Columbia Gas Transmission, LLC; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Planned WB Xpress Project, Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of Public Scoping Meeting, 45210-45213 [2015-18484]
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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 145 / Wednesday, July 29, 2015 / Notices
TABLE 1—CRITERIA FOR QUALIFYING CONDUIT HYDROPOWER FACILITY
Satisfies
(Y/N)
Statutory provision
Description
FPA 30(a)(3)(A), as amended by HREA ............
The conduit the facility uses a tunnel, canal, pipeline, aqueduct, flume, ditch, or
similar manmade water conveyance that is operated for the distribution of
water for agricultural, municipal, or industrial consumption and not primarily
for the generation of electricity.
The facility is constructed, operated, or maintained for the generation of electric
power and uses for such generation only the hydroelectric potential of a nonfederally owned conduit.
The facility has an installed capacity that does not exceed 5 megawatts.
On or before August 9, 2013, the facility is not licensed, or exempted from the
licensing requirements of Part I of the FPA.
FPA 30(a)(3)(C)(i), as amended by HREA .........
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FPA 30(a)(3)(C)(ii), as amended by HREA ........
FPA 30(a)(3)(C)(iii), as amended by HREA .......
Preliminary Determination: Based
upon the above criteria, Commission
staff preliminarily determines that the
proposal satisfies the requirements for a
qualifying conduit hydropower facility,
which is not required to be licensed or
exempted from licensing.
Comments and Motions to Intervene:
Deadline for filing comments contesting
whether the facility meets the qualifying
criteria is 45 days from the issuance
date of this notice.
Deadline for filing motions to
intervene is 30 days from the issuance
date of this notice.
Anyone may submit comments or a
motion to intervene in accordance with
the requirements of Rules of Practice
and Procedure, 18 CFR 385.210 and
385.214. Any motions to intervene must
be received on or before the specified
deadline date for the particular
proceeding.
Filing and Service of Responsive
Documents: All filings must (1) bear in
all capital letters the ‘‘COMMENTS
CONTESTING QUALIFICATION FOR A
CONDUIT HYDROPOWER FACILITY’’
or ‘‘MOTION TO INTERVENE,’’ as
applicable; (2) state in the heading the
name of the applicant and the project
number of the application to which the
filing responds; (3) state the name,
address, and telephone number of the
person filing; and (4) otherwise comply
with the requirements of sections
385.2001 through 385.2005 of the
Commission’s regulations.1 All
comments contesting Commission staff’s
preliminary determination that the
facility meets the qualifying criteria
must set forth their evidentiary basis.
The Commission strongly encourages
electronic filing. Please file motions to
intervene and comments using the
Commission’s eFiling system at https://
www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp.
Commenters can submit brief comments
up to 6,000 characters, without prior
registration, using the eComment system
at https://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/
1 18
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, (866)
208–3676 (toll free), or (202) 502–8659
(TTY). In lieu of electronic filing, please
send a paper copy to: Secretary, Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission, 888
First Street NE., Washington, DC 20426.
A copy of all other filings in reference
to this application must be accompanied
by proof of service on all persons listed
in the service list prepared by the
Commission in this proceeding, in
accordance with 18 CFR 4.34(b) and
385.2010.
Locations of Notice of Intent: Copies
of the notice of intent can be obtained
directly from the applicant or such
copies can be viewed and reproduced at
the Commission in its Public Reference
Room, Room 2A, 888 First Street NE.,
Washington, DC 20426. The filing may
also be viewed on the web at https://
www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/elibrary.asp
using the ‘‘eLibrary’’ link. Enter the
docket number (e.g., CD15–30–000) in
the docket number field to access the
document. For assistance, call toll-free
1–866–208–3676 or email
FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov. For TTY,
call (202) 502–8659.
Dated: July 22, 2015.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2015–18480 Filed 7–28–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
CFR 385.2001–2005 (2014).
