Transcontinental Gas Pipeline Company, LLC; Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Northeast Connector Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, 26354-26356 [2013-10613]

Download as PDF 26354 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 87 / Monday, May 6, 2013 / Notices mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES receives them in Washington, DC on or before May 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 (CP13–96–000) 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 proposed Project. Copies of the EA will be sent to the environmental mailing list for public review and comment. If you would prefer to receive a paper copy of the VerDate Mar<15>2010 17:06 May 03, 2013 Jkt 229001 document instead of the CD version or would like to remove your name from the mailing list, please return the attached Information Request (Appendix 3). DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Becoming an Intervenor Transcontinental Gas Pipeline Company, LLC; Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Northeast Connector Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues You may want to become an ‘‘intervenor’’ which is an official party to the Commission’s proceeding. Intervenors play a more formal role in the process and are able to file briefs, appear at hearings, and be heard by the courts if they choose to appeal the Commission’s final ruling. An intervenor formally participates in the proceeding by filing a request to intervene. Instructions for becoming an intervenor are in the 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 (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., CP13– 96). 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 www.ferc.gov/ esubscribenow.htm. More information about the Project may also be found on Gulf South’s Web site https:// www.gulfsouthpl.com/ ExpansionProjects.aspx?id=1589. Dated: April 26, 2013. Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary. [FR Doc. 2013–10612 Filed 5–3–13; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717–01–P PO 00000 Frm 00039 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket Nos. CP13–132–000; CP13–36–000] The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or Commission) will discuss the potential environmental effects of the Northeast Connector Project, involving construction and operation of natural gas facilities by Transcontinental Gas Pipeline Company, LLC (Transco), in the Commission’s environmental impact statement (EIS) currently under preparation for the Rockaway Delivery Lateral Project (Rockaway Project) in Docket No. CP13–36–000. Under the proposed Northeast Connector Project, Transco would modify three existing compressor stations located in York County, Pennsylvania and Mercer and Middlesex Counties, New Jersey to deliver an additional 100,000 dekatherms per day of natural gas into the New York City region. 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. The additional service proposed in the Northeast Connector Project would utilize transportation on Transco’s proposed Rockaway Project, a 3.2-milelong pipeline in Queens and Kings Counties, New York. The Commission approved Transco’s request to begin the pre-filing review process for the Rockaway Project on March 25, 2009. Commission staff previously held a scoping period for the Rockaway Project from May 25, 2012 through June 25, 2012. Transco filed an application for the Rockaway Project on January 7, 2013. Because the Northeast Connector Project is operationally dependent on the Rockaway Project to provide the intended service, and the two projects have similar projected construction and in-service dates, the Commission staff will evaluate the two projects jointly in the EIS. This EIS will be used by the Commission in its decision-making process to determine whether the Rockaway and Northeast Connector Projects are in the public convenience and necessity. Comments on the Northeast Connector Project may be submitted to the FERC either electronically or by mail. Further details on how to submit E:\FR\FM\06MYN1.SGM 06MYN1 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 87 / Monday, May 6, 2013 / Notices comments are provided in the Public Participation section of this notice. Please note that the scoping period for the Northeast Connector Project will close on May 27, 2013. This notice is being sent to the Commission’s current environmental mailing list for both the Rockaway and Northeast Connector Projects. State and local government representatives are asked to notify their constituents of the Northeast Connector Project and encourage them to comment on their areas of concern. This scoping period is established to receive comments on the Northeast Connector Project, and comments previously filed with the FERC regarding the Rockaway Project should not be refiled under the Northeast Connector Project docket. mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES Summary of the Proposed Northeast Connector Project The Northeast Connector Project would be constructed on lands owned by Transco within existing compressor station sites. No other landowners would be directly affected by the Northeast Connector Project facilities. Transco proposes to: • Add an incremental 6,540 horsepower (hp) of compression at its existing Compressor Station 195 in York County, Pennsylvania by: installing a new 35 kilovolt substation, variable frequency drive building, and associated coolers; replacing three existing natural gas-fired reciprocating engines and appurtenant facilities with two new electric motor drives; modifying the existing compressor units to be driven by the new electric motors; and modifying station piping and valves; • Add an incremental 5,000 hp of compression at its existing Compressor Station 205 in Mercer County, New Jersey by uprating two existing electric motor drives and modifying the associated compressor units; and • Add an incremental 5,400 hp of compression at its existing Compressor Station 207 in Middlesex County, New Jersey by uprating two existing electric motor drives and modifying associated gearboxes. The modifications to the compressor stations would allow Transco to deliver an additional 100,000 dekatherms per day of natural gas to Brooklyn Union Gas Company, doing business as National Grid New York via an interconnect between Transco’s existing Lower New York Bay Lateral and the proposed Rockaway Project. Overview and site-specific maps depicting the location of the proposed Northeast VerDate Mar<15>2010 17:06 May 03, 2013 Jkt 229001 Connector Project are provided in Appendix 1.1 Land Requirements for Construction Construction of the Northeast Connector facilities would disturb a total of 25.2 acres of land within the existing yard at Compressor Station 195, which is owned by Transco. Construction activities at Compressor Stations 205 and 207 would occur within the existing compressor buildings at these sites and would not disturb any additional land. The EIS 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 proposed projects. This process is referred to as scoping. The main goal of the scoping process is to focus the analysis in the EIS on important environmental issues. By this notice, the Commission requests public