Northern Natural Gas Company; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Planned West Leg 2014 Expansion Project, Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of Onsite Environmental Review, 5794-5797 [2013-01608]

Download as PDF 5794 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 18 / Monday, January 28, 2013 / Notices The Department of Education (ED), in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)), provides the general public and Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed, revised, and continuing collections of information. This helps the Department assess the impact of its information collection requirements and minimize the public’s reporting burden. It also helps the public understand the Department’s information collection requirements and provide the requested data in the desired format. ED is soliciting comments on the proposed information collection request (ICR) that is described below. The Department of Education is especially interested in public comment addressing the following issues: (1) Is this collection necessary to the proper functions of the Department; (2) will this information be processed and used in a timely manner; (3) is the estimate of burden accurate; (4) how might the Department enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (5) how might the Department minimize the burden of this collection on the respondents, including through the use of information technology. Please note that written comments received in response to this notice will be considered public records. Title of Collection: Evaluation of State Expanded Learning Time. OMB Control Number: 1850-New. Type of Review: New information collection. Respondents/Affected Public: State, Local, or Tribal Governments. Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 20. Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 7. Abstract: This package requests approval to conduct semi-structured interviews with 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) state coordinators in states which received the optional Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) waiver to use 21st CCLC funds for expanded learning time (ELT). The interviews will be used to produce a descriptive report, which will summarize how states plan to use 21st CCLC funds to support ELT, the process for awarding 21st CCLC funds to support ELT, and how states will monitor subgrantees’ ELT implementation. tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: VerDate Mar<15>2010 17:13 Jan 25, 2013 Jkt 229001 Dated: January 22, 2013. Stephanie Valentine, Acting Director, Information Collection Clearance Division, Privacy, Information and Records Management Services, Office of Management. [FR Doc. 2013–01604 Filed 1–25–13; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000–01–P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. EL13–41–000] Occidental Chemical Corporation v. Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc.; Notice of Complaint and Petition for Declaratory Order Take notice that on January 17, 2013, pursuant to section 206 and 306 of the Federal Power Act (FPA), 16 U.S.C. 824e, and 825e (2012) and Rules 206 and 207(a)(2) of the Rules of Practice and Procedure of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or Commission); 18 CFR 385.206 and 18 CFR 385.207(a)(2) (2012), Occidental Chemical Corporation (Complainant) filed (1) a formal complaint against Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc. (Respondent or MISO), alleging that the MISO QF Integration Plan is unlawful, in violation of FPA sections 205 and 206, as well as, violates the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA) and the Commission’s implementing regulations and (2) a petition for declaratory order requesting that the Commission direct MISO to permit qualifying facilities (QFs) to register for and participate in its markets without forgoing their statutory rights under PURPA and FERC’s implementing regulations and find that the MISO QF Integration Plan is invalid and cannot be implemented by MISO because it has not been filed with FERC pursuant to section 205 of the FPA. Any person desiring to intervene or to protest this filing must file in accordance with Rules 211 and 214 of the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.211, 385.214). Protests 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. Any person wishing to become a party must file a notice of intervention or motion to intervene, as appropriate. The Respondent’s answer and all interventions, or protests must be filed on or before the comment date. The Respondent’s answer, motions to PO 00000 Frm 00024 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 intervene, and protests must be served on the Complainants. The Commission encourages electronic submission of protests and interventions 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 or intervention 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 email notification when a document is added to a subscribed docket(s). For assistance with any FERC Online service, please email FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov, or call (866) 208–3676 (toll free). For TTY, call (202) 502–8659. Comment Date: 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on February 14, 2013. Dated: January 18, 2013. Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary. [FR Doc. 2013–01611 Filed 1–25–13; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717–01–P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. PF13–2–000] Northern Natural Gas Company; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Planned West Leg 2014 Expansion Project, Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of Onsite Environmental Review 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 planned West Leg 2014 Expansion Project (Project) involving construction and operation of facilities by Northern Natural Gas Company (Northern) in Dakota and Dodge Counties, Nebraska and Woodbury County, Iowa. 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. E:\FR\FM\28JAN1.SGM 28JAN1 tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 18 / Monday, January 28, 2013 / Notices Your input will help the Commission staff determine what issues they need to evaluate in the EA. Please note that the scoping period will close on February 28, 2013. Further details on how to submit written comments are in the Public Participation section of this notice. Environmental staff from the Commission’s Office of Energy Projects will be in the Project area to attend Northern’s open houses for the Project (February 4–6, 2013) and to conduct an onsite environmental review on February 6, 2013. FERC staff, accompanied by Northern representatives, will view the planned pipeline route from public access points (primarily road crossings), visit locations for aboveground facilities, and gather data for its environmental analysis of the planned project. Interested parties may attend and should plan to provide their own transportation. Those attending should meet Commission staff at the following location and time: Wednesday, February 6, 2013, at 9:00 a.m. CST, American Legion Hall, 901 Topaz Drive, Sergeant Bluff, Iowa 51054. The site review will begin with project facilities in Iowa, and continue west into Nebraska. FERC staff expects the site review will take approximately two hours to complete. 