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Y
Y
Y
Y
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. PF15–21–000]
Columbia Gas Transmission, LLC;
Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Assessment for the
Planned WB Xpress Project, Request
for Comments on Environmental
Issues, and Notice of Public Scoping
Meeting
The staff of the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) will prepare an
environmental assessment (EA) that will
discuss the environmental impacts of
the WB XPress Project involving
construction and operation of facilities
by Columbia Gas Transmission, LLC
(Columbia) in Kanawha, Grant, Upshur,
Randolph, Pendleton, Clay, Braxton,
and Hardy Counties, West Virginia and
Fairfax, Shenandoah, Warren, Clark,
Fauquier, and Loudoun Counties,
Virginia. 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.
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. Your
input will help the Commission staff
determine what issues they need to
evaluate in the EA. 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 August 24,
2015.
If you sent comments on this project
to the Commission before the opening of
this docket on April 1, 2015, you will
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need to file those comments in Docket
No. PF15–21–000 to ensure they are
considered as part of this proceeding.
This notice is being sent to the
Commission’s current environmental
mailing list for this project. State and
local government representatives should
notify their constituents of this planned
project and encourage them to comment
on their areas of concern.
If you are a landowner receiving this
notice, a pipeline company
representative may contact you about
the acquisition of an easement to
construct, operate, and maintain the
planned facilities. The company would
seek to negotiate a mutually acceptable
agreement. However, if the Commission
approves the project, that approval
conveys with it the right of eminent
domain. Therefore, if easement
negotiations fail to produce an
agreement, the pipeline company could
initiate condemnation proceedings
where compensation would be
determined in accordance with state
law.
A fact sheet prepared by the FERC
entitled ‘‘An Interstate Natural Gas
Facility On My Land? What Do I Need
To Know?’’ is available for viewing on
the FERC Web site (www.ferc.gov). This
fact sheet addresses a number of
typically asked questions, including the
use of eminent domain and how to
participate in the Commission’s
proceedings.
Public Participation
For your convenience, there are four
methods you can use to submit your
comments to the Commission. The
Commission will provide equal
consideration to all comments received,
whether filed in written form or
provided verbally. The Commission
encourages electronic filing of
comments and has expert staff available
to assist you at (202) 502–8258 or
efiling@ferc.gov. Please carefully follow
these instructions so that your
comments are properly recorded.
(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 submitting brief, text-only
comments on a project;
(2) You can file your comments
electronically by 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.’’ If you are filing
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a comment on a particular project,
please select ‘‘Comment on a Filing’’ as
the filing type; or
(3) You can file a paper copy of your
comments by mailing them to the
following address. Be sure to reference
the project docket number (PF15–21–
000) with your submission: Kimberly D.
Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street
NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426.
(4) In lieu of sending written or
electronic comments, the Commission
invites you to attend the public scoping
meeting(s) its staff will conduct in the
project area, scheduled as follows.
FERC Public Scoping Meeting, WB
XPress Project, August 12, 2015, 7:00
p.m.–9:30 p.m., Virginia Run
Elementary School, 15450 Martins
Hundred Drive, Centreville, VA 20120
We 1 will begin our sign up of
speakers at 6:00 p.m. The scoping
meeting will begin at 7:00 p.m. with a
description of our environmental review
process by Commission staff, after
which speakers will be called. The
meeting will end once all speakers have
provided their comments or at 9:30
p.m., whichever comes first. Please note
that there may be a time limit of three
minutes to present comments, and
speakers should structure their
comments accordingly. If time limits are
implemented, they will be strictly
enforced to ensure that as many
individuals as possible are given an
opportunity to comment. The meetings
will be recorded by a stenographer to
ensure comments are accurately
recorded. Transcripts will be entered
into the formal record of the
Commission proceeding.
Columbia representatives will be
present one hour prior to the start of the
scoping meeting to provide additional
information about the project and
answer questions.
Please note this is not your only
public input opportunity; please refer to
the review process flow chart in
appendix 1.2
Summary of the Planned Project
Columbia plans to construct and
operate approximately 28.7 miles of
various diameter pipeline, perform
modifications to seven existing
1 ‘‘We,’’ ‘‘us,’’ and ‘‘our’’ refer to the
environmental staff of the Commission’s Office of
Energy Projects.
2 The appendices referenced in this notice will
not appear in the Federal Register. Copies of the
appendices were sent to all those receiving this
notice in the mail and are available at www.ferc.gov
using the link called ‘‘eLibrary’’ or from the
Commission’s Public Reference Room, 888 First
Street NE., Washington, DC 20426, or call (202)
502–8371. For instructions on connecting to
eLibrary, refer to the last page of this notice.
