CenterPoint Energy Gas Transmission Company, LLC; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Planned Central Arkansas Pipeline Enhancement Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, 33401-33403 [2013-13154]
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tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 107 / Tuesday, June 4, 2013 / Notices
of Natural Resources on the East Fork
White River in Lawrence County,
Indiana. No federal lands are occupied
by the project works or located within
the project boundary.
g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power
Act, 16 U.S.C. 791 (a)–825(r)
h. Applicant Contact: Ramya
Swaminathan, Chief Operating Officer,
Free Flow Power Corporation, 239
Causeway Street, Suite 300, Boston, MA
02114; or at (978) 283–2822.
Daniel Lissner, General Counsel, Free
Flow Power Corporation, 239 Causeway
Street, Suite 300, Boston, MA 02114; or
at (978) 283–2822.
Alan Topalian, Regulatory Attorney,
Free Flow Power Corporation, 239
Causeway Street, Suite 300, Boston, MA
02114; or at (978) 283–2822.
i. FERC Contact: Aaron Liberty at
(202) 502–6862 or by email at
Aaron.Liberty@ferc.gov.
j. The Scoping Document (SD) issued
on April 26, 2013, specified May 27,
2013, as the deadline for filing scoping
comments for the Williams Dam Water
Power Project. The deadline for filing
SD comments is being extended for a
30-day period from the issuance date of
this notice. Therefore, the revised
deadline for filing SD comments is: June
28, 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 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 five copies to: Kimberly D.
Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street
NE., Washington, DC 20426.
The Commission’s Rules of Practice
and Procedures require all intervenors
filing documents with the Commission
to serve a copy of that document on
each person on the 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.
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18:33 Jun 03, 2013
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k. This application is not ready for
environmental analysis at this time.
l. The proposed Williams Dam Water
Power Project would be located in
Lawrence County, Indiana at the
existing Williams dam on the East Fork
White River. The 21.3-foot-high, 294foot-long Williams dam is currently
owned by the Indiana Department of
Natural Resources and impounds a 553acre reservoir at a normal pool elevation
of 472.2 North American Vertical Datum
of 1988 (NAVD 88). In addition to the
dam, proposed project facilities would
include: (1) An 80-foot-long, 21.5-foothigh, 100-foot-wide intake structure
with trashracks having 3-inch clear bar
spacing; (2) a 126-foot-long, 81-footwide powerhouse integral to the dam;
(3) four turbine-generator units with a
combined installed capacity of 4.0
megawatts; (4) a 40-foot by 40-foot
substation; (5) a 265-foot-long, threephase, 12.5-kilovolt overhead
transmission line connecting the
project’s substation to local utility
distribution lines; and (6) other
appurtenant facilities.
The proposed project would operate
in a run-of-river mode and the water
surface elevation of the impoundment
would be maintained at the existing
normal pool elevation (crest of the dam
spillway) or above. The average annual
generation would be about 17,850
megawatt-hours.
m. A copy of the application is
available for review at the Commission
in the Public Reference Room or may 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 to access the
document. For assistance, contact FERC
Online Support. A copy is also available
for inspection and reproduction at the
address in item h above.
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, contact FERC Online
Support.
n. Scoping Process:
The Commission staff intends to
prepare a single Environmental
Assessment (EA) for the Williams
Dam Water Power Project in accordance
with the National Environmental Policy
Act. The EA will consider both sitespecific and cumulative environmental
impacts and reasonable alternatives to
the proposed action.
Commission staff does not propose to
conduct any on-site scoping meetings at
this time. Instead, we are soliciting
comments, recommendations, and
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33401
information, on the SD issued on April
26, 2013.
Copies of the SD outlining the subject
areas to be addressed in the EA were
distributed to the parties on the
Commission’s mailing list and the
applicant’s distribution list. Copies of
the SD may be viewed on the web at
https://www.ferc.gov using the
‘‘eLibrary’’ link. Enter the docket
number, excluding the last three digits
in the docket number field to access the
document. For assistance, call 1–866–
208–3676 or for TTY, (202) 502–8659.
Dated: May 29, 2013..
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2013–13153 Filed 6–3–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[ Docket No. PF13–10–000]
CenterPoint Energy Gas Transmission
Company, LLC; Notice of Intent To
Prepare an Environmental Assessment
for the Planned Central Arkansas
Pipeline Enhancement Project and
Request for Comments on
Environmental Issues
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 Central Arkansas Pipeline
Enhancement Project involving
construction or abandonment of
facilities by CenterPoint Energy Gas
Transmission Company, LLC (CEGT) in
Pulaski and Faulkner Counties,
Arkansas. 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 June 28,
2013. Further details on how to submit
written comments are provided in the
Public Participation section of this
notice.
