Texas Eastern Transmission, LP; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Emerald Longwall Mine Project Amendment and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, 28707-28709 [2014-11465]
Download as PDF
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 96 / Monday, May 19, 2014 / Notices
Applicants: K Road Modesto Solar
LLC.
Description: K Road Modesto Solar
LLC Notice of Change in Status to be
effective 5/10/2014.
Filed Date: 5/9/14.
Accession Number: 20140509–5134.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. e.t. 5/30/14.
Docket Numbers: ER14–1937–000.
Applicants: Southwest Power Pool,
Inc.
Description: Arkansas Electric
Cooperative Corp NITSA NOA to be
effective 6/1/2014.
Filed Date: 5/9/14.
Accession Number: 20140509–5167.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. e.t. 5/30/14.
Docket Numbers: ER14–1938–000.
Applicants: Southwest Power Pool,
Inc.
Description: 1518R7 Arkansas Electric
Cooperative Corp NITSA NOA to be
effective 6/1/2014.
Filed Date: 5/9/14.
Accession Number: 20140509–5178.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. e.t. 5/30/14.
Take notice that the Commission
received the following electric securities
filings:
Docket Numbers: ES14–32–000.
Applicants: American Transmission
Company LLC,ATC Management Inc.
Description: Amendment to April 1,
2014 Application under Section 204 of
the Federal Power Act for Authorization
to Issue Securities of American
Transmission Company LLC, et al.
Filed Date: 5/9/14.
Accession Number: 20140509–5157.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. e.t. 5/19/14.
The filings are accessible in the
Commission’s eLibrary system by
clicking on the links or querying the
docket number.
Any person desiring to intervene or
protest in any of the above proceedings
must file in accordance with Rules 211
and 214 of the Commission’s
Regulations (18 CFR 385.211 and
385.214) on or before 5:00 p.m. Eastern
time on the specified comment date.
Protests may be considered, but
intervention is necessary to become a
party to the proceeding.
eFiling is encouraged. More detailed
information relating to filing
requirements, interventions, protests,
service, and qualifying facilities filings
can be found at: https://www.ferc.gov/
docs-filing/efiling/filing-req.pdf. For
other information, call (866) 208–3676
(toll free). For TTY, call (202) 502–8659.
Dated: May 9, 2014.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2014–11464 Filed 5–16–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
VerDate Mar<15>2010
17:17 May 16, 2014
Jkt 232001
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. CP14–4–001]
Texas Eastern Transmission, LP;
Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Assessment for the
Proposed Emerald Longwall Mine
Project Amendment 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 Emerald Longwall Mine Project
Amendment in Docket No. CP14–4–001
(project). The project involves the
excavation, abandonment, replacement,
temporary elevation, and reburial of
pipeline facilities currently operated by
Texas Eastern Transmission, LP (Texas
Eastern) in Greene County,
Pennsylvania to facilitate the
underground mining of coal. 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.
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 June 11,
2014.
You may submit comments in written
form. The details on how to submit
written comments are 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 should
notify their constituents of the proposed
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 a temporary easement
to abandon, replace, elevate and
monitor the proposed activities. 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.
PO 00000
Frm 00037
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
28707
Texas Eastern provided landowners
with a fact sheet prepared by the FERC
entitled ‘‘An Interstate Natural Gas
Facility On My Land? What Do I Need
To Know?’’ This fact sheet addresses a
number of typically-asked questions,
including the use of eminent domain
and how to participate in the
Commission’s proceedings. It is also
available for viewing on the FERC Web
site (www.ferc.gov).
Summary of the Proposed Project
Texas Eastern Transmission, LP is
seeking authorization from the FERC
pursuant to Sections 7(b) and 7(c) of the
Natural Gas Act for the project, which
includes work to be performed for the
planned longwall coal mining activities
of Emerald Coal Resources, LP
(Emerald) in Panel D2. The mining
mitigation for the adjacent Panel D1was
previously approved on January 29,
2014 in the Commission’s Order Issuing
Certificate and Approving
Abandonment. Texas Eastern designed
the project to ensure the safe and
efficient operation of its existing
pipeline facilities at their certificated
design capacities during the planned
longwall mining activities which
include mining coal below the pipelines
and then allowing the mine roof to
collapse after removing the mine braces.
Texas Eastern proposes to excavate
and elevate sections of Lines 2, 10, 15,
and 25 totaling about 15,195 feet in
length over Emerald’s Panel D2 to
monitor and mitigate potential strains
and stresses on these pipeline sections.
