Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Mountain Valley Project and Equitrans Expansion Project: Mountain Valley Pipeline LLC, Equitrans LP, 29539-29541 [2017-13598]
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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 124 / Thursday, June 29, 2017 / Notices
Online service, please email
FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or call
(866) 208–3676 (toll free). For TTY, call
(202) 502–8659.
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
Dated: June 23, 2017.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[Docket No. ER17–1883–000]
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
Supplemental Notice That Initial
Market-Based Rate Filing Includes
Request for Blanket Section 204
Authorization: Mineral Point Energy
LLC
[FR Doc. 2017–13600 Filed 6–28–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
This is a supplemental notice in the
above-referenced proceeding of Mineral
Point Energy LLC’s application for
market-based rate authority, with an
accompanying rate tariff, noting that
such application includes a request for
blanket authorization, under 18 CFR
part 34, of future issuances of securities
and assumptions of liability.
Any person desiring to intervene or to
protest should file with the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission, 888
First Street NE., Washington, DC 20426,
in accordance with Rules 211 and 214
of the Commission’s Rules of Practice
and Procedure (18 CFR 385.211 and
385.214). Anyone filing a motion to
intervene or protest must serve a copy
of that document on the Applicant.
Notice is hereby given that the
deadline for filing protests with regard
to the applicant’s request for blanket
authorization, under 18 CFR part 34, of
future issuances of securities and
assumptions of liability, is July 13,
2017.
The Commission encourages
electronic submission of protests and
interventions in lieu of paper, using the
FERC Online links at https://
www.ferc.gov. To facilitate electronic
service, persons with Internet access
who will eFile a document and/or be
listed as a contact for an intervenor
must create and validate an
eRegistration account using the
eRegistration link. Select the eFiling
link to log on and submit the
intervention or protests.
Persons unable to file electronically
should submit an original and 5 copies
of the intervention or protest to the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
888 First Street NE., Washington, DC
20426.
The filings in the above-referenced
proceeding are accessible in the
Commission’s eLibrary system by
clicking on the appropriate link in the
above list. They are also available for
electronic review in the Commission’s
Public Reference Room in Washington,
DC. There is an eSubscription link on
the Web site that enables subscribers to
receive email notification when a
document is added to a subscribed
docket(s). For assistance with any FERC
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. CP16–10–000; Docket No.
CP16–13–000]
Notice of Availability of the Final
Environmental Impact Statement for
the Proposed Mountain Valley Project
and Equitrans Expansion Project:
Mountain Valley Pipeline LLC,
Equitrans LP
The staff of the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) has prepared a final
environmental impact statement (EIS)
for the projects proposed by Mountain
Valley Pipeline LLC (Mountain Valley)
and Equitrans LP (Equitrans) in the
above-referenced dockets. Mountain
Valley requests authorization to
construct and operate certain interstate
natural gas facilities in West Virginia
and Virginia, known as the Mountain
Valley Project (MVP) in Docket Number
CP16–10–000. The MVP is designed to
transport about 2 billion cubic feet per
day (Bcf/d) of natural gas from
production areas in the Appalachian
Basin to markets in the Mid-Atlantic
and Southeastern United States.
Equitrans requests authorization to
construct and operate certain natural gas
facilities in Pennsylvania and West
Virginia, known as the Equitrans
Expansion Project (EEP) in Docket No.
CP16–13–000. The EEP is designed to
transport about 0.4 Bcf/d of natural gas,
to improve system flexibility and
reliability, and serve markets in the
Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Southeast,
through interconnections with various
other interstate systems, including the
proposed MVP.
The final EIS assesses the potential
environmental effects of the
construction and operation of the MVP
and EEP in accordance with the
requirements of the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969
(NEPA). The FERC staff concludes that
construction and operation of the
projects would result in some adverse
environmental impacts. In the case of
the clearing of forest, effects may be
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29539
long-term and significant. However, for
most other environmental resources,
effects should be temporary or shortterm, and impacts would be reduced to
less-than-significant levels with the
implementation of the applicants’
proposed mitigation measures and the
additional measures recommended in
the final EIS.
