Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Planned MVP Southgate Project, and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of Public Scoping Session, 40509-40512 [2018-17545]
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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 158 / Wednesday, August 15, 2018 / Notices
FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov, or call
(866) 208–3676 (toll free). For TTY, call
(202) 502–8659.
Dated: August 8, 2018.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC; Notice
of Intent To Prepare an Environmental
Impact Statement for the Planned MVP
Southgate Project, and Request for
Comments on Environmental Issues,
and Notice of Public Scoping Session
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. AD18–11–000]
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Reliability Technical Conference;
Notice Inviting Post-Technical
Conference Comments
On Tuesday, July 31, 2018, the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
convened a Commissioner-led technical
conference to discuss policy issues
related to the reliability of the BulkPower System.
All interested persons are invited to
file post-technical conference comments
on the topics concerning the reliability
of the Bulk-Power System discussed
during the technical conference,
including the questions listed in the
Supplemental Notices issued in this
proceeding on June 1, 2018 and July 17,
2018. Attached to this notice are the
electric reliability topics and questions
related to each Panel. Commenters need
not respond to all questions asked.
Commenters should organize responses
consistent with the numbering of the
attached questions and identify to what
extent their responses are generally
applicable. Commission staff reserves
the right to post additional follow-up
questions related to those panels if
deemed necessary. In addition,
commenters are encouraged, when
possible, to provide specific examples
and data in support of their answers.
Comments must be submitted on or
before 30 days from the date of this
notice and should not exceed 30 pages.
For further information about this
Notice, please contact: Lodie White,
Office of Electric Reliability, Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission, 888
First Street NE, Washington, DC 20426,
(202) 502–8453, lodie.white@ferc.gov;
Robert Clark, Office of Electric
Reliability, Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, 888 First Street NE,
Washington, DC 20426, (202) 502–8165,
robert.clark@ferc.gov.
Dated: August 9, 2018.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2018–17539 Filed 8–14–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
18:28 Aug 14, 2018
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. PF18–4–000]
[FR Doc. 2018–17507 Filed 8–14–18; 8:45 am]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
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The staff of the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) will prepare an
environmental impact statement (EIS)
that will discuss the environmental
impacts of the MVP Southgate Project
(Project). The Project involves the
construction and operation of facilities
by Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC
(Mountain Valley), a joint venture
between affiliates of EQT Corporation
and NextEra Energy, Inc. in Virginia and
North Carolina. The Commission will
use this EIS 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 about issues
regarding the Project. The National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
requires the Commission to take into
account the environmental impacts that
could result from its action whenever it
considers the issuance of a Certificate of
Public Convenience and Necessity.
NEPA also requires the Commission to
discover 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 EIS on the important
environmental issues. By this notice, the
Commission requests public comments
on the scope of the issues to address in
the EIS. To ensure that your comments
are timely and properly recorded, please
submit your comments so that the
Commission receives them in
Washington, DC on or before 5 p.m.
Eastern Time on September 10, 2018.
You can make a difference by
submitting 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 it needs to
evaluate in the EIS. Commission staff
will consider all filed comments during
the preparation of the EIS.
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40509
If you sent comments on this Project
to the Commission before the opening of
this docket on May 15, 2018, or if you
sent comments on this Project to the
MVP mainline docket (CP16–10–000),
you will need to file those comments in
Docket No. PF18–4–000 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 planned
Project and encourage them to comment
on their areas of concern.
If you are a landowner receiving this
notice, a Mountain Valley representative
may contact you about the acquisition of
an easement to construct, operate, and
maintain the planned facilities. The
company would seek to negotiate a
mutually acceptable easement
agreement. You are not required to enter
into an agreement. However, if the
Commission approves the Project, that
approval conveys with it the right of
eminent domain. Therefore, if you and
the company do not reach an easement
agreement, the pipeline company could
initiate condemnation proceedings in
court. In such instances, compensation
would be determined by a judge in
accordance with state law.
A fact sheet prepared by the FERC
entitled ‘‘An Interstate Natural Gas
Facility On My Land? What Do I Need
To Know?’’ is available for viewing on
the FERC website (www.ferc.gov). 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.