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compressor stations, construct two new
compressor stations, and uprate the
maximum allowable operation pressure
(MAOP) on various segments of the
existing WB and VB natural gas
transmission pipeline systems.
According to Columbia, its project
would expand the capacity of its
pipeline system by 1.3 billion cubic feet
per day to provide firm bi-directional
transportation service along Columbia’s
existing Line WB natural gas pipeline
system to meet growing market
demands in western West Virginia and
northern Virginia.
The WB XPress Project would consist
of the following facilities:
West Virginia
Aboveground Facilities
• One new West Virginia Compressor
Station: a new, natural gas-fired
compressor station at approximately MP
0.3 of the Line WB–5 Extension in
Kanawha County, West Virginia.
• Installation of new valve sites and
launcher/receiver facilities along Line
WB–5 in Kanawha, Grant and Clay
Counties, West Virginia.
• Modifications to increase
horsepower at four (4) existing
Compressor Stations including
Cleveland, Files Creek, Seneca, and Lost
River Compressor Stations in Upshur,
Randolph, Pendleton, and Hardy
Counties, West Virginia, respectively.
• Modifications to existing natural
gas pipeline appurtenances at the
Frametown Compressor Station in
Braxton County, West Virginia.
• Modifications to four existing Valve
Sites including Glady Valve Site in
Randolph County, West Virginia; Dink
Valve Site in Clay County, West
Virginia; Whitmer and Smokehole in
Pendleton County, West Virginia; and
one regulator station, Panther Mountain
Regulator Station, in Kanawha County,
West Virginia.
Pipeline Facilities
• Line WB–5 Extension: Installation
of approximately 0.3 mile of new 36inch-diameter natural gas transmission
pipeline from the planned new
Compressor Station to the Panther
Mountain Regulator Station in Kanawha
County, West Virginia.
• Line WB–22: Installation of
approximately 0.6 mile of new 36-inchdiameter natural gas transmission
pipeline from the proposed new West
Virginia Compressor Stations to the
Panther Regulator Station, ending at the
proposed WB–22 Receiver Site in
Kanawha County, West Virginia.
• Line WB: Generally lift and lay
replacement of approximately 25.3
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miles of 26-inch-diameter natural gas
transmission pipeline loop and
associated appurtenances in Randolph
and Pendleton Counties, West Virginia.
• Line WB: Replacement of 5
sections, totaling approximately 0.3
mile of 26-inch-diameter natural gas
transmission pipeline between
Mileposts (MP) 134.6 and 146.4 in
Pendleton, Grant, and Hardy Counties,
West Virginia.
• Line WB–5: Replacement of
approximately 1,185 feet (0.2 mile) of
36-inch-diameter natural gas
transmission pipeline between MP 4.5
and MP 4.7 in Grant County, West
Virginia.
MAOP Restoration
• Line WB–5: Incremental pressure
increase of approximately 72.4 miles of
the Line WB–5 Segment to restore this
segment to its originally certificated
MAOP of 1,000 square inch gauge (psig)
in Upshur, Randolph, Pendleton, Grant
and Hardy Counties, West Virginia.
Uprate Segments
• Line WB–6: Incremental pressure
increase of approximately 2.4 miles of
the Line WB–6 to 1,000 psig MAOP in
Randolph County, West Virginia.
• Line WB–5: Incremental pressure
increase of approximately 22.1 miles of
the Line WB–5 Segment to 1,000 psig in
Pendleton, Grant, and Hardy Counties,
West Virginia.
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Virginia
Aboveground Facilities
• One new, electric-driven
compressor station at approximately MP
0.0 of the proposed new Line VA–1 in
Fairfax County, Virginia.
• Installation of a receiver facility at
the end of the proposed Line VA–1, in
Fairfax County, Virginia.
• Modifications to increase
horsepower at the existing Strasburg
Compressor Station located in
Shenandoah County Virginia, in order
to increase capacity for the
transportation of additional volume
along Columbia’s Line VB natural gas
pipeline system.
• Modifications to existing natural
gas pipeline appurtenances at the
Loudoun Compressor Station in
Loudoun County, Virginia.
