Dominion Transmission, Incorporated; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Planned Allegheny Storage Project, Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of Public Scoping Meeting, 66922-66924 [2011-27952]
Download as PDF
66922
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 209 / Friday, October 28, 2011 / Notices
The total estimated annual cost
burden to respondents is $339,068
(5,846 hours times $58/hour 12).
The reporting burden includes the
total time, effort, or financial resources
expended to generate, maintain, retain,
disclose, or provide the information
including: (1) Reviewing instructions;
(2) developing, acquiring, installing, and
utilizing technology and systems for the
purposes of collecting, validating,
verifying, processing, maintaining,
disclosing and providing information;
(3) adjusting the existing ways to
comply with any previously applicable
instructions and requirements;
(4) training personnel to respond to a
collection of information; (5) searching
data sources; (6) completing and
reviewing the collection of information;
and (7) transmitting or otherwise
disclosing the information.
The estimate of cost for respondents
is based upon salaries for professional
and clerical support, as well as direct
and indirect overhead costs. Direct costs
include all costs directly attributable to
providing this information, such as
administrative costs and the cost for
information technology. Indirect or
overhead costs are costs incurred by an
organization in support of its mission.
These costs apply to activities which
benefit the whole organization rather
than any one particular function or
activity.
Comments are invited on: (1) Whether
the proposed collection of information
is necessary for the proper performance
of the functions of the Commission,
including whether the information will
have practical utility; (2) the accuracy of
the agency’s estimate of the burden of
the proposed collection of information,
including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used;
(3) ways to enhance the quality, utility
and clarity of the information to be
collected; and (4) ways to minimize the
burden of the collection of information
on those who are to respond, including
the use of appropriate automated,
electronic, mechanical, or other
technological collection techniques or
other forms of information technology
e.g. permitting electronic submission of
responses.
Dated: October 24, 2011.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2011–27953 Filed 10–27–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[ Docket No. PF11–9–000]
Dominion Transmission, Incorporated;
Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Assessment for the
Planned Allegheny Storage Project,
Request for Comments on
Environmental Issues, and Notice of
Public Scoping Meeting
Commission) will prepare an
environmental assessment (EA) that will
discuss the environmental impacts of
the Allegheny Storage Project involving
construction and operation of facilities
by Dominion Transmission,
Incorporated (DTI) in Lewis County,
West Virginia; Tioga County,
Pennsylvania; Frederick County,
Maryland; and Monroe County, Ohio.
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.
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 November
23, 2011.
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 meetings scheduled
as follows:
The staff of the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (FERC or
FERC PUBLIC SCOPING MEETINGS
sroberts on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Myersville Compressor Station, 7:00 p.m.—Monday, November 7,
2011, Myersville Volunteer Fire Company, 301 Main Street,
Myersville, MD 21773.
Mullett Compressor Station, 7:00 p.m.—Tuesday, November 8, 2011,
St. John’s United Church of Christ, 51736 German Ridge Road,
Powhatan Point, OH 43942.
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
planned 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?’’ is available for viewing on
the FERC Web site (https://
www.ferc.gov). 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.
Summary of the Planned Project
12 The per hour figures were obtained from the
Bureau of Labor Statistics National IndustrySpecific Occupational and Employment Wage
Estimates (https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/
naics4_221200.htm), and are based on the mean
wage statistics for staff in the areas of management,
business and financial, legal and administrative.
The mean wage was then increased by 20% to
account for benefits/overhead.
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16:56 Oct 27, 2011
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Sfmt 4703
DTI plans to construct and operate
one new compressor station in both
Frederick County, Maryland and
Monroe County, Ohio. In addition, DTI
plans to replace about 3 miles of
pipeline in Tioga County, Pennsylvania
and install additional hydration at an
existing compressor station in Lewis
County, West Virginia. According to
DTI, the Allegheny Storage Project
would provide a total of 125,000
dekatherms per day of both natural gas
storage and transportation service to its
customers: Baltimore Gas and Electric,
TW Philips, and Washington Gas and
E:\FR\FM\28OCN1.SGM
28OCN1
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 209 / Friday, October 28, 2011 / Notices
Electric. The planned project would
meet a mid-atlantic need for natural gas.
The planned Allegheny Storage
Project would consist of the following
facilities:
• A new 16,000-horsepower (hp)
Myersville Compressor Station, 0.6-mile
suction and discharge pipelines, and
upgrades at the existing Tuscarora Meter
Station in Frederick County, Maryland;
• A new 3,550-hp Mullett
Compressor Station, upgrades at the
existing Mullett Meter Station, and
installation of 0.5-mile suction and
discharge pipelines in Monroe County,
Ohio;
• Replacement of 1.7 miles of 10- and
12-inch-diameter pipelines and 1.2
miles of 8- and 12-inch-diameter
pipelines with 16- and 20-inch-diameter
pipelines, respectively, and the
installation of ancillary equipment at
the Sabinsville Storage Station in Tioga
County, Pennsylvania; and
• Installation of additional hydration
at the existing Wolf Run Compressor
Station in Lewis County, West Virginia.
