Atlantic Coast Pipeline, LLC, Dominion Energy Transmission, Inc., Piedmont Natural Gas Company, Inc.; Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Atlantic Coast Pipeline and Supply Header Project, 35192-35194 [2017-15911]
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35192
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 144 / Friday, July 28, 2017 / Notices
[FR Doc. 2017–15932 Filed 7–27–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
asabaliauskas on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with NOTICES
Combined Notice of Filings #1
Take notice that the Commission
received the following electric rate
filings:
Docket Numbers: ER16–1923–000.
Applicants: Midcontinent
Independent System Operator, Inc.
Description: Midcontinent
Independent System Operator, Inc.
submits tariff filing per 35.19a(b):
Refund Report (ER16–1923–000 and
–002) to be effective N/A.
Filed Date: 7/21/17.
Accession Number: 20170721–5120.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 8/11/17.
Docket Numbers: ER17–2029–001.
Applicants: Entergy Arkansas, Inc.
Description: Tariff Amendment: EAI–
ESI Reimbursement Agreement
Extension to be effective 12/31/9998.
Filed Date: 7/20/17.
Accession Number: 20170720–5136.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 8/10/17.
Docket Numbers: ER17–2030–001.
Applicants: Entergy Louisiana, LLC.
Description: Tariff Amendment: ELL–
ESI Reimbursement Agreement
Extemsion to be effective 12/31/9998.
Filed Date: 7/20/17.
Accession Number: 20170720–5138.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 8/10/17.
Docket Numbers: ER17–2031–001.
Applicants: Entergy Mississippi, Inc.
Description: Tariff Amendment: EMI–
ESI Reimbursement Agreement
Extension to be effective 12/31/9998.
Filed Date: 7/20/17.
Accession Number: 20170720–5139.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 8/10/17.
Docket Numbers: ER17–2033–001.
Applicants: Entergy New Orleans, Inc.
Description: Tariff Amendment:
ENO–ESI Reimbursement Agreement to
be effective 12/31/9998.
Filed Date: 7/20/17.
Accession Number: 20170720–5140.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 8/10/17.
Docket Numbers: ER17–2034–001.
Applicants: Entergy Texas, Inc.
Description: Tariff Amendment: ETI–
ESI Reimbursement Agreement to be
effective 12/31/9998.
Filed Date: 7/20/17.
Accession Number: 20170720–5141.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 8/10/17.
Docket Numbers: ER17–2115–000.
Applicants: Northern States Power
Company, a Minnesota corporation.
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18:50 Jul 27, 2017
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Description: § 205(d) Rate Filing:
NSPM Concurrence to OTP RS 110,
Suppl No. 3 to be effective 4/16/2016.
Filed Date: 7/21/17.
Accession Number: 20170721–5001.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 8/11/17.
Docket Numbers: ER17–2116–000.
Applicants: Midcontinent
Independent System Operator Inc., ITC
Midwest LLC.
Description: § 205(d) Rate Filing:
2017–07–21_Revisions to ITCM
Attachment O for Abandoned Plant
Incentive to be effective 9/20/2017.
Filed Date: 7/21/17.
Accession Number: 20170721–5040.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 8/11/17.
Docket Numbers: ER17–2118–000.
Applicants: ISO New England Inc.,
New England Power Pool Participants
Comm.
Description: § 205(d) Rate Filing: Rev.
to Sec. II.44(1)(a) to Conform with DayAhead Energy Mkt. Sched. Timeline to
be effective 9/20/2017.
Filed Date: 7/21/17.
Accession Number: 20170721–5092.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 8/11/17.
Docket Numbers: ER17–2119–000.
Applicants: Energy Consulting
Services, LLC.
Description: Notice of cancellation of
Market-Based Rate Tariff of Energy
Consulting Services, LLC.
Filed Date: 7/19/17.
Accession Number: 20170720–0015.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 8/9/17.
