Texas Eastern Transmission, LP; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Planned Access South, Adair Southwest, and Lebanon Extension Projects and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, 49221-49223 [2015-20198]
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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 158 / Monday, August 17, 2015 / Notices
accordance with Rules 211 and 214 of
the Commission’s Rules of Practice and
Procedure (18 CFR 385.211, 385.214).
Protests will be considered by the
Commission in determining the
appropriate action to be taken, but will
not serve to make protestants parties to
the proceeding. Any person wishing to
become a party must file a notice of
intervention or motion to intervene, as
appropriate. Such notices, motions, or
protests must be filed on or before the
comment date. Anyone filing a motion
to intervene or protest must serve a copy
of that document on the Petitioner.
The Commission encourages
electronic submission of protests and
interventions in lieu of paper using the
‘‘eFiling’’ link at https://www.ferc.gov.
Persons unable to file electronically
should submit an original and 5 copies
of the protest or intervention to the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
888 First Street NE., Washington, DC
20426.
This filing is accessible on-line at
https://www.ferc.gov, using the
‘‘eLibrary’’ link and is available for
review in the Commission’s Public
Reference Room in Washington, DC.
There is an ‘‘eSubscription’’ link on the
Web site that enables subscribers to
receive email notification when a
document is added to a subscribed
docket(s). For assistance with any FERC
Online service, please email
FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov, or call
(866) 208–3676 (toll free). For TTY, call
(202) 502–8659.
Comment Date: 5 p.m. Eastern time
on August 21, 2015.
Dated: August 11, 2015.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2015–20197 Filed 8–14–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. ER15–2243–000]
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Silver State Solar Power South, LLC;
Supplemental Notice That Initial
Market-Based Rate Filing Includes
Request for Blanket Section 204
Authorization
This is a supplemental notice in the
above-referenced proceeding of Silver
State Solar Power South, 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
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:57 Aug 14, 2015
Jkt 235001
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 August 31,
2015.
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
electronic review in the Commission’s
Public Reference Room in Washington,
DC. There is an eSubscription link on
the Web site that enables subscribers to
receive email notification when a
document is added to a subscribed
docket(s). For assistance with any FERC
Online service, please email
FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov. or call
(866) 208–3676 (toll free). For TTY, call
(202) 502–8659.
Dated: August 11, 2015.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2015–20201 Filed 8–14–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
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49221
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. PF15–17–000]
Texas Eastern Transmission, LP;
Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Assessment for the
Planned Access South, Adair
Southwest, and Lebanon Extension
Projects 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 Access South, Adair Southwest, and
Lebanon Extension Projects (Projects) in
Docket No. PF15–17–000. The projects
involve construction, abandonment, and
operation of facilities by Texas Eastern
Transmission, LP (Texas Eastern) that
would provide incremental pipeline
transportation service from the
Appalachia area natural gas supply
basins to markets in the Midwest and
Southeast. 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 Projects.
You can make a difference by providing
us with your specific comments or
concerns about the Projects. 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 September
10, 2015.
If you sent comments on the Projects
to the Commission before the opening of
this docket on March 13, 2015, you will
need to file those comments in Docket
No. PF15–17–000 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
Projects 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
E:\FR\FM\17AUN1.SGM
17AUN1
49222
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 158 / Monday, August 17, 2015 / Notices
construct, operate, and maintain the
planned facilities. The company would
seek to negotiate a mutually acceptable
agreement. However, if the Commission
approves the Projects, 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.
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Public Participation
For your convenience, there are three
methods you can use to submit your
comments to the Commission. 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 (PF15–17–
000) with your submission: Kimberly D.
Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street
NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426.
Summary of the Planned Project
The planned pipeline facilities for the
Projects include 19.9 miles of 36-inch
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16:57 Aug 14, 2015
Jkt 235001
diameter pipeline loop 1 in three
segments, most of which would be
either within or adjacent to Texas
Eastern’s existing rights-of-way in
Meigs, Athens, Noble, Monroe Counties,
Ohio. Proposed modifications to
aboveground facilities would include
the installation of new compression and
additional modifications necessary to
allow for bidirectional flow, increased
horsepower requirements, and meter
reversals at thirteen existing compressor
stations which are expected to be
located primarily within Texas Eastern’s
current footprint.
At the Five Points Compressor Station
in Pickaway County, Ohio, Texas
Eastern would install a new 10,000
horsepower (hp) electric compressor
and would abandon in-place three 2,000
hp electric compressor units. A new
16,875 hp electric compressor would be
added at the Tompkinsville Compressor
Station in Monroe County, Kentucky.