The United States (U.S.) Department
of Agriculture Forest Service (FS); U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers (COE); U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA); U.S. Department of the Interior
Bureau of Land Management (BLM); the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS),
West Virginia Field Office; U.S.
Department of Transportation; West
Virginia Department of Environmental
Protection; and West Virginia Division
of Natural Resources participated as
cooperating agencies in the preparation
of the final EIS. Cooperating agencies
have jurisdiction by law or special
expertise with respect to resources
potentially affected by the proposals
and participated in the NEPA analysis.
Proposed Facilities
The final EIS addresses the potential
environmental effects of the
construction and operation of the
proposed facilities. For the MVP,
facilities include:
• About 304 miles of new 42-inchdiameter pipeline extending from the
new Mobley Interconnect in Wetzel
County, West Virginia to the existing
Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line
Company LLC (Transco) Station 165 in
Pittsylvania County, Virginia;
• 3 new compressor stations
(Bradshaw, Harris, Stallworth) in West
Virginia, totaling about 171,600
horsepower (hp);
• 4 new meter and regulation stations
and interconnections (Mobley,
Sherwood, WB, and Transco);
• 3 new taps (Webster, Roanoke Gas
Lafayette, and Roanoke Gas Franklin);
• 8 pig 1 launchers and receivers at 5
locations; and
• 36 mainline block valves.
For the EEP, facilities include:
• About 7 miles total of new various
diameter pipelines in six segments;
• new Redhook Compressor Station,
in Greene County, Pennsylvania, with
31,300 hp of compression;
• 4 new taps (Mobley, H–148, H–302,
H–306) and 1 new interconnection
(Webster);
• 4 pig launchers and receivers; and
• decommissioning and
abandonment of the existing 4,800 hp
Pratt Compressor Station in Greene
County, Pennsylvania.
1 A pig is a device used to clean or inspect the
interior of a pipeline.
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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 124 / Thursday, June 29, 2017 / Notices
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
Actions of the Federal Agencies
Informed by the Environmental Impact
Statement
Under Section 7 of the Natural Gas
Act, the Commission determines
whether interstate natural gas
transportation facilities are in the public
convenience and necessity and, if so,
grants a Certificate to construct and
operate them. The Commission bases its
decisions on technical competence,
financing, rates, market demand, gas
supply, environmental impact, longterm feasibility, and other issues
concerning a proposed project. The final
EIS summarizes the environmental
impacts and includes recommended
conditions to the prospective
Commission orders that would further
reduce the impacts of the proposed
actions.
The BLM’s purpose and need for the
proposed action is to respond to a Rightof-Way Grant application submitted by
Mountain Valley. Under the Mineral
Leasing Act, the Secretary of the Interior
has delegated authority to the BLM to
grant a right-of-way on federal lands
under the jurisdiction of two or more
federal agencies. Before issuing the
Right-of-Way Grant, the BLM must
receive the written concurrence of the
other surface managing federal agencies
(i.e., FS and COE) in accordance with 43
CFR 2882.3(i).
The FS’s purpose and need for the
proposed action is to consider issuing a
concurrence to the BLM for the Rightof-Way Grant and to evaluate an
amendment to the Land and Resource
Management Plan (LRMP) for the
Jefferson National Forest that would
make provision for the MVP pipeline’s
construction and operation. The FS
amendment to the Jefferson National
Forest LRMP is analyzed in the EIS.
The BLM may adopt and use the final
EIS when considering the issuance of a
Right-of-Way Grant to Mountain Valley
for the portion of the MVP that would
cross federal lands; with the
concurrence of the FS and COE. Further,
the FS may use the final EIS when it
considers amending its LRMP for the
proposed MVP crossing of the Jefferson
National Forest. Although the
cooperating agencies provided input to
the conclusions and recommendations
presented in the final EIS, the agencies
will present their own conclusions and
recommendations in their respective
Records of Decision (ROD) for the
projects.