comments on the scope of issues associated with the Northeast Connector Project to address in the EIS. We will consider all filed comments during the preparation of the EIS. In the EIS, we will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of the construction and operation of the Northeast Connector Project under these general headings: • geology; • soils; • water resources; • vegetation; • wildlife and aquatic resources; • fisheries and aquatic resources; • threatened, endangered, and other special-status species; • land use, recreation, special interest areas, and visual resources; • socioeconomics; • cultural resources; • air quality and noise; • reliability and safety; and • cumulative environmental impacts. We will also evaluate possible alternatives to the proposed project or portions of the project, and make 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 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 00040 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 26355 recommendations on how to lessen or avoid impacts on the various resource areas. The FERC staff is in the process of preparing an EIS for the Rockaway Project. Five other agencies are participating as cooperating agencies in the preparation of this EIS: the National Park Service, Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Marine Fisheries Service, and New York City Mayor’s Office of Environmental Coordination. With this notice, we are asking other agencies with jurisdiction by law and/or special expertise with respect to environmental issues related to the Northeast Connector Project to formally cooperate with us in the preparation of the EIS.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. The EIS will present our independent analysis of the issues. We will publish and distribute the draft EIS for public comment. After the comment period, we will consider all timely comments and revise the document, as necessary, before issuing a final EIS. To ensure we have the opportunity to consider and address your comments, please carefully follow the instructions in the Public Participation section below. Consultations Under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act In accordance with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation’s implementing regulations for Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, we are using this notice to initiate consultation with the Pennsylvania and New Jersey State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPOs), 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 The EIS will document our findings on the impacts on historic properties and summarize the status of consultations under Section 106. We note that Transco has signed categorical exclusions with both the Pennsylvania and New Jersey SHPOs exempting work 3 The Council on Environmental Quality regulations addressing cooperating agency responsibilities are at Title 40, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 1501.6. 4 The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation’s regulations are at Title 36, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 800. Those regulations define historic properties as any prehistoric or historic district, site, building, structure, or object included in or eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places. E:\FR\FM\06MYN1.SGM 06MYN1 26356 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 87 / Monday, May 6, 2013 / Notices activities within existing facilities from further review by the SHPOs. mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES Public Participation You can make a difference by providing us with your specific comments or concerns about the Northeast Connector 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 May 27, 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 (CP13–132–000) 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 for both the VerDate Mar<15>2010 17:06 May 03, 2013 Jkt 229001 Northeast Connector and Rockaway Projects, including those 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. Copies of the completed draft EIS 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 a CD version or would like to remove your name from the mailing list, please return the attached Information Request (appendix 2). If you previously sent the Commission an ‘‘Information Request’’ for the Rockaway Project, you do not need to resubmit your request. Becoming an Intervenor You may want to become an ‘‘intervenor’’, which is an official party to the Commission’s proceeding on a project. 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 ‘‘For Citizens’’ section of the Commission’s Web site, under the ‘‘Get Involved’’ link (https://www.ferc.gov/for-citizens/getinvolved.asp). Additional Information Additional information about the project is available from the Commission’s Office of External Affairs, at (866) 208–FERC, or on the FERC 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., CP13– 132). 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 PO 00000 Frm 00041 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 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, Transco has established a toll-free phone number (1–866–455– 9103) so that parties can call them directly with questions about the project and an email support address (PipelineExpansion@williams.com). Dated: April 26, 2013. Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary. [FR Doc. 2013–10613 Filed 5–3–13; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717–01–P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Notice of Environmental Site Review York Haven Power Company, LLC. Exelon Generation Company, LLC. Exelon Generation Company, LLC. Project No. 1888–030. Project No. 405–106. Project No. 2355–018. On May 21, 22, and 23, 2013, Commission staff will hold an environmental site review for the Susquehanna River Projects, including the York Haven Project (FERC No. 1888–030), the Conowingo Hydroelectric Project (FERC No. 405– 106), and the Muddy Run Pumped Storage Project (FERC No. 2355–018). The projects are located on the Susquehanna River in York, Dauphin, and Lancaster counties, Pennsylvania, and Cecil and Hartford counties, Maryland. The purpose of the site review is to introduce the Commission’s contractor team to the project. All participants should be prepared to provide their own transportation. Schedule for the York Haven Hydroelectric Project Site Review Date and Time: Tuesday, May 21, 2013, 9:00 a.m. Location: York Haven Project, 1 Hydro Park Drive & Locust Street, York Haven, Pennsylvania 17370. All participants planning to attend the site visit should RSVP to Dave David at (717) 266–9475 or DDavid@yorkhavenpower.com. Schedule for the Conowingo Hydroelectric Project Site Review Date and Time: Wednesday, May 22, 2013, 10:00 a.m. Location: Conowingo Project, Conowingo Pavilion (next to Conowingo dam), 2569 Shures Landing Road, Darlington, Maryland 21034. E:\FR\FM\06MYN1.SGM 06MYN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 87 (Monday, May 6, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26354-26356]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-10613]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket Nos. CP13-132-000; CP13-36-000]