Public Participation
For your convenience, there are four
methods you can use to submit your
comments to the Commission. The
Commission encourages electronic filing
of comments and has staff available to
assist you at (866) 208–3676 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, which is located on the
Commission’s website (www.ferc.gov)
under the link to Documents and
Filings. Using eComment 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, which is located on the
Commission’s website (www.ferc.gov)
under the link to Documents and
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Filings. With eFiling, you can provide
comments in a variety of formats by
attaching them as a file with your
submission. New eFiling users must
first create an account by clicking on
‘‘eRegister.’’ You will be asked to select
the type of filing you are making; a
comment on a particular project is
considered a ‘‘Comment on a Filing’’; 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 (PF18–4–000)
with your submission: Kimberly D.
Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street
NE, Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426.
(4) In lieu of sending written
comments, the Commission invites you
to attend one of the public scoping
sessions its staff will conduct in the
Project area, scheduled as follows:
FERC PUBLIC SCOPING MEETINGS—
MVP SOUTHGATE PROJECT
Location
Monday, August 20,
2018; 5–8
p.m.
Tuesday, August 21,
2018; 5–8
p.m.
Thursday, August 23,
2018; 5–8
p.m.
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Date and time
Reidsville Event Center, 223
S. Scales Street,
Reidsville, NC 27320.
Olde Dominion Agricultural
Complex, 19783 US–29,
Chatham, VA 24531.
Vailtree Event and Conference Center, 1567
Bakatsias Lane, Haw
River, NC 27258.
The primary goal of these scoping
sessions is to have you identify the
specific environmental issues and
concerns that should be considered in
the EIS. Individual verbal comments
will be taken on a one-on-one basis with
a court reporter. This format is designed
to receive the maximum amount of
verbal comments, in a convenient way
during the timeframe allotted.
Each scoping session is scheduled
from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. EDT. There will
not be a formal presentation by
Commission staff when the session
opens. If you wish to speak, the
Commission staff will hand out
numbers in the order of your arrival.
Comments will be taken until 8 p.m.
However, if no additional numbers have
been handed out and all individuals
who wish to provide comments have
had an opportunity to do so, staff may
conclude the session at 7:30 p.m. Please
see appendix 1 for additional
information on the session format and
conduct.1
1 The appendices referenced in this notice will
not appear in the Federal Register. Copies of the
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Your scoping comments will be
recorded by a court reporter (with FERC
staff or representative present) and
become part of the public record for this
proceeding. Transcripts will be publicly
available on FERC’s eLibrary system
(see below for instructions on using
eLibrary). If a significant number of
people are interested in providing
verbal comments in the one-on-one
settings, a time limit of three (3) minutes
may be implemented for each
commentor.
It is important to note that the
Commission provides equal
consideration to all comments received,
whether filed in written form or
provided verbally at a scoping session.
Although there will not be a formal
presentation, Commission staff will be
available throughout the scoping session
to answer your questions about the
environmental review process.
Representatives from Mountain Valley
will also be present to answer questions
you may have about their Project.
Please note this is not your only
public input opportunity; please refer to
the review process flow chart in
appendix 2.1
Summary of the Planned Project
The Project would involve the
construction and operation of about 72
miles of 24-inch-diameter natural gas
transmission pipeline in Pittsylvania
County, Virginia and Rockingham and
Alamance Counties, North Carolina. The
Project would interconnect with and
receive gas from the Mountain Valley
Pipeline near Chatham, Virginia, and
the East Tennessee Natural Gas
mainline near Eden, North Carolina.
The pipeline would extend about 72
miles to its planned terminus at an
interconnect near Graham, North
Carolina. The pipeline would be
designed to deliver at least 300 million
cubic feet of natural gas per day.
Additional facilities would include new
compressor stations in Pittsylvania
County, Virginia and Rockingham
County, North Carolina; four new meter
stations; eight main line valves, and four
pig 2 launchers and receivers.
The general location of the Project
facilities is shown in appendix 3.
Additional Project location information,
including an interactive map, is
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.
2 A ‘‘pig’’ is an internal tool that the pipeline
company inserts into and pushes through the
pipeline for cleaning, inspections, or other
purposes.