• Modifications to the existing Dysart
Valve Site, in Shenandoah County,
Virginia and one metering station,
Nineveh Meter Station, in Warren
County, Virginia.
Pipeline Facilities
• Line VA–1: installation of
approximately 2.0 miles of new 12-inchdiameter natural gas transmission
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pipeline and associated appurtenances
in Fairfax County, Virginia.
MAOP Restoration
• Line VB–5: Incremental pressure
increase of approximately 70.4 miles of
the Line VB–5 Segment to restore this
segment to its originally certificated
MAOP of 1,000 psig in Shenandoah,
Warren, Clark, Fauquier, and Loudoun
Counties, Virginia.
The general location of the project
facilities is shown in appendix 1.3
Land Requirements for Construction
Construction of the planned facilities
would disturb about 605.5 acres of land,
which includes 257.6 acres of existing
right-of-way, 36.3 acres of proposed new
permanent right-of-way, 97.1 acres of
existing fenced facilities, and 16.7 acres
of new proposed aboveground facilities
that would be retained for operational
activities. Approximately 311.6 acres of
temporary workspace, staging areas, and
access roads would be used temporarily
during construction and would revert
back to pre-construction conditions. The
entire planned pipeline route parallels
existing pipeline, utility, or road rightsof-way.
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 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
construction and operation of the
planned project under these general
headings:
• Geology and soils;
• land use;
• water resources, fisheries, and
wetlands;
• cultural resources;
3 The appendices referenced in this notice will
not appear in the Federal Register. Copies of the
appendices were sent to all those receiving this
notice in the mail and are available at www.ferc.gov
using the link called ‘‘eLibrary’’ or from the
Commission’s Public Reference Room, 888 First
Street NE., Washington, DC 20426, or call (202)
502–8371. For instructions on connecting to
eLibrary, refer to the last page of this notice.
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• vegetation and wildlife, including
migratory birds;
• air quality and noise;
• endangered and threatened species;
• public safety; and
• cumulative impacts.
We will also evaluate possible
alternatives to the planned project or
portions of the project, and make
recommendations on how to lessen or
avoid impacts on the various resource
areas.
Although no formal application has
been filed, we have already initiated our
NEPA review under the Commission’s
pre-filing process. The purpose of the
pre-filing process is to encourage early
involvement of interested stakeholders
and to identify and resolve issues before
the FERC receives an application. As
part of our pre-filing review, we have
begun to contact some federal and state
agencies to discuss their involvement in
the scoping process and the preparation
of the EA.
The EA will present our independent
analysis of the issues. The EA will be
available in the public record through
eLibrary. Depending on the comments
received during the scoping process, we
may also publish and distribute the EA
to the public for an allotted comment
period. We will consider all comments
on the EA before we make our
recommendations to the Commission.
To ensure we have the opportunity to
consider and address your comments,
please carefully follow the instructions
in the Public Participation section,
beginning on page 2.
With this notice, we are asking
agencies with jurisdiction by law and/
or special expertise with respect to the
environmental issues related to this
project to formally cooperate with us in
the preparation of the EA.4 Agencies
that would like to request cooperating
agency status should follow the
instructions for filing comments
provided under the Public Participation
section of this notice. Currently, the
U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, Virginia Department of
Historical Resources, Virginia
Department of Game and Inland
Fisheries, Virginia Department of
Conservation and Recreation, Virginia
Department of Environmental Quality,
West Virginia Department of
Environmental Protection, and West
Virginia Department of Natural
Resources have expressed their
intention to participate as a cooperating
4 The Council on Environmental Quality
regulations addressing cooperating agency
responsibilities are at Title 40, Code of Federal
Regulations, Part 1501.6.
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agency in the preparation of the EA to
satisfy their NEPA or other permitting
responsibilities related to this project.
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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
applicable State Historic Preservation
Office(s) (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.5 We will
define the project-specific Area of
Potential Effects (APE) in consultation
with the SHPO(s) as the project
develops. On natural gas facility
projects, the APE at a minimum
encompasses all areas subject to ground
disturbance (examples include
construction right-of-way, contractor/
pipe storage yards, compressor stations,
and access roads). Our EA for this
project will document our findings on
the impacts on historic properties and
summarize the status of consultations
under section 106.