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
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04JNN1
33402
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 107 / Tuesday, June 4, 2013 / Notices
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
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 (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
CEGT is proposing the construction of
approximately 28.5 miles of 12-inchdiameter natural gas pipeline and
ancillary facilities in Pulaski and
Faulkner Counties, Arkansas. The
proposed pipeline would be constructed
primarily on new right-of-way and
would provide replacement
transmission service for a portion of two
existing CEGT pipelines, one of which
would be transferred to a distribution
affiliate (Line BT–14) and the other
would be abandoned in place (Line B).
The two existing pipelines to be
abandoned/transferred are located in
areas that have experienced substantial
residential and commercial
development since they were
constructed. No new capacity is being
proposed as part of this project.
The project would consist of the
following facilities:
• 28.5 miles of new 12-inch-diameter
natural gas pipeline (Line BT–39)
extending from an interconnect north of
State Highway 64 in Faulkner County to
CEGT’s existing Oak Grove Town
Border Station in Pulaski County;
• 230 feet of 4-inch-diameter natural
gas pipeline (Line BT–40) lateral
extending from a tap on the proposed
Line BT–39 to a new meter station along
James Road;
• 1,400 feet of 4-inch-diameter
natural gas pipeline (Line BT–41)
extending from a tap on the proposed
Line BT–39 to the existing Morgan
Town Border Station; and
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18:33 Jun 03, 2013
Jkt 229001
• the installation or expansion of
metering facilities and appurtenances
related to the new proposed pipelines.
In addition, the project would
abandon in-place 21.7 miles of CEGT’s
existing 10-inch-diameter Line B
pipeline; 1,024 feet of its existing 6inch-diameter Line BT–19; 567 feet of
its existing 6-inch-diameter Line BM–1;
and 2,000 feet of its existing 4-inchdiameter Line BM–21.
The general location of the project
facilities is shown in appendix 1.1
Land Requirements for Construction
Construction would require a total of
349.9 acres of which approximately
142.7 acres would be retained as new,
permanent easement associated with
operation of the planned replacement
pipeline, aboveground facilities, and
permanent access roads. The remaining
207.2 acres would be allowed to revert
to pre-construction conditions and use
following construction.
The EA Process
The National Environmental Policy
Act (NEPA) requires the Commission to
take into account the environmental
impacts that could result from an action
whenever it considers the issuance of a
Certificate of Public Convenience and
Necessity. NEPA also requires us 2 to
discover and address concerns the
public may have about proposals. This
process is referred to as scoping. The
main goal of the scoping process is to
focus the analysis in the EA on the
important environmental issues. By this
notice, the Commission requests public
comments on the scope of the issues to
address in the EA. All comments
received will be considered during the
preparation of the EA.
In the EA we will discuss impacts that
could occur as a result of the
construction and operation of the
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;
and
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.
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• 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.
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 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.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.
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
Arkansas State Historic Preservation
Office, 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
3 The Council on Environmental Quality
regulations addressing cooperating agency
responsibilities are at Title 40, Code of Federal
Regulations, § 1501.6.
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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Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 107 / Tuesday, June 4, 2013 / Notices
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
project-specific Area of Potential Effects
(APE) in consultation with the State
Historic Preservation Office 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.
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 June 28,
2013. This is not your only public input
opportunity; please refer to the
Environmental Review Process
Flowchart in appendix 2.
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 (PF13–10–000) 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 Quick
Comment feature, which is located at
www.ferc.gov under the link called
‘‘Documents and Filings’’. A Quick
Comment is an easy method for
interested persons to submit text-only
comments on a project;
(2) You may file your comments
electronically by using the ‘‘eFiling’’
feature that is listed under the
‘‘Documents and Filings’’ link. eFiling
involves preparing your submission in
the same manner as you would if filing
on paper, and then saving the file on
your computer’s hard drive. You will
attach that file to your submission. New
eFiling users must first create an
account by clicking on the links called
‘‘Sign up’’ or ‘‘eRegister’’. You will be
asked to select the type of filing you are
making. A comment on a particular
project is considered a ‘‘Comment on a
Filing’’; or
(3) You may file a paper copy of your
comments at the following address:
VerDate Mar<15>2010
18:33 Jun 03, 2013
Jkt 229001
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 3).
Becoming an Intervenor
Once CEGT 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 (www.ferc.gov) using the eLibrary
link. Click on the eLibrary link, click on
‘‘General Search’’ and enter the docket
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33403
number, excluding the last three digits
in the Docket Number field (i.e., PF13–
10). 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, public meetings or site visits
will be posted on the Commission’s
calendar located at www.ferc.gov/
EventCalendar/EventsList.aspx along
with other related information.
Dated: May 29, 2013..
