Northern Natural Gas Company; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Planned South Sioux City to Sioux Falls A-Line Replacement Project, Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of Public Scoping Sessions, 65800-65803 [2019-25908]

Download as PDF 65800 Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 230 / Friday, November 29, 2019 / Notices khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES might the Department minimize the burden of this collection on the respondents, including through the use of information technology. Please note that written comments received in response to this notice will be considered public records. Title of Collection: National Teacher and Principal Survey of 2020–2021 (NTPS 2020–21). OMB Control Number: 1850–0598. Type of Review: A revision of an existing information collection. Respondents/Affected Public: Individuals or Households. Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 103,326. Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 52,585. Abstract: The National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS), conducted every two or three years by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), is a system of related questionnaires that provides descriptive data on the context of elementary and secondary education. Redesigned from the Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS) with a focus on flexibility, timeliness, and integration with other ED data, the NTPS system allows for school, principal, and teacher characteristics to be analyzed in relation to one another. NTPS is an in-depth, nationally representative survey of first through twelfth grade public and private school teachers, principals, and schools. Kindergarten teachers in schools with at least a first grade are also surveyed. NTPS utilizes core content and a series of rotating modules to allow timely collection of important education trends as well as trend analysis. Topics covered include characteristics of teachers, principals, schools, teacher training opportunities, retention, retirement, hiring, and shortages. The NTPS 2019–20 preliminary activities were approved in July 2019 (OMB# 1850–0598 v.26), with a change request to update the sampling plan approved in November 2019 (OMB# 1850–0598 v.27). This request is to conduct NTPS 2020–21, including all of its recruitment and data collection activities. Dated: November 25, 2019. Stephanie Valentine, PRA Coordinator, Strategic Collections and Clearance, Governance and Strategy Division, Office of Chief Data Officer. [FR Doc. 2019–25896 Filed 11–27–19; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000–01–P VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:49 Nov 27, 2019 Jkt 250001 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 [Docket No. ER20–442–000] Wildcat I Energy Storage, LLC; Supplemental Notice That Initial Market-Based Rate Filing Includes Request for Blanket Section 204 Authorization This is a supplemental notice in the above-referenced Rosewater Wildcat I Energy Storage, 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 December 12, 2019. 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 PO 00000 Frm 00025 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Dated: November 22, 2019. Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr., Deputy Secretary. [FR Doc. 2019–25912 Filed 11–27–19; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717–01–P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. PF19–8–000] Northern Natural Gas Company; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Planned South Sioux City to Sioux Falls A-Line Replacement Project, Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of Public Scoping Sessions 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 South Sioux City to Sioux Falls ALine Replacement Project involving the abandonment, construction, and operation of pipeline facilities in Dakota and Dixon Counties, Nebraska and Lincoln and Union Counties, South Dakota by Northern Natural Gas Company (Northern). 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 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 EA on the important environmental issues. By this notice, the Commission requests public comments on the scope of issues to address in the EA. 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 5:00 p.m. E:\FR\FM\29NON1.SGM 29NON1 Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 230 / Friday, November 29, 2019 / Notices Eastern Standard Time on December 23, 2019. 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 Commission staff determine what issues they need to evaluate in the EA. Commission staff will consider all filed comments during the preparation of the EA. If you sent comments on this project to the Commission before the opening of this docket on July 16, 2019, you will need to file those comments under Docket No. PF19–8–000 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 pipeline company 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) at https://www.ferc.gov/resources/guides/ gas/gas.pdf. 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 The Commission offers a free service called eSubscription which makes it easy to stay informed of all issuances and submittals regarding the dockets/ projects to which you subscribe. These instant email notifications are the fastest way to receive notification and provide a link to the document files which can reduce the amount of time you spend researching proceedings. To sign up go to www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/ esubscription.asp. 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 Date and time khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES The primary goal of these scoping sessions is to have you identify the specific environmental issues and concerns that should be considered in the EA. 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 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Central Standard Time. You may arrive at any time after 5:00 p.m. 