Northern Natural Gas Company; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Planned Cedar Station Upgrade Project, Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of Public Scoping Meeting, 10612-10615 [2016-04393]
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asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 40 / Tuesday, March 1, 2016 / Notices
submit brief comments up to 6,000
characters, without prior registration,
using the eComment system at https://
www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/
ecomment.asp. You must include your
name and contact information at the end
of your comments. For assistance,
please contact FERC Online Support at
FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov, (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.
The first page of any filing should
include docket number P–14677–001.
The Commission’s Rules of Practice
require all intervenors filing documents
with the Commission to serve a copy of
that document on each person on the
official service list for the project.
Further, if an intervenor files comments
or documents with the Commission
relating to the merits of an issue that
may affect the responsibilities of a
particular resource agency, they must
also serve a copy of the document on
that resource agency.
k. This application has been accepted
for filing and is now ready for
environmental analysis.
l. The Clark Canyon Dam
Hydroelectric Project would utilize the
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s Clark
Canyon Dam and outlet works including
an intake structure and concrete conduit
in the reservoir. The project would
consist of the following new facilities:
(1) A 360-foot-long, 8-foot-diameter steel
penstock within the existing concrete
conduit, ending in a trifurcation; (2) two
35-foot-long, 8-foot-diameter penstocks
extending from the trifurcation to the
powerhouse, transitioning to 6-footdiameter before entering the
powerhouse; (3) a 10-foot-long, 8-footdiameter steel penstock leaving the
trifurcation and ending in a 7-footdiameter cone valve and reducer to
control discharge into the existing outlet
stilling basin; (4) a 65-foot-long, 46-footwide reinforced concrete powerhouse
containing two vertical Francis-type
turbine/generator units with a total
capacity of 4.7 megawatts; (5) two 25foot-long steel draft tubes transitioning
to concrete draft tube/tailrace section;
(6) a 17-foot-long, 15-foot-diameter
tailrace channel connecting with the
existing spillway stilling basin; (7) a 45foot-long, 10-foot-wide aeration basin
downstream of the powerhouse with
three frames containing 330 diffusers;
(8) a 1,100-foot-long, 4.16-kilovolt (kV)
buried transmission line from the
powerhouse to a substation; (9) a
substation containing step-up
transformers and switchgear; (10) a 7.9mile-long, 69-kV transmission line
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extending from the project substation to
the Peterson Flat substation (the point of
interconnection); and (11) appurtenant
facilities. The estimated annual
generation of the Clark Canyon Dam
Project would be 15.4 gigawatt-hours.
All project facilities would be located
on federal lands owned by the U.S.
Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S.
Bureau of Land Management. The
applicant proposes to operate the
project as run-of-release.
m. A copy of the application is
available for review at the Commission
in the Public Reference Room or may be
viewed on the Commission’s Web site at
https://www.ferc.gov using the
‘‘eLibrary’’ link. Enter the docket
number excluding the last three digits in
the docket number field to access the
document. For assistance, contact FERC
Online Support. A copy is also available
for inspection and reproduction at the
address in item h above.
Register online at https://
www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/
esubscription.asp to be notified via
email of new filings and issuances
related to this or other pending projects.
For assistance, contact FERC Online
Support.
n. Any qualified applicant desiring to
file a competing application must
submit to the Commission, on or before
the specified intervention deadline date,
a competing development application,
or a notice of intent to file such an
application. Submission of a timely
notice of intent allows an interested
person to file the competing
development application no later than
120 days after the specified intervention
deadline date. Applications for
preliminary permits will not be
accepted in response to this notice.
A notice of intent must specify the
exact name, business address, and
telephone number of the prospective
applicant, and must include an
unequivocal statement of intent to
submit a development application. A
notice of intent must be served on the
applicant(s) named in this public notice.
Anyone may submit comments, a
protest, or a motion to intervene in
accordance with the requirements of
Rules of Practice and Procedure, 18 CFR
385.210, .211, and .214. In determining
the appropriate action to take, the
Commission will consider all protests or
other comments filed, but only those
who file a motion to intervene in
accordance with the Commission’s
Rules may become a party to the
proceeding. Any comments, protests, or
motions to intervene must be received
on or before the specified comment date
for the particular application.
