Columbia Gas Transmission, LLC; Notice of Schedule For Environmental Review of the WB XPress Project, 91159 [2016-30206]
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 242 / Friday, December 16, 2016 / Notices
Commission’s Public Reference Room in
Washington, DC. There is an
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enables subscribers to receive email
notification when a document is added
to a subscribed docket(s). For assistance
with any FERC Online service, please
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call (202) 502–8659.
Comment Date: 5:00 p.m. Eastern time
on January 9, 2017.
Dated: December 12, 2016.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. CP16–38–000; PF15–21–000]
Columbia Gas Transmission, LLC;
Notice of Schedule For Environmental
Review of the WB XPress Project
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On December 30, 2015, Columbia Gas
Transmission, LLC (Columbia) filed an
application in Docket No. CP16–38–000
requesting a Certificate of Public
Convenience and Necessity pursuant to
Section 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act to
construct and operate certain natural gas
pipeline facilities. The proposed project
is known as the WB XPress Project
(Project), and would expand the
capacity of Columbia’s existing natural
gas pipeline system by 1.3 million
dekatherms per day and provide bidirectional transportation service in
order to meet growing market demands.
On January 14, 2016, the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission
(Commission or FERC) issued its Notice
of Application for the Project. Among
other things, that notice alerted agencies
issuing federal authorizations of the
requirement to complete all necessary
reviews and to reach a final decision on
a request for a federal authorization
within 90 days of the date of issuance
of the Commission staff’s Environmental
Assessment (EA) for the Project. This
instant notice identifies the FERC staff’s
planned schedule for the completion of
the EA for the Project.
Schedule for Environmental Review
Issuance of EA—March 24, 2017
90-day Federal Authorization Decision
Deadline—June 22, 2017
If a schedule change becomes
necessary, additional notice will be
provided so that the relevant agencies
are kept informed of the Project’s
progress.
18:42 Dec 15, 2016
The Project would involve the
replacement of 26.2 miles of
replacement pipeline and 3.1 miles of
new pipeline composed of varying
diameters, two new compressor stations
(one gas and one electric), expansions
and modifications at seven existing gas
compressor stations, and other minor
aboveground facilities in West Virginia
and Virginia.
Background
[FR Doc. 2016–30290 Filed 12–15–16; 8:45 am]
VerDate Sep<11>2014
Project Description
Jkt 241001
On July 22, 2015, the Commission
issued a Notice of Intent to Prepare an
Environmental Assessment for the
Proposed WB XPress Project and
Request for Comments on
Environmental Issues (NOI). The NOI
was issued during the pre-filing review
of the Project in Docket No. PF15–21–
000 and was sent to affected
landowners; federal, state, and local
government agencies; elected officials;
environmental and public interest
groups; Native American tribes; other
interested parties; and local libraries
and newspapers. In response to the NOI,
the Commission received comments
from Virginia and West Virginia state
agencies; Fairfax County, and five
landowners. After the NOI period
closed, we received additional
comments from the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (Region 3), U.S.
Forest Service, West Virginia
Department of Natural Resources, Town
of Strasburg, Virginia, and organizations
such as the Dulles Regional Chamber of
Commerce, the Southern Environmental
Law Center, West Virginia Oil and Gas
Association, Virginia Run Community
Association, Sierra Club et al.,
Shenandoah Valley Network et al., Oil
Change International et al., and 26
interested individuals. The primary
issues raised included the need for the
project; impacts on soils, karst geology,
groundwater, waterbodies, wetlands,
sensitive and listed species, forests,
sensitive National Forest Service lands,
air quality, climate change; and
cumulative and indirect impacts.
Alternatives, public safety, general
support for the project, and the need for
a programmatic environmental impact
statement (EIS) were also raised.
The U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, West Virginia
Department of Environmental
Protection, and West Virginia
Department of Natural Resources are
cooperating agencies in the preparation
of the EA.
PO 00000
Frm 00045
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
91159
Additional Information
In order to receive notification of the
issuance of the EA and to keep track of
all formal issuances and submittals in
specific dockets, the Commission offers
a free service called eSubscription. 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.
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, select ‘‘General Search’’
from the eLibrary menu, enter the
selected date range and ‘‘Docket
Number’’ excluding the last three digits
(i.e., CP16–38), and follow the
instructions. For assistance with access
to eLibrary, the helpline can be reached
at (866) 208–3676, TTY (202) 502–8659,
or at FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov. The
eLibrary link on the FERC Web site also
provides access to the texts of formal
documents issued by the Commission,
such as orders, notices, and rule
makings.
