Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America LLC Proposed Herscher Northwest Storage Field Abandonment Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, 805-807 [2018-00089]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 5 / Monday, January 8, 2018 / Notices Scoping Meetings Commission staff will hold two scoping meetings in the vicinity of the project at the times and places noted below. The daytime meeting will focus on resource agency, Indian tribes, and non-governmental organization concerns, while the evening meeting is primarily for receiving input from the public. We invite all interested individuals, organizations, and agencies to attend one or both of the meetings, and to assist staff in identifying particular study needs, as well as the scope of environmental issues to be addressed in the environmental document. The times and locations of these meetings are as follows: Evening Scoping Meeting Date: Wednesday, January 24, 2018. Time: 6:00 p.m. (EST). Location: Capitol Plaza Hotel and Conference Center, 100 State Street, Montpelier, VT 05602. Phone: (802) 223–5252. sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES Daytime Scoping Meeting Date: Thursday, January 25, 2018. Time: 9:00 a.m. (EST). Location: Capitol Plaza Hotel and Conference Center, 100 State Street, Montpelier, VT 05602. Phone: (802) 223–5252. Scoping Document 1 (SD1), which outlines the subject areas to be addressed in the environmental document, was mailed to the individuals and entities on the Commission’s mailing list. Copies of SD1 will be available at the scoping meetings, or may be viewed on the web at https://www.ferc.gov, using the eLibrary link. Follow the directions for accessing information in paragraph n. Based on all oral and written comments, a Scoping Document 2 (SD2) may be issued. SD2 may include a revised process plan and schedule, as well as a list of issues, identified through the scoping process. Environmental Site Review The potential applicant and Commission staff will conduct an Environmental Site Review (site visit) of the project on Wednesday, January 24, 2018, starting at 1:00 p.m. and ending at or about 3:00 p.m. All participants should meet at the base of Wrightsville Dam near the intersection of Mill Road and Corry Road in Montpelier, Vermont 05602. Participants are responsible for their own transportation. Persons with questions about the site visit should contact Dan Weston (802–223–5245; dan.weston@wec.coop) or Mark Wamser (603–428–4960; mwamser@ gomezandsullivan.com). VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:29 Jan 05, 2018 Jkt 244001 Meeting Objectives At the scoping meetings, staff will: (1) Initiate scoping of the issues; (2) review and discuss existing conditions and resource management objectives; (3) review and discuss existing information and identify preliminary information and study needs; (4) review and discuss the process plan and schedule for prefiling activity that incorporates the time frames provided for in Part 5 of the Commission’s regulations and, to the extent possible, maximizes coordination of federal, state, and tribal permitting and certification processes; and (5) discuss the appropriateness of any federal or state agency or Indian tribe acting as a cooperating agency for development of an environmental document. Meeting participants should come prepared to discuss their issues and/or concerns. Please review the PAD in preparation for the scoping meetings. Directions on how to obtain a copy of the PAD and SD1 are included in item n. of this document. Meeting Procedures The meetings will be recorded by a stenographer and will be placed in the public records of the project. Dated: December 29, 2017. Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr., Deputy Secretary. [FR Doc. 2018–00127 Filed 1–5–18; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717–01–P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. CP18–12–000] Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America LLC Proposed Herscher Northwest Storage Field 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 Herscher Northwest Storage Field Abandonment Project involving construction and operation of facilities by Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America LLC (Natural) in Kankakee County, Illinois. The Commission will use this EA in its decision-making process to determine whether the project is in the public convenience and necessity. PO 00000 Frm 00023 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 805 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 February 1, 2018. If you sent comments on this project to the Commission before the opening of this docket on October 31, 2017, you will need to file those comments in Docket No. CP18–12–000 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. Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America LLC 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 website (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 FercOnlineSupport@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 website (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 website (www.ferc.gov) under the link to Documents and Filings. With eFiling, E:\FR\FM\08JAN1.SGM 08JAN1 806 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 5 / Monday, January 8, 2018 / Notices 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 (C18–12–000) with your submission: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426. sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES Summary of the Proposed Project Natural proposes to abandon the Herscher Northwest Storage Field with its certificated maximum inventory of 18.5 billion cubic feet (Bcf) located in Kankakee County, Illinois. Natural concludes that in light of the marginal well performance over the years, geologic uncertainty, and new Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration Regulations, it is no longer practicable to operate the storage field. Natural proposes to abandon: • In place 19 injection/withdrawal wells by permanently plugging and capping; • In place 16.15 miles of 4- to 16inch-diameter associated pipeline laterals in the storage field by grouting and capping; • in place 13 non-jurisdictional observation wells by plugging; • in place one non-jurisdictional salt water disposal well by plugging; • in place approximately 15.3 Bcf of non-recoverable cushion gas; • by removal the 330-horsepower Compressor Station 202 including its building, compressor unit, concrete piers and concrete foundation; and • by removal all storage field auxiliary surface facilities including, but not limited to, aboveground well head piping, slug catchers, the water gathering system and methanol distribution systems, corrosion monitors, rectifiers and ground beds. Natural requests certification by May, 2018, and expects to perform its abandonment activities over a four-year period (2018–2021). 