National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Line T2KNY Install, Line TNY Replacement, and Line KNY Abandonment Project, and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, 27426-27428 [2016-10675]

Download as PDF 27426 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 88 / Friday, May 6, 2016 / Notices input will help the Commission staff determine what issues they need to Issuance of the EA ..... May 13, 2016 evaluate in the EA. To ensure that your 90-day Federal Authorcomments are timely and properly ization Decision recorded, please send your comments so Deadline .................. August 11, 2016 that the Commission receives them in Washington, DC on or before June 2, If a schedule change becomes 2016. necessary, an additional notice will be If you sent comments on this project provided so that the relevant agencies to the Commission before the opening of are kept informed of the project’s this docket on April 4, 2016, you will progress. need to file those comments in Docket No. CP16–125–000 to ensure they are Additional Information considered as part of this proceeding. In order to receive notification of the This notice is being sent to the issuance of the EA and to keep track of Commission’s current environmental all formal issuances and submittals in mailing list for this project. State and specific dockets, the Commission offers local government representatives should a free service called eSubscription notify their constituents of this (https://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/ proposed project and encourage them to esubscription.asp). comment on their areas of concern. Dated: April 29, 2016. If you are a landowner receiving this notice, a pipeline company Kimberly D. Bose, representative may contact you about Secretary. the acquisition of an easement to [FR Doc. 2016–10670 Filed 5–5–16; 8:45 am] construct, operate, and maintain the BILLING CODE 6717–01–P proposed facilities. The company would seek to negotiate a mutually acceptable agreement. However, if the Commission DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY approves the project, that approval Federal Energy Regulatory conveys with it the right of eminent Commission domain. Therefore, if easement negotiations fail to produce an [Docket No. CP16–125–000] agreement, the pipeline company could National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation; initiate condemnation proceedings where compensation would be Notice of Intent To Prepare an determined in accordance with state Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Line T2KNY Install, Line TNY law. National Fuel provided landowners Replacement, and Line KNY Abandonment Project, and Request for with a fact sheet prepared by the FERC entitled ‘‘An Interstate Natural Gas Comments on Environmental Issues Facility On My Land? What Do I Need The staff of the Federal Energy To Know?’’ This fact sheet addresses a Regulatory Commission (FERC or number of typically asked questions, Commission) will prepare an including the use of eminent domain environmental assessment (EA) that will and how to participate in the discuss the environmental impacts of Commission’s proceedings. It is also the Line T2KNY Install, Line TNY available for viewing on the FERC Web Replacement, and Line KNY site (www.ferc.gov). Abandonment Project involving Public Participation construction and operation of facilities by National Fuel Gas Supply For your convenience, there are three Corporation (National Fuel) in Erie methods you can use to submit your County, New York. The Commission comments to the Commission. The will use this EA in its decision-making Commission encourages electronic filing process to determine whether the of comments and has expert staff project is in the public convenience and available to assist you at (202) 502–8258 necessity. or efiling@ferc.gov. Please carefully This notice announces the opening of follow these instructions so that your the scoping process the Commission comments are properly recorded. will use to gather input from the public (1) You can file your comments and interested agencies on the project. electronically using the eComment You can make a difference by providing feature on the Commission’s Web site us with your specific comments or (www.ferc.gov) under the link to concerns about the project. Your Documents and Filings. This is an easy comments should focus on the potential method for submitting brief, text-only environmental effects, reasonable comments on a project; alternatives, and measures to avoid or (2) You can file your comments lessen environmental impacts. Your electronically by using the eFiling asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES Schedule for Environmental Review VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:20 May 05, 2016 Jkt 238001 PO 00000 Frm 00040 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 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 (CP16–125– 000) with your submission: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426. Summary of the Proposed Project National Fuel proposes to install approximately 1.2 miles of new 20-inchdiameter natural gas pipeline (Line T2KNY), replace approximately 6.7 miles of 20-inch-diameter bare steel pipeline with 7.0 miles of 24-inchdiameter coated natural gas pipeline (Line TNY), abandon approximately 14.9 miles of 20-inch-diameter bare steel natural gas pipeline (Line KNY), make modifications at two existing National Fuel meter and regulator stations (North Boston and East Eden), and make modifications at National Fuel’s existing Zoar Compressor Station in Erie County, New York. The Line T2KNY Install, Line TNY Replacement, and Line KNY Abandonment Project would allow National Fuel to cure operating deficiencies on Line TNY and would provide an additional 2,600 dekatherms per day of new firm capacity which would be offered in an open season. This project would eliminate vintage bare steel pipeline, replacing it with modern, high strength, coated steel pipeline, therefore increasing the overall integrity and reliability of National Fuel’s pipeline system. The