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All filings must (1) bear in all capital
letters the title ‘‘PROTEST’’, ‘‘MOTION
TO INTERVENE’’, ‘‘NOTICE OF
INTENT TO FILE COMPETING
APPLICATION,’’ ‘‘COMPETING
APPLICATION,’’ ‘‘COMMENTS,’’
‘‘REPLY COMMENTS,’’
‘‘RECOMMENDATIONS,’’ ‘‘TERMS
AND CONDITIONS,’’ or
‘‘PRESCRIPTIONS;’’ (2) set forth in the
heading the name of the applicant and
the project number of the application to
which the filing responds; (3) furnish
the name, address, and telephone
number of the person protesting or
intervening; and (4) otherwise comply
with the requirements of 18 CFR
385.2001 through 385.2005. All
comments, recommendations, terms and
conditions or prescriptions must set
forth their evidentiary basis and
otherwise comply with the requirements
of 18 CFR 4.34(b). Agencies may obtain
copies of the application directly from
the applicant. A copy of any protest or
motion to intervene must be served
upon each representative of the
applicant specified in the particular
application. 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.
o. A license applicant must file no
later than 60 days following the date of
issuance of this notice: (1) A copy of the
water quality certification; (2) a copy of
the request for certification, including
proof of the date on which the certifying
agency received the request; or (3)
evidence of waiver of water quality
certification.
Dated: February 23, 2016.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016–04392 Filed 2–29–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[ Docket No. PF15–32–000]
Northern Natural Gas Company; Notice
of Intent To Prepare an Environmental
Assessment for the Planned Cedar
Station Upgrade 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
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asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 40 / Tuesday, March 1, 2016 / Notices
discuss the environmental impacts of
the Cedar Station Upgrade Project
involving construction and operation of
facilities by Northern Natural Gas
Company (Northern) in Dakota County,
Minnesota. 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 March 24,
2016.
If you sent comments on this project
to the Commission before the opening of
this docket on September 28, 2015, you
will need to file those comments in
Docket No. PF15–32–000 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.
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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 (PF15–32–
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 its staff will conduct in the
project area, scheduled as follows.
10613
present to answer questions about the
project.
Verbal comments will be recorded by
a court reporter and transcripts will be
placed into the docket for the project
and made available for public viewing
on FERC’s eLibrary system (see page 7
‘‘Additional Information’’ for
instructions on using eLibrary). It is
important to note that verbal comments
hold the same weight as written or
electronically submitted comments. If a
significant number of people are
interested in providing verbal
comments, a time limit of 3 to 5 minutes
may be implemented for each
commenter to ensure all those wishing
to comment have the opportunity to do
so within the designated meeting time.
Time limits will be strictly enforced if
they are implemented.
Summary of the Planned Project
Northern plans to construct and
operate approximately 7.8 miles of 20inch-diameter pipeline from its existing
Rosemont Junction in Rosemont,
Minnesota, to its existing Cedar Station
Meter Station in Eagan, Minnesota. The
Cedar Station Upgrade Project would
allow Northern to increase the pressure
from 400 pounds per square inch gauge
(psig) to 650 psig at the Cedar Station.
According to Northern, its project
would accommodate a contractual
obligation to meet a delivery pressure
for Northern States Power Company’s
Black Dog Generating Station.
The Cedar Station Upgrade Project
would consist of the following facilities:
• 7.8 miles of 20-inch-diameter
pipeline loop 1
• a pig 2 launcher and receiver;
• modified and new regulators; and
• cathodic protection test stations.
The general location of the project
facilities is shown in appendix 1.3
Land Requirements for Construction
Construction of the planned facilities
FERC PUBLIC SCOPING MEETING FOR would disturb about 114 acres of land
THE CEDAR STATION UPGRADE for the aboveground facilities and the
pipeline. Following construction,
PROJECT
Northern would maintain about 43 acres
for permanent operation of the project’s
Location
Date and Time
facilities; the remaining acreage would
Hilton Garden Inn, 1975
Rahncliff Court, Eagan,
MN 55122.
Tuesday, March 15,
2016, 11:30 a.m. until
7:30 p.m. local time
You may attend at any time during
the meeting, as the primary goal of a
scoping meeting is for us to have your
verbal environmental concerns
documented. There will not be a formal
presentation by Commission staff, but
FERC staff will be available to answer
your questions about the FERC
environmental review process.
Representatives of Northern will also be
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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.
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 page 7 of this notice.
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 40 / Tuesday, March 1, 2016 / Notices
be restored and revert to former uses.
About 90 percent of the planned
pipeline route parallels existing
pipeline, utility, or road rights-of-way.