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available on the Mountain Valley’s
Project website:
www.mvpsouthgate.com.
Project Alternatives
Mountain Valley is evaluating the
following alternatives and route
deviations listed below. Illustrations of
these alternatives are provided in the
figures in appendix 3.
Sandy Cross Road Alternative
To address concerns regarding the
planned route’s proximity to residences
in Alamance County, North Carolina,
the Sandy Cross Road Alternative would
deviate from the planned route near
milepost (MP) 65.5 and extend northeast
and then south for about 2.0 miles
before rejoining the planned route at MP
67.0.
Alamance Eastern Alternative
To address concerns regarding the
planned route’s proximity to residences
in Alamance County, North Carolina,
the Alamance Eastern Alternative would
deviate from the planned route near MP
65.6 and extend east and then southwest
for about 9.6 miles before rejoining the
planned route at MP 70.4.
Alamance Southern Alternative
To address concerns regarding the
planned route’s proximity to residences
in Alamance County, North Carolina,
the Alamance Southern Alternative
would deviate from the planned route
near MP 71.4 and extend southeast, and
then southwest for about 2.3 miles
before rejoining the planned route at MP
72.5.
Duke Powerline Alternative
In order to increase the planned
route’s collocation with existing rightsof-way in Alamance County, North
Carolina, the Duke Powerline
Alternative would deviate from the
planned route near MP 58.2 and extend
south and then east for about 4.4 miles
before rejoining the planned route at MP
62.0. This alternative route is collocated
with the Duke Energy transmission line
and other rights-of-way for about 3.8
miles.
Land Requirements for Construction
Construction of the planned facilities
would disturb about 1,348 acres of land.
Following construction, Mountain
Valley would maintain about 449 acres
for permanent operation of the Project’s
facilities, not including permanent
access roads; the remaining acreage
would be restored and revert to former
uses. About 47 percent of the planned
pipeline route parallels existing
pipeline, utility, and road rights-of-way.
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The EIS Process
The EIS will discuss impacts that
could occur as a result of the
construction and operation of the
planned Project under these general
headings:
1. Geology and soils;
2. land use;
3. water resources, fisheries, and
wetlands;
4. cultural resources;
5. vegetation and wildlife;
6. air quality and noise;
7. endangered and threatened species;
8. public safety;
9. socioeconomics; and
10. cumulative impacts.
Commission staff will also evaluate
possible alternatives to the planned
Project or portions of the Project, and
make recommendations on how to
lessen or avoid impacts on the various
resource areas.
Although no formal application has
been filed, Commission staff have
already initiated a NEPA review under
the Commission’s pre-filing process.
The purpose of the pre-filing process is
to encourage early involvement of
interested stakeholders and to identify
and resolve issues before the
Commission receives an application. As
part of the pre-filing review,
Commission staff will contact federal
and state agencies to discuss their
involvement in the scoping process and
the preparation of the EIS.
The EIS will present Commission
staffs’ independent analysis of the
issues. The Commission will publish
and distribute the draft EIS for public
comment. After the comment period,
staff will consider all timely comments
and revise the document, as necessary,
before issuing a final EIS. To ensure
Commission staff 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, the Commission is
asking agencies with jurisdiction by law
and/or special expertise with respect to
the environmental issues related to this
Project to formally cooperate in the
preparation of the EIS.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. Currently, the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has
expressed their intention to participate
3 The Council on Environmental Quality
regulations addressing cooperating agency
responsibilities are at Title 40, Code of Federal
Regulations, part 1501.6.
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as a cooperating agency in the
preparation of the EIS.
Consultation 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, the Commission is
using this notice to initiate consultation
with the applicable State Historic
Preservation Office(s) (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
Commission staff will define the
Project-specific Area of Potential Effects
(APE) in consultation with the SHPO(s)
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). The EIS for this
Project will document our findings on
the impacts on historic properties and
summarize the status of consultations
under section 106.
Currently Identified Environmental
Issues
Commission staff have already
identified several issues that deserve
attention based on a preliminary review
of the planned facilities and the
environmental information provided by
Mountain Valley. This preliminary list
of issues may change based on your
comments and our analysis.
