National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation, Empire Pipeline, Inc.; Notice of Availability of the Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Northern Access 2016 Project, 51873 [2016-18572]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
• Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 151 (Friday, August 5, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 51873]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-18572]



[[Page 51873]]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket Nos. CP15-115-000 and CP15-115-001]


National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation, Empire Pipeline, Inc.; 
Notice of Availability of the Environmental Assessment for the Proposed 
Northern Access 2016 Project

    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) has prepared an environmental assessment (EA) for the 
Northern Access 2016 Project, proposed by National Fuel Gas Supply 
Corporation and Empire Pipeline, Inc. (National Fuel) in the above-
referenced dockets. National Fuel requests authorization to construct, 
operate, and maintain about 99 miles of natural gas transmission 
pipeline and related facilities in McKean County, Pennsylvania and 
Allegany, Cattaraugus, Erie, and Niagara Counties, New York. The 
Project would provide 350,000 dekatherms per day of capacity to markets 
in the northeastern United States and Canada.
    The EA assesses the potential environmental effects of the 
construction and operation of the Northern Access 2016 Project in 
accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy 
Act (NEPA). 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. Army Corps of Engineers and New York State Department of 
Agriculture and Markets participated as cooperating agencies in the 
preparation of the EA. Cooperating agencies have jurisdiction by law or 
special expertise with respect to resources potentially affected by the 
proposal and participate in the NEPA analysis.
    The proposed Northern Access 2016 Project includes the following 
facilities:
     96.9 miles of 24-inch-diameter pipeline in McKean County, 
Pennsylvania and Allegany, Cattaraugus, and Erie Counties, New York;
     0.9 mile of 16-inch-diameter pipeline and 1.2 miles of 24-
inch-diameter pipeline in Niagara County, New York;
     a new 22,000 horsepower (hp) compressor station in Niagara 
County;
     an additional 5,000 hp of compression at an existing 
compressor station in Erie County;
     a metering, regulation, and delivery station in Erie 
County;
     a dehydration facility in Niagara County;
     tie-ins in McKean, Cattaraugus, and Erie Counties;
     modification of tie-in facilities in Niagara County;
     mainline block valves in McKean, Allegany, Cattaraugus, 
and Erie Counties; and
     access roads and contractor/staging yards in McKean, 
Allegany, Cattaraugus, and Erie Counties.
    The FERC staff mailed copies of the EA to federal, state, and local 
officials; agency representatives; conservation organizations; local 
libraries and newspapers; Native American groups; property owners 
affected by the Project facilities; and parties to this proceeding. 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 August 26, 
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 (CP15-115-000 or CP15-115-001) with your 
submission. The Commission encourages electronic filing of comments and 
has expert staff available to assist you at 202-502-8258 or 
efiling@ferc.gov.
    (1) You can file your comments electronically using the eComment 
feature 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, text-only 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 Documents and Filings. With eFiling, you can provide comments 
in a variety of formats by attaching them as a file with your 
submission. New eFiling users must first create an account by clicking 
on ``eRegister.'' You must select the type of filing you are making. If 
you are filing a comment on a particular project, please select 
``Comment on a Filing''; or
    (3) You can file a paper copy of your comments by mailing them to 
the following address: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC 
20426.
    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 (18 CFR 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 which 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.
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    \1\ See the previous discussion on the methods for filing 
comments.
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    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., CP15-
115). 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.

    Dated: July 27, 2016.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-18572 Filed 8-4-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P