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
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 project under these general
headings:
• Geology and soils;
• land use;
• water resources, fisheries, and
wetlands;
• cultural resources;
• vegetation and wildlife;
• air quality and noise;
• endangered and threatened species;
• 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
4 ‘‘We,’’ ‘‘us,’’ and ‘‘our’’ refer to the
environmental staff of the Commission’s Office of
Energy Projects.
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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.
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
Minnesota 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.6 We will define the
project-specific Area of Potential Effects
(APE) in consultation with the SHPO 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.
Currently Identified Environmental
Issues
We have already identified several
issues that we think deserve attention
based on a preliminary review of the
planned facilities and the
environmental information provided by
Northern. This preliminary list of issues
may change based on your comments
and our analysis.
• Alternative routes
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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• Recreational impacts
• Forested impacts
• Residential construction
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 Northern 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
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 40 / Tuesday, March 1, 2016 / Notices
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–
32). 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: February 23, 2016.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016–04393 Filed 2–29–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Combined Notice of Filings #1
Take notice that the Commission
received the following exempt
wholesale generator filings:
Docket Numbers: EG16–56–000.
Applicants: Red Horse III, LLC.
Description: Notice of SelfCertification of Exempt Wholesale
Generator Status of Red Horse III, LLC.
Filed Date: 2/23/16.
Accession Number: 20160223–5123.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 3/15/16.
Docket Numbers: EG16–57–000.
Applicants: 62SK 8ME LLC.
Description: Notice of SelfCertification of Exempt Wholesale
Generator Status of 62SK 8ME LLC.
Filed Date: 2/23/16.
Accession Number: 20160223–5126.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 3/15/16.
Take notice that the Commission
received the following electric rate
filings:
Docket Numbers: ER16–984–000.
Applicants: Pacific Gas and Electric
Company.
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20:18 Feb 29, 2016
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Description: § 205(d) Rate Filing:
PG&E UOG SGIA and LGIA Revisions to
be effective
4/25/2016.
Filed Date: 2/22/16.
Accession Number: 20160222–5184.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 3/14/16.
Docket Numbers: ER16–985–000.
Applicants: Arizona Public Service
Company.
Description: § 205(d) Rate Filing:
Limited Section 205 Filing—IRS
Normalization ADIT to be effective 4/
23/2016.
Filed Date: 2/22/16.
Accession Number: 20160222–5210.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 3/14/16
Docket Numbers: ER16–986–000.
Applicants: The Narragansett Electric
Company.
Description: § 205(d) Rate Filing: Cost
Reimbursement Agreement between
Narragansett & CV South Street Landing
LLC to be effective 2/19/2016.
Filed Date: 2/22/16.
Accession Number: 20160222–5224.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 3/14/16.
Docket Numbers: ER16–987–000.
Applicants: Wisconsin Power and
Light Company.
Description: § 205(d) Rate Filing:
Amended WPL–MGE LBAOCA
Agreement to be effective 2/22/2016.
Filed Date: 2/22/16.
Accession Number: 20160222–5225.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 3/14/16.
Docket Numbers: ER16–988–000.
Applicants: Duke Energy Florida,
LLC.
Description: § 205(d) Rate Filing: City
of Chattahoochee NITSA OATT SA No.
154 to be effective 3/1/2016.
Filed Date: 2/23/16.
Accession Number: 20160223–5033.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 3/15/16.
Docket Numbers: ER16–989–000.
Applicants: Southern California
Edison Company.
Description: § 205(d) Rate Filing:
Market-Based Rates Tariff 2015 Update
to be effective 4/24/2016.
Filed Date: 2/23/16.
Accession Number: 20160223–5043.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 3/15/16.
Docket Numbers: ER16–990–000.
Applicants: Avista Corporation.
Description: § 205(d) Rate Filing:
Avista Corp NITSA Low Voltage
Facilities Chgs to be effective 4/1/2016.
Filed Date: 2/23/16.
Accession Number: 20160223–5074.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 3/15/16.
Take notice that the Commission
received the following electric
reliability filings:
Docket Numbers: RR15–2–003.
Applicants: North American Electric
Reliability Corporation.
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10615
Description: Annual Compliance
Monitoring and Enforcement Program
Filing of North American Electric
Reliability Corporation.
Filed Date: 2/18/16.
Accession Number: 20160218–5218.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 3/10/16.
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: February 23, 2016.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016–04386 Filed 2–29–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
Combined Notice of Filings
Take notice that the Commission has
received the following Natural Gas
Pipeline Rate and Refund Report filings:
Filings Instituting Proceedings
Docket Numbers: RP16–620–000.