Take notice that the Commission
received the following foreign utility
company status filings:
Docket Numbers: FC17–4–000.
Applicants: I Squared Capital.
Description: Self-Certification of
FUCO on behalf of Orazul Companies.
Filed Date: 7/21/17.
Accession Number: 20170721–5066.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 8/11/17.
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
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other information, call (866) 208–3676
(toll free). For TTY, call (202) 502–8659.
Dated: July 21, 2017.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2017–15912 Filed 7–27–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket Nos. CP15–554–000, CP15–554–
001, CP15–555–000, CP15–556–000]
Atlantic Coast Pipeline, LLC, Dominion
Energy Transmission, Inc., Piedmont
Natural Gas Company, Inc.; Notice of
Availability of the Final Environmental
Impact Statement for the Proposed
Atlantic Coast Pipeline and Supply
Header Project
The staff of the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) has prepared a final
environmental impact statement (EIS)
for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP)
and Supply Header Project (SHP) as
proposed by Atlantic Coast Pipeline,
LLC (Atlantic) and Dominion Energy
Transmission, Inc. (DETI), respectively,
in the above-referenced dockets.
Atlantic and DETI request authorization
to construct and operate a total of 642.0
miles of natural gas transmission
pipeline and associated facilities, and
three new natural gas-fired compressor
stations; and to modify four existing
compressor stations. The projects would
provide about 1.44 billion cubic feet per
day of natural gas to electric generation,
distribution, and end use markets in
Virginia and North Carolina. In
addition, Atlantic and Piedmont Natural
Gas. Co., Inc. (Piedmont) request
authorization to allow Atlantic to lease
capacity on Piedmont’s existing
pipeline distribution system in North
Carolina for use by Atlantic (Capacity
Lease Proposal). No construction or
facility modifications are proposed with
the Capacity Lease.
The final EIS assesses the potential
environmental effects of the
construction and operation of the
projects in accordance with the
requirements of the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The
FERC staff concludes that approval of
the projects would have some adverse
and significant environmental impacts;
however, the majority of impacts would
be reduced to less-than-significant
levels with the implementation of the
Atlantic’s and DETI’s proposed
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asabaliauskas on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 144 / Friday, July 28, 2017 / Notices
mitigation and the additional measures
recommended in the EIS.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture—
Forest Service (FS); U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers; U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency; U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service; 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 participate in the NEPA analysis.
Further, the FS may use the EIS when
it considers amendments to Land and
Resource Management Plans (LRMPs)
and authorizations for special use
permits (SUPs) for the proposed
crossings of the Monongahela National
Forest (MNF) and George Washington
National Forest (GWNF). Although the
cooperating agencies provide input to
the conclusions and recommendations
presented in the final EIS, each agency
may present its own conclusions and
recommendations in its respective
record of decision or determination for
the projects.
The final EIS addresses the potential
environmental effects of the
construction and operation of the
following project facilities:
ACP would include:
• 519.7 miles of new 42- and 36-inchdiameter natural gas pipeline in West
Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina;
• 84.8 miles of 20- and 16-inchdiameter natural gas pipeline in Virginia
and North Carolina;
• three new compressor stations in
Lewis County, West Virginia;
Buckingham County, Virginia; and
Northampton County, North Carolina;
and
• nine meter stations, along with pig 1
launchers/receivers and mainline
valves.
SHP would include:
• 37.5 miles of new 30-inch-diameter
natural gas pipeline in Pennsylvania
and West Virginia;
• modifications at four existing
compressor stations in Westmoreland
and Green Counties, Pennsylvania and
Marshall and Wetzel Counties, West
Virginia;
• abandonment of existing
compressor units and associated
facilities in Wetzel County, West
Virginia; and
1 A pipeline pig is a device used to clean or
inspect a pipeline. A pig launcher/receiver is an
aboveground facility where pigs are inserted or
retrieved from the pipeline.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:50 Jul 27, 2017
Jkt 241001
• one meter station, along with pig
launchers/receivers and mainline
valves.