1. Domestic water sources, wells,
springs, and waterbodies;
2. federally-listed threatened and
endangered species, including mussels,
fish, and bats;
3. residential developments and
property values;
4. public safety;
5. environmental justice;
6. operational noise from planned
compressor stations; and
7. alternatives and their potential
impacts on a range of resources.
Environmental Mailing List
The environmental mailing list
includes federal, state, and local
government representatives and
agencies; elected officials;
environmental and public interest
4 The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation
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.
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40511
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. Commission
staff will update the environmental
mailing list as the analysis proceeds to
ensure that information related to this
environmental review is sent to all
individuals, organizations, and
government entities interested in and/or
potentially affected by the planned
Project.
Copies of the completed draft EIS 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 a CD version or
would like to remove your name from
the mailing list, please return the
attached ‘‘Mailing List Update Form’’
(appendix 4).
Becoming an Intervenor
Once Mountain Valley files its
application with the Commission, you
may want to become an ‘‘intervenor’’
which is an official party to the
Commission’s proceeding. Only
intervenors have the right to seek
rehearing of the Commission’s decision
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 pursuant to Rule
214 of the Commission’s Rules of
Practice and Procedures (Title 18, Code
of Federal Regulations, part 385.214).
Motions to intervene are more fully
described at https://www.ferc.gov/
resources/guides/how-to/intervene.asp.
Please note that the Commission will
not accept requests for intervenor status
at this time. You must wait until the
Commission receives a formal
application for the Project, after which
the Commission will issue a public
notice that establishes an intervention
deadline.
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 (www.ferc.gov) using the
eLibrary link. Click on the eLibrary link,
click on ‘‘General Search’’ and enter the
docket number in the ‘‘Docket Number’’
field, excluding the last three digits (i.e.,
PF18–4). Be sure you have selected an
appropriate date range. For assistance,
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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 158 / Wednesday, August 15, 2018 / Notices
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 all 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
calendar located at www.ferc.gov/
EventCalendar/EventsList.aspx along
with other related information.
Dated: August 9, 2018.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2018–17545 Filed 8–14–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
Dated: August 9, 2018.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[Docket No. ER18–2189–000]
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Sanford Energy Associates, LLC;
Supplemental Notice That Initial
Market-Based Rate Filing Includes
Request for Blanket Section 204
Authorization
[FR Doc. 2018–17543 Filed 8–14–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
This is a supplemental notice in the
above-referenced proceeding Sanford
Energy Associates, 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 August 29,
2018.
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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 website that enables subscribers to
receive email notification when a
document is added to a subscribed
docket(s). For assistance with any FERC
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
Combined Notice of Filings
Take notice that the Commission has
received the following Natural Gas
Pipeline Rate and Refund Report filings:
Filings Instituting Proceedings
Docket Number: PR18–75–000.
Applicants: Atmos Pipeline-Texas.
Description: Tariff filing per
284.123(b), (e) + (g): APT TCJA Rate
Change to be effective 8/1/2018.
Filed Date: 8/7/18.
Accession Number: 20180807–5111.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 8/28/18.
284.123(g) Protests Due: 5 p.m. ET
10/9/18.
Docket Numbers: RP17–913–000.
Applicants: Natural Gas Pipeline
Company of America.
Description: Natural Gas Pipeline
Company of America LLC submits tariff
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filing per: Informational Fuel
Transparency Report (RP17–303 and
RP17–913).
Filed Date: 8/1/18.
Accession Number: 20180801–5212.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 8/13/18.
Docket Numbers: RP18–1049–000.
Applicants: Florida Southeast
Connection, LLC.
Description: § 4(d) Rate Filing:
Negotiated Rate Filing—FPL 4002 to be
effective 9/1/2018.
Filed Date: 8/7/18.
Accession Number: 20180807–5064.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 8/20/18.
Docket Numbers: RP18–1050–000.
Applicants: Rockies Express Pipeline
LLC.
Description: § 4(d) Rate Filing: Neg
Rate 2018–08–07 Encana to be effective
8/7/2018.
Filed Date: 8/7/18.
Accession Number: 20180807–5065.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 8/20/18.
Docket Numbers: RP18–1051–000.