Planned modifications at thirteen
existing compressor station sites would
include piping modifications to
accommodate bi-directional flow
capability along Texas Eastern’s existing
mainline. These modifications are
proposed at the following compressor
stations:
• Holbrook Compressor Station in
Greene County, Pennsylvania;
• Lebanon Compressor Station in
Warren County, Ohio;
• Five Points Compressor Station in
Pickaway County, Ohio;
• Somerset Compressor Station in
Perry County, Ohio;
• Berne Compressor Station in
Monroe County, Ohio;
• Athens Compressor Station in
Athens County, Ohio;
• Owingsville Compressor Station in
Bath County, Kentucky;
• Danville Compressor Station in
Lincoln County, Kentucky;
• Tompkinsville Compressor Station
in Monroe County, Kentucky;
• Gladeville Compressor Station in
Wilson County, Tennessee;
• Barton Compressor Station in
Colbert County, Alabama;
• Egypt Compressor Station in
Monroe County, Mississippi; and
• Kosciusko Compressor Station in
Attala County, Mississippi.
In addition two pig 2 launcher/
receivers would be relocated and two
new pig launcher/receivers would be
installed in Monroe County, Ohio.
1 A pipeline loop is a segment of pipe constructed
parallel to an existing pipeline to increase capacity.
2 A ‘‘pig’’ is a tool that the pipeline company
inserts into and pushes through the pipeline for
cleaning the pipeline, conducting internal
inspections, or other purposes.
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Fmt 4703
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The general location of the Projects
facilities is shown in appendix 1.3
Land Requirements for Construction
Construction of the planned facilities
would disturb about 631.9 acres of land
for the aboveground facilities and the
pipeline, including access roads.
Following construction, Texas Eastern
would maintain about 70.7 acres for
permanent operation of the Projects’
facilities; the remaining acreage would
be restored and revert to former uses.
The planned loops would be mostly
adjacent to Texas Eastern’s existing
pipeline rights-of-way and construction
at the compressor stations would occur
at existing facilities where no
permanent expansion of the facilities
would occur.
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 4 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 Projects under these general
headings:
• Geology and soils;
• land use;
• water resources, fisheries, and
wetlands;
• cultural resources;
• vegetation and wildlife;
• air quality and noise;
• endangered and threatened species;
• public safety; and
• cumulative impacts.
We will also evaluate possible
alternatives to the planned Projects or
portions of the Projects, and make
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.
4 ‘‘We,’’ ‘‘us,’’ and ‘‘our’’ refer to the
environmental staff of the Commission’s Office of
Energy Projects.
E:\FR\FM\17AUN1.SGM
17AUN1
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 158 / Monday, August 17, 2015 / Notices
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.5 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.
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
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), and to solicit their views and
those of other government agencies,
interested Indian tribes, and the public
on the Projects’ potential effects on
historic properties.6 We will define the
project-specific Area of Potential Effects
(APE) in consultation with the SHPO(s)
5 The Council on Environmental Quality
regulations addressing cooperating agency
responsibilities are at Title 40, Code of Federal
Regulations, Part 1501.6.
6 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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16:57 Aug 14, 2015
Jkt 235001
as the Projects develop. 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 the
Projects 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; and
local libraries and newspapers. This list
also includes all affected landowners (as
defined in the Commission’s
regulations) who are potential right-ofway 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
Projects. 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 Projects.
If we publish and distribute the EA,
copies of the EA will be sent to the
environmental mailing list for public
review and comment. If you would
prefer to receive a paper copy of the
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 Texas Eastern 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. Motions to
intervene are more fully described at
https://www.ferc.gov/resources/guides/
how-to/intervene.asp. Instructions for
becoming an intervenor are in the
‘‘Document-less Intervention 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
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Frm 00026
Fmt 4703
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49223
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–
17). 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: August 11, 2015.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2015–20198 Filed 8–14–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
[FRL–9932–28–OSWER]
Twenty-Eighth Update of the Federal
Agency Hazardous Waste Compliance
Docket
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
Since 1988, the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
has maintained a Federal Agency
Hazardous Waste Compliance Docket
(‘‘Docket’’) under Section 120(c) of the
Comprehensive Environmental
Response, Compensation, and Liability
Act (CERCLA). Section 120(c) requires
EPA to establish a Docket that contains
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\17AUN1.SGM
17AUN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 158 (Monday, August 17, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49221-49223]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-20198]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. PF15-17-000]
Texas Eastern Transmission, LP; Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Assessment for the Planned Access South, Adair Southwest,
and Lebanon Extension Projects 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 Access South, Adair Southwest,
and Lebanon Extension Projects (Projects) in Docket No. PF15-17-000.
The projects involve construction, abandonment, and operation of
facilities by Texas Eastern Transmission, LP (Texas Eastern) that would
provide incremental pipeline transportation service from the Appalachia
area natural gas supply basins to markets in the Midwest and Southeast.
