 6:30 p.m., Sullivan County
Court House, 245 Muncy Street,
Laporte, PA.
On October 13 and 14, 2010, the
Office of Energy Projects staff will be in
the MARC I Hub Line Project area to
gather data related to the environmental
analysis. Staff will examine the
proposed route and aboveground facility
locations and possible modifications to
the proposed facilities. This will assist
staff in completing its comparative
evaluation of environmental impacts of
the proposed project. Viewing of this
area is anticipated to be from public
access points.
All interested parties planning to
attend must provide their own
transportation. Those attending should
meet at the following location:
On both October 13 and 14, 2010, at
8:30 a.m.: Sullivan County Road House,
Route 220, Muncy Valley, PA.
This notice is being sent to the
Commission’s current environmental
mailing list for this project. State and
local government representatives are
asked to notify their constituents of this
planned project and encourage them to
comment on their areas of concern.
If you are a landowner receiving this
notice, you may be contacted by a
pipeline company representative 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 project is
approved by the Commission, 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.
A fact sheet prepared by the FERC
entitled ‘‘An Interstate Natural Gas
Facility On My Land? What Do I Need
To Know?’’ was attached to the project
notice CNYOG provided to landowners.
This fact sheet addresses a number of
typically-asked questions, including the
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use of eminent domain and how to
participate in the Commission’s
proceedings. It is also available for
viewing on the FERC Web site (https://
www.ferc.gov).
Summary of the Proposed Project
CNYOG proposes to construct and
operate about 39 miles of 30-inchdiameter pipeline (the MARC I Hub
Line), a total of 31,660 horsepower (hp)
of compression, metering and regulating
facilities, and appurtenant facilities in
Bradford, Sullivan, and Lycoming
Counties, Pennsylvania. The MARC I
Hub Line Project would provide
transportation service of about 550,000
dekatherms of natural gas per day, and
would have a maximum allowable
operating pressure of 1260 pounds per
square inch gauge. According to
CNYOG, its project would provide
interstate pipeline infrastructure to
receive natural gas produced from
Marcellus Shale production areas for
delivery to existing interstate pipeline
systems of Tennessee Gas Pipeline
Company (TGP), CNYOG, and
Transcontinental Gas Pipeline
Corporation (Transco). It would also
provide for bi-directional transportation
between TGP, CNYOG, and Transco.
The MARC I Hub Line Project would
consist of the following facilities:
• The MARC I Hub Line consisting of
approximately 39 miles of 30-inchdiameter pipeline extending southward
from interconnections with CNYOG’s
South Lateral and TGP’s Line 300 in
Bradford County, through Sullivan
County, and ending at an
interconnection with Transco’s Leidy
Line in Sullivan County, all in
Pennsylvania;
• The M1–N Unit consisting of 15,300
hp of additional electric-driven
compression, filter separators, gas
coolers, and electrical infrastructure at
CNYOG’s NS2 Compressor Station on
CNYOG’s South Lateral proposed in
Docket No CP10–194–000;
• The M1–S Compressor Station
consisting of 16,360 hp of gas-driven
compression, gas coolers, filter
separators, and a 300 kilovolt (nominal)
emergency generator located on the
MARC I Hub Line about 3 miles north
of the proposed interconnection with
Transco’s Leidy Line;
• The Northern Meter Station at the
NS2 Compressor Station including
metering facilities, valves, filter
separator, and related telemetry
equipment;
• The Southern Meter Station at the
Transco interconnection including
metering facilities, valves, filter
separator, related telemetry equipment,
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63463
and possibly odorant equipment for
deliveries to Transco;
• Interconnections to gathering lines;
• Wareyards for temporary equipment
and materials storage located near
mileposts (MPs) 4.3, 10.6, and 16.0 of
the MARC I Hub Line; and
• About 33 temporary access roads to
be used during construction of the
project, and permanent access roads to
the Southern Meter Station and the M1–
S Compressor Station.
The general location of the project
facilities is shown in Appendix 1.1
Land Requirements for Construction
Construction of the proposed facilities
would disturb about 591 acres of land
for the aboveground facilities and the
pipeline, including access roads.
Additional areas would be used for
temporary wareyards or contractor yards
to store equipment and materials.
Following construction, about 236 acres
would be maintained for permanent
operation of the project’s facilities; the
remaining acreage would be restored
and allowed to revert to former uses.