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 planned 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 planned 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. 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 (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. VerDate Mar<15>2010 17:13 Jan 25, 2013 Jkt 229001 Summary of the Planned Project Northern plans to construct the following facilities to meet customer requests for 90,430 dekatherms per day of natural gas: • Approximately 6 miles of 20-inchdiameter pipeline, referred to as ‘‘New Greenfield Branch Line’’ from Dakota County, Nebraska to Woodbury County, Iowa; • Two compressor stations, the Homer Compressor Station in Dakota County, Nebraska and the Fremont Compressor Station in Dodge County, Nebraska; • A new metering station in Woodbury County, Iowa; • A 0.4-mile tie-over between two pipelines and a valve site in Woodbury County, Iowa; and • Minor modifications to existing facilities in Ellsworth, Ottawa and Otoe Counties, Kansas and Woodbury and Cherokee Counties, Iowa. The general location of the Project facilities is shown in Appendix 1.1 Land Requirements for Construction Construction of the planned facilities would temporarily disturb about 215 acres of land for construction of the aboveground facilities and the pipeline. Following construction, Northern would maintain about 49 acres for permanent operation of the Project facilities. The remaining 166 acres disturbed by construction 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 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 1 The appendices referenced in this notice will not appear in the Federal Register. Copies of the 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. 2 ‘‘We,’’ ‘‘us,’’ and ‘‘our’’ refer to the environmental staff of the Commission’s Office of Energy Projects. PO 00000 Frm 00025 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 5795 filed comments 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; • Cultural resources; • Vegetation and wildlife; • Air quality and noise; • Endangered and threatened species; • Public safety; and • Cumulative impacts. 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 the FERC receives an application. 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. 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 we make 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 5. With this notice, we are asking agencies with jurisdiction by law and/ or special expertise with respect to the environmental issues related to 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. Currently, the following agencies have expressed their 3 The Council on Environmental Quality regulations addressing cooperating agency responsibilities are at Title 40, Code of Federal Regulations, § 1501.6. E:\FR\FM\28JAN1.SGM 28JAN1 5796 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 18 / Monday, January 28, 2013 / Notices intention to participate as a cooperating agency in the preparation of the EA: • Nebraska Game and Parks Commission; • Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship; • U.S. Army Corp of Engineers— Omaha District; and • Natural Resource Conservation Service. 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.4 We will define the project-specific Area of Potential Effects (APE) in consultation with the SHPO(s) 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. tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with 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 the Commission receives them in Washington, DC on or before February 28, 2013. 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 (PF13–2–000) with your submission. The Commission encourages electronic filing of comments and has expert staff available 4 The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation 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. VerDate Mar<15>2010 17:13 Jan 25, 2013 Jkt 229001 to assist you at (202) 502–8258 or efiling@ferc.gov. (1) You can file your comments electronically using the eComment feature located on the Commission’s Web site (www.ferc.gov) under the link to Documents and Filings. This is an easy method for interested persons to submit brief, text-only comments on a project; (2) You can file your comments electronically using the eFiling feature located on the Commission’s Web site (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 must select the type of filing you are making. If you are filing a comment on a particular project, please select ‘‘Comment on a Filing’’; or (3) You can file a paper copy of your comments by mailing them to 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 we publish and distribute the EA, 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 Northern files its application with the Commission, you may want to PO 00000 Frm 00026 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 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 located under the ‘‘For Citizens’’ link on the Commission’s homepage, by clicking on ‘‘Get Involved’’. Please note that the Commission will not accept requests for intervenor status at this time. You must wait until the Commission receives a formal application for the project. 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 (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., PF13– 2). 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. Information about the onsite environmental review is posted on the Commission’s calendar located at www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/ EventsList.aspx along with other related information. 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/ esubscribenow.htm. Finally, Northern has posted additional information about the Project on a dedicated Web site at www.northernnaturalgas.com/ expansionprojects. From the drop-down menu, select ‘‘West Leg 2014’’. Northern may be contacted directly at 1–888– 367–6671 or by email at westleg2014expansion@nngco.com. E:\FR\FM\28JAN1.SGM 28JAN1 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 18 / Monday, January 28, 2013 / Notices Dated: January 18, 2013. Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY [FR Doc. 2013–01608 Filed 1–25–13; 8:45 am] Federal Energy Regulatory Commission BILLING CODE 6717–01–P [Project No. 7186–047] Missisquoi Associates; Notice of Application for Amendment of License and Soliciting Comments, Motions To Intervene, and Protests DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. Rm11–12–000] Availability of e-Tag Information to Commission Staff; Notice Specifying webRegistry Code In Order No. 771,1 the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission amended its regulations to grant the Commission access, on a non-public and ongoing basis, to the complete electronic tags (eTags) used to schedule the transmission of electric power interchange transactions in wholesale markets. Order No. 771 requires e-Tag Authors (through their Agent Service) and Balancing Authorities (through their Authority Service), beginning March 15, 2013, to take appropriate steps to ensure Commission access to the e-Tags covered by this Final Rule by designating the Commission as an addressee on the e-Tags. In Order No. 771, the Commission stated that, ‘‘following issuance of this Final Rule and the Commission’s registration in the OATI webRegistry, the Commission will issue a notice specifying which entity code should be used to ensure that the Commission is an addressee on the e-Tag’’ (fn. 103). Although the Commission has not completed the registration process, the Commission intends to facilitate the continued development of compliance software and processes by issuing this notice to specify that ‘‘FERC’’ will be the likely entity and tag codes registered in the Purchasing-Seller Entity section of OATI webRegistry. This code should be used to designate the Commission as an addressee to comply with 18 CFR 366.2(d) of the Commissions regulations. As stated in footnote 103 of the Final Rule, the Commission will issue a further notice at the completion of the registration process. Dated: January 18, 2013. Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary. tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with [FR Doc. 2013–01612 Filed 1–25–13; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717–01–P 1 Availability of E-Tag Information to Commission Staff, 77 FR 76367 (Dec. 28. 2012), 141 FERC ¶ 61,235 (2012) (FR). VerDate Mar<15>2010 17:13 Jan 25, 2013 Jkt 229001 Take notice that the following hydroelectric application has been filed with the Commission and is available for public inspection: a. Application Type: Non-project use of project lands and waters. b. Project No: 7186–047. c. Date Filed: August 31, 2012, and supplemented December 19, 2012, and January 17, 2013. d. Applicant: Missisquoi Associates. e. Name of Project: Sheldon Springs Hydroelectric Project. f. Location: Franklin County, Vermont. g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act, 16 U.S.C. 791a–825r. h. Applicant Contact: Kevin Webb, Hydro Licensing Manager, Missisquoi Associates, One Tech Drive, Suite 220, Andover, MA, 01810, (978) 681–1900 ext. 809. i. FERC Contact: Mark Carter, (678) 245–3083, mark.carter@ferc.gov. j. Deadline for filing comments, motions to intervene, and protests: February 4, 2013. All documents may be filed electronically via the Internet. See, 18 CFR 385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions on the Commission’s Web site at https://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/ efiling.asp. Commenters can submit brief comments up to 6,000 characters, without prior registration, using the eComment system at https:// www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/ ecomment.asp. You must include your name and contact information at the end of your comments. For assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or toll free at 1–866–208–3676, or for TTY, (202) 502–8659. Although the Commission strongly encourages electronic filing, documents may also be paper-filed. To paper-file, mail an original and seven copies to: Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Washington, DC 20426. Please include the project number (P–7186–047) on any comments or motions filed. The Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure require all intervenors filing documents with the Commission to serve a copy of that document on each person whose name appears on the PO 00000 Frm 00027 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 5797 official service list for the project. Further, if an intervenor files comments or documents with the Commission relating to the merits of an issue that may affect the responsibilities of a particular resource agency, they must also serve a copy of the document on that resource agency. k. Description of Application: Missisquoi Associates requests Commission approval to allow its affiliate, EGP Solar 1, LLC, to construct and maintain a 2.2 megawatt solar photovoltaic system on approximately 12 acres of land within the project boundary of the Sheldon Springs project. The solar array would be constructed on both sides of Heather Lane (the project’s access road), but public access through the site on Heather Lane would remain unobstructed. The majority of the area proposed to be used for the solar array is currently devoid of trees, although some grading and tree cutting is proposed. l. Locations of the Application: A copy of the application is available for inspection and reproduction at the Commission’s Public Reference Room, located at 888 First Street NE., Room 2A, Washington, DC 20426, or by calling (202) 502–8371. This filing may also be viewed on the Commission’s Web site at https://www.ferc.gov using the ‘‘eLibrary’’ link. Enter the docket number excluding the last three digits in the docket number field (P–7186) to access the document. You may also register online at https://www.ferc.gov/ docs-filing/esubscription.asp to be notified via email of new filings and issuances related to this or other pending projects. For assistance, call 1– 866–208–3676 or email FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov, for TTY, call (202) 502–8659. A copy is also available for inspection and reproduction at the address in item (h) above. m. Individuals desiring to be included on the Commission’s mailing list should so indicate by writing to the Secretary of the Commission. n. Comments, Protests, or Motions to Intervene: Anyone may submit comments, a protest, or a motion to intervene in accordance with the requirements of Rules of Practice and Procedure, 18 CFR 385.210, .211, .214, respectively. In determining the appropriate action to take, the Commission will consider all protests or other comments filed, but only those who file a motion to intervene in accordance with the Commission’s Rules may become a party to the proceeding. Any comments, protests, or motions to intervene must be received E:\FR\FM\28JAN1.SGM 28JAN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 18 (Monday, January 28, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5794-5797]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-01608]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. PF13-2-000]