Applicants: Gulf Crossing Pipeline
Company LLC.
Description: Compliance filing
Compliance Filing in Docket No. CP18–
83–000—Remove Reference to Enable
Lease to be effective 7/31/2018.
Filed Date: 8/8/18.
Accession Number: 20180808–5051.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 8/20/18.
Docket Numbers: RP18–940–003.
Applicants: Empire Pipeline, Inc.
Description: Compliance filing
Compliance Filing of Currently Effective
Rates and Proposed Storage Rates to be
effective 8/1/2018.
Filed Date: 8/8/18.
Accession Number: 20180808–5122.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 8/20/18.
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
other information, call (866) 208–3676
(toll free). For TTY, call (202) 502–8659.
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[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 158 (Wednesday, August 15, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40509-40512]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-17545]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. PF18-4-000]
Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC; Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement for the Planned MVP Southgate Project,
and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of Public
Scoping Session
The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) that
will discuss the environmental impacts of the MVP Southgate Project
(Project). The Project involves the construction and operation of
facilities by Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC (Mountain Valley), a joint
venture between affiliates of EQT Corporation and NextEra Energy, Inc.
in Virginia and North Carolina. The Commission will use this EIS 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 about issues regarding the Project. The National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) requires the Commission to take into account the
environmental impacts that could result from its action whenever it
considers the issuance of a Certificate of Public Convenience and
Necessity. NEPA also requires the Commission to discover 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 EIS on the important environmental issues. By this
notice, the Commission requests public comments on the scope of the
issues to address in the EIS. To ensure that your comments are timely
and properly recorded, please submit your comments so that the
Commission receives them in Washington, DC on or before 5 p.m. Eastern
Time on September 10, 2018.
You can make a difference by submitting 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 it needs to evaluate in the EIS. Commission
staff will consider all filed comments during the preparation of the
EIS.
If you sent comments on this Project to the Commission before the
opening of this docket on May 15, 2018, or if you sent comments on this
Project to the MVP mainline docket (CP16-10-000), you will need to file
those comments in Docket No. PF18-4-000 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 planned
Project and encourage them to comment on their areas of concern.
If you are a landowner receiving this notice, a Mountain Valley
representative may contact you about the acquisition of an easement to
construct, operate, and maintain the planned facilities. The company
would seek to negotiate a mutually acceptable easement agreement. You
are not required to enter into an agreement. However, if the Commission
approves the Project, that approval conveys with it the right of
eminent domain. Therefore, if you and the company do not reach an
easement agreement, the pipeline company could initiate condemnation
proceedings in court. In such instances, compensation would be
determined by a judge in accordance with state law.
A fact sheet prepared by the FERC entitled ``An Interstate Natural
Gas Facility On My Land? What Do I Need To Know?'' is available for
viewing on the FERC website (www.ferc.gov). 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.
Public Participation
For your convenience, there are four methods you can use to submit
your comments to the Commission. The Commission encourages electronic
filing of comments and has staff available to assist you at (866) 208-
3676 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, which is located on the Commission's website (www.ferc.gov)
under the link to Documents and Filings. Using eComment 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, which is located on the Commission's website (www.ferc.gov)
under the link to Documents and
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Filings. With eFiling, you can provide comments in a variety of formats
by attaching them as a file with your submission. New eFiling users
must first create an account by clicking on ``eRegister.'' You will be
asked to select the type of filing you are making; a comment on a
particular project is considered a ``Comment on a Filing''; 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
(PF18-4-000) with your submission: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Room 1A, Washington,
DC 20426.
(4) In lieu of sending written comments, the Commission invites you
to attend one of the public scoping sessions its staff will conduct in
the Project area, scheduled as follows:
FERC Public Scoping Meetings--MVP Southgate Project
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Date and time Location
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Monday, August 20, 2018; 5-8 p.m.......... Reidsville Event Center, 223
S. Scales Street,
Reidsville, NC 27320.
Tuesday, August 21, 2018; 5-8 p.m......... Olde Dominion Agricultural
Complex, 19783 US-29,
Chatham, VA 24531.
Thursday, August 23, 2018; 5-8 p.m........ Vailtree Event and
Conference Center, 1567
Bakatsias Lane, Haw River,
NC 27258.