Forest Service’s Draft Record of
Decision
The MVP may be implemented across
National Forest System (NFS) land if the
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BLM grants the rights-of-way for the
MVP pipeline to cross the Jefferson
National Forest and the FS amends the
Jefferson National Forest LRMP (Forest
Plan). The Forest Supervisor of the
George Washington and Jefferson
National Forests has adopted the
environmental analysis conducted by
FERC (in accordance with 40 CFR
1506.3(a) and (c)) to support his
decision to amend the Jefferson National
Forest LRMP. He has determined that
five parts of the Jefferson National
Forest LRMP, where 11 standards would
be modified by a Forest Plan
amendment (section 4.8 of the final
EIS), meet the substantive requirements
of the FS planning regulations (36 CFR
part 219); and can be implemented
without impairing the long-term
productivity of NFS lands. With the
amended LRMP, the MVP would be
consistent with the Forest Plan. The
draft decision is based on a review of
the environmental analysis disclosed in
the final EIS, the project record,
Mountain Valley’s proposed Plan of
Development, comments from the
public, partners, and other agencies, and
a consideration of the 36 CFR part 219
requirements for amending a Forest
Plan.
The FS decision is subject to objection
pursuant to the provisions available at
36 CFR part 218, subparts A and B
(published in the Federal Register Vol.
78, No. 59 at 18481 [March 27, 2013]).
Objections to the FS decision must be
filed within 45 calendar days from the
publication date of the legal notice of
the opportunity to object in the Roanoke
Times, which is the newspaper of record
for the George Washington and Jefferson
National Forests. The legal notice
contains the details of the objection
process. The FS must respond to all
objections received before it makes a
final decision on the proposed Forest
Plan amendments. The final decision on
the Forest Plan amendments and the
final EIS analysis will inform the FS
concurrence to the BLM for its Right-ofWay Grant.
A copy of the FS draft ROD and of the
legal notice for objections can be
obtained by any of the following
methods: Internet Web site: https://
www.fs.usda.gov/gwj; email: kovercash@
fs.fed.us@fs.fed.us; or regular mail:
Karen Overcash, George WashingtonJefferson Environmental Coordinator,
5162 Valleypointe Parkway, Roanoke,
VA 24019; telephone: (540) 265–5100.
Comments on the Bureau of Land
Management Record of Decision
The BLM is soliciting comments
specific to MVP impacts on federal
lands managed by the COE and FS for
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consideration in its ROD. If you wish to
submit written comments to the BLM,
they must be submitted within thirty
(30) calendar days from the date that the
EPA publishes the Notice of Availability
of the Environmental Impact Statement
for the Proposed Mountain Valley
Project and Equitrans Expansion Project
in the Federal Register. You may use
any of the following methods to submit
comments to the BLM: E-planning MVP
Comment Submission Web page at
https://bit.ly/2qByLlw; or mail to: Vicki
Craft, U.S. Bureau of Land Management,
Southeastern State District Office, 273
Market Street, Flowood, MS 39232.
Distribution of the Final Environmental
Impact Statement
The FERC staff mailed copies of the
final EIS 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. Paper copy versions of this
EIS were mailed to those specifically
requesting them; all others received a
compact-disc version. In addition, the
EIS is available for public viewing on
the FERC’s Web site (www.ferc.gov)
using the eLibrary link. A limited
number of copies 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.
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., CP16–10
or CP16–13). 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; 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
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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 124 / Thursday, June 29, 2017 / Notices
documents. Go to www.ferc.gov/docsfiling/esubscription.asp.
Dated: June 23, 2017.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2017–13598 Filed 6–28–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Project Nos. 7387–068–9222–033]
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
Erie Boulevard Hydropower, L.P.;
Notice of Application Accepted for
Filing, Soliciting Comments, Protests
and Motions To Intervene
Take notice that the following
hydroelectric application has been filed
with the Commission and is available
for public inspection:
a. Type of Proceeding: Amendment of
License Terms.
b. Project Nos.: P–7387–068 & P–
9222–033.
c. Date Filed: May 12, 2017.
d. Licensee: Erie Boulevard
Hydropower, L.P.
e. Names and Locations of Projects:
Piercefield Hydroelectric Project No.