The general location of the project
facilities is shown in appendix 1.1
Land Requirements for Construction
Construction of the planned facilities
would disturb a total of about 58 acres
of land. Following construction, about
14.9 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.
The EA Process
sroberts on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
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
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.
VerDate Mar<15>2010
16:56 Oct 27, 2011
Jkt 226001
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
planned project under these general
headings:
• Geology and soils;
• Land use;
• Water resources, fisheries, and
wetlands;
• Vegetation and wildlife;
• Endangered and threatened species;
• Cultural resources;
• Air quality and noise; and
• Public safety.
We will also evaluate possible
alternatives to the planned project or
portions of the project, and make
recommendations on how to lessen or
avoid impacts on the various resource
areas.
Although no formal application has
been filed, we have already initiated our
NEPA review under the Commission’s
pre-filing process. The purpose of the
pre-filing process is to encourage early
involvement of interested stakeholders
and to identify and resolve issues before
an application is filed with the FERC.
As part of our pre-filing review, we have
begun to contact some federal and state
agencies to discuss their involvement in
the scoping process and the preparation
of the EA.
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 5.
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.
Consultations Under Section 106 of the
National Historic Preservation Act
In accordance with the Advisory
Council on Historic Preservation’s
PO 00000
Frm 00033
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
66923
implementing regulations for section
106 of the National Historic
Preservation Act, we are using this
notice to initiate consultation with
applicable State Historic Preservation
Offices, 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 SHPOs
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.
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 November
23, 2011.
For your convenience, there are three
methods you can use to submit your
comments to the Commission. In all
instances, please reference the project
docket number (PF11–9–000) 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://
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.
E:\FR\FM\28OCN1.SGM
28OCN1
66924
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 209 / Friday, October 28, 2011 / Notices
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 mail a paper copy of your
comments to the Commission at the
following address: Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, 888 First Street, NE.,
Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426.
sroberts on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
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 planned 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
Once DTI files its application with the
Commission, 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 included in the User’s
Guide under the ‘‘e-filing’’ link on the
Commission’s Web site. Please note that
the Commission will not accept requests
VerDate Mar<15>2010
16:56 Oct 27, 2011
Jkt 226001
for intervenor status at this time. You
must wait until a formal application for
the project is filed with the
Commission.
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 (https://www.ferc.gov) using the
eLibrary link. Click on the eLibrary link,
click on ‘‘General Search’’ and enter the
project docket number, excluding the
last three digits in the Docket Number
field (i.e., PF11–9). 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 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.
Dated: October 24, 2011.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2011–27952 Filed 10–27–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
Notice of Commissioner and Staff
Attendance at North American Electric
Reliability Corporation Meetings
The Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission hereby gives notice that
members of the Commission and/or
Commission staff may attend the
following meetings:
North American Electric Reliability
Corporation, Member Representatives
Committee and Board of Trustees
Meetings.
Westin Buckhead Atlanta, 3391
Peachtree Road, NE., Atlanta, GA 30326.
PO 00000
Frm 00034
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 9990
November 2 (1 p.m.–5 p.m.) and 3
(8 a.m.–1 p.m.), 2011.
Further information regarding these
meetings may be found at: https://
www.nerc.com/calendar.php.
The discussions at the meetings,
which are open to the public, may
address matters at issue in the following
Commission proceedings:
Docket No. RC08–5, North American
Electric Reliability Corporation.
Docket No. RC11–1, North American
Electric Reliability Corporation.
Docket No. RC11–2, North American
Electric Reliability Corporation.
Docket No. RC11–5, North American
Electric Reliability Corporation.
Docket No. RC11–6, North American
Electric Reliability Corporation.
Docket No. RR08–4, North American
Electric Reliability Corporation.
Docket No. RR10–11, North American
Electric Reliability Corporation.
Docket No. RR11–1, North American
Electric Reliability Corporation.
Docket No. RR11–2, North American
Electric Reliability Corporation.
Docket No. RR11–3, North American
Electric Reliability Corporation.
Docket No. RR11–4, North American
Electric Reliability Corporation.
Docket No. RR11–5, North American
Electric Reliability Corporation.
Docket No. RR11–7, North American
Electric Reliability Corporation.
Docket No. RD09–11, North American
Electric Reliability Corporation.
Docket No. RD10–2, North American
Electric Reliability Corporation.
Docket No. RD11–3, North American
Electric Reliability Corporation.
Docket No. RD11–5, North American
Electric Reliability Corporation.
Docket No. RD11–8, North American
Electric Reliability Corporation.
Docket No. RD11–9, North American
Electric Reliability Corporation.
Docket No. RD11–10, North American
Electric Reliability Corporation.