Texas Eastern would also replace with
like-diameter pipeline the excavated
segments of Lines 10, 15, and 25 during
pipe elevation. A 1,010-foot-long section
of Line 2 would also be replaced in a
new alignment within the existing rightof-way following ground subsidence to
facilitate work in the vicinity of the
North Porter Street crossing and to
minimize waterbody crossing impacts.
Additionally, a 5-foot-long segment of
previously idled Line 1 would be
abandoned by removal to prevent the
pipeline from buckling under the road
during ground subsidence.
The four mainline segments at each
mine would remain elevated using
sandbags and skids for about 2 years
until the longwall mining activities have
been completed and the area is allowed
time to settle. During the actual
subsidence event, all segments would be
monitored with strain gauges, and
adjustments to sandbags and skids
would be made, as necessary, to
minimize pipeline stresses. After
mining and allowing for a settlement
period, the pipelines would be reburied
E:\FR\FM\19MYN1.SGM
19MYN1
28708
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 96 / Monday, May 19, 2014 / Notices
within Texas Eastern’s existing
easements.
The general location of the project
facilities is shown in appendix 1.1
Land Requirements for Construction
The project would disturb about 45.6
acres of land for the excavation,
abandonment, replacement, elevation,
and reburial at the Emerald mine, most
of which consists of existing previously
disturbed easements. The acreages
include permanent and temporary
construction right-of-way, access roads,
and wareyard. Following pipeline
reburial and restoration, Texas Eastern
would continue to maintain its existing
22.7 acres of easement at the Emerald
mine for the continued permanent
operation of its pipelines; the remaining
acreage would be restored and allowed
to revert to former uses.
The EA Process
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
The National Environmental Policy
Act (NEPA) requires the Commission to
take into account the environmental
impacts that could result from an action
whenever it considers the issuance of a
Certificate of Public Convenience and
Necessity. NEPA also requires us 2 to
discover and address concerns the
public may have about proposals. This
process is referred to as ‘‘scoping.’’ The
main goal of the scoping process is to
focus the analysis in the EA on the
important environmental issues. By this
notice, the Commission requests public
comments on the scope of the issues to
address in the EA. We will consider all
filed comments during the preparation
of the EA.
In the EA we will discuss impacts that
could occur as a result of the
excavation, abandonment, replacement,
temporary elevation, and reburial of
Texas Eastern’s existing pipeline
facilities 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.
1 The appendices referenced in this notice will
not appear 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.
VerDate Mar<15>2010
17:17 May 16, 2014
Jkt 232001
We will also evaluate reasonable
alternatives to the proposed project or
portions of the project, and make
recommendations on how to lessen or
avoid impacts on the various resource
areas.
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 making 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 of 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.
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 State Historic Preservation
Office (SHPO), 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 as
the project develops. On natural gas
facility project, 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
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’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.
PO 00000
Frm 00038
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
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 the Commission receives them in
Washington, DC on or before June 11,
2014.
For your convenience, there are three
methods which you can use to submit
your comments to the Commission. In
all instances please reference the
appropriate project docket number
(CP14–4–001) 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 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
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
E:\FR\FM\19MYN1.SGM
19MYN1
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 96 / Monday, May 19, 2014 / Notices
28709
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.
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Dated: May 12, 2014.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
Rising Tree Wind Farm II LLC;
Supplemental Notice That Initial
Market-Based Rate Filing Includes
Request for Blanket Section 204
Authorization
Becoming an Intervenor
In addition to involvement in the EA
scoping process, you may want to
become an ‘‘intervenor’’ which is an
official party to the Commission’s
proceeding. Intervenors play a more
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.
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
project purposes, or who own homes
within certain distances of aboveground
facilities, and anyone who submits
comments on the project. We will
update the environmental mailing list as
the analysis proceeds to ensure that we
send the information related to this
environmental review to all individuals,
organizations, and government entities
interested in and/or potentially affected
by the proposed project.
If 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).
Grand River Dam Authority; Notice of
Environmental Site Review
Additional Information
Additional information about the
project is available from the
Commission’s Office of External Affairs,
at (866) 208–FERC, or on the FERC Web
site at 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., CP14–4). Be sure you have
selected an appropriate date range. For
assistance, please contact FERC Online
Support at FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov
or toll free at (866) 208–3676, or for
TTY, contact (202) 502–8659. The
eLibrary link also provides access to the
texts of formal documents issued by the
Commission, such as orders, notices,
and rulemakings.