7387, located on the Raquette River in
St. Lawrence and Franklin counties,
New York. Yaleville Hydroelectric
Project No. 9222, located on the
Raquette River, in St. Lawrence County,
New York.
f. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power
Act, 16 U.S.C. 791a–825r.
g. Licensee Contact Information: Mr.
Steven P. Murphy, Director, U.S.
Licensing, Brookfield Renewable, 33
West 1st Street South, Fulton, New York
13069, Phone: (315) 598–6130, Email:
steven.murphy@
brookfieldrenewable.com
h. FERC Contact: Mr. Ashish Desai,
(202) 502–8370, Ashish.Desai@ferc.gov.
i. Deadline for filing comments,
motions to intervene and protests, is 30
days from the issuance date of this
notice by the Commission. The
Commission strongly encourages
electronic filing. Please file motions to
intervene, protests, comments, and
recommendations, using the
Commission’s eFiling system at https://
www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp.
Commenters can 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
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18:29 Jun 28, 2017
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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 numbers P–7387–068
and P–9222–033.
j. Description of Proceeding: The
licensee, Erie Boulevard Hydropower,
L.P., requests that the Commission
amend the license terms for two of its
projects to synchronize the license
expiration dates with the licensee’s four
other projects, so that they can be
relicensed concurrently. The other four
projects’ licenses expire on December
31, 2033. All six projects are located on
the Raquette River.
In order to align the expiration dates,
the licensee requests that the
Commission extend the license for the
Yaleville Project No. 9222,
approximately 12 years, from January
31, 2022 to December 31, 2033. In
addition, the licensee requests that the
Commission accelerate the license
expiration term for the Piercefield
Project No. 7387 by 10 years, from
October 31, 2045 to October 31, 2035.
The licensee states that amending the
license terms for the two projects would
allow for better coordination during
project relicensing for all of its projects
on the Raquette River. The licensee’s
request includes letters of support for
the amendments of the license terms
from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
New York State Department of
Environmental Conservation, and
Adirondack Mountain Club.
k. This notice is available for review
and reproduction at the Commission in
the Public Reference Room, Room 2A,
888 First Street NE., Washington, DC
20426. The filing may also be viewed on
the Commission’s Web site at https://
www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/elibrary.asp.
Enter the Docket number (P–7387–068
or P–9222–033) excluding the last three
digits in the docket number field to
access the notice. You may also register
online at https://www.ferc.gov/docsfiling/esubscription.asp to be notified
via email of new filings and issuances
related to this or other pending projects.
For assistance, call toll-free 1–866–208–
3676 or email FERCOnlineSupport@
ferc.gov. For TTY, call (202) 502–8659.
l. Individuals desiring to be included
on the Commission’s mailing list should
so indicate by writing to the Secretary
of the Commission.
m. Comments, Protests, or Motions to
Intervene: Anyone may submit
comments, a protest, or a motion to
intervene in accordance with the
requirements of Rules of Practice and
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29541
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.
n. Filing and Service of Responsive
Documents: Any filing must (1) bear in
all capital letters the title COMMENTS,
PROTEST, or MOTION TO INTERVENE
as applicable; (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, motions to intervene, or
protests must set forth their evidentiary
basis and otherwise comply with the
requirements of 18 CFR 4.34(b). All
comments, motions to intervene, or
protests should relate to the request for
the amendment of the license terms.
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. If an
intervener 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.
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.
Dated: June 23, 2017.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2017–13603 Filed 6–28–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
Combined Notice of Filings #1
Take notice that the Commission
received the following electric rate
filings:
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 124 (Thursday, June 29, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29539-29541]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-13598]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP16-10-000; Docket No. CP16-13-000]
Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact
Statement for the Proposed Mountain Valley Project and Equitrans
Expansion Project: Mountain Valley Pipeline LLC, Equitrans LP
The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) has prepared a final environmental impact statement (EIS)
for the projects proposed by Mountain Valley Pipeline LLC (Mountain
Valley) and Equitrans LP (Equitrans) in the above-referenced dockets.