About 4 percent of the proposed
pipeline route parallels existing
pipeline, utility, or road rights-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. All comments
received will be considered during the
preparation of the EA.
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;
1 The appendices referenced in this notice are not
being printed in the Federal Register. Copies of
appendices were sent to all those receiving this
notice in the mail and are available at https://
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.
2 ‘‘We’’, ‘‘us’’, and ‘‘our’’ refer to the environmental
staff of the Commission’s Office of Energy Projects.
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• water resources, fisheries, and
wetlands;
• cultural resources;
• vegetation and wildlife;
• air quality and noise;
• endangered and threatened species;
and
• public safety.
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.
Our independent analysis of the
issues will be presented in the EA. The
EA will be placed in the public record
and, depending on the comments
received during the scoping process,
may be published and distributed to the
public. A comment period will be
allotted if the EA is published for
review. We will consider all comments
on the EA before we make our
recommendations to the Commission.
To ensure your comments are
considered, please carefully follow the
instructions in the Public Participation
section beginning on page 6.
With this notice, we are asking
agencies with jurisdiction and/or
special expertise with respect to
environmental issues to formally
cooperate with us in the preparation of
the EA. These agencies may choose to
participate once they have evaluated the
proposal relative to their
responsibilities. 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.
Currently, no agencies have expressed
their intention to participate as a
cooperating agency in the preparation of
the EA to satisfy their NEPA
responsibilities related to this project.
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
applicable State Historic Preservation
Office(s), 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.3 We will define the
3 The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation’s
regulations are at Title 36, Code of Federal
Regulations, Part 800. Historic properties are
defined in those regulations as any prehistoric or
historic district, site, building, structure, or object
included in or eligible for inclusion in the National
Register for Historic Places.
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16:01 Oct 14, 2010
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project-specific Area of Potential Effects
(APE) in consultation with the SHPO(s)
as the project is further developed. 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.
Currently Identified Environmental
Issues
We have already identified several
issues that we think deserve attention
based on a preliminary review of the
proposed facilities and the
environmental information provided by
CNYOG. This preliminary list of issues
may be changed based on your
comments and our analysis:
• Impacts on present and future land
use;
• impacts on vegetation and wildlife;
• impacts on federally listed
threatened and endangered species;
• impacts on water resources;
• impacts on cultural resources;
• erosion and sediment control;
• impacts on traffic caused by
construction equipment;
• impacts due to construction and
operation;
• pipeline route alternatives or
variations;
• alternative access roads; and
• safety during construction and
operation.
Public Participation
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.
The more specific your comments, the
more useful they will be. To ensure that
your comments are timely and properly
recorded, please send your comments so
that they will be received in
Washington, DC, on or before October
25, 2010.
For your convenience, there are three
methods which you can use to submit
your comments to the Commission. In
all instances please reference the project
docket number (CP10–480–000) with
your submission. The Commission
encourages electronic filing of
comments and has expert eFiling staff
available to assist you at (202) 502–8258
or efiling@ferc.gov.
(1) You may file your comments
electronically by using the eComment
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feature, which is located on the
Commission’s Web site at https://
www.ferc.gov under the link to
Documents and Filings. An eComment
is an easy method for interested persons
to submit brief, text-only comments on
a project;
(2) You may file your comments
electronically by using the eFiling
feature, which is located on the
Commission’s Web site at https://
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.’’ You will be
asked to select the type of filing you are
making. A comment on a particular
project is considered a ‘‘Comment on a
Filing’’; or
(3) You may file a paper copy of your
comments at the following address:
Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission, 888
First Street, NE., Room 1A, Washington,
DC 20426.
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
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 the EA is published for distribution,
copies 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
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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 199 / Friday, October 15, 2010 / Notices
revisions to its tariff for administrative
efficiency as more fully detailed in the
application.
Any person desiring to participate in
this rate filing must file in accordance
with Rules 211 and 214 of the
Commission’s Rules of Practice and
Procedure (18 CFR 385.211 and
385.214). Protests will be considered by
the Commission in determining the
Additional Information
appropriate action to be taken, but will
not serve to make protestants parties to
Additional information about the
the proceeding. Any person wishing to
project is available from the
Commission’s Office of External Affairs, become a party must file a notice of
at (866) 208–FERC, or on the FERC Web intervention or motion to intervene, as
site at https://www.ferc.gov using the
appropriate. Such notices, motions, or
‘‘eLibrary’’ link. Click on the eLibrary
protests must be filed on or before the
link, click on ‘‘General Search’’ and enter date as indicated below. Anyone filing
the docket number, excluding the last
an intervention or protest must serve a
three digits in the Docket Number field
copy of that document on the Applicant.
