Texas Eastern Transmission, LP; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Amended Marshall County Mine Panel 19E and 20E Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, 3674-3676 [2020-00966]
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3674
Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 14 / Wednesday, January 22, 2020 / Notices
More information about this project,
including a copy of the application, can
be viewed or printed on the ‘‘eLibrary’’
link of Commission’s website at https://
www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/elibrary.asp.
Enter the docket number (P–15001) in
the docket number field to access the
document. For assistance, contact FERC
Online Support.
Dated: January 14, 2020.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020–00924 Filed 1–21–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. CP19–509–001]
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
Texas Eastern Transmission, LP;
Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Assessment for the
Proposed Amended Marshall County
Mine Panel 19E and 20E Project and
Request for Comments on
Environmental Issues
The staff of the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) will prepare an
environmental assessment (EA) that will
discuss the environmental impacts of
the Marshall County Mine Panel 19E
and 20E Project (Project) involving
construction and operation of facilities
by Texas Eastern Transmission, LP
(Texas Eastern) in Marshall County,
West Virginia. 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/
authorization. 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
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:42 Jan 21, 2020
Jkt 250001
Washington, DC on or before 5:00 p.m.
Eastern Time on February 12, 2020.
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 they need to
evaluate in the EA. Commission staff
will consider all filed comments during
the preparation of the EA.
This notice is being sent to the
Commission’s current environmental
mailing list for this project. State and
local government representatives should
notify their constituents of this
proposed project and encourage them to
comment on their areas of concern.
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
proposed 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.
Texas Eastern provided landowners
with a fact sheet prepared by the FERC
entitled ‘‘An Interstate Natural Gas
Facility On My Land? What Do I Need
To Know?’’ This fact sheet addresses a
number of typically asked questions,
including the use of eminent domain
and how to participate in the
Commission’s proceedings. It is also
available for viewing on the FERC
website (www.ferc.gov) at https://
www.ferc.gov/resources/guides/gas/
gas.pdf.
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 three
methods you can use to submit your
PO 00000
Frm 00071
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
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
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 (CP19–509–
001) with your submission: Kimberly D.
Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street
NE, Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426.
Summary of the Proposed Project
Texas Eastern filed an amendment to
its Abbreviated Application for a
Certificate of Public Convenience and
Necessity and for Related
Authorizations for its proposed
Marshall County Mine Panel 19E
Project, submitted on September 4, 2019
in Docket No. CP19–509–000. By this
Amendment, Texas Eastern requests
authorization under the Natural Gas
Act, Section 7(c) to excavate, elevate,
and replace certain segments of its
pipelines that traverse the Marshall
County Coal Company’s (Marshall Coal)
Mine Panels 19E and 20E, located in
Marshall County, West Virginia. This
Amendment reflects activities related to
both Mine Panels 19E and 20E, and the
construction activities proposed replace
in their entirety the construction
activities proposed in the Application.
Texas Eastern proposes to excavate
and elevate pipeline segments of its
Lines 10, 15, 25, and 30, that range from
30-inch to 36-inch-diameter and to
monitor stress and strain levels on the
pipelines from potential ground
subsidence due to Marshall Coal’s
scheduled longwall mining activities.
E:\FR\FM\22JAN1.SGM
22JAN1
Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 14 / Wednesday, January 22, 2020 / Notices
Concurrent with pipeline elevation,
portions of Lines 10 and 15 would be
replaced with new pipe to accommodate
a minimum Class 2 design.1 Texas
Eastern would also perform
maintenance activities on segments of
Lines 25 and 30. The four mainline
segments will be returned to natural gas
service above ground, while remaining
elevated using sandbags and skids for
the duration of Marshall Coal’s longwall
mining activities and potential ground
subsidence. Texas Eastern would
reinstall the elevated pipeline segments
as soon as possible to minimize the
length of time that the segments are
above ground, and to allow the right-ofway to be restored to its preconstruction use in accordance with
landowner agreements.