Environmental Mailing List
The environmental mailing list
includes federal, state, and local
government representatives and
agencies; elected officials;
environmental and public interest
groups; Native American Tribes; other
interested parties; and local libraries
and newspapers. This list also includes
all affected landowners (as defined in
the Commission’s regulations) who are
potential right-of-way grantors, whose
property may be used temporarily for
project purposes, or who own homes
within certain distances of aboveground
facilities, and anyone who submits
comments on the project. We will
update the environmental mailing list as
the analysis proceeds to ensure that we
send the information related to this
environmental review to all individuals,
organizations, and government entities
interested in and/or potentially affected
by the planned project.
If we publish and distribute the EA,
copies will be sent to the environmental
mailing list for public review and
comment. If you would prefer to receive
a paper copy of the document instead of
5 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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the CD version or would like to remove
your name from the mailing list, please
return the attached Information Request
(appendix 2).
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Becoming an Intervenor
[Docket No. CP15–528–000]
Once Columbia 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 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 the Commission receives a
formal application for the project.
Equitrans, L.P.; Notice of Application
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., PF15–
21). 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/docsfiling/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: July 22, 2015.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2015–18484 Filed 7–28–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
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Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
Take notice that on July 10, 2015,
Equitrans, L.P. (Equitrans), having its
principal place of business at 625
Liberty Avenue, Suite 1700, Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania 15222, filed in the above
referenced docket an application
pursuant to sections 7(b) and 7(c) of the
Natural Gas Act (NGA), and Part 157 of
the Commission’s regulations requesting
authorization for the replacement of
existing segment located in Armstrong
and Indiana Counties, Pennsylvania (the
TP–371 Pipeline Replacement Project),
all as more fully set forth in the
application which is on file with the
Commission and open to public
inspection. The filing is available for
review at the Commission in the Public
Reference Room or may be viewed on
the Commission’s Web site 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, contact FERC
at FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or call
toll-free, (886) 208–3676 or TYY, (202)
502–8659.
Any questions concerning this
application may be directed to Matthew
Eggerding, Counsel—Midstream, EQT
Corporation, 625 Liberty Avenue, Suite
1700, Pittsburgh, PA 15222; by calling
(412) 553–5786; by faxing (412) 553–
7781; or by emailing MEggerding@
eqt.com.
Specifically, the applicant proposes to
replace approximately 21 miles of 12inch diameter pipe with 20-inch
diameter pipe and install a pig launcher
and receiver in order to improve system
integrity, reliability, and safety of the
TP–371 pipeline. The cost of the project
will be approximately $93.6 million,
and was included as part of the sales
agreement when Equitrans acquired the
TP–371 pipeline.
Pursuant to section 157.9 of the
Commission’s rules (18 CFR 157.9),
within 90 days of this Notice, the
Commission staff will either: Complete
its environmental assessment (EA) and
place it into the Commission’s public
record (eLibrary) for this proceeding; or
issue a Notice of Schedule for
Environmental Review. If a Notice of
Schedule for Environmental Review is
issued, it will indicate, among other
milestones, the anticipated date for the
Commission staff’s issuance of the final
environmental impact statement (FEIS)
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 145 (Wednesday, July 29, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45210-45213]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-18484]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. PF15-21-000]
Columbia Gas Transmission, LLC; Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Assessment for the Planned WB Xpress Project, Request for
Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of Public Scoping Meeting
The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) will prepare an environmental assessment (EA) that will
discuss the environmental impacts of the WB XPress Project involving
construction and operation of facilities by Columbia Gas Transmission,
LLC (Columbia) in Kanawha, Grant, Upshur, Randolph, Pendleton, Clay,
Braxton, and Hardy Counties, West Virginia and Fairfax, Shenandoah,
Warren, Clark, Fauquier, and Loudoun Counties, Virginia. 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. 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.
Your input will help the Commission staff determine what issues they
need to evaluate in the EA. 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 August 24, 2015.
If you sent comments on this project to the Commission before the
opening of this docket on April 1, 2015, you will
[[Page 45211]]
need to file those comments in Docket No. PF15-21-000 to ensure they
are considered as part of this proceeding.