Transcontinental Gas Pipeline Company, LLC; Notice of Intent to 
Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Northeast 
Connector Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues

    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) will discuss the potential environmental effects of the 
Northeast Connector Project, involving construction and operation of 
natural gas facilities by Transcontinental Gas Pipeline Company, LLC 
(Transco), in the Commission's environmental impact statement (EIS) 
currently under preparation for the Rockaway Delivery Lateral Project 
(Rockaway Project) in Docket No. CP13-36-000. Under the proposed 
Northeast Connector Project, Transco would modify three existing 
compressor stations located in York County, Pennsylvania and Mercer and 
Middlesex Counties, New Jersey to deliver an additional 100,000 
dekatherms per day of natural gas into the New York City region. 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.
    The additional service proposed in the Northeast Connector Project 
would utilize transportation on Transco's proposed Rockaway Project, a 
3.2-mile-long pipeline in Queens and Kings Counties, New York. The 
Commission approved Transco's request to begin the pre-filing review 
process for the Rockaway Project on March 25, 2009. Commission staff 
previously held a scoping period for the Rockaway Project from May 25, 
2012 through June 25, 2012. Transco filed an application for the 
Rockaway Project on January 7, 2013. Because the Northeast Connector 
Project is operationally dependent on the Rockaway Project to provide 
the intended service, and the two projects have similar projected 
construction and in-service dates, the Commission staff will evaluate 
the two projects jointly in the EIS. This EIS will be used by the 
Commission in its decision-making process to determine whether the 
Rockaway and Northeast Connector Projects are in the public convenience 
and necessity.
    Comments on the Northeast Connector Project may be submitted to the 
FERC either electronically or by mail. Further details on how to submit

[[Page 26355]]

comments are provided in the Public Participation section of this 
notice. Please note that the scoping period for the Northeast Connector 
Project will close on May 27, 2013.
    This notice is being sent to the Commission's current environmental 
mailing list for both the Rockaway and Northeast Connector Projects. 
State and local government representatives are asked to notify their 
constituents of the Northeast Connector Project and encourage them to 
comment on their areas of concern. This scoping period is established 
to receive comments on the Northeast Connector Project, and comments 
previously filed with the FERC regarding the Rockaway Project should 
not be refiled under the Northeast Connector Project docket.

Summary of the Proposed Northeast Connector Project

    The Northeast Connector Project would be constructed on lands owned 
by Transco within existing compressor station sites. No other 
landowners would be directly affected by the Northeast Connector 
Project facilities.
    Transco proposes to:
     Add an incremental 6,540 horsepower (hp) of compression at 
its existing Compressor Station 195 in York County, Pennsylvania by: 
installing a new 35 kilovolt substation, variable frequency drive 
building, and associated coolers; replacing three existing natural gas-
fired reciprocating engines and appurtenant facilities with two new 
electric motor drives; modifying the existing compressor units to be 
driven by the new electric motors; and modifying station piping and 
valves;
     Add an incremental 5,000 hp of compression at its existing 
Compressor Station 205 in Mercer County, New Jersey by uprating two 
existing electric motor drives and modifying the associated compressor 
units; and
     Add an incremental 5,400 hp of compression at its existing 
Compressor Station 207 in Middlesex County, New Jersey by uprating two 
existing electric motor drives and modifying associated gearboxes.
    The modifications to the compressor stations would allow Transco to 
deliver an additional 100,000 dekatherms per day of natural gas to 
Brooklyn Union Gas Company, doing business as National Grid New York 
via an interconnect between Transco's existing Lower New York Bay 
Lateral and the proposed Rockaway Project. Overview and site-specific 
maps depicting the location of the proposed Northeast Connector Project 
are provided 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 
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 Northeast Connector facilities would disturb a 
total of 25.2 acres of land within the existing yard at Compressor 
Station 195, which is owned by Transco. Construction activities at 
Compressor Stations 205 and 207 would occur within the existing 
compressor buildings at these sites and would not disturb any 
additional land.