Mountain Valley requests authorization to construct and operate certain
interstate natural gas facilities in West Virginia and Virginia, known
as the Mountain Valley Project (MVP) in Docket Number CP16-10-000. The
MVP is designed to transport about 2 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d)
of natural gas from production areas in the Appalachian Basin to
markets in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States. Equitrans
requests authorization to construct and operate certain natural gas
facilities in Pennsylvania and West Virginia, known as the Equitrans
Expansion Project (EEP) in Docket No. CP16-13-000. The EEP is designed
to transport about 0.4 Bcf/d of natural gas, to improve system
flexibility and reliability, and serve markets in the Northeast, Mid-
Atlantic, and Southeast, through interconnections with various other
interstate systems, including the proposed MVP.
The final EIS assesses the potential environmental effects of the
construction and operation of the MVP and EEP in accordance with the
requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA).
The FERC staff concludes that construction and operation of the
projects would result in some adverse environmental impacts. In the
case of the clearing of forest, effects may be long-term and
significant. However, for most other environmental resources, effects
should be temporary or short-term, and impacts would be reduced to
less-than-significant levels with the implementation of the applicants'
proposed mitigation measures and the additional measures recommended in
the final EIS.
The United States (U.S.) Department of Agriculture Forest Service
(FS); U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE); U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA); U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management
(BLM); the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), West Virginia Field
Office; U.S. Department of Transportation; West Virginia Department of
Environmental Protection; and West Virginia Division of Natural
Resources participated as cooperating agencies in the preparation of
the final EIS. Cooperating agencies have jurisdiction by law or special
expertise with respect to resources potentially affected by the
proposals and participated in the NEPA analysis.
Proposed Facilities
The final EIS addresses the potential environmental effects of the
construction and operation of the proposed facilities. For the MVP,
facilities include:
About 304 miles of new 42-inch-diameter pipeline extending
from the new Mobley Interconnect in Wetzel County, West Virginia to the
existing Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company LLC (Transco) Station
165 in Pittsylvania County, Virginia;
3 new compressor stations (Bradshaw, Harris, Stallworth)
in West Virginia, totaling about 171,600 horsepower (hp);
4 new meter and regulation stations and interconnections
(Mobley, Sherwood, WB, and Transco);
3 new taps (Webster, Roanoke Gas Lafayette, and Roanoke
Gas Franklin);
8 pig \1\ launchers and receivers at 5 locations; and
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ A pig is a device used to clean or inspect the interior of a
pipeline.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
36 mainline block valves.
For the EEP, facilities include:
About 7 miles total of new various diameter pipelines in
six segments;
new Redhook Compressor Station, in Greene County,
Pennsylvania, with 31,300 hp of compression;
4 new taps (Mobley, H-148, H-302, H-306) and 1 new
interconnection (Webster);
4 pig launchers and receivers; and
decommissioning and abandonment of the existing 4,800 hp
Pratt Compressor Station in Greene County, Pennsylvania.
[[Page 29540]]
Actions of the Federal Agencies Informed by the Environmental Impact
Statement
Under Section 7 of the Natural Gas Act, the Commission determines
whether interstate natural gas transportation facilities are in the
public convenience and necessity and, if so, grants a Certificate to
construct and operate them. The Commission bases its decisions on
technical competence, financing, rates, market demand, gas supply,
environmental impact, long-term feasibility, and other issues
concerning a proposed project. The final EIS summarizes the
environmental impacts and includes recommended conditions to the
prospective Commission orders that would further reduce the impacts of
the proposed actions.
The BLM's purpose and need for the proposed action is to respond to
a Right-of-Way Grant application submitted by Mountain Valley. Under
the Mineral Leasing Act, the Secretary of the Interior has delegated
authority to the BLM to grant a right-of-way on federal lands under the
jurisdiction of two or more federal agencies. Before issuing the Right-
of-Way Grant, the BLM must receive the written concurrence of the other
surface managing federal agencies (i.e., FS and COE) in accordance with
43 CFR 2882.3(i).
The FS's purpose and need for the proposed action is to consider
issuing a concurrence to the BLM for the Right-of-Way Grant and to
evaluate an amendment to the Land and Resource Management Plan (LRMP)
for the Jefferson National Forest that would make provision for the MVP
pipeline's construction and operation. The FS amendment to the
Jefferson National Forest LRMP is analyzed in the EIS.