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. VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:29 Jan 05, 2018 Jkt 244001 Land Requirements for Construction Natural would limit is construction activities to 54 acres of its existing rights-of-way and would restore all workspace to pre-abandonment conditions. Approximately 14 acres would be retained as permanent easements to permit Natural to maintain the abandoned facilities. 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. 2 We, us, and our refer to the environmental staff of the Commission’s Office of Energy Projects. PO 00000 Frm 00024 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 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. 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 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. E:\FR\FM\08JAN1.SGM 08JAN1 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 5 / Monday, January 8, 2018 / Notices 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 of the EA 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). sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES 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 website. 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 website 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., CP18–12–000). 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 sessions or site visits will be posted on the Commission’s VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:29 Jan 05, 2018 Jkt 244001 calendar located at www.ferc.gov/ EventCalendar/EventsList.aspx along with other related information. Dated: January 2, 2018. Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary. [FR Doc. 2018–00089 Filed 1–5–18; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717–01–P FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION Proposed Statement of Policy for Participation in the Conduct of the Affairs of an Insured Depository Institution by Persons Who Have Been Convicted or Have Entered a Pretrial Diversion or Similar Program for Certain Offenses Pursuant to Section 19 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: The FDIC seeks to update its Statement of Policy (SOP), which is issued pursuant to Section 19 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (FDI Act) (Section 19). Section 19 prohibits, without the prior written consent of the FDIC, any person from participating in banking who has been convicted of a crime of dishonesty or breach of trust or money laundering, or who has entered a pretrial diversion or similar program in connection with the prosecution for such an offense. Based upon its experience with the application of the SOP since 1998, the FDIC is now proposing to revise and issue an updated SOP and rescind the current SOP, and is seeking comments on the proposed revisions by issuing this Federal Register Notice. Notably, in addition to minor format and technical changes, as well as clarifying changes, the FDIC is proposing to expand its current de minimis exception to encompass insufficient funds checks of aggregate moderate value; small dollar, simple theft; and isolated, minor offenses committed by young adults. These carefully measured changes are intended to reduce regulatory burden by decreasing the number of covered offenses that will require an application, while ensuring that insured institutions are not subject to risk by convicted persons. SUMMARY: Comments must be received on or before March 9, 2018. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by Section 19, by any of the following methods: DATES: PO 00000 Frm 00025 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 807 • Agency website: https:// www.fdic.gov/regulations/laws/federal/. Follow instructions for submitting comments on the Agency website. • Email: Comments@fdic.gov. Include Section 19 on the subject line of the message. • Mail: Robert E. Feldman, Executive Secretary, Attention: Comments, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, 550 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20429. • Hand Delivery: Comments may be hand delivered to the guard station at the rear of the 550 17th Street Building (located on F Street) on business days between 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Public Inspection: All comments received will be posted without change to https://www.fdic.gov/regulations/ laws/federal/, including any personal information provided. Paper copies of public comments may be ordered from the FDIC Public Information Center, 3501 North Fairfax Drive, Room E–1002, Arlington, VA 22226 by telephone at (877) 275–3342 or (703) 562–2200. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brian Zeller, Review Examiner, (319) 395–7394 x4125, or Larisa Collado, Section Chief, (202) 898–8509, in the Division of Risk Management Supervision; or Michael P. Condon, Counsel, (202) 898–6536, or Andrea Winkler, Supervisory Counsel, (202) 898–3727 in the Legal Division. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Background Section 19 of the FDI Act (12 U.S.C. 1829) prohibits, without the prior written consent of the FDIC, a person convicted of any criminal offense involving dishonesty or breach of trust or money laundering (covered offenses), or who has agreed to enter into a pretrial diversion or similar program in connection with a prosecution for such offense, from becoming or continuing as an institution-affiliated party (IAP), owning or controlling, directly or indirectly an insured depository institution (insured institution), or otherwise participating, directly or indirectly, in the conduct of the affairs of an insured institution. Further, the law forbids an insured institution from permitting such a person to engage in any conduct or to continue any relationship prohibited by Section 19. It also imposes a ten-year ban against the FDIC’s consent for a person convicted of certain crimes enumerated in Title 18 of the United States Code, absent a motion by the FDIC and approval by the sentencing court. The FDIC issued, after notice and comment, the current SOP for Section E:\FR\FM\08JAN1.SGM 08JAN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 5 (Monday, January 8, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 805-807]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-00089]