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 7:30 p.m. However, if no additional numbers have been handed out and all individuals 16:49 Nov 27, 2019 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 also on the Commission’s website (www.ferc.gov) under the link to Documents and 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 project is considered a ‘‘Comment on a Filing’’; (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 PF19–8000 with your submission: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426; or (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: Location Wednesday, December 11, 2019, 5:00–7:30 p.m. Thursday, December 12, 2019, 5:00–7:30 p.m VerDate Sep<11>2014 65801 Jkt 250001 The Pointe Event Center, 100 Truman Lane, Elk Point, SD 57025, (605) 356–2874. Beresford Bridges Event Center, 601 S 7th St., Beresford, SD 57004, (605) 201–4240. who wish to provide comments have had an opportunity to do so, staff may conclude the session at 7:00 p.m. Please see appendix 1 for additional information on the session format and conduct.1 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 the last page of this notice for 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. PO 00000 Frm 00026 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 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 5 minutes may be implemented for each commenter. 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 Northern will also be present to answer project-specific questions. Please note this is not your only public input opportunity; please refer to E:\FR\FM\29NON1.SGM 29NON1 65802 Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 230 / Friday, November 29, 2019 / Notices the review process flow chart in appendix 2. Summary of the Planned Project Northern plans to abandon in-place 79.2 miles of its 14-inch-diamter A-Line from South Sioux City, Nebraska to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and replace the line with 84.2 miles of 12-inchdimater pipeline. In addition to the ALine replacement, Northern plans to abandon in-place its 0.2-mile-long 2inch-diameter Ponca Branch Line, which currently ties into the A-Line to be abandoned and replace it with a 2.0mile-long 3-inch-diameter pipeline. Northern also plans to install appurtenant facilities, including pig launchers and receivers,2 regulators, tieovers, an odorizer, and associated piping and valves. The Project will not change the current flow rate of 36 million cubic feet of gas per day. The general location of the project facilities is shown in appendix 3. khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES Land Requirements for Construction Construction of the planned project would disturb about 1,048 acres of land for the aboveground facilities and the pipeline. Following construction, Northern would maintain about 510 acres for permanent operation of the project’s facilities and allow the remaining acreage to revert to former uses. About 73 percent of the planned pipeline route parallels existing pipeline, utility, or road rights-of-way. The EA Process The EA will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of the construction and operation of the planned project under these general headings: • Geology and soils; • water resources and wetlands; • vegetation and wildlife; • threatened and endangered species; • cultural resources; • land use; • air quality and noise; • public safety; and • 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 2 A ‘‘pig’’ is a tool that the pipeline company inserts into and pushes through the pipeline for cleaning the pipeline, conducting internal inspections, and other purposes. VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:49 Nov 27, 2019 Jkt 250001 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 EA. The EA will present Commission staffs’ independent analysis of the issues. The EA will be available in electronic format in the public record through eLibrary 3 and the Commission’s website (https:// www.ferc.gov/industries/gas/enviro/ eis.asp). If eSubscribed, you will receive instant email notification when the EA is issued. The EA may be issued for an allotted public comment period. Commission staff will consider all comments on the EA before making recommendations to the Commission. 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 EA.4 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. 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), 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.5 The EA for this project will document our findings on the impacts on historic 3 For instructions on connecting to eLibrary, refer to the last page of this notice. 4 The Council on Environmental Quality regulations addressing cooperating agency responsibilities are at Title 40, Code of Federal Regulations, part 1501.6. 5 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. PO 00000 Frm 00027 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 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. Commission staff will update the environmental mailing list as the analysis proceeds to ensure that Commission notices related to this environmental review are sent to all individuals, organizations, and government entities interested in and/or potentially affected by the planned project. If the Commission issues the EA for an allotted public comment period, a Notice of Availability of the EA will be sent to the environmental mailing list and will provide instructions to access the electronic document on the FERC’s website (www.ferc.gov). If you need to make changes to your name/address, or if you would like to remove your name from the mailing list, please return the attached ‘‘Mailing List Update Form’’ (appendix 4). Becoming an Intervenor Once Northern 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 (18 CFR 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. E:\FR\FM\29NON1.SGM 29NON1 Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 230 / Friday, November 29, 2019 / Notices 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., PF19–8). 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 all formal documents issued by the Commission, such as orders, notices, and rulemakings. 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: November 22, 2019. Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr., Deputy Secretary. [FR Doc. 2019–25908 Filed 11–27–19; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717–01–P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Project No. 3251–010] khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES Cornell University; Notice of Application Accepted for Filing and Soliciting Motions To Intervene and Protests Take notice that the following hydroelectric application has been filed with the Commission and is available for public inspection. a. Type of Application: New Major License. b. Project No.: 3251–010. c. Date Filed: June 28, 2019. d. Applicant: Cornell University. e. Name of Project: Cornell University Hydroelectric Project (Cornell Project). f. Location: On Fall Creek within the Cornell University campus in the City of Ithaca, Tompkins County, New York. The project does not occupy federal land. g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act 16 U.S.C. 791(a)–825(r). h. Applicant Contact: Mr. Frank Perry, Manager of Projects, Energy and Sustainability, Humphreys Service Building, Room 131, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853–3701; (607) 255–6634; email—fdp1@cornell.edu. VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:49 Nov 27, 2019 Jkt 250001 i. FERC Contact: Christopher Millard at (202) 502–8256; or email at christopher.millard@ferc.gov. j. Deadline for filing motions to intervene and protests: 60 days from the issuance date of this notice. The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file motions to intervene and protests using the Commission’s eFiling system at https:// www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp. For assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at FERCOnlineSupport@ ferc.gov, (866) 208–3676 (toll free), or (202) 502–8659 (TTY). In lieu of electronic filing, please send a paper copy to: Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20426. The first page of any filing should include docket number P–3251–010. The Commission’s Rules of Practice require all intervenors filing documents with the Commission to serve a copy of that document on each person on the official service list for the project. Further, if an intervenor files comments or documents with the Commission relating to the merits of an issue that may affect the responsibilities of a particular resource agency, they must also serve a copy of the document on that resource agency. k. This application has been accepted, but is not ready for environmental analysis at this time. l. The Cornell Project consists of: (1) An existing 28-foot-high, 260-foot-long reinforced-concrete gravity overflowtype dam, known as Beebe Lake Dam, with a crest elevation of 780.7 feet mean sea level (msl); (2) an impoundment (Beebe Lake) with a surface area of 16 acres and a storage capacity of 50 acrefeet at the normal pool elevation of 780.7 feet msl; (3) a concrete forebay wall and reinforced-concrete intake with a 6-foot-high, 6-foot-wide steel vertical-slide gate along the right (north) bank; (4) a 5-foot-diameter, 1,507-footlong reinforced-concrete underground pipeline and a 5-foot-diameter, 200-footlong riveted-steel underground penstock; (5) a 79-foot-long, 29-footwide, 24-foot-high powerhouse containing two Ossberger turbines and induction generators with a combined authorized capacity of 1,718 kilowatts; (6) a tailrace located on the river rightside of Fall Creek directly below the powerhouse; (7) a 385-foot-long, 2.4kilovolt transmission line connecting to Cornell’s distribution system; and (8) appurtenant facilities. The Cornell Project is operated in a run-of-river mode and bypasses an 1,800-foot-long reach of Fall Creek that extends from the toe of the dam to the powerhouse tailrace. From 2013 through PO 00000 Frm 00028 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 65803 2018, the average annual generation was 4,599 megawatt-hours. m. A copy of the application is available for review at the Commission in the Public Reference Room or may be viewed on the Commission’s website 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 Online Support. A copy is also available for inspection and reproduction at the address in item h above. You may also register online at https:// www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/ esubscription.asp to be notified via email of new filings and issuances related to this or other pending projects. For assistance, contact FERC Online Support. n. Anyone may submit a protest or a motion to intervene in accordance with the requirements of Rules of Practice and Procedure, 18 CFR 385.210, .211, and .214. In determining the appropriate action to take, the Commission will consider all protests or other comments filed, but only those who file a motion to intervene in accordance with the Commission’s Rules may become a party to the proceeding. Any protests or motions to intervene must be received on or before the specified comment date for the particular application. All filings must: (1) Bear in all capital letters the title ‘‘PROTEST’’ or ‘‘MOTION TO INTERVENE;’’ (2) set forth in the heading the name of the applicant and the project number of the application to which the filing responds; (3) furnish the name, address, and telephone number of the person protesting or intervening; and (4) otherwise comply with the requirements of 18 CFR 385.2001 through 385.2005. Agencies may obtain copies of the application directly from the applicant. A copy of any protest or motion to intervene must be served upon each representative of the applicant specified in the particular application. o. Procedural schedule and final amendments: The application will be processed according to the following preliminary schedule. Revisions to the schedule will be made as appropriate. Issue Scoping Document 1 for comments—December 2019. Request Additional Information (if necessary)—February 2020. Issue Scoping Document 2—March 2020. Issue notice of ready for environmental analysis—March 2020. Commission issues EA—September 2020. Comments on EA—October 2020. E:\FR\FM\29NON1.SGM 29NON1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 230 (Friday, November 29, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65800-65803]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-25908]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. PF19-8-000]