Actions of the Forest Service
The FS’s purpose and need for the
proposed action is to respond to a
special use application submitted by
Atlantic on November 12, 2015, to allow
the construction and operation of ACP
on National Forest System (NFS) lands
managed by the MNF and GWNF. If the
FS decides to authorize the pipeline
crossing of NFS lands and issue SUPs,
the FS has determined that amendments
to each national forest LRMP would be
needed.
Pursuant to Title 40 Code of Federal
Regulations Part 1506.3(c) (40 CFR
1506.3(c)), the FS may adopt and use
this EIS developed by FERC to consider
authorization for the construction and
operation of the ACP crossing NFS
lands. Further, the FS may use this EIS
when it considers amendments to the
LRMPs that would be required for the
proposed crossings of the MNF and
GWNF.
Forest Service’s Draft Record of
Decision
After issuance of the final EIS, the FS
will release a single draft Record of
Decision (ROD) for the authorization of
a SUP to Atlantic for use of and to
occupy NFS lands to construct, operate,
maintain, and eventually decommission
a natural gas pipeline that crosses lands
administered by the MNF and GWNF;
and for approval of the project-specific
LRMP amendments associated with
implementing the ACP on the MNF and
the GWNF. The Regional Foresters (RFs)
in the Eastern Region (for the MNF) and
the Southern Region (for the GWNF)
will be the responsible officials for the
ROD. The RF for the Eastern Region has
determined that two parts of the MNF
LRMP, where four 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 219) and
could be implemented without
impairing the long-term productivity of
NFS lands. Similarly, the RF for the
Southern Region has determined that
six parts of the GWNF LRMP, where
nine standards would be modified by a
Forest Plan amendment, meet the
substantive requirements of the FS
planning regulations and could be
implemented without impairing the
long-term productivity on NFS lands.
With the amended LRMPs, the ACP
would be consistent with both Forests’
LRMPs. This draft ROD will be based on
a review of the environmental analysis
disclosed in the final EIS; the project
PO 00000
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35193
record; Atlantic’s proposed
Construction, Operation, and
Maintenance Plan; comments received
from the public, partners, and other
agencies; and consideration of the 36
CFR 219 requirements for amending a
Forest Plan.
The draft ROD is subject to the FS
pre-decision objection process 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 draft ROD on the authorization
of the pipeline and the LRMP
amendments must be filed within 45
calendar days from the publication date
of the legal notice of the opportunity to
object in The Milwaukee Journal/
Sentinel and Atlanta JournalConstitution, which are the newspapers
of RODs made by the Eastern Region
and Southern Region RFs. Notices will
also be published in the Inter-Mountain
and The Roanoke Times for local
notification of the FS draft ROD. The
legal notices will contain the details of
the objection process. The FS must
respond to all objections received before
it makes a final decision.
A copy of the FS draft ROD and the
legal notices for objections can be
obtained by any of the following
methods:
For the GWNF:
• Internet Web site: https://
www.fs.usda.gov/gwj;
• Email: kovercash@fs.fed.us; or
• Regular mail: Karen Overcash,
George Washington and Jefferson
National Forests, 5162 Valleypointe
Parkway, Roanoke, VA 24019;
telephone: (540) 265–5100.
For the MNF:
• Internet Web site: https://
www.fs.usda.gov/mnf;
• Email: karenlstevens@fs.fed.us; or
• Regular mail: Karen Stevens,
Monongahela National Forest, 200
Sycamore Street, Elkins, WV 26241;
telephone (304) 636–1800.
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;
newspapers and libraries in the project
area; and parties to this proceeding.