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The primary goal of these scoping sessions is to have you identify
the specific environmental issues and concerns that should be
considered in the EIS. Individual verbal comments will be taken on a
one-on-one basis with a court reporter. This format is designed to
receive the maximum amount of verbal comments, in a convenient way
during the timeframe allotted.
Each scoping session is scheduled from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. EDT. There
will not be a formal presentation by Commission staff when the session
opens. If you wish to speak, the Commission staff will hand out numbers
in the order of your arrival. Comments will be taken until 8 p.m.
However, if no additional numbers have been handed out and all
individuals who wish to provide comments have had an opportunity to do
so, staff may conclude the session at 7:30 p.m. Please see appendix 1
for additional information on the session format and conduct.\1\
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\1\ The appendices referenced in this notice will not appear in
the Federal Register. Copies of the 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.
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Your scoping comments will be recorded by a court reporter (with
FERC staff or representative present) and become part of the public
record for this proceeding. Transcripts will be publicly available on
FERC's eLibrary system (see below for instructions on using eLibrary).
If a significant number of people are interested in providing verbal
comments in the one-on-one settings, a time limit of three (3) minutes
may be implemented for each commentor.
It is important to note that the Commission provides equal
consideration to all comments received, whether filed in written form
or provided verbally at a scoping session. Although there will not be a
formal presentation, Commission staff will be available throughout the
scoping session to answer your questions about the environmental review
process. Representatives from Mountain Valley will also be present to
answer questions you may have about their Project.
Please note this is not your only public input opportunity; please
refer to the review process flow chart in appendix 2.\1\
Summary of the Planned Project
The Project would involve the construction and operation of about
72 miles of 24-inch-diameter natural gas transmission pipeline in
Pittsylvania County, Virginia and Rockingham and Alamance Counties,
North Carolina. The Project would interconnect with and receive gas
from the Mountain Valley Pipeline near Chatham, Virginia, and the East
Tennessee Natural Gas mainline near Eden, North Carolina. The pipeline
would extend about 72 miles to its planned terminus at an interconnect
near Graham, North Carolina. The pipeline would be designed to deliver
at least 300 million cubic feet of natural gas per day. Additional
facilities would include new compressor stations in Pittsylvania
County, Virginia and Rockingham County, North Carolina; four new meter
stations; eight main line valves, and four pig \2\ launchers and
receivers.
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\2\ A ``pig'' is an internal tool that the pipeline company
inserts into and pushes through the pipeline for cleaning,
inspections, or other purposes.
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The general location of the Project facilities is shown in appendix
3. Additional Project location information, including an interactive
map, is available on the Mountain Valley's Project website:
www.mvpsouthgate.com.
Project Alternatives
Mountain Valley is evaluating the following alternatives and route
deviations listed below. Illustrations of these alternatives are
provided in the figures in appendix 3.
Sandy Cross Road Alternative
To address concerns regarding the planned route's proximity to
residences in Alamance County, North Carolina, the Sandy Cross Road
Alternative would deviate from the planned route near milepost (MP)
65.5 and extend northeast and then south for about 2.0 miles before
rejoining the planned route at MP 67.0.
Alamance Eastern Alternative
To address concerns regarding the planned route's proximity to
residences in Alamance County, North Carolina, the Alamance Eastern
Alternative would deviate from the planned route near MP 65.6 and
extend east and then southwest for about 9.6 miles before rejoining the
planned route at MP 70.4.
Alamance Southern Alternative
To address concerns regarding the planned route's proximity to
residences in Alamance County, North Carolina, the Alamance Southern
Alternative would deviate from the planned route near MP 71.4 and
extend southeast, and then southwest for about 2.3 miles before
rejoining the planned route at MP 72.5.
Duke Powerline Alternative
In order to increase the planned route's collocation with existing
rights-of-way in Alamance County, North Carolina, the Duke Powerline
Alternative would deviate from the planned route near MP 58.2 and
extend south and then east for about 4.4 miles before rejoining the
planned route at MP 62.0. This alternative route is collocated with the
Duke Energy transmission line and other rights-of-way for about 3.8
miles.