Marshall Coal recently informed
Texas Eastern that longwall mining
activities for Mine Panel 20E may now
begin as early as August of 2021. As
such, Texas Eastern would need to
commence activities to protect its
pipelines that traverse Mine Panel 20E
concurrent with planned activities to
protect its pipelines that traverse Mine
Panel 19E (longwall mining activities in
Mine Panel 19E are anticipated to begin
in October 2020) in order to ensure
timely stabilization of the pipeline
segments above ground for the duration
of the longwall mining activities
scheduled to take place at both Mine
Panels. Completion of longwall mining
activities and potential subsidence is
anticipated in December 2020 for Mine
Panel 19E and in October 2021 for Mine
Panel 20E. As such, Texas Eastern is
seeking to amend the timing set forth in
the Application for completion of
Project activities from October 2021 to
October 2022, prior to the start of Texas
Eastern’s winter heating season
The general location of the project
facilities is shown in appendix 1.2
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
Land Requirements for Construction
Construction workspace would
disturb about 34.2 acres of land for the
pipeline excavation, elevation, and/or
1 Lines 10 and 15 were installed prior to the
Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act, and are
grandfathered to operate at greater than 72% of
Specified Minimum Yield Strength. The portions of
these pipelines included in this Project will be
replaced with pipe that meets or exceeds the
current Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety
Administration regulations. See 49 CFR 192.611(a)
(2019).
2 The appendices referenced in this notice will
not appear in the Federal Register. Copies of
appendices were sent to all those receiving this
notice in the mail and are available at www.ferc.gov
using the link called eLibrary or from the
Commission’s Public Reference Room, 888 First
Street NE, Washington, DC 20426, or call (202) 502–
8371. For instructions on connecting to eLibrary,
refer to the last page of this notice.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:42 Jan 21, 2020
Jkt 250001
replacement. Following construction,
Texas Eastern would maintain about
12.0 acres of existing right-of-way for
permanent operation of the project’s
facilities; the remaining acreage would
be restored and revert to former uses.
The EA Process
The EA will discuss impacts that
could occur as a result of the
construction and operation of the
proposed project under these general
headings:
• Geology and soils;
• 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
reasonable alternatives to the proposed
project or portions of the project, and
make recommendations on how to
lessen or avoid impacts on the various
resource areas.
The EA will present 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 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 of 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
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.
PO 00000
Frm 00072
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
3675
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
findings on the impacts on historic
properties and summarize the status of
consultations under section 106.
Environmental Mailing List
The environmental mailing list
includes federal, state, and local
government representatives and
agencies; elected officials;
environmental and public interest
groups; Native American Tribes; other
interested parties; and local libraries
and newspapers. This list also includes
all affected landowners (as defined in
the Commission’s regulations) who are
potential right-of-way grantors, whose
property may be used temporarily for
project purposes, or who own homes
within certain distances of aboveground
facilities, and anyone who submits
comments on the project. 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 proposed
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 2).
Additional Information
Additional information about the
project is available from the
Commission’s Office of External Affairs,
at (866) 208–FERC, or on the FERC
website at www.ferc.gov using the
eLibrary link. Click on the eLibrary link,
click on General Search and enter the
docket number in the Docket Number
field, excluding the last three digits (i.e.,
5 The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation’s
regulations are at Title 36, Code of Federal
Regulations, Part 800. Those regulations define
historic properties as any prehistoric or historic
district, site, building, structure, or object included
in or eligible for inclusion in the National Register
of Historic Places.
E:\FR\FM\22JAN1.SGM
22JAN1
3676
Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 14 / Wednesday, January 22, 2020 / Notices
CP09–509). Be sure you have selected
an appropriate date range. For
assistance, please contact FERC Online
Support at FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov
or (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: January 13, 2020.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020–00966 Filed 1–21–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
Combined Notice of Filings
Take notice that the Commission has
received the following Natural Gas
Pipeline Rate and Refund Report filings:
Docket Numbers: RP20–433–001.
Applicants: Adelphia Gateway, LLC.
Description: Tariff Amendment:
Adelphia NAESB amendment filing 1–
14–20 to be effective 1/13/2020.
Filed Date: 1/14/20.
Accession Number: 20200114–5164.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 1/27/20.
Docket Numbers: RP20–434–000.
Applicants: Enable Mississippi River
Transmission, LLC.