Northern Natural Gas Company; Notice of Intent To Prepare an 
Environmental Assessment for the Planned West Leg 2014 Expansion 
Project, Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of 
Onsite Environmental Review

    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 planned West Leg 2014 
Expansion Project (Project) involving construction and operation of 
facilities by Northern Natural Gas Company (Northern) in Dakota and 
Dodge Counties, Nebraska and Woodbury County, Iowa. 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.

[[Page 5795]]

Your input will help the Commission staff determine what issues they 
need to evaluate in the EA. Please note that the scoping period will 
close on February 28, 2013. Further details on how to submit written 
comments are in the Public Participation section of this notice.
    Environmental staff from the Commission's Office of Energy Projects 
will be in the Project area to attend Northern's open houses for the 
Project (February 4-6, 2013) and to conduct an onsite environmental 
review on February 6, 2013. FERC staff, accompanied by Northern 
representatives, will view the planned pipeline route from public 
access points (primarily road crossings), visit locations for 
aboveground facilities, and gather data for its environmental analysis 
of the planned project. Interested parties may attend and should plan 
to provide their own transportation. Those attending should meet 
Commission staff at the following location and time: Wednesday, 
February 6, 2013, at 9:00 a.m. CST, American Legion Hall, 901 Topaz 
Drive, Sergeant Bluff, Iowa 51054.
    The site review will begin with project facilities in Iowa, and 
continue west into Nebraska. FERC staff expects the site review will 
take approximately two hours to complete.
    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 planned 
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 planned 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.
    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 (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