This notice is being sent to the Commission's current environmental
mailing list for this project. State and local government
representatives should notify their constituents of this planned
project and encourage them to comment on their areas of concern.
If you are a landowner receiving this notice, a pipeline company
representative may contact you about the acquisition of an easement to
construct, operate, and maintain the planned facilities. The company
would seek to negotiate a mutually acceptable agreement. However, if
the Commission approves the project, that approval conveys with it the
right of eminent domain. Therefore, if easement negotiations fail to
produce an agreement, the pipeline company could initiate condemnation
proceedings where compensation would be determined in accordance with
state law.
A fact sheet prepared by the FERC entitled ``An Interstate Natural
Gas Facility On My Land? What Do I Need To Know?'' is available for
viewing on the FERC Web site (www.ferc.gov). This fact sheet addresses
a number of typically asked questions, including the use of eminent
domain and how to participate in the Commission's proceedings.
Public Participation
For your convenience, there are four methods you can use to submit
your comments to the Commission. The Commission will provide equal
consideration to all comments received, whether filed in written form
or provided verbally. The Commission encourages electronic filing of
comments and has expert staff available to assist you at (202) 502-8258
or efiling@ferc.gov. Please carefully follow these instructions so that
your comments are properly recorded.
(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 submitting brief,
text-only comments on a project;
(2) You can file your comments electronically by 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.'' If you are filing a comment on a particular project,
please select ``Comment on a Filing'' as the filing type; or
(3) You can file a paper copy of your comments by mailing them to
the following address. Be sure to reference the project docket number
(PF15-21-000) with your submission: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary,
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Room 1A,
Washington, DC 20426.
(4) In lieu of sending written or electronic comments, the
Commission invites you to attend the public scoping meeting(s) its
staff will conduct in the project area, scheduled as follows.
FERC Public Scoping Meeting, WB XPress Project, August 12, 2015, 7:00
p.m.-9:30 p.m., Virginia Run Elementary School, 15450 Martins Hundred
Drive, Centreville, VA 20120
We \1\ will begin our sign up of speakers at 6:00 p.m. The scoping
meeting will begin at 7:00 p.m. with a description of our environmental
review process by Commission staff, after which speakers will be
called. The meeting will end once all speakers have provided their
comments or at 9:30 p.m., whichever comes first. Please note that there
may be a time limit of three minutes to present comments, and speakers
should structure their comments accordingly. If time limits are
implemented, they will be strictly enforced to ensure that as many
individuals as possible are given an opportunity to comment. The
meetings will be recorded by a stenographer to ensure comments are
accurately recorded. Transcripts will be entered into the formal record
of the Commission proceeding.
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\1\ ``We,'' ``us,'' and ``our'' refer to the environmental staff
of the Commission's Office of Energy Projects.
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Columbia representatives will be present one hour prior to the
start of the scoping meeting to provide additional information about
the project and answer questions.
Please note this is not your only public input opportunity; please
refer to the review process flow chart in appendix 1.\2\
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\2\ The appendices referenced in this notice will not appear in
the Federal Register. Copies of the appendices were sent to all
those receiving this notice in the mail and are available at
www.ferc.gov using the link called ``eLibrary'' or from the
Commission's Public Reference Room, 888 First Street NE.,
Washington, DC 20426, or call (202) 502-8371. For instructions on
connecting to eLibrary, refer to the last page of this notice.
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Summary of the Planned Project
Columbia plans to construct and operate approximately 28.7 miles of
various diameter pipeline, perform modifications to seven existing
compressor stations, construct two new compressor stations, and uprate
the maximum allowable operation pressure (MAOP) on various segments of
the existing WB and VB natural gas transmission pipeline systems.
According to Columbia, its project would expand the capacity of its
pipeline system by 1.3 billion cubic feet per day to provide firm bi-
directional transportation service along Columbia's existing Line WB
natural gas pipeline system to meet growing market demands in western
West Virginia and northern Virginia.
The WB XPress Project would consist of the following facilities:
West Virginia
Aboveground Facilities
One new West Virginia Compressor Station: a new, natural
gas-fired compressor station at approximately MP 0.3 of the Line WB-5
Extension in Kanawha County, West Virginia.
Installation of new valve sites and launcher/receiver
facilities along Line WB-5 in Kanawha, Grant and Clay Counties, West
Virginia.