Description: § 4(d) Rate Filing:
Negotiated Rate Filing—Liberty Utilities
RP18–923 & RP20–131 Settlement to be
effective 1/1/2019.
Filed Date: 1/14/20.
Accession Number: 20200114–5081.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 1/27/20.
Docket Numbers: RP20–435–000.
Applicants: Gulf South Pipeline
Company, LLC.
Description: § 4(d) Rate Filing: Cap
Rel Neg Rate Agmt (Calyx 51780 to BP
52119) to be effective 1/15/2020.
Filed Date: 1/14/20.
Accession Number: 20200114–5083.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 1/27/20.
Docket Numbers: RP20–435–001.
Applicants: Gulf South Pipeline
Company, LLC.
Description: Tariff Amendment:
Amendment to Filing in Docket No.
RP20–435–000 to be effective 1/15/
2020.
Filed Date: 1/14/20.
Accession Number: 20200114–5093.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:42 Jan 21, 2020
Jkt 250001
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 1/27/20.
Docket Numbers: RP20–436–000.
Applicants: Rockies Express Pipeline
LLC.
Description: § 4(d) Rate Filing: REX
2020–01–14 Non-Conforming
Negotiated Rate amendment to be
effective 1/15/2020.
Filed Date: 1/14/20.
Accession Number: 20200114–5179.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 1/27/20.
Docket Numbers: RP20–437–000.
Applicants: East Tennessee Natural
Gas, LLC.
Description: § 4(d) Rate Filing: ETNG
Jan2020 NCF Cleanup to be effective 2/
14/2020.
Filed Date: 1/14/20.
Accession Number: 20200114–5184.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 1/27/20.
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.
Dated: January 15, 2020.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020–00956 Filed 1–21–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
1 Lynn
[Project No. 8865–008]
The current license for the Stevenson
No. 1 Hydroelectric Project No. 8865
(Stevenson No. 1 Project) was issued
with an effective date of July 1, 1984, for
a term of 40 years, ending June 30,
Frm 00073
Fmt 4703
E. Stevenson, 34 FERC 62,531 (1986).
CFR 16.6(c) (2019). At least five years before
the expiration of a license for a major water power
project, the licensee must file with the Commission
an NOI that contains an unequivocal statement of
the licensee’s intention to file or not to file an
application for a new license. See also 18 CFR 5.5
(2019).
3 18 CFR 16.7(d)(1) (2019). A licensee must, at the
time it files an NOI pursuant to sections 5.5 and
16.6, provide a copy of the PAD required by section
5.6 of the Commission’s regulations to the entities
specified in that paragraph. See 18 CFR 5.6 (2019).
4 18 CFR 16.23(b) (2019).
5 Pursuant to section 16.24(b)(1) of the
Commission’s regulations, the existing licensee is
prohibited from filing an application either
2 18
Notice of Withdrawal of Existing
Licensee’s Notice of Intent To File a
Subsequent License Application, and
Soliciting Pre-Application Documents
and Notices of Intent To File a License
Application; N. Stanley Standal, Jr.
PO 00000
2024.1 The 70 kilowatt (kW) project is
located on an unnamed tributary to the
Snake River. On June 28, 2019, N.
Stanley Standal, Jr. (Mr. Standal) filed
an incomplete Notice of Intent (NOI) to
file an application for a subsequent
license for the Stevenson No. 1 Project,
pursuant to section 16.6 of the
Commission’s regulations.2 Mr. Standal
failed to file an accompanying preapplication document (PAD), pursuant
to section 16.7 of the Commission’s
regulations.3
On July 17, 2019, Commission staff
waived the provision of section 5.6(a)(1)
that requires the filing of a PAD at the
same time that the NOI is filed and
extended the deadline for filing a
complete NOI and the PAD by 90 days.
On October 12, 2019, Joy Heller
contacted Commission staff on behalf of
Mr. Standal and stated that more
information would be filed before
October 31, 2019. On October 30, 2019,
Mr. Standal filed a revised NOI but
failed to file a PAD. On November 19,
2019, Commission staff informed Mr.