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2013–13154 Filed 6–3–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. PF13–5–000]
Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line
Company, LLC; Notice of Intent To
Prepare an Environmental Assessment
for the Planned Leidy Southeast
Expansion Project, Request for
Comments on Environmental Issues,
and Notice of Public Scoping Meetings
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 Leidy Southeast Expansion Project
involving construction and operation of
facilities by Transcontinental Gas Pipe
Line Company, LLC (Transco) in
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland,
Virginia, and North Carolina. 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\04JNN1.SGM
04JNN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 107 (Tuesday, June 4, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33401-33403]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-13154]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[ Docket No. PF13-10-000]
CenterPoint Energy Gas Transmission Company, LLC; Notice of
Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Planned Central
Arkansas Pipeline Enhancement Project and Request for Comments on
Environmental Issues
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 Central Arkansas Pipeline
Enhancement Project involving construction or abandonment of facilities
by CenterPoint Energy Gas Transmission Company, LLC (CEGT) in Pulaski
and Faulkner Counties, Arkansas. 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 June 28, 2013. Further details on how
to submit written comments are provided in the Public Participation
section of this notice.
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
[[Page 33402]]
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 (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
CEGT is proposing the construction of approximately 28.5 miles of
12-inch-diameter natural gas pipeline and ancillary facilities in
Pulaski and Faulkner Counties, Arkansas. The proposed pipeline would be
constructed primarily on new right-of-way and would provide replacement
transmission service for a portion of two existing CEGT pipelines, one
of which would be transferred to a distribution affiliate (Line BT-14)
and the other would be abandoned in place (Line B). The two existing
pipelines to be abandoned/transferred are located in areas that have
experienced substantial residential and commercial development since
they were constructed. No new capacity is being proposed as part of
this project.
The project would consist of the following facilities:
28.5 miles of new 12-inch-diameter natural gas pipeline
(Line BT-39) extending from an interconnect north of State Highway 64
in Faulkner County to CEGT's existing Oak Grove Town Border Station in
Pulaski County;
230 feet of 4-inch-diameter natural gas pipeline (Line BT-
40) lateral extending from a tap on the proposed Line BT-39 to a new
meter station along James Road;
1,400 feet of 4-inch-diameter natural gas pipeline (Line
BT-41) extending from a tap on the proposed Line BT-39 to the existing
Morgan Town Border Station; and
the installation or expansion of metering facilities and
appurtenances related to the new proposed pipelines.
In addition, the project would abandon in-place 21.7 miles of
CEGT's existing 10-inch-diameter Line B pipeline; 1,024 feet of its
existing 6-inch-diameter Line BT-19; 567 feet of its existing 6-inch-
diameter Line BM-1; and 2,000 feet of its existing 4-inch-diameter Line
BM-21.
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
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 would require a total of 349.9 acres of which
approximately 142.7 acres would be retained as new, permanent easement
associated with operation of the planned replacement pipeline,
aboveground facilities, and permanent access roads. The remaining 207.2
acres would be allowed to revert to pre-construction conditions and use
following construction.
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;
cultural resources;
vegetation and wildlife;
air quality and noise;
endangered and threatened species; 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.
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 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.\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, Sec. 1501.6.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 Arkansas State Historic Preservation Office, 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
[[Page 33403]]
project-specific Area of Potential Effects (APE) in consultation with
the State Historic Preservation Office 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 they will be received in Washington, DC on or before June 28,
2013. This is not your only public input opportunity; please refer to
the Environmental Review Process Flowchart in appendix 2.
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 (PF13-10-000) 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 Quick
Comment feature, which is located at www.ferc.gov under the link called
``Documents and Filings''. A Quick Comment is an easy method for
interested persons to submit text-only comments on a project;
(2) You may file your comments electronically by using the
``eFiling'' feature that is listed under the ``Documents and Filings''
link. eFiling involves preparing your submission in the same manner as
you would if filing on paper, and then saving the file on your
computer's hard drive. You will attach that file to your submission.
New eFiling users must first create an account by clicking on the links
called ``Sign up'' or ``eRegister''. You will be asked to select the
type of filing you are making. A comment on a particular project is
considered a ``Comment on a Filing''; or
(3) You may file a paper copy of your comments at the following
address: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, 888 First Street NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426.
Environmental Mailing List
The environmental mailing list includes federal, state, and local
government representatives and agencies; elected officials;
environmental and public interest groups; Native American Tribes; other
interested parties; and local 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 3).
Becoming an Intervenor
Once CEGT 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 (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-
10). 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, public meetings or site visits will be posted on the
Commission's calendar located at www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/EventsList.aspx along with other related information.
Dated: May 29, 2013..
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2013-13154 Filed 6-3-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P