(i.e., CP10–480–000). Be sure you have
Anyone filing an intervention or protest
selected an appropriate date range. For
on or before the intervention or protest
assistance, please contact FERC Online
date need not serve motions to intervene
Support at FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or protests on persons other than the
or toll free at (866) 208–3676, or for
Applicant.
TTY, contact (202) 502–8659. The
The Commission encourages
eLibrary link also provides access to the
texts of formal documents issued by the electronic submission of protests and
interventions in lieu of paper using the
Commission, such as orders, notices,
‘‘eFiling’’ link at https://www.ferc.gov.
and rulemakings.
Persons unable to file electronically
In addition, the Commission now
offers a free service called eSubscription should submit an original and 7 copies
of the protest or intervention to the
which allows you to keep track of all
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
formal issuances and submittals in
specific dockets. This can reduce the
888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC
amount of time you spend researching
20426.
proceedings by automatically providing
This filing is accessible on-line at
you with notification of these filings,
https://www.ferc.gov, using the
document summaries, and direct links
‘‘eLibrary’’ link and is available for
to the documents. Go to https://
review in the Commission’s Public
www.ferc.gov/esubscribenow.htm.
Reference Room in Washington, DC.
Finally, public meetings or site visits
There is an ‘‘eSubscription’’ link on the
will be posted on the Commission’s
calendar located at https://www.ferc.gov/ Web site that enables subscribers to
receive e-mail notification when a
EventCalendar/EventsList.aspx along
document is added to a subscribed
with other related information.
docket(s). For assistance with any FERC
Kimberly D. Bose,
Online service, please e-mail
Secretary.
FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov, or call
[FR Doc. 2010–25966 Filed 10–14–10; 8:45 am]
(866) 208–3676 (toll free). For TTY, call
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
(202) 502–8659.
Comment Date: 5 p.m. Eastern time
on Wednesday, October 20, 2010.
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
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 included in the User’s
Guide under the ‘‘e-filing’’ link on the
Commission’s Web site.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[FR Doc. 2010–25962 Filed 10–14–10; 8:45 am]
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[Docket No. PR10–137–000]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
Hill-Lake Gas Storage, LLC; Notice of
Filing
October 7, 2010.
Take notice that on September 30,
2010, Hill-Lake Gas Storage, LLC (HillLake) filed a revised Statement of
Operating Conditions (SOC) for its
Storage Services, proposing substantive
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63465
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. ER11–27–000]
LSP Safe Harbor Holdings, LLC;
Supplemental Notice That Initial
Market-Based Rate Filing Includes
Request for Blanket Section 204
Authorization
October 7, 2010.
This is a supplemental notice in the
above-referenced proceeding of LSP
Safe Harbor Holdings, LLC’s application
for market-based rate authority, with an
accompanying rate tariff, noting that
such application includes a request for
blanket authorization, under 18 CFR
part 34, of future issuances of securities
and assumptions of liability.
Any person desiring to intervene or to
protest should file with the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission, 888
First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426,
in accordance with Rules 211 and 214
of the Commission’s Rules of Practice
and Procedure (18 CFR 385.211 and
385.214). Anyone filing a motion to
intervene or protest must serve a copy
of that document on the Applicant.
Notice is hereby given that the
deadline for filing protests with regard
to the applicant’s request for blanket
authorization, under 18 CFR part 34, of
future issuances of securities and
assumptions of liability, is October 27,
2010.
The Commission encourages
electronic submission of protests and
interventions in lieu of paper, using the
FERC Online links at https://
www.ferc.gov. To facilitate electronic
service, persons with Internet access
who will eFile a document and/or be
listed as a contact for an intervenor
must create and validate an
eRegistration account using the
eRegistration link. Select the eFiling
link to log on and submit the
intervention or protests.
Persons unable to file electronically
should submit an original and 14 copies
of the intervention or protest to the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC
20426.
The filings in the above-referenced
proceeding are accessible in the
Commission’s eLibrary system by
clicking on the appropriate link in the
above list. They are also available for
review in the Commission’s Public
Reference Room in Washington, DC.