The BLM may adopt and use the final EIS when considering the
issuance of a Right-of-Way Grant to Mountain Valley for the portion of
the MVP that would cross federal lands; with the concurrence of the FS
and COE. Further, the FS may use the final EIS when it considers
amending its LRMP for the proposed MVP crossing of the Jefferson
National Forest. Although the cooperating agencies provided input to
the conclusions and recommendations presented in the final EIS, the
agencies will present their own conclusions and recommendations in
their respective Records of Decision (ROD) for the projects.
Forest Service's Draft Record of Decision
The MVP may be implemented across National Forest System (NFS) land
if the BLM grants the rights-of-way for the MVP pipeline to cross the
Jefferson National Forest and the FS amends the Jefferson National
Forest LRMP (Forest Plan). The Forest Supervisor of the George
Washington and Jefferson National Forests has adopted the environmental
analysis conducted by FERC (in accordance with 40 CFR 1506.3(a) and
(c)) to support his decision to amend the Jefferson National Forest
LRMP. He has determined that five parts of the Jefferson National
Forest LRMP, where 11 standards would be modified by a Forest Plan
amendment (section 4.8 of the final EIS), meet the substantive
requirements of the FS planning regulations (36 CFR part 219); and can
be implemented without impairing the long-term productivity of NFS
lands. With the amended LRMP, the MVP would be consistent with the
Forest Plan. The draft decision is based on a review of the
environmental analysis disclosed in the final EIS, the project record,
Mountain Valley's proposed Plan of Development, comments from the
public, partners, and other agencies, and a consideration of the 36 CFR
part 219 requirements for amending a Forest Plan.
The FS decision is subject to objection pursuant to the provisions
available at 36 CFR part 218, subparts A and B (published in the
Federal Register Vol. 78, No. 59 at 18481 [March 27, 2013]). Objections
to the FS decision must be filed within 45 calendar days from the
publication date of the legal notice of the opportunity to object in
the Roanoke Times, which is the newspaper of record for the George
Washington and Jefferson National Forests. The legal notice contains
the details of the objection process. The FS must respond to all
objections received before it makes a final decision on the proposed
Forest Plan amendments. The final decision on the Forest Plan
amendments and the final EIS analysis will inform the FS concurrence to
the BLM for its Right-of-Way Grant.
A copy of the FS draft ROD and of the legal notice for objections
can be obtained by any of the following methods: Internet Web site:
https://www.fs.usda.gov/gwj; email: kovercash@fs.fed.us@fs.fed.us; or
regular mail: Karen Overcash, George Washington-Jefferson Environmental
Coordinator, 5162 Valleypointe Parkway, Roanoke, VA 24019; telephone:
(540) 265-5100.
Comments on the Bureau of Land Management Record of Decision
The BLM is soliciting comments specific to MVP impacts on federal
lands managed by the COE and FS for consideration in its ROD. If you
wish to submit written comments to the BLM, they must be submitted
within thirty (30) calendar days from the date that the EPA publishes
the Notice of Availability of the Environmental Impact Statement for
the Proposed Mountain Valley Project and Equitrans Expansion Project in
the Federal Register. You may use any of the following methods to
submit comments to the BLM: E-planning MVP Comment Submission Web page
at https://bit.ly/2qByLlw; or mail to: Vicki Craft, U.S. Bureau of Land
Management, Southeastern State District Office, 273 Market Street,
Flowood, MS 39232.
Distribution of the Final Environmental Impact Statement
The FERC staff mailed copies of the final EIS 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. Paper copy
versions of this EIS were mailed to those specifically requesting them;
all others received a compact-disc version. In addition, the EIS is
available for public viewing on the FERC's Web site (www.ferc.gov)
using the eLibrary link. A limited number of copies 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.
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-
10 or CP16-13). 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; 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
[[Page 29541]]
documents. Go to www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/esubscription.asp.
Dated: June 23, 2017.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2017-13598 Filed 6-28-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