Modifications to increase horsepower at four (4) existing
Compressor Stations including Cleveland, Files Creek, Seneca, and Lost
River Compressor Stations in Upshur, Randolph, Pendleton, and Hardy
Counties, West Virginia, respectively.
Modifications to existing natural gas pipeline
appurtenances at the Frametown Compressor Station in Braxton County,
West Virginia.
Modifications to four existing Valve Sites including Glady
Valve Site in Randolph County, West Virginia; Dink Valve Site in Clay
County, West Virginia; Whitmer and Smokehole in Pendleton County, West
Virginia; and one regulator station, Panther Mountain Regulator
Station, in Kanawha County, West Virginia.
Pipeline Facilities
Line WB-5 Extension: Installation of approximately 0.3
mile of new 36-inch-diameter natural gas transmission pipeline from the
planned new Compressor Station to the Panther Mountain Regulator
Station in Kanawha County, West Virginia.
Line WB-22: Installation of approximately 0.6 mile of new
36-inch-diameter natural gas transmission pipeline from the proposed
new West Virginia Compressor Stations to the Panther Regulator Station,
ending at the proposed WB-22 Receiver Site in Kanawha County, West
Virginia.
Line WB: Generally lift and lay replacement of
approximately 25.3
[[Page 45212]]
miles of 26-inch-diameter natural gas transmission pipeline loop and
associated appurtenances in Randolph and Pendleton Counties, West
Virginia.
Line WB: Replacement of 5 sections, totaling approximately
0.3 mile of 26-inch-diameter natural gas transmission pipeline between
Mileposts (MP) 134.6 and 146.4 in Pendleton, Grant, and Hardy Counties,
West Virginia.
Line WB-5: Replacement of approximately 1,185 feet (0.2
mile) of 36-inch-diameter natural gas transmission pipeline between MP
4.5 and MP 4.7 in Grant County, West Virginia.
MAOP Restoration
Line WB-5: Incremental pressure increase of approximately
72.4 miles of the Line WB-5 Segment to restore this segment to its
originally certificated MAOP of 1,000 square inch gauge (psig) in
Upshur, Randolph, Pendleton, Grant and Hardy Counties, West Virginia.
Uprate Segments
Line WB-6: Incremental pressure increase of approximately
2.4 miles of the Line WB-6 to 1,000 psig MAOP in Randolph County, West
Virginia.
Line WB-5: Incremental pressure increase of approximately
22.1 miles of the Line WB-5 Segment to 1,000 psig in Pendleton, Grant,
and Hardy Counties, West Virginia.
Virginia
Aboveground Facilities
One new, electric-driven compressor station at
approximately MP 0.0 of the proposed new Line VA-1 in Fairfax County,
Virginia.
Installation of a receiver facility at the end of the
proposed Line VA-1, in Fairfax County, Virginia.
Modifications to increase horsepower at the existing
Strasburg Compressor Station located in Shenandoah County Virginia, in
order to increase capacity for the transportation of additional volume
along Columbia's Line VB natural gas pipeline system.
Modifications to existing natural gas pipeline
appurtenances at the Loudoun Compressor Station in Loudoun County,
Virginia.
Modifications to the existing Dysart Valve Site, in
Shenandoah County, Virginia and one metering station, Nineveh Meter
Station, in Warren County, Virginia.
Pipeline Facilities
Line VA-1: installation of approximately 2.0 miles of new
12-inch-diameter natural gas transmission pipeline and associated
appurtenances in Fairfax County, Virginia.
MAOP Restoration
Line VB-5: Incremental pressure increase of approximately
70.4 miles of the Line VB-5 Segment to restore this segment to its
originally certificated MAOP of 1,000 psig in Shenandoah, Warren,
Clark, Fauquier, and Loudoun Counties, Virginia.
The general location of the project facilities is shown in appendix
1.\3\
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\3\ The appendices referenced in this notice will not appear in
the Federal Register. Copies of the appendices were sent to all
those receiving this notice in the mail and are available at
www.ferc.gov using the link called ``eLibrary'' or from the
Commission's Public Reference Room, 888 First Street NE.,
Washington, DC 20426, or call (202) 502-8371. For instructions on
connecting to eLibrary, refer to the last page of this notice.