Northern Natural Gas Company; Notice of Intent To Prepare an 
Environmental Assessment for the Planned South Sioux City to Sioux 
Falls A-Line Replacement Project, Request for Comments on Environmental 
Issues, and Notice of Public Scoping Sessions

    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 South Sioux City to Sioux 
Falls A-Line Replacement Project involving the abandonment, 
construction, and operation of pipeline facilities in Dakota and Dixon 
Counties, Nebraska and Lincoln and Union Counties, South Dakota by 
Northern Natural Gas Company (Northern). 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 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 EA on the important environmental issues. By this 
notice, the Commission requests public comments on the scope of issues 
to address in the EA. 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 5:00 p.m.

[[Page 65801]]

Eastern Standard Time on December 23, 2019.
    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 Commission staff 
determine what issues they need to evaluate in the EA. Commission staff 
will consider all filed comments during the preparation of the EA.
    If you sent comments on this project to the Commission before the 
opening of this docket on July 16, 2019, you will need to file those 
comments under Docket No. PF19-8-000 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 pipeline company 
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) at https://www.ferc.gov/resources/guides/gas/gas.pdf. 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

    The Commission offers a free service called eSubscription which 
makes it easy to stay informed of all issuances and submittals 
regarding the dockets/projects to which you subscribe. These instant 
email notifications are the fastest way to receive notification and 
provide a link to the document files which can reduce the amount of 
time you spend researching proceedings. To sign up go to www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/esubscription.asp.
    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 also on the Commission's website (www.ferc.gov) under 
the link to Documents and 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 project is considered a ``Comment on a 
Filing'';
    (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 
PF19-8000 with your submission: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Room 1A, Washington, 
DC 20426; or
    (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:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Date and time                           Location
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wednesday, December 11, 2019,  The Pointe Event Center, 100 Truman Lane,
 5:00-7:30 p.m.                 Elk Point, SD 57025, (605) 356-2874.
Thursday, December 12, 2019,   Beresford Bridges Event Center, 601 S 7th
 5:00-7:30 p.m.                 St., Beresford, SD 57004, (605) 201-
                                4240.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The primary goal of these scoping sessions is to have you identify 
the specific environmental issues and concerns that should be 
considered in the EA. 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 
5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Central Standard Time. You may arrive at any 
time after 5:00 p.m. 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 7:30 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 7:00 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 the last page of this notice 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 5 minutes may be implemented for each commenter.
    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 Northern will also be present to answer 
project-specific questions.
    Please note this is not your only public input opportunity; please 
refer to

[[Page 65802]]

the review process flow chart in appendix 2.

Summary of the Planned Project

    Northern plans to abandon in-place 79.2 miles of its 14-inch-
diamter A-Line from South Sioux City, Nebraska to Sioux Falls, South 
Dakota, and replace the line with 84.2 miles of 12-inch-dimater 
pipeline. In addition to the A-Line replacement, Northern plans to 
abandon in-place its 0.2-mile-long 2-inch-diameter Ponca Branch Line, 
which currently ties into the A-Line to be abandoned and replace it 
with a 2.0-mile-long 3-inch-diameter pipeline. Northern also plans to 
install appurtenant facilities, including pig launchers and 
receivers,\2\ regulators, tie-overs, an odorizer, and associated piping 
and valves. The Project will not change the current flow rate of 36 
million cubic feet of gas per day.
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    \2\ A ``pig'' is a tool that the pipeline company inserts into 
and pushes through the pipeline for cleaning the pipeline, 
conducting internal inspections, and other purposes.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The general location of the project facilities is shown in appendix 
3.

Land Requirements for Construction

    Construction of the planned project would disturb about 1,048 acres 
of land for the aboveground facilities and the pipeline. Following 
construction, Northern would maintain about 510 acres for permanent 
operation of the project's facilities and allow the remaining acreage 
to revert to former uses. About 73 percent of the planned pipeline 
route parallels existing pipeline, utility, or road rights-of-way.

The EA Process

    The EA will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of the 
construction and operation of the planned project under these general 
headings:
     Geology and soils;
     water resources and wetlands;
     vegetation and wildlife;
     threatened and endangered species;
     cultural resources;
     land use;
     air quality and noise;
     public safety; and
     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 EA.
    The EA will present Commission staffs' independent analysis of the 
issues. The EA will be available in electronic format in the public 
record through eLibrary \3\ and the Commission's website (https://www.ferc.gov/industries/gas/enviro/eis.asp). If eSubscribed, you will 
receive instant email notification when the EA is issued. The EA may be 
issued for an allotted public comment period. Commission staff will 
consider all comments on the EA before making recommendations to the 
Commission. 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.
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    \3\ For instructions on connecting to eLibrary, refer to the 
last page of this notice.
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    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 EA.\4\ 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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \4\ 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), 
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.\5\ The EA 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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    \5\ 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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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 Commission notices 
related to this environmental review are sent to all individuals, 
organizations, and government entities interested in and/or potentially 
affected by the planned project.
    If the Commission issues the EA for an allotted public comment 
period, a Notice of Availability of the EA will be sent to the 
environmental mailing list and will provide instructions to access the 
electronic document on the FERC's website (www.ferc.gov). If you need 
to make changes to your name/address, or if you would like to remove 
your name from the mailing list, please return the attached ``Mailing 
List Update Form'' (appendix 4).

Becoming an Intervenor

    Once Northern 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 (18 CFR 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.

[[Page 65803]]

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., 
PF19-8). 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 all formal documents issued by the Commission, such as orders, 
notices, and rulemakings.
    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: November 22, 2019.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2019-25908 Filed 11-27-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
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