general location of the project facilities is shown in appendix 1.1 Land Requirements for Construction Construction of the proposed facilities would disturb about 112 acres of land for the aboveground facilities and the pipeline. Following construction, National Fuel would maintain about 52 acres for permanent operation of the project’s facilities; the remaining 1 The appendices referenced in this notice will not appear in the Federal Register. Copies of appendices were sent to all those receiving this notice in the mail and are available at www.ferc.gov using the link called ‘‘eLibrary’’ or from the Commission’s Public Reference Room, 888 First Street NE., Washington, DC 20426, or call (202) 502–8371. For instructions on connecting to eLibrary, refer to the last page of this notice. E:\FR\FM\06MYN1.SGM 06MYN1 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 88 / Friday, May 6, 2016 / Notices acreage would be restored and revert to former uses. About 54 percent of the proposed pipeline route parallels existing pipeline, utility, or road rightsof-way. asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD 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 2 to discover and address concerns the public may have about proposals. This process is referred to as ‘‘scoping.’’ The main goal of the scoping process is to focus the analysis in the EA on the important environmental issues. By this notice, the Commission requests public comments on the scope of the issues to address in the EA. We will consider all filed comments during the preparation of the EA. In the EA we will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of the construction and operation of the proposed 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 reasonable alternatives to the proposed project or portions of the project, and make recommendations on how to lessen or avoid impacts on the various resource areas. The EA will present our independent analysis of the issues. The EA will be available in the public record through eLibrary. Depending on the comments received during the scoping process, we may also publish and distribute the EA to the public for an allotted comment period. We will consider all comments on the EA before making our recommendations to the Commission. To ensure we have the opportunity to consider and address your comments, please carefully follow the instructions in the Public Participation section, beginning on page 2. With this notice, we are asking agencies with jurisdiction by law and/ or special expertise with respect to the environmental issues of this project to 2 ‘‘We,’’ ‘‘us,’’ and ‘‘our’’ refer to the environmental staff of the Commission’s Office of Energy Projects. VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:20 May 05, 2016 Jkt 238001 formally cooperate with us in the preparation of the EA.3 Agencies that would like to request cooperating agency status should follow the instructions for filing comments provided under the Public Participation section of this notice. Consultations Under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act In accordance with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation’s implementing regulations for section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, we are using this notice to initiate consultation with the applicable State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), and to solicit their views and those of other government agencies, interested Indian tribes, and the public on the project’s potential effects on historic properties.4 We will define the project-specific Area of Potential Effects (APE) in consultation with the SHPO as the project develops. On natural gas facility 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 3 The Council on Environmental Quality regulations addressing cooperating agency responsibilities are at Title 40, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 1501.6. 4 The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation’s regulations are at Title 36, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 800. Those regulations define historic properties as any prehistoric or historic district, site, building, structure, or object included in or eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places. PO 00000 Frm 00041 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 27427 interested in and/or potentially affected by the proposed project. If we publish and distribute the EA, copies will be sent to the environmental mailing list for public review and comment. If you would prefer to receive a paper copy of the document instead of the CD version or would like to remove your name from the mailing list, please return the attached Information Request (appendix 2). Becoming an Intervenor In addition to involvement in the EA scoping process, you may want to become an ‘‘intervenor’’ which is an official party to the Commission’s proceeding. Intervenors play a more formal role in the process and are able to file briefs, appear at hearings, and be heard by the courts if they choose to appeal the Commission’s final ruling. An intervenor formally participates in the proceeding by filing a request to intervene. Instructions for becoming an intervenor are in the ‘‘Document-less Intervention Guide’’ under the ‘‘e-filing’’ link on the Commission’s Web site. Motions to intervene are more fully described at https://www.ferc.gov/ resources/guides/how-to/intervene.asp. Additional Information Additional information about the project is available from the Commission’s Office of External Affairs, at (866) 208–FERC, or on the FERC Web site at www.ferc.gov using the ‘‘eLibrary’’ link. Click on the eLibrary link, click on ‘‘General Search’’ and enter the docket number, excluding the last three digits in the Docket Number field (i.e., CP16–125). 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. E:\FR\FM\06MYN1.SGM 06MYN1 27428 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 88 / Friday, May 6, 2016 / Notices Dated: May 2, 2016. Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary. [FR Doc. 2016–10675 Filed 5–5–16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717–01–P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. CP16–9–000] asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES Algonquin Gas Transmission, LLC, Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline, LLC; Notice of Availability of the Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Atlantic Bridge Project Replacement Project The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or Commission) has prepared an environmental assessment (EA) for the Atlantic Bridge Project proposed by Algonquin Gas Transmission, LLC (Algonquin) and Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline, LLC (Maritimes), collectively referred to as the Applicants, in the above-referenced docket. The Applicants request authorization to expand existing pipeline systems to deliver up to 132,705 dekatherms per day of natural gas transportation service to the New England and Maritimes provinces of Canada markets. The EA assesses the potential environmental effects of the construction and operation of the Atlantic Bridge Project in accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act. The FERC staff concludes that approval of the proposed project, with appropriate mitigating measures, would not constitute a major federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is a cooperating agency assisting us in the preparation of this EA because they have special expertise with respect to environmental impacts associated with the Applicants’ proposals. The proposed Atlantic Bridge Project includes the following facilities: • 4.0 miles of 42-inch-diameter pipeline to replace existing 26-inch diameter pipeline in Westchester County, New York; • 2.3 miles of 42-inch-diameter pipeline to replace existing 26-inch diameter pipeline in Fairfield County, Connecticut; • a new 7,700 horsepower compressor station (Weymouth Compressor Station) in Norfolk County, Massachusetts; VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:20 May 05, 2016 Jkt 238001 • a new meter and regulating station in New London County, Connecticut; • modifications to three existing compressor stations in Rockland County, New York and Windham and New Haven Counties, Connecticut; • modifications to five existing meter and regulating stations and one regulator station in New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Maine; and • ancillary facilities associated with the new pipeline including mainline valves and pig launcher/receiver facilities. The FERC staff mailed copies of the EA to federal, state, and local government representatives and agencies; elected officials; environmental and public interest groups; Native American tribes; potentially affected landowners and other interested individuals and groups; and newspapers and libraries in the project area. In addition, the EA is available for public viewing on the FERC’s Web site (www.ferc.gov) using the eLibrary link. A limited number of copies of the EA are available for distribution and public inspection at: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Public Reference Room, 888 First Street NE., Room 2A, Washington, DC 20426, (202) 502–8371. Any person wishing to comment on the EA may do so. Your comments should focus on the potential environmental effects, reasonable alternatives, and measures to avoid or lessen environmental impacts. The more specific your comments, the more useful they will be. To ensure that the Commission has the opportunity to consider your comments prior to making its decision on this project, it is important that we receive your comments in Washington, DC on or before June 1, 2016. For your convenience, there are three methods you can use to file your comments with the Commission. In all instances please reference the project docket number (CP16–9–000) with your submission. The Commission encourages electronic filing of comments and has expert staff available to assist you at 202–502–8258 or efiling@ferc.gov. (1) You can file your comments electronically using the eComment feature located on the Commission’s Web site (www.ferc.gov) under the link to Documents and Filings. This is an easy method for submitting brief, textonly comments on a project; (2) You can also file your comments electronically using the eFiling feature on the Commission’s Web site (www.ferc.gov) under the link to PO 00000 Frm 00042 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Documents and Filings. With eFiling, you can provide comments in a variety of formats by attaching them as a file with your submission. New eFiling users must first create an account by clicking on ‘‘eRegister.’’ You must select the type of filing you are making. If you are filing a comment on a particular project, please select ‘‘Comment on a Filing’’; or (3) You can file a paper copy of your comments by mailing them to the following address: Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr., Deputy Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426. Any person seeking to become a party to the proceeding must file a motion to intervene pursuant to Rule 214 of the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedures (Title 18 Code of Federal Regulations Part 385.214).1 Only intervenors have the right to seek rehearing of the Commission’s decision. The Commission grants affected landowners and others with environmental concerns intervenor status upon showing good cause by stating that they have a clear and direct interest in this proceeding that no other party can adequately represent. Simply filing environmental comments will not give you intervenor status, but you do not need intervenor status to have your comments considered. 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., CP16–9). 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. 1 See the previous discussion on the methods for filing comments. E:\FR\FM\06MYN1.SGM 06MYN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 88 (Friday, May 6, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27426-27428]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-10675]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP16-125-000]