Applicants: Transcontinental Gas
Pipe Line Company,
Description: Transcontinental Gas
Pipe Line Company, LLC submits a
request for waiver of the Commission’s
capacity release regulations to allow a
transaction to occur under RP16–620.
Filed Date: 2/22/16.
Accession Number: 20160222–5161.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 3/7/16.
Docket Numbers: RP16–621–000.
Applicants: PGPipeline LLC.
Description: Section 4(d) Rate Filing:
Annual FRP Filing to be effective 4/1/
2016.
Filed Date: 2/22/16.
Accession Number: 20160222–5182.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 3/7/16.
Any person desiring to intervene or
protest in any of the above proceedings
E:\FR\FM\01MRN1.SGM
01MRN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 40 (Tuesday, March 1, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10612-10615]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-04393]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[ Docket No. PF15-32-000]
Northern Natural Gas Company; Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Assessment for the Planned Cedar Station Upgrade 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
[[Page 10613]]
discuss the environmental impacts of the Cedar Station Upgrade Project
involving construction and operation of facilities by Northern Natural
Gas Company (Northern) in Dakota County, Minnesota. 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 March 24, 2016.
If you sent comments on this project to the Commission before the
opening of this docket on September 28, 2015, you will need to file
those comments in Docket No. PF15-32-000 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
(PF15-32-000) 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 its staff
will conduct in the project area, scheduled as follows.
FERC Public Scoping Meeting for the Cedar Station Upgrade Project
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Location Date and Time
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Hilton Garden Inn, 1975 Rahncliff Court, Tuesday, March 15, 2016,
Eagan, MN 55122. 11:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m.
local time
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You may attend at any time during the meeting, as the primary goal
of a scoping meeting is for us to have your verbal environmental
concerns documented. There will not be a formal presentation by
Commission staff, but FERC staff will be available to answer your
questions about the FERC environmental review process. Representatives
of Northern will also be present to answer questions about the project.
Verbal comments will be recorded by a court reporter and
transcripts will be placed into the docket for the project and made
available for public viewing on FERC's eLibrary system (see page 7
``Additional Information'' for instructions on using eLibrary). It is
important to note that verbal comments hold the same weight as written
or electronically submitted comments. If a significant number of people
are interested in providing verbal comments, a time limit of 3 to 5
minutes may be implemented for each commenter to ensure all those
wishing to comment have the opportunity to do so within the designated
meeting time. Time limits will be strictly enforced if they are
implemented.
Summary of the Planned Project
Northern plans to construct and operate approximately 7.8 miles of
20-inch-diameter pipeline from its existing Rosemont Junction in
Rosemont, Minnesota, to its existing Cedar Station Meter Station in
Eagan, Minnesota. The Cedar Station Upgrade Project would allow
Northern to increase the pressure from 400 pounds per square inch gauge
(psig) to 650 psig at the Cedar Station. According to Northern, its
project would accommodate a contractual obligation to meet a delivery
pressure for Northern States Power Company's Black Dog Generating
Station.
The Cedar Station Upgrade Project would consist of the following
facilities:
7.8 miles of 20-inch-diameter pipeline loop \1\
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\1\ A pipeline loop is a segment of pipe constructed parallel to
an existing pipeline to increase capacity.
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a pig \2\ launcher and receiver;
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\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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modified and new regulators; and
cathodic protection test stations.
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 page 7 of this notice.
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Land Requirements for Construction
Construction of the planned facilities would disturb about 114
acres of land for the aboveground facilities and the pipeline.
Following construction, Northern would maintain about 43 acres for
permanent operation of the project's facilities; the remaining acreage
would
[[Page 10614]]
be restored and revert to former uses. About 90 percent of the 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
\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.
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\4\ ``We,'' ``us,'' and ``our'' refer to the environmental staff
of the Commission's Office of Energy Projects.
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In the EA we will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of
the construction and operation of the planned project under these
general headings:
Geology and soils;
land use;
water resources, fisheries, and wetlands;
cultural resources;
vegetation and wildlife;
air quality and noise;
endangered and threatened species;
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.\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 Minnesota 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.\6\ We will define the project-specific Area of
Potential Effects (APE) in consultation with the SHPO 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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\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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Currently Identified Environmental Issues
We have already identified several issues that we think deserve
attention based on a preliminary review of the planned facilities and
the environmental information provided by Northern. This preliminary
list of issues may change based on your comments and our analysis.
Alternative routes
Recreational impacts
Forested impacts
Residential construction
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 Northern 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
[[Page 10615]]
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., PF15-32). 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: February 23, 2016.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-04393 Filed 2-29-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