There is an eSubscription link on the
Web site that enables subscribers to
receive e-mail notification when a
document is added to a subscribed
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 199 (Friday, October 15, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63462-63465]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-25966]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP10-480-000]
Central New York Oil and Gas Company, LLC; Notice of Intent To
Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed MARC I Hub Line
Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of
Public Scoping Meeting and Onsite Review
September 22, 2010.
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 MARC I Hub Line Project
involving construction and operation of facilities by Central New York
Oil and Gas Company, LLC (CNYOG) in Bradford, Sullivan, and Lycoming
Counties, Pennsylvania. This EA will be used by the Commission 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.
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Your input will help the Commission staff determine what issues need to
be evaluated in the EA. Please note that the scoping period will close
on October 25, 2010.
Comments may be submitted in written form or verbally. Further
details on how to submit written comments are provided in the Public
Participation section of this notice. In lieu of or in addition to
sending written comments, the Commission invites you to attend the
public scoping meeting scheduled as follows: FERC Public Scoping
Meeting, MARC I Hub Line Project, October 13, 2010, at 6:30 p.m.,
Sullivan County Court House, 245 Muncy Street, Laporte, PA.
On October 13 and 14, 2010, the Office of Energy Projects staff
will be in the MARC I Hub Line Project area to gather data related to
the environmental analysis. Staff will examine the proposed route and
aboveground facility locations and possible modifications to the
proposed facilities. This will assist staff in completing its
comparative evaluation of environmental impacts of the proposed
project. Viewing of this area is anticipated to be from public access
points.
All interested parties planning to attend must provide their own
transportation. Those attending should meet at the following location:
On both October 13 and 14, 2010, at 8:30 a.m.: Sullivan County Road
House, Route 220, Muncy Valley, PA.
This notice is being sent to the Commission's current environmental
mailing list for this project. State and local government
representatives are asked to notify their constituents of this planned
project and encourage them to comment on their areas of concern.
If you are a landowner receiving this notice, you may be contacted
by a pipeline company representative 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 project is approved by the Commission, 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.
A fact sheet prepared by the FERC entitled ``An Interstate Natural
Gas Facility On My Land? What Do I Need To Know?'' was attached to the
project notice CNYOG provided to landowners. 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 Web site (https://www.ferc.gov).
Summary of the Proposed Project
CNYOG proposes to construct and operate about 39 miles of 30-inch-
diameter pipeline (the MARC I Hub Line), a total of 31,660 horsepower
(hp) of compression, metering and regulating facilities, and
appurtenant facilities in Bradford, Sullivan, and Lycoming Counties,
Pennsylvania. The MARC I Hub Line Project would provide transportation
service of about 550,000 dekatherms of natural gas per day, and would
have a maximum allowable operating pressure of 1260 pounds per square
inch gauge. According to CNYOG, its project would provide interstate
pipeline infrastructure to receive natural gas produced from Marcellus
Shale production areas for delivery to existing interstate pipeline
systems of Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company (TGP), CNYOG, and
Transcontinental Gas Pipeline Corporation (Transco). It would also
provide for bi-directional transportation between TGP, CNYOG, and
Transco.
The MARC I Hub Line Project would consist of the following
facilities:
The MARC I Hub Line consisting of approximately 39 miles
of 30-inch-diameter pipeline extending southward from interconnections
with CNYOG's South Lateral and TGP's Line 300 in Bradford County,
through Sullivan County, and ending at an interconnection with
Transco's Leidy Line in Sullivan County, all in Pennsylvania;
The M1-N Unit consisting of 15,300 hp of additional
electric-driven compression, filter separators, gas coolers, and
electrical infrastructure at CNYOG's NS2 Compressor Station on CNYOG's
South Lateral proposed in Docket No CP10-194-000;
The M1-S Compressor Station consisting of 16,360 hp of
gas-driven compression, gas coolers, filter separators, and a 300
kilovolt (nominal) emergency generator located on the MARC I Hub Line
about 3 miles north of the proposed interconnection with Transco's
Leidy Line;
The Northern Meter Station at the NS2 Compressor Station
including metering facilities, valves, filter separator, and related
telemetry equipment;
The Southern Meter Station at the Transco interconnection
including metering facilities, valves, filter separator, related
telemetry equipment, and possibly odorant equipment for deliveries to
Transco;
Interconnections to gathering lines;
Wareyards for temporary equipment and materials storage
located near mileposts (MPs) 4.3, 10.6, and 16.0 of the MARC I Hub
Line; and
About 33 temporary access roads to be used during
construction of the project, and permanent access roads to the Southern
Meter Station and the M1-S Compressor Station.