National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation; Notice of Intent To Prepare 
an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Line T2KNY Install, Line 
TNY Replacement, and Line KNY Abandonment Project, and Request for 
Comments on Environmental Issues

    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) will prepare an environmental assessment (EA) that will 
discuss the environmental impacts of the Line T2KNY Install, Line TNY 
Replacement, and Line KNY Abandonment Project involving construction 
and operation of facilities by National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation 
(National Fuel) in Erie County, New York. 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 June 2, 2016.
    If you sent comments on this project to the Commission before the 
opening of this docket on April 4, 2016, you will need to file those 
comments in Docket No. CP16-125-000 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 proposed 
project and encourage them to comment on their areas of concern.
    If you are a landowner receiving this notice, a pipeline company 
representative may contact you about the acquisition of an easement to 
construct, operate, and maintain the proposed 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.
    National Fuel provided landowners with a fact sheet prepared by the 
FERC entitled ``An Interstate Natural Gas Facility On My Land? What Do 
I Need To Know?'' This fact sheet addresses a number of typically asked 
questions, including the use of eminent domain and how to participate 
in the Commission's proceedings. It is also available for viewing on 
the FERC Web site (www.ferc.gov).

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 
(CP16-125-000) with your submission: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, 
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Room 1A, 
Washington, DC 20426.

Summary of the Proposed Project

    National Fuel proposes to install approximately 1.2 miles of new 
20-inch-diameter natural gas pipeline (Line T2KNY), replace 
approximately 6.7 miles of 20-inch-diameter bare steel pipeline with 
7.0 miles of 24-inch-diameter coated natural gas pipeline (Line TNY), 
abandon approximately 14.9 miles of 20-inch-diameter bare steel natural 
gas pipeline (Line KNY), make modifications at two existing National 
Fuel meter and regulator stations (North Boston and East Eden), and 
make modifications at National Fuel's existing Zoar Compressor Station 
in Erie County, New York. The Line T2KNY Install, Line TNY Replacement, 
and Line KNY Abandonment Project would allow National Fuel to cure 
operating deficiencies on Line TNY and would provide an additional 
2,600 dekatherms per day of new firm capacity which would be offered in 
an open season. This project would eliminate vintage bare steel 
pipeline, replacing it with modern, high strength, coated steel 
pipeline, therefore increasing the overall integrity and reliability of 
National Fuel's pipeline system.
    The general location of the project facilities is shown in appendix 
1.\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ The appendices referenced in this notice will not appear in 
the Federal Register. Copies of appendices were sent to all those 
receiving this notice in the mail and are available at www.ferc.gov 
using the link called ``eLibrary'' or from the Commission's Public 
Reference Room, 888 First Street NE., Washington, DC 20426, or call 
(202) 502-8371. For instructions on connecting to eLibrary, refer to 
the last page of this notice.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Land Requirements for Construction