In addition, the Commission now
offers a free service called eSubscription
which allows you to keep track of all
formal issuances and submittals in
specific dockets. This can reduce the
amount of time you spend researching
proceedings by automatically providing
you with notification of these filings,
document summaries, and direct links
to the documents. Go to www.ferc.gov/
docs-filing/esubscription.asp.
VerDate Mar<15>2010
17:17 May 16, 2014
Jkt 232001
[FR Doc. 2014–11465 Filed 5–16–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Project No. 2524–021]
On June 11, 2014, Commission staff
will hold an environmental site review
for the Salina Pumped Storage
Hydroelectric Project No. 2524–021. The
project is located on the Saline Creek
arm of Lake Hudson in the Grand River
basin in Mayes County, Oklahoma. 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.
The site review will take place on
Wednesday, June 11, 2014 at 10 a.m.
c.s.t. at the project. The specific meeting
place is TBD and will be provided to all
registrants ahead of the site review.
All participants planning to attend the
site visit should RSVP to Jacklyn Jaggars
of the GRDA at jjaggars@grda.com or
(918) 256–0723 by Friday, June 6, 2014.
If you have any questions, please
contact either Stephen Bowler at (202)
502–6861 or via email at
stephen.bowler@ferc.gov or Jeanne
Edwards at (202) 502–6181 or via email
at jeanne.edwards@ferc.gov.
Dated: May 12, 2014.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2014–11469 Filed 5–16–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
PO 00000
Frm 00039
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. ER14–1935–000]
This is a supplemental notice in the
above-referenced proceeding of Rising
Tree Wind Farm II LLC’s application for
market-based rate authority, with an
accompanying rate tariff, noting that
such application includes a request for
blanket authorization, under 18 CFR
Part 34, of future issuances of securities
and assumptions of liability.
Any person desiring to intervene or to
protest should file with the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission, 888
First Street NE., Washington, DC 20426,
in accordance with Rules 211 and 214
of the Commission’s Rules of Practice
and Procedure (18 CFR 385.211 and
385.214). Anyone filing a motion to
intervene or protest must serve a copy
of that document on the Applicant.
Notice is hereby given that the
deadline for filing protests with regard
to the applicant’s request for blanket
authorization, under 18 CFR Part 34, of
future issuances of securities and
assumptions of liability, is June 2, 2014.
The Commission encourages
electronic submission of protests and
interventions in lieu of paper, using the
FERC Online links at https://
www.ferc.gov. To facilitate electronic
service, persons with Internet access
who will eFile a document and/or be
listed as a contact for an intervenor
must create and validate an
eRegistration account using the
eRegistration link. Select the eFiling
link to log on and submit the
intervention or protests.
Persons unable to file electronically
should submit an original and 5 copies
of the intervention or protest to the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
888 First Street NE., Washington, DC
20426.
The filings in the above-referenced
proceeding are accessible in the
Commission’s eLibrary system by
clicking on the appropriate link in the
above list. They are also available for
review in the Commission’s Public
Reference Room in Washington, DC.
There is an eSubscription link on the
Web site that enables subscribers to
receive email notification when a
document is added to a subscribed
docket(s). For assistance with any FERC
Online service, please email
E:\FR\FM\19MYN1.SGM
19MYN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 96 (Monday, May 19, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28707-28709]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-11465]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP14-4-001]
Texas Eastern Transmission, LP; Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Emerald Longwall Mine Project
Amendment 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 Emerald Longwall Mine Project
Amendment in Docket No. CP14-4-001 (project). The project involves the
excavation, abandonment, replacement, temporary elevation, and reburial
of pipeline facilities currently operated by Texas Eastern
Transmission, LP (Texas Eastern) in Greene County, Pennsylvania to
facilitate the underground mining of coal. 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. 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 June 11, 2014.
You may submit comments in written form. The details on how to
submit written comments are 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 should notify their constituents of the proposed
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 a temporary
easement to abandon, replace, elevate and monitor the proposed
activities. 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.
Texas Eastern provided landowners with a fact sheet prepared by the
FERC entitled ``An Interstate Natural Gas Facility On My Land? What Do
I Need To Know?'' This fact sheet addresses a number of typically-asked
questions, including the use of eminent domain and how to participate
in the Commission's proceedings. It is also available for viewing on
the FERC Web site (www.ferc.gov).