Paper copy versions of this final EIS
were mailed to those specifically
requesting them; all others received a
CD version. In addition, the final EIS is
available for public viewing on the
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35194
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 144 / Friday, July 28, 2017 / Notices
FERC’s Web site (www.ferc.gov) using
the eLibrary link. A limited number of
copies of the final EIS 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
projects 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–
554, CP15–555, or CP15–556). 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 that
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 to subscribe.
Dated: July 21, 2017.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2017–15911 Filed 7–27–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. CP17–473–000]
asabaliauskas on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with NOTICES
National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation;
Notice of Request Under Blanket
Authorization
Take notice that on July 14, 2017,
National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation
(National Fuel), 6363 Main Street,
Williamsville, New York 14221, filed a
prior notice application pursuant to
sections 157.205 and 157.216 of the
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission’s (Commission) regulations
under the Natural Gas Act (NGA), and
National Fuel’s blanket certificate
issued in Docket No. CP83–4–000.
National Fuel requests authorization to
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abandon one injection/withdrawal (I/W)
storage well in its Henderson Storage
Field (Henderson), and remove a
portion of the associated well line, all
located in Irwin Township, Venango
County, Pennsylvania, all as more fully
set forth in the request, which is on file
with the Commission and open to
public inspection. The filing may also
be viewed on the Web 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 at
FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or call
toll-free, (866) 208–3676 or TTY, (202)
502–8659.
Specifically National Fuel proposes to
abandon Well 3168 in Henderson and
removal of approximately 30 feet of 4inch-diameter well line NW–3168 that
connects Well 3168 to branch line
N14SB1, which is connected to N36S,
an 8-inch storage line looping around
the field, all located in Irwin Township,
Venango County, Pennsylvania.
Any questions regarding this
application should be directed to Alice
A. Curtiss Deputy General Counsel,
National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation,
6363 Main Street, Williamsville, New
York 14221–5887 or phone (716) 857–
7075, or by email at curtissa@
natfuel.com.
Any person or the Commission’s staff
may, within 60 days after issuance of
the instant notice by the Commission,
file pursuant to Rule 214 of the
Commission’s Procedural Rules (18 CFR
385.214) a motion to intervene or notice
of intervention and pursuant to Section
157.205 of the regulations under the
NGA (18 CFR 157.205), a protest to the
request. If no protest is filed within the
time allowed therefore, the proposed
activity shall be deemed to be
authorized effective the day after the
time allowed for filing a protest. If a
protest is filed and not withdrawn
within 30 days after the allowed time
for filing a protest, the instant request
shall be treated as an application for
authorization pursuant to section 7 of
the NGA.
Pursuant to section 157.9 of the
Commission’s rules, 18 CFR 157.9,
within 90 days of this Notice the
Commission staff will either: Complete
its environmental assessment (EA) and
place it into the Commission’s public
record (eLibrary) for this proceeding, or
issue a Notice of Schedule for
Environmental Review. If a Notice of
Schedule for Environmental Review is
issued, it will indicate, among other
milestones, the anticipated date for the
Commission staff’s issuance of the final
environmental impact statement (FEIS)
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or EA for this proposal. The filing of the
EA in the Commission’s public record
for this proceeding or the issuance of a
Notice of Schedule for Environmental
Review will serve to notify federal and
state agencies of the timing for the
completion of all necessary reviews, and
the subsequent need to complete all
federal authorizations within 90 days of
the date of issuance of the Commission
staff’s FEIS or EA.
Persons who wish to comment only
on the environmental review of this
project should submit an original and
two copies of their comments to the
Secretary of the Commission.
Environmental commenters will be
placed on the Commission’s
environmental mailing list, will receive
copies of the environmental documents,
and will be notified of meetings
associated with the Commission’s
environmental review process.
Environmental commenters will not be
required to serve copies of filed
documents on all other parties.
However, the non-party commenter will
not receive copies of all documents filed
by other parties or issued by the
Commission (except for the mailing of
environmental documents issued by the
Commission) and will not have the right
to seek court review of the
Commission’s final order.