    Northern plans to construct the following facilities to meet 
customer requests for 90,430 dekatherms per day of natural gas:
     Approximately 6 miles of 20-inch-diameter pipeline, 
referred to as ``New Greenfield Branch Line'' from Dakota County, 
Nebraska to Woodbury County, Iowa;
     Two compressor stations, the Homer Compressor Station in 
Dakota County, Nebraska and the Fremont Compressor Station in Dodge 
County, Nebraska;
     A new metering station in Woodbury County, Iowa;
     A 0.4-mile tie-over between two pipelines and a valve site 
in Woodbury County, Iowa; and
     Minor modifications to existing facilities in Ellsworth, 
Ottawa and Otoe Counties, Kansas and Woodbury and Cherokee Counties, 
Iowa.
    The general location of the Project facilities is shown in Appendix 
1.\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ The appendices referenced in this notice will not appear in 
the Federal Register. Copies of the 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 planned facilities would temporarily disturb 
about 215 acres of land for construction of the aboveground facilities 
and the pipeline. Following construction, Northern would maintain about 
49 acres for permanent operation of the Project facilities. The 
remaining 166 acres disturbed by construction 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 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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \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;
     Cultural resources;
     Vegetation and wildlife;
     Air quality and noise;
     Endangered and threatened species;
     Public safety; and
     Cumulative impacts.
    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 
the FERC receives an application. 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.
    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 we make 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 5.
    With this notice, we are asking agencies with jurisdiction by law 
and/or special expertise with respect to the environmental issues 
related to 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. Currently, the following agencies have expressed their

[[Page 5796]]

intention to participate as a cooperating agency in the preparation of 
the EA:
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    \3\ The Council on Environmental Quality regulations addressing 
cooperating agency responsibilities are at Title 40, Code of Federal 
Regulations, Sec.  1501.6.
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     Nebraska Game and Parks Commission;
     Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship;
     U.S. Army Corp of Engineers--Omaha District; and
     Natural Resource Conservation Service.

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.\4\ We will define the project-specific Area of Potential 
Effects (APE) in consultation with the SHPO(s) 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 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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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 the Commission receives them in Washington, DC on or before 
February 28, 2013.
    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 (PF13-2-000) with your submission. The Commission 
encourages electronic filing of comments and has expert staff available 
to assist you at (202) 502-8258 or efiling@ferc.gov.
    (1) You can file your comments electronically using the eComment 
feature located on the Commission's Web site (www.ferc.gov) under the 
link to Documents and Filings. This is an easy method for interested 
persons to submit brief, text-only comments on a project;
    (2) You can file your comments electronically using the eFiling 
feature located on the Commission's Web site (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 must select the type of filing you are making. If 
you are filing a comment on a particular project, please select 
``Comment on a Filing''; or
    (3) You can file a paper copy of your comments by mailing them to 
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 we publish and distribute the EA, 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 Northern 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 
located under the ``For Citizens'' link on the Commission's homepage, 
by clicking on ``Get Involved''. Please note that the Commission will 
not accept requests for intervenor status at this time. You must wait 
until the Commission receives a formal application for the project.

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 (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., PF13-
2). 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. Information about the onsite environmental 
review is posted on the Commission's calendar located at www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/EventsList.aspx along with other related information.
    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/esubscribenow.htm.
    Finally, Northern has posted additional information about the 
Project on a dedicated Web site at www.northernnaturalgas.com/expansionprojects. From the drop-down menu, select ``West Leg 2014''. 
Northern may be contacted directly at 1-888-367-6671 or by email at 
westleg2014expansion@nngco.com.


[[Page 5797]]


    Dated: January 18, 2013.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2013-01608 Filed 1-25-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
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