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Land Requirements for Construction
Construction of the planned facilities would disturb about 605.5
acres of land, which includes 257.6 acres of existing right-of-way,
36.3 acres of proposed new permanent right-of-way, 97.1 acres of
existing fenced facilities, and 16.7 acres of new proposed aboveground
facilities that would be retained for operational activities.
Approximately 311.6 acres of temporary workspace, staging areas, and
access roads would be used temporarily during construction and would
revert back to pre-construction conditions. The entire planned pipeline
route parallels existing pipeline, utility, or road rights-of-way.
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
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 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, including migratory birds;
air quality and noise;
endangered and threatened species;
public safety; and
cumulative impacts.
We will also evaluate possible alternatives to the planned project
or portions of the project, and make recommendations on how to lessen
or avoid impacts on the various resource areas.
Although no formal application has been filed, we have already
initiated our NEPA review under the Commission's pre-filing process.
The purpose of the pre-filing process is to encourage early involvement
of interested stakeholders and to identify and resolve issues before
the FERC receives an application. As part of our pre-filing review, we
have begun to contact some federal and state agencies to discuss their
involvement in the scoping process and the preparation of the EA.
The EA will present our independent analysis of the issues. The EA
will be available in the public record through eLibrary. Depending on
the comments received during the scoping process, we may also publish
and distribute the EA to the public for an allotted comment period. We
will consider all comments on the EA before we make our recommendations
to the Commission. To ensure we have the opportunity to consider and
address your comments, please carefully follow the instructions in the
Public Participation section, beginning on page 2.
With this notice, we are asking agencies with jurisdiction by law
and/or special expertise with respect to the environmental issues
related to this project to formally cooperate with us in the
preparation of the EA.\4\ Agencies that would like to request
cooperating agency status should follow the instructions for filing
comments provided under the Public Participation section of this
notice. Currently, the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Virginia Department of
Historical Resources, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries,
Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Virginia Department
of Environmental Quality, West Virginia Department of Environmental
Protection, and West Virginia Department of Natural Resources have
expressed their intention to participate as a cooperating
[[Page 45213]]
agency in the preparation of the EA to satisfy their NEPA or other
permitting responsibilities related to this project.
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\4\ The Council on Environmental Quality regulations addressing
cooperating agency responsibilities are at Title 40, Code of Federal
Regulations, Part 1501.6.
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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 applicable State Historic Preservation Office(s) (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.\5\ We will define the project-specific
Area of Potential Effects (APE) in consultation with the SHPO(s) as the
project develops. On natural gas facility projects, the APE at a
minimum encompasses all areas subject to ground disturbance (examples
include construction right-of-way, contractor/pipe storage yards,
compressor stations, and access roads). Our EA for this project will
document our findings on the impacts on historic properties and
summarize the status of consultations under section 106.
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\5\ 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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Environmental Mailing List
The environmental mailing list includes federal, state, and local
government representatives and agencies; elected officials;
environmental and public interest groups; Native American Tribes; other
interested parties; and local libraries and newspapers. This list also
includes all affected landowners (as defined in the Commission's
regulations) who are potential right-of-way grantors, whose property
may be used temporarily for project purposes, or who own homes within
certain distances of aboveground facilities, and anyone who submits
comments on the project. We will update the environmental mailing list
as the analysis proceeds to ensure that we send the information related
to this environmental review to all individuals, organizations, and
government entities interested in and/or potentially affected by the
planned project.
If we publish and distribute the EA, copies will be sent to the
environmental mailing list for public review and comment. If you would
prefer to receive a paper copy of the document instead of the CD
version or would like to remove your name from the mailing list, please
return the attached Information Request (appendix 2).
Becoming an Intervenor
Once Columbia 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 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 the Commission
receives a formal application for the project.
Additional Information
Additional information about the project is available from the
Commission's Office of External Affairs, at (866) 208-FERC, or on the
FERC Web site (www.ferc.gov) using the eLibrary link. Click on the
eLibrary link, click on ``General Search'' and enter the docket number,
excluding the last three digits in the Docket Number field (i.e., PF15-
21). 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/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: July 22, 2015.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2015-18484 Filed 7-28-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P