The Commission strongly encourages
electronic filings of comments, protests
and interventions in lieu of paper using
the eFiling link at https://www.ferc.gov.
Persons unable to file electronically
should submit an original and 5 copies
of the protest or intervention to the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
888 First Street NE., Washington, DC
20426.
Dated: July 24, 2017.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2017–15915 Filed 7–27–17; 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 corporate
filings:
Docket Numbers: EC17–140–000.
Applicants: Wildorado Wind, LLC.
Description: Application for Approval
Under Section 203 of the Federal Power
Act of Wildorado Wind, LLC.
Filed Date: 7/21/17.
Accession Number: 20170721–5189.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 8/11/17.
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 144 (Friday, July 28, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35192-35194]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-15911]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket Nos. CP15-554-000, CP15-554-001, CP15-555-000, CP15-556-000]
Atlantic Coast Pipeline, LLC, Dominion Energy Transmission, Inc.,
Piedmont Natural Gas Company, Inc.; Notice of Availability of the Final
Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Atlantic Coast Pipeline
and Supply Header Project
The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) has prepared a final environmental impact statement (EIS)
for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP) and Supply Header Project (SHP)
as proposed by Atlantic Coast Pipeline, LLC (Atlantic) and Dominion
Energy Transmission, Inc. (DETI), respectively, in the above-referenced
dockets. Atlantic and DETI request authorization to construct and
operate a total of 642.0 miles of natural gas transmission pipeline and
associated facilities, and three new natural gas-fired compressor
stations; and to modify four existing compressor stations. The projects
would provide about 1.44 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas to
electric generation, distribution, and end use markets in Virginia and
North Carolina. In addition, Atlantic and Piedmont Natural Gas. Co.,
Inc. (Piedmont) request authorization to allow Atlantic to lease
capacity on Piedmont's existing pipeline distribution system in North
Carolina for use by Atlantic (Capacity Lease Proposal). No construction
or facility modifications are proposed with the Capacity Lease.
The final EIS assesses the potential environmental effects of the
construction and operation of the projects in accordance with the
requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The FERC
staff concludes that approval of the projects would have some adverse
and significant environmental impacts; however, the majority of impacts
would be reduced to less-than-significant levels with the
implementation of the Atlantic's and DETI's proposed
[[Page 35193]]
mitigation and the additional measures recommended in the EIS.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture--Forest Service (FS); U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service; 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 participate in the
NEPA analysis. Further, the FS may use the EIS when it considers
amendments to Land and Resource Management Plans (LRMPs) and
authorizations for special use permits (SUPs) for the proposed
crossings of the Monongahela National Forest (MNF) and George
Washington National Forest (GWNF). Although the cooperating agencies
provide input to the conclusions and recommendations presented in the
final EIS, each agency may present its own conclusions and
recommendations in its respective record of decision or determination
for the projects.
The final EIS addresses the potential environmental effects of the
construction and operation of the following project facilities:
ACP would include:
519.7 miles of new 42- and 36-inch-diameter natural gas
pipeline in West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina;
84.8 miles of 20- and 16-inch-diameter natural gas
pipeline in Virginia and North Carolina;
three new compressor stations in Lewis County, West
Virginia; Buckingham County, Virginia; and Northampton County, North
Carolina; and
nine meter stations, along with pig \1\ launchers/
receivers and mainline valves.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ A pipeline pig is a device used to clean or inspect a
pipeline. A pig launcher/receiver is an aboveground facility where
pigs are inserted or retrieved from the pipeline.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
SHP would include:
37.5 miles of new 30-inch-diameter natural gas pipeline in
Pennsylvania and West Virginia;
modifications at four existing compressor stations in
Westmoreland and Green Counties, Pennsylvania and Marshall and Wetzel
Counties, West Virginia;
abandonment of existing compressor units and associated
facilities in Wetzel County, West Virginia; and
one meter station, along with pig launchers/receivers and
mainline valves.