Summary of the Proposed Project
Texas Eastern Transmission, LP is seeking authorization from the
FERC pursuant to Sections 7(b) and 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act for the
project, which includes work to be performed for the planned longwall
coal mining activities of Emerald Coal Resources, LP (Emerald) in Panel
D2. The mining mitigation for the adjacent Panel D1was previously
approved on January 29, 2014 in the Commission's Order Issuing
Certificate and Approving Abandonment. Texas Eastern designed the
project to ensure the safe and efficient operation of its existing
pipeline facilities at their certificated design capacities during the
planned longwall mining activities which include mining coal below the
pipelines and then allowing the mine roof to collapse after removing
the mine braces.
Texas Eastern proposes to excavate and elevate sections of Lines 2,
10, 15, and 25 totaling about 15,195 feet in length over Emerald's
Panel D2 to monitor and mitigate potential strains and stresses on
these pipeline sections. Texas Eastern would also replace with like-
diameter pipeline the excavated segments of Lines 10, 15, and 25 during
pipe elevation. A 1,010-foot-long section of Line 2 would also be
replaced in a new alignment within the existing right-of-way following
ground subsidence to facilitate work in the vicinity of the North
Porter Street crossing and to minimize waterbody crossing impacts.
Additionally, a 5-foot-long segment of previously idled Line 1 would be
abandoned by removal to prevent the pipeline from buckling under the
road during ground subsidence.
The four mainline segments at each mine would remain elevated using
sandbags and skids for about 2 years until the longwall mining
activities have been completed and the area is allowed time to settle.
During the actual subsidence event, all segments would be monitored
with strain gauges, and adjustments to sandbags and skids would be
made, as necessary, to minimize pipeline stresses. After mining and
allowing for a settlement period, the pipelines would be reburied
[[Page 28708]]
within Texas Eastern's existing easements.
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 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
The project would disturb about 45.6 acres of land for the
excavation, abandonment, replacement, elevation, and reburial at the
Emerald mine, most of which consists of existing previously disturbed
easements. The acreages include permanent and temporary construction
right-of-way, access roads, and wareyard. Following pipeline reburial
and restoration, Texas Eastern would continue to maintain its existing
22.7 acres of easement at the Emerald mine for the continued permanent
operation of its pipelines; the remaining acreage would be restored and
allowed to revert to former uses.
The EA Process
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires the
Commission to take into account the environmental impacts that could
result from an action whenever it considers the issuance of a
Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity. NEPA also requires us
\2\ to discover and address concerns the public may have about
proposals. This process is referred to as ``scoping.'' The main goal of
the scoping process is to focus the analysis in the EA on the important
environmental issues. By this notice, the Commission requests public
comments on the scope of the issues to address in the EA. 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 excavation, abandonment, replacement, temporary elevation, and
reburial of Texas Eastern's existing pipeline facilities 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 reasonable alternatives to the proposed
project or portions of the project, and make recommendations on how to
lessen or avoid impacts on the various resource areas.
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 making 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 of
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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\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 Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), 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 as the project
develops. On natural gas facility project, 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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\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 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 June
11, 2014.
For your convenience, there are three methods which you can use to
submit your comments to the Commission. In all instances please
reference the appropriate project docket number (CP14-4-001) 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 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 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
[[Page 28709]]
project purposes, or who own homes within certain distances of
aboveground facilities, and anyone who submits comments on the project.
We will update the environmental mailing list as the analysis proceeds
to ensure that we send the information related to this environmental
review to all individuals, organizations, and government entities
interested in and/or potentially affected by the proposed project.
If 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
In addition to involvement in the EA scoping process, you may want
to become an ``intervenor'' which is an official party to the
Commission's proceeding. Intervenors play a more 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 at 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., CP14-
4). Be sure you have selected an appropriate date range. For
assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at
FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or toll free at (866) 208-3676, or for TTY,
contact (202) 502-8659. The eLibrary link also provides access to the
texts of formal documents issued by the Commission, such as orders,
notices, and rulemakings.
In addition, the Commission now offers a free service called
eSubscription which allows you to keep track of all formal issuances
and submittals in specific dockets. This can reduce the amount of time
you spend researching proceedings by automatically providing you with
notification of these filings, document summaries, and direct links to
the documents. Go to www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/esubscription.asp.
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 12, 2014.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2014-11465 Filed 5-16-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P