The general location of the project facilities is shown in Appendix
1.\1\
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\1\ The appendices referenced in this notice are not being
printed in the Federal Register. Copies of appendices were sent to
all those receiving this notice in the mail and are available at
https://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 591
acres of land for the aboveground facilities and the pipeline,
including access roads. Additional areas would be used for temporary
wareyards or contractor yards to store equipment and materials.
Following construction, about 236 acres would be maintained for
permanent operation of the project's facilities; the remaining acreage
would be restored and allowed to revert to former uses. About 4 percent
of the proposed pipeline route parallels existing pipeline, utility, or
road rights-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. All comments
received will be considered 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;
[[Page 63464]]
water resources, fisheries, and wetlands;
cultural resources;
vegetation and wildlife;
air quality and noise;
endangered and threatened species; and
public safety.
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.
Our independent analysis of the issues will be presented in the EA.
The EA will be placed in the public record and, depending on the
comments received during the scoping process, may be published and
distributed to the public. A comment period will be allotted if the EA
is published for review. We will consider all comments on the EA before
we make our recommendations to the Commission. To ensure your comments
are considered, please carefully follow the instructions in the Public
Participation section beginning on page 6.
With this notice, we are asking agencies with jurisdiction and/or
special expertise with respect to environmental issues to formally
cooperate with us in the preparation of the EA. These agencies may
choose to participate once they have evaluated the proposal relative to
their responsibilities. 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.
Currently, no agencies have expressed their intention to participate as
a cooperating agency in the preparation of the EA to satisfy their NEPA
responsibilities related to this project.
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 applicable State Historic Preservation Office(s), 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.\3\ We will define the project-specific Area of Potential
Effects (APE) in consultation with the SHPO(s) as the project is
further developed. 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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\3\ The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation's regulations
are at Title 36, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 800. Historic
properties are defined in those regulations as any prehistoric or
historic district, site, building, structure, or object included in
or eligible for inclusion in the National Register for Historic
Places.
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Currently Identified Environmental Issues
We have already identified several issues that we think deserve
attention based on a preliminary review of the proposed facilities and
the environmental information provided by CNYOG. This preliminary list
of issues may be changed based on your comments and our analysis:
Impacts on present and future land use;
impacts on vegetation and wildlife;
impacts on federally listed threatened and endangered
species;
impacts on water resources;
impacts on cultural resources;
erosion and sediment control;
impacts on traffic caused by construction equipment;
impacts due to construction and operation;
pipeline route alternatives or variations;
alternative access roads; and
safety during construction and operation.
Public Participation
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. The more specific
your comments, the more useful they will be. To ensure that your
comments are timely and properly recorded, please send your comments so
that they will be received in Washington, DC, on or before October 25,
2010.
For your convenience, there are three methods which you can use to
submit your comments to the Commission. In all instances please
reference the project docket number (CP10-480-000) with your
submission. The Commission encourages electronic filing of comments and
has expert eFiling staff available to assist you at (202) 502-8258 or
efiling@ferc.gov.
(1) You may file your comments electronically by using the eComment
feature, which is located on the Commission's Web site at https://www.ferc.gov under the link to Documents and Filings. An eComment is an
easy method for interested persons to submit brief, text-only comments
on a project;
(2) You may file your comments electronically by using the eFiling
feature, which is located on the Commission's Web site at https://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.'' You will be asked to select the
type of filing you are making. A comment on a particular project is
considered a ``Comment on a Filing''; or
(3) You may file a paper copy of your comments at the following
address:
Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
888 First Street, NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426.
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 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 the EA is published for distribution, copies 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
[[Page 63465]]
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 included in the User's Guide under the ``e-filing''
link on the Commission's Web site.
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 Web site at https://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., CP10-480-000). 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 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 now 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 https://www.ferc.gov/esubscribenow.htm.
Finally, public meetings or site visits will be posted on the
Commission's calendar located at https://www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/EventsList.aspx along with other related information.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2010-25966 Filed 10-14-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P