The EIS 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 proposed 
projects. This process is referred to as scoping. The main goal of the 
scoping process is to focus the analysis in the EIS on important 
environmental issues. By this notice, the Commission requests public 
comments on the scope of issues associated with the Northeast Connector 
Project to address in the EIS. We will consider all filed comments 
during the preparation of the EIS.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ ``We,'' ``us,'' and ``our'' refer to the environmental staff 
of the Commission's Office of Energy Projects.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    In the EIS, we will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of 
the construction and operation of the Northeast Connector Project under 
these general headings:
     geology;
     soils;
     water resources;
     vegetation;
     wildlife and aquatic resources;
     fisheries and aquatic resources;
     threatened, endangered, and other special-status species;
     land use, recreation, special interest areas, and visual 
resources;
     socioeconomics;
     cultural resources;
     air quality and noise;
     reliability and safety; and
     cumulative environmental impacts.
    We will also evaluate possible alternatives to the proposed project 
or portions of the project, and make recommendations on how to lessen 
or avoid impacts on the various resource areas.
    The FERC staff is in the process of preparing an EIS for the 
Rockaway Project. Five other agencies are participating as cooperating 
agencies in the preparation of this EIS: the National Park Service, 
Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National 
Marine Fisheries Service, and New York City Mayor's Office of 
Environmental Coordination. With this notice, we are asking other 
agencies with jurisdiction by law and/or special expertise with respect 
to environmental issues related to the Northeast Connector Project to 
formally cooperate with us in the preparation of the EIS.\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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \3\ The Council on Environmental Quality regulations addressing 
cooperating agency responsibilities are at Title 40, Code of Federal 
Regulations, Part 1501.6.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The EIS will present our independent analysis of the issues. We 
will publish and distribute the draft EIS for public comment. After the 
comment period, we will consider all timely comments and revise the 
document, as necessary, before issuing a final EIS. To ensure we have 
the opportunity to consider and address your comments, please carefully 
follow the instructions in the Public Participation section below.

Consultations Under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation 
Act

    In accordance with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation's 
implementing regulations for Section 106 of the National Historic 
Preservation Act, we are using this notice to initiate consultation 
with the Pennsylvania and New Jersey State Historic Preservation 
Offices (SHPOs), 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\ The EIS will 
document our findings on the impacts on historic properties and 
summarize the status of consultations under Section 106. We note that 
Transco has signed categorical exclusions with both the Pennsylvania 
and New Jersey SHPOs exempting work

[[Page 26356]]

activities within existing facilities from further review by the SHPOs.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \4\ The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation's regulations 
are at Title 36, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 800. Those 
regulations define historic properties as any prehistoric or 
historic district, site, building, structure, or object included in 
or eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic 
Places.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Public Participation

    You can make a difference by providing us with your specific 
comments or concerns about the Northeast Connector 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 May 27, 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 (CP13-132-000) 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 for both the Northeast Connector and 
Rockaway Projects, including those 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.
    Copies of the completed draft EIS 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 a CD version or would 
like to remove your name from the mailing list, please return the 
attached Information Request (appendix 2). If you previously sent the 
Commission an ``Information Request'' for the Rockaway Project, you do 
not need to resubmit your request.

Becoming an Intervenor

    You may want to become an ``intervenor'', which is an official 
party to the Commission's proceeding on a project. 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 ``For Citizens'' section of the 
Commission's Web site, under the ``Get Involved'' link (https://www.ferc.gov/for-citizens/get-involved.asp).

Additional Information

    Additional information about the project is available from the 
Commission's Office of External Affairs, at (866) 208-FERC, or on the 
FERC 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., CP13-
132). 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 www.ferc.gov/esubscribenow.htm.
    Finally, Transco has established a toll-free phone number (1-866-
455-9103) so that parties can call them directly with questions about 
the project and an email support address 
(PipelineExpansion@williams.com).

    Dated: April 26, 2013.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2013-10613 Filed 5-3-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
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