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 Projects. You can make a difference by providing us
with your specific comments or concerns about the Projects. 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 September 10,
2015.
If you sent comments on the Projects to the Commission before the
opening of this docket on March 13, 2015, you will need to file those
comments in Docket No. PF15-17-000 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
Projects 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
[[Page 49222]]
construct, operate, and maintain the planned facilities. The company
would seek to negotiate a mutually acceptable agreement. However, if
the Commission approves the Projects, 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 three methods you can use to submit
your comments to the Commission. 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
(PF15-17-000) with your submission: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary,
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Room 1A,
Washington, DC 20426.
Summary of the Planned Project
The planned pipeline facilities for the Projects include 19.9 miles
of 36-inch diameter pipeline loop \1\ in three segments, most of which
would be either within or adjacent to Texas Eastern's existing rights-
of-way in Meigs, Athens, Noble, Monroe Counties, Ohio. Proposed
modifications to aboveground facilities would include the installation
of new compression and additional modifications necessary to allow for
bidirectional flow, increased horsepower requirements, and meter
reversals at thirteen existing compressor stations which are expected
to be located primarily within Texas Eastern's current footprint.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ A pipeline loop is a segment of pipe constructed parallel to
an existing pipeline to increase capacity.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
At the Five Points Compressor Station in Pickaway County, Ohio,
Texas Eastern would install a new 10,000 horsepower (hp) electric
compressor and would abandon in-place three 2,000 hp electric
compressor units. A new 16,875 hp electric compressor would be added at
the Tompkinsville Compressor Station in Monroe County, Kentucky.
Planned modifications at thirteen existing compressor station sites
would include piping modifications to accommodate bi-directional flow
capability along Texas Eastern's existing mainline. These modifications
are proposed at the following compressor stations:
Holbrook Compressor Station in Greene County,
Pennsylvania;
Lebanon Compressor Station in Warren County, Ohio;
Five Points Compressor Station in Pickaway County, Ohio;
Somerset Compressor Station in Perry County, Ohio;
Berne Compressor Station in Monroe County, Ohio;
Athens Compressor Station in Athens County, Ohio;
Owingsville Compressor Station in Bath County, Kentucky;
Danville Compressor Station in Lincoln County, Kentucky;
Tompkinsville Compressor Station in Monroe County,
Kentucky;
Gladeville Compressor Station in Wilson County, Tennessee;
Barton Compressor Station in Colbert County, Alabama;
Egypt Compressor Station in Monroe County, Mississippi;
and
Kosciusko Compressor Station in Attala County,
Mississippi.
In addition two pig \2\ launcher/receivers would be relocated and
two new pig launcher/receivers would be installed in Monroe County,
Ohio.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ A ``pig'' is a tool that the pipeline company inserts into
and pushes through the pipeline for cleaning the pipeline,
conducting internal inspections, or other purposes.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The general location of the Projects facilities is shown in
appendix 1.\3\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Land Requirements for Construction
Construction of the planned facilities would disturb about 631.9
acres of land for the aboveground facilities and the pipeline,
including access roads. Following construction, Texas Eastern would
maintain about 70.7 acres for permanent operation of the Projects'
facilities; the remaining acreage would be restored and revert to
former uses. The planned loops would be mostly adjacent to Texas
Eastern's existing pipeline rights-of-way and construction at the
compressor stations would occur at existing facilities where no
permanent expansion of the facilities would occur.
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
\4\ 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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\4\ ``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 Projects under these
general headings:
Geology and soils;
land use;
water resources, fisheries, and wetlands;
cultural resources;
vegetation and wildlife;
air quality and noise;
endangered and threatened species;
public safety; and
cumulative impacts.
We will also evaluate possible alternatives to the planned Projects
or portions of the Projects, and make
[[Page 49223]]
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.\5\ 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.
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\5\ 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), and to
solicit their views and those of other government agencies, interested
Indian tribes, and the public on the Projects' potential effects on
historic properties.\6\ We will define the project-specific Area of
Potential Effects (APE) in consultation with the SHPO(s) as the
Projects develop. 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 the Projects will
document our findings on the impacts on historic properties and
summarize the status of consultations under section 106.
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\6\ 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; 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
Projects. 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
Projects.
If we publish and distribute the EA, copies of the EA will be sent
to the environmental mailing list for public review and comment. If you
would prefer to receive a paper copy of the 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 Texas Eastern 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. Motions to intervene are more fully described at
https://www.ferc.gov/resources/guides/how-to/intervene.asp. Instructions
for becoming an intervenor are in the ``Document-less Intervention
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-
17). 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: August 11, 2015.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2015-20198 Filed 8-14-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