Land Requirements for Construction
Construction of the planned facilities would disturb about 1,348
acres of land. Following construction, Mountain Valley would maintain
about 449 acres for permanent operation of the Project's facilities,
not including permanent access roads; the remaining acreage would be
restored and revert to former uses. About 47 percent of the planned
pipeline route parallels existing pipeline, utility, and road rights-
of-way.
[[Page 40511]]
The EIS Process
The EIS will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of the
construction and operation of the planned Project under these general
headings:
1. Geology and soils;
2. land use;
3. water resources, fisheries, and wetlands;
4. cultural resources;
5. vegetation and wildlife;
6. air quality and noise;
7. endangered and threatened species;
8. public safety;
9. socioeconomics; and
10. cumulative impacts.
Commission staff will also evaluate possible alternatives to the
planned Project or portions of the Project, and make recommendations on
how to lessen or avoid impacts on the various resource areas.
Although no formal application has been filed, Commission staff
have already initiated a NEPA review under the Commission's pre-filing
process. The purpose of the pre-filing process is to encourage early
involvement of interested stakeholders and to identify and resolve
issues before the Commission receives an application. As part of the
pre-filing review, Commission staff will contact federal and state
agencies to discuss their involvement in the scoping process and the
preparation of the EIS.
The EIS will present Commission staffs' independent analysis of the
issues. The Commission will publish and distribute the draft EIS for
public comment. After the comment period, staff will consider all
timely comments and revise the document, as necessary, before issuing a
final EIS. To ensure Commission staff 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, the Commission is asking agencies with
jurisdiction by law and/or special expertise with respect to the
environmental issues related to this Project to formally cooperate in
the preparation of the EIS.\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. Currently, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has expressed their
intention to participate as a cooperating agency in the preparation of
the EIS.
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\3\ The Council on Environmental Quality regulations addressing
cooperating agency responsibilities are at Title 40, Code of Federal
Regulations, part 1501.6.
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Consultation 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, the Commission is using this notice to initiate
consultation with the applicable State Historic Preservation Office(s)
(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\ Commission staff will
define the Project-specific Area of Potential Effects (APE) in
consultation with the SHPO(s) 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).
The EIS for this Project will document our findings on the impacts on
historic properties and summarize the status of consultations under
section 106.
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\4\ The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation 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.
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Currently Identified Environmental Issues
Commission staff have already identified several issues that
deserve attention based on a preliminary review of the planned
facilities and the environmental information provided by Mountain
Valley. This preliminary list of issues may change based on your
comments and our analysis.
1. Domestic water sources, wells, springs, and waterbodies;
2. federally-listed threatened and endangered species, including
mussels, fish, and bats;
3. residential developments and property values;
4. public safety;
5. environmental justice;
6. operational noise from planned compressor stations; and
7. alternatives and their potential impacts on a range of
resources.
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. Commission staff will update the environmental
mailing list as the analysis proceeds to ensure that information
related to this environmental review is sent to all individuals,
organizations, and government entities interested in and/or potentially
affected by the planned Project.
Copies of the completed draft EIS 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 a CD version or would
like to remove your name from the mailing list, please return the
attached ``Mailing List Update Form'' (appendix 4).
Becoming an Intervenor
Once Mountain Valley files its application with the Commission, you
may want to become an ``intervenor'' which is an official party to the
Commission's proceeding. Only intervenors have the right to seek
rehearing of the Commission's decision 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 pursuant to Rule 214 of the Commission's Rules of Practice
and Procedures (Title 18, Code of Federal Regulations, part 385.214).
Motions to intervene are more fully described at https://www.ferc.gov/resources/guides/how-to/intervene.asp. Please note that the Commission
will not accept requests for intervenor status at this time. You must
wait until the Commission receives a formal application for the
Project, after which the Commission will issue a public notice that
establishes an intervention deadline.
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 (www.ferc.gov) using the eLibrary link. Click on the
eLibrary link, click on ``General Search'' and enter the docket number
in the ``Docket Number'' field, excluding the last three digits (i.e.,
PF18-4). Be sure you have selected an appropriate date range. For
assistance,
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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 all 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: August 9, 2018.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2018-17545 Filed 8-14-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