Docket No. RD11–11, North American
Electric Reliability Corporation.
Docket No. NP10–160, North American
Electric Reliability Corporation.
Docket No. NP11–238, North American
Electric Reliability Corporation.
For further information, please
contact Jonathan First, (202) 502–8529,
or jonathan.first@ferc.gov.
Dated: October 24, 2011.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2011–27954 Filed 10–27–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
E:\FR\FM\28OCN1.SGM
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 209 (Friday, October 28, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66922-66924]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-27952]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[ Docket No. PF11-9-000]
Dominion Transmission, Incorporated; Notice of Intent To Prepare
an Environmental Assessment for the Planned Allegheny Storage Project,
Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of Public
Scoping Meeting
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 Allegheny Storage Project
involving construction and operation of facilities by Dominion
Transmission, Incorporated (DTI) in Lewis County, West Virginia; Tioga
County, Pennsylvania; Frederick County, Maryland; and Monroe County,
Ohio. 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. 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 November 23, 2011.
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 meetings scheduled as follows:
FERC Public Scoping Meetings
------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Myersville Compressor Station, 7:00 Mullett Compressor Station,
p.m.--Monday, November 7, 2011, 7:00 p.m.--Tuesday, November
Myersville Volunteer Fire Company, 301 8, 2011, St. John's United
Main Street, Myersville, MD 21773. Church of Christ, 51736 German
Ridge Road, Powhatan Point, OH
43942.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 planned 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?'' is available for
viewing on the FERC Web site (https://www.ferc.gov). 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.
Summary of the Planned Project
DTI plans to construct and operate one new compressor station in
both Frederick County, Maryland and Monroe County, Ohio. In addition,
DTI plans to replace about 3 miles of pipeline in Tioga County,
Pennsylvania and install additional hydration at an existing compressor
station in Lewis County, West Virginia. According to DTI, the Allegheny
Storage Project would provide a total of 125,000 dekatherms per day of
both natural gas storage and transportation service to its customers:
Baltimore Gas and Electric, TW Philips, and Washington Gas and
[[Page 66923]]
Electric. The planned project would meet a mid-atlantic need for
natural gas.
The planned Allegheny Storage Project would consist of the
following facilities:
A new 16,000-horsepower (hp) Myersville Compressor
Station, 0.6-mile suction and discharge pipelines, and upgrades at the
existing Tuscarora Meter Station in Frederick County, Maryland;
A new 3,550-hp Mullett Compressor Station, upgrades at the
existing Mullett Meter Station, and installation of 0.5-mile suction
and discharge pipelines in Monroe County, Ohio;
Replacement of 1.7 miles of 10- and 12-inch-diameter
pipelines and 1.2 miles of 8- and 12-inch-diameter pipelines with 16-
and 20-inch-diameter pipelines, respectively, and the installation of
ancillary equipment at the Sabinsville Storage Station in Tioga County,
Pennsylvania; and
Installation of additional hydration at the existing Wolf
Run Compressor Station in Lewis County, West Virginia.
The general location of the project facilities is shown in appendix
1.\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Land Requirements for Construction
Construction of the planned facilities would disturb a total of
about 58 acres of land. Following construction, about 14.9 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.
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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ ``We,'' ``us,'' and ``our'' refer to the environmental staff
of the Commission's Office of Energy Projects.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the EA we will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of
the construction and operation of the planned project under these
general headings:
Geology and soils;
Land use;
Water resources, fisheries, and wetlands;
Vegetation and wildlife;
Endangered and threatened species;
Cultural resources;
Air quality and noise; and
Public safety.
We will also evaluate possible alternatives to the planned project
or portions of the project, and make recommendations on how to lessen
or avoid impacts on the various resource areas.
Although no formal application has been filed, we have already
initiated our NEPA review under the Commission's pre-filing process.
The purpose of the pre-filing process is to encourage early involvement
of interested stakeholders and to identify and resolve issues before an
application is filed with the FERC. As part of our pre-filing review,
we have begun to contact some federal and state agencies to discuss
their involvement in the scoping process and the preparation of the EA.
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 5.
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.
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 Offices, 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 SHPOs 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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\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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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 November 23,
2011.
For your convenience, there are three methods you can use to submit
your comments to the Commission. In all instances, please reference the
project docket number (PF11-9-000) 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://
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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 mail a paper copy of your comments to the Commission 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 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
planned 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
Once DTI files its application with the Commission, 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 included in the
User's Guide under the ``e-filing'' link on the Commission's Web site.
Please note that the Commission will not accept requests for intervenor
status at this time. You must wait until a formal application for the
project is filed with the Commission.
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 (https://www.ferc.gov) using the eLibrary link. Click on
the eLibrary link, click on ``General Search'' and enter the project
docket number, excluding the last three digits in the Docket Number
field (i.e., PF11-9). 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 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.
Dated: October 24, 2011.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2011-27952 Filed 10-27-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P