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

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP18-12-000]


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the 
Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America LLC Proposed Herscher Northwest 
Storage Field 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 Herscher Northwest Storage 
Field Abandonment Project involving construction and operation of 
facilities by Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America LLC (Natural) in 
Kankakee County, Illinois. 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 February 1, 2018.
    If you sent comments on this project to the Commission before the 
opening of this docket on October 31, 2017, you will need to file those 
comments in Docket No. CP18-12-000 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.
    Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America LLC 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 website (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 [email protected]. 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 website (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 website (www.ferc.gov) under the link to 
Documents and Filings. With eFiling,

[[Page 806]]

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 
(C18-12-000) 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

    Natural proposes to abandon the Herscher Northwest Storage Field 
with its certificated maximum inventory of 18.5 billion cubic feet 
(Bcf) located in Kankakee County, Illinois. Natural concludes that in 
light of the marginal well performance over the years, geologic 
uncertainty, and new Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety 
Administration Regulations, it is no longer practicable to operate the 
storage field.
    Natural proposes to abandon:
     In place 19 injection/withdrawal wells by permanently 
plugging and capping;
     In place 16.15 miles of 4- to 16-inch-diameter associated 
pipeline laterals in the storage field by grouting and capping;
     in place 13 non-jurisdictional observation wells by 
plugging;
     in place one non-jurisdictional salt water disposal well 
by plugging;
     in place approximately 15.3 Bcf of non-recoverable cushion 
gas;
     by removal the 330-horsepower Compressor Station 202 
including its building, compressor unit, concrete piers and concrete 
foundation; and
     by removal all storage field auxiliary surface facilities 
including, but not limited to, aboveground well head piping, slug 
catchers, the water gathering system and methanol distribution systems, 
corrosion monitors, rectifiers and ground beds.
    Natural requests certification by May, 2018, and expects to perform 
its abandonment activities over a four-year period (2018-2021).
    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

    Natural would limit is construction activities to 54 acres of its 
existing rights-of-way and would restore all workspace to pre-
abandonment conditions. Approximately 14 acres would be retained as 
permanent easements to permit Natural to maintain the abandoned 
facilities.

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

[[Page 807]]

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 of the EA 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 website. 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 website 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., CP18-
12-000). Be sure you have selected an appropriate date range. For 
assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at 
[email protected] 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 sessions or site visits will be posted on the 
Commission's calendar located at www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/EventsList.aspx along with other related information.

    Dated: January 2, 2018.
Kimberly D. Bose,
 Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2018-00089 Filed 1-5-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
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