Actions of the Forest Service
The FS's purpose and need for the proposed action is to respond to
a special use application submitted by Atlantic on November 12, 2015,
to allow the construction and operation of ACP on National Forest
System (NFS) lands managed by the MNF and GWNF. If the FS decides to
authorize the pipeline crossing of NFS lands and issue SUPs, the FS has
determined that amendments to each national forest LRMP would be
needed.
Pursuant to Title 40 Code of Federal Regulations Part 1506.3(c) (40
CFR 1506.3(c)), the FS may adopt and use this EIS developed by FERC to
consider authorization for the construction and operation of the ACP
crossing NFS lands. Further, the FS may use this EIS when it considers
amendments to the LRMPs that would be required for the proposed
crossings of the MNF and GWNF.
Forest Service's Draft Record of Decision
After issuance of the final EIS, the FS will release a single draft
Record of Decision (ROD) for the authorization of a SUP to Atlantic for
use of and to occupy NFS lands to construct, operate, maintain, and
eventually decommission a natural gas pipeline that crosses lands
administered by the MNF and GWNF; and for approval of the project-
specific LRMP amendments associated with implementing the ACP on the
MNF and the GWNF. The Regional Foresters (RFs) in the Eastern Region
(for the MNF) and the Southern Region (for the GWNF) will be the
responsible officials for the ROD. The RF for the Eastern Region has
determined that two parts of the MNF LRMP, where four 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 219) and could be implemented without impairing the long-term
productivity of NFS lands. Similarly, the RF for the Southern Region
has determined that six parts of the GWNF LRMP, where nine standards
would be modified by a Forest Plan amendment, meet the substantive
requirements of the FS planning regulations and could be implemented
without impairing the long-term productivity on NFS lands. With the
amended LRMPs, the ACP would be consistent with both Forests' LRMPs.
This draft ROD will be based on a review of the environmental analysis
disclosed in the final EIS; the project record; Atlantic's proposed
Construction, Operation, and Maintenance Plan; comments received from
the public, partners, and other agencies; and consideration of the 36
CFR 219 requirements for amending a Forest Plan.
The draft ROD is subject to the FS pre-decision objection process
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 draft ROD on the authorization of the
pipeline and the LRMP amendments must be filed within 45 calendar days
from the publication date of the legal notice of the opportunity to
object in The Milwaukee Journal/Sentinel and Atlanta Journal-
Constitution, which are the newspapers of RODs made by the Eastern
Region and Southern Region RFs. Notices will also be published in the
Inter-Mountain and The Roanoke Times for local notification of the FS
draft ROD. The legal notices will contain the details of the objection
process. The FS must respond to all objections received before it makes
a final decision.
A copy of the FS draft ROD and the legal notices for objections can
be obtained by any of the following methods:
For the GWNF:
Internet Web site: https://www.fs.usda.gov/gwj;
Email: kovercash@fs.fed.us; or
Regular mail: Karen Overcash, George Washington and
Jefferson National Forests, 5162 Valleypointe Parkway, Roanoke, VA
24019; telephone: (540) 265-5100.
For the MNF:
Internet Web site: https://www.fs.usda.gov/mnf;
Email: karenlstevens@fs.fed.us; or
Regular mail: Karen Stevens, Monongahela National Forest,
200 Sycamore Street, Elkins, WV 26241; telephone (304) 636-1800.
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; newspapers and libraries in the project area; and parties to
this proceeding. Paper copy versions of this final EIS were mailed to
those specifically requesting them; all others received a CD version.
In addition, the final EIS is available for public viewing on the
[[Page 35194]]
FERC's Web site (www.ferc.gov) using the eLibrary link. A limited
number of copies of the final EIS 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 projects 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-
554, CP15-555, or CP15-556). 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 that 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 to
subscribe.
Dated: July 21, 2017.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2017-15911 Filed 7-27-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