    Construction of the proposed facilities would disturb about 112 
acres of land for the aboveground facilities and the pipeline. 
Following construction, National Fuel would maintain about 52 acres for 
permanent operation of the project's facilities; the remaining

[[Page 27427]]

acreage would be restored and revert to former uses. About 54 percent 
of the proposed 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 
\2\ to discover and address concerns the public may have about 
proposals. This process is referred to as ``scoping.'' The main goal of 
the scoping process is to focus the analysis in the EA on the important 
environmental issues. By this notice, the Commission requests public 
comments on the scope of the issues to address in the EA. We will 
consider all filed comments during the preparation of the EA.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ ``We,'' ``us,'' and ``our'' refer to the environmental staff 
of the Commission's Office of Energy Projects.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    In the EA we will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of 
the construction and operation of the proposed 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 reasonable alternatives to the proposed 
project or portions of the project, and make recommendations on how to 
lessen or avoid impacts on the various resource areas.
    The EA will present our independent analysis of the issues. The EA 
will be available in the public record through eLibrary. Depending on 
the comments received during the scoping process, we may also publish 
and distribute the EA to the public for an allotted comment period. We 
will consider all comments on the EA before making our recommendations 
to the Commission. To ensure we have the opportunity to consider and 
address your comments, please carefully follow the instructions in the 
Public Participation section, beginning on page 2.
    With this notice, we are asking agencies with jurisdiction by law 
and/or special expertise with respect to the environmental issues of 
this project to formally cooperate with us in the preparation of the 
EA.\3\ Agencies that would like to request cooperating agency status 
should follow the instructions for filing comments provided under the 
Public Participation section of this notice.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \3\ The Council on Environmental Quality regulations addressing 
cooperating agency responsibilities are at Title 40, Code of Federal 
Regulations, Part 1501.6.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Consultations Under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation 
Act

    In accordance with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation's 
implementing regulations for section 106 of the National Historic 
Preservation Act, we are using this notice to initiate consultation 
with the applicable State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), and to 
solicit their views and those of other government agencies, interested 
Indian tribes, and the public on the project's potential effects on 
historic properties.\4\ We will define the project-specific Area of 
Potential Effects (APE) in consultation with the SHPO as the project 
develops. On natural gas facility 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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \4\ The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation's regulations 
are at Title 36, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 800. Those 
regulations define historic properties as any prehistoric or 
historic district, site, building, structure, or object included in 
or eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic 
Places.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

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 
proposed project.
    If we publish and distribute the EA, copies will be sent to the 
environmental mailing list for public review and comment. If you would 
prefer to receive a paper copy of the document instead of the CD 
version or would like to remove your name from the mailing list, please 
return the attached Information Request (appendix 2).

Becoming an Intervenor

    In addition to involvement in the EA scoping process, you may want 
to become an ``intervenor'' which is an official party to the 
Commission's proceeding. Intervenors play a more formal role in the 
process and are able to file briefs, appear at hearings, and be heard 
by the courts if they choose to appeal the Commission's final ruling. 
An intervenor formally participates in the proceeding by filing a 
request to intervene. Instructions for becoming an intervenor are in 
the ``Document-less Intervention Guide'' under the ``e-filing'' link on 
the Commission's Web site. Motions to intervene are more fully 
described at https://www.ferc.gov/resources/guides/how-to/intervene.asp.

Additional Information

    Additional information about the project is available from the 
Commission's Office of External Affairs, at (866) 208-FERC, or on the 
FERC Web site at www.ferc.gov using the ``eLibrary'' link. Click on the 
eLibrary link, click on ``General Search'' and enter the docket number, 
excluding the last three digits in the Docket Number field (i.e., CP16-
125). 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.


[[Page 27428]]


    Dated: May 2, 2016.
Kimberly D. Bose,
 Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-10675 Filed 5-5-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
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