Dated: December 9, 2016.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016–30206 Filed 12–15–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. CP16–487–000]
Northern Natural Gas Company; Notice
of Availability of the Environmental
Assessment for the Proposed Cedar
Station Upgrade Project
The staff of the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) has prepared an
environmental assessment (EA) for the
Cedar Station Upgrade Project, proposed
by Northern Natural Gas Company
(Northern) in the above-referenced
docket. Northern requests authorization
to construct approximately 7.86 miles of
natural gas pipeline in Dakota County,
Minnesota in order to fulfill its
contractual obligation with Northern
States Power Company, a Minnesota
Corporation (NSP–MN) to increase the
delivery pressure to NSP–MN’s existing
Black Dog Generating Station from 400
pounds per square inch gauge (psig) to
650 psig. As part of NSP–MN’s process
E:\FR\FM\16DEN1.SGM
16DEN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 242 (Friday, December 16, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 91159]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-30206]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP16-38-000; PF15-21-000]
Columbia Gas Transmission, LLC; Notice of Schedule For
Environmental Review of the WB XPress Project
On December 30, 2015, Columbia Gas Transmission, LLC (Columbia)
filed an application in Docket No. CP16-38-000 requesting a Certificate
of Public Convenience and Necessity pursuant to Section 7(c) of the
Natural Gas Act to construct and operate certain natural gas pipeline
facilities. The proposed project is known as the WB XPress Project
(Project), and would expand the capacity of Columbia's existing natural
gas pipeline system by 1.3 million dekatherms per day and provide bi-
directional transportation service in order to meet growing market
demands.
On January 14, 2016, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
(Commission or FERC) issued its Notice of Application for the Project.
Among other things, that notice alerted agencies issuing federal
authorizations of the requirement to complete all necessary reviews and
to reach a final decision on a request for a federal authorization
within 90 days of the date of issuance of the Commission staff's
Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Project. This instant notice
identifies the FERC staff's planned schedule for the completion of the
EA for the Project.
Schedule for Environmental Review
Issuance of EA--March 24, 2017
90-day Federal Authorization Decision Deadline--June 22, 2017
If a schedule change becomes necessary, additional notice will be
provided so that the relevant agencies are kept informed of the
Project's progress.
Project Description
The Project would involve the replacement of 26.2 miles of
replacement pipeline and 3.1 miles of new pipeline composed of varying
diameters, two new compressor stations (one gas and one electric),
expansions and modifications at seven existing gas compressor stations,
and other minor aboveground facilities in West Virginia and Virginia.
Background
On July 22, 2015, the Commission issued a Notice of Intent to
Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed WB XPress Project
and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues (NOI). The NOI was
issued during the pre-filing review of the Project in Docket No. PF15-
21-000 and was sent to affected landowners; federal, state, and local
government agencies; elected officials; environmental and public
interest groups; Native American tribes; other interested parties; and
local libraries and newspapers. In response to the NOI, the Commission
received comments from Virginia and West Virginia state agencies;
Fairfax County, and five landowners. After the NOI period closed, we
received additional comments from the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (Region 3), U.S. Forest Service, West Virginia Department of
Natural Resources, Town of Strasburg, Virginia, and organizations such
as the Dulles Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Southern Environmental
Law Center, West Virginia Oil and Gas Association, Virginia Run
Community Association, Sierra Club et al., Shenandoah Valley Network et
al., Oil Change International et al., and 26 interested individuals.
The primary issues raised included the need for the project; impacts on
soils, karst geology, groundwater, waterbodies, wetlands, sensitive and
listed species, forests, sensitive National Forest Service lands, air
quality, climate change; and cumulative and indirect impacts.
Alternatives, public safety, general support for the project, and the
need for a programmatic environmental impact statement (EIS) were also
raised.
The U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service, West Virginia Department of Environmental
Protection, and West Virginia Department of Natural Resources are
cooperating agencies in the preparation of the EA.
Additional Information
In order to receive notification of the issuance of the EA and to
keep track of all formal issuances and submittals in specific dockets,
the Commission offers a free service called eSubscription. 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.
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, select
``General Search'' from the eLibrary menu, enter the selected date
range and ``Docket Number'' excluding the last three digits (i.e.,
CP16-38), and follow the instructions. For assistance with access to
eLibrary, the helpline can be reached at (866) 208-3676, TTY (202) 502-
8659, or at FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov. The eLibrary link on the FERC
Web site also provides access to the texts of formal documents issued
by the Commission, such as orders, notices, and rule makings.
Dated: December 9, 2016.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-30206 Filed 12-15-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