Standal that if a PAD was not filed
within 30 days, Commission staff would
consider the lack of response as an
indication that he is no longer interested
in seeking a subsequent license to
continue operating the project and a
withdrawal of his NOI to seek a
subsequent license. Despite repeated
efforts to contact Mr. Standal, he has not
returned staff calls or filed the requisite
PAD. Commission staff therefore
consider Mr. Standal’s NOI as
withdrawn.
Pursuant to section 16.23(b) of the
Commission’s regulations, when an
existing licensee fails to file a complete
NOI and PAD within five years of
expiration of the current license, the
Commission must solicit applications
from potential applicants other than the
existing licensee.4 Any party interested
in filing a license application or
exemption (i.e., a potential applicant)
for the project must file an NOI and
PAD within 90 days from the date of
this notice.5 While the integrated
Sfmt 4703
E:\FR\FM\22JAN1.SGM
22JAN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 14 (Wednesday, January 22, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3674-3676]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-00966]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP19-509-001]
Texas Eastern Transmission, LP; Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Amended Marshall County Mine
Panel 19E and 20E Project and Request for Comments on Environmental
Issues
The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) will prepare an environmental assessment (EA) that will
discuss the environmental impacts of the Marshall County Mine Panel 19E
and 20E Project (Project) involving construction and operation of
facilities by Texas Eastern Transmission, LP (Texas Eastern) in
Marshall County, West Virginia. 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/authorization. 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. Eastern Time on
February 12, 2020.
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 they need to evaluate in the EA. Commission
staff will consider all filed comments during the preparation of the
EA.
This notice is being sent to the Commission's current environmental
mailing list for this project. State and local government
representatives should notify their constituents of this proposed
project and encourage them to comment on their areas of concern.
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 proposed 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.
Texas Eastern provided landowners with a fact sheet prepared by the
FERC entitled ``An Interstate Natural Gas Facility On My Land? What Do
I Need To Know?'' This fact sheet addresses a number of typically asked
questions, including the use of eminent domain and how to participate
in the Commission's proceedings. It is also available for viewing on
the FERC website (www.ferc.gov) at https://www.ferc.gov/resources/guides/gas/gas.pdf.
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 three 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 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
(CP19-509-001) with your submission: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary,
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Room 1A,
Washington, DC 20426.
Summary of the Proposed Project
Texas Eastern filed an amendment to its Abbreviated Application for
a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity and for Related
Authorizations for its proposed Marshall County Mine Panel 19E Project,
submitted on September 4, 2019 in Docket No. CP19-509-000. By this
Amendment, Texas Eastern requests authorization under the Natural Gas
Act, Section 7(c) to excavate, elevate, and replace certain segments of
its pipelines that traverse the Marshall County Coal Company's
(Marshall Coal) Mine Panels 19E and 20E, located in Marshall County,
West Virginia. This Amendment reflects activities related to both Mine
Panels 19E and 20E, and the construction activities proposed replace in
their entirety the construction activities proposed in the Application.
Texas Eastern proposes to excavate and elevate pipeline segments of
its Lines 10, 15, 25, and 30, that range from 30-inch to 36-inch-
diameter and to monitor stress and strain levels on the pipelines from
potential ground subsidence due to Marshall Coal's scheduled longwall
mining activities.
[[Page 3675]]
Concurrent with pipeline elevation, portions of Lines 10 and 15 would
be replaced with new pipe to accommodate a minimum Class 2 design.\1\
Texas Eastern would also perform maintenance activities on segments of
Lines 25 and 30. The four mainline segments will be returned to natural
gas service above ground, while remaining elevated using sandbags and
skids for the duration of Marshall Coal's longwall mining activities
and potential ground subsidence. Texas Eastern would reinstall the
elevated pipeline segments as soon as possible to minimize the length
of time that the segments are above ground, and to allow the right-of-
way to be restored to its pre-construction use in accordance with
landowner agreements.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Lines 10 and 15 were installed prior to the Natural Gas
Pipeline Safety Act, and are grandfathered to operate at greater
than 72% of Specified Minimum Yield Strength. The portions of these
pipelines included in this Project will be replaced with pipe that
meets or exceeds the current Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety
Administration regulations. See 49 CFR 192.611(a) (2019).
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Marshall Coal recently informed Texas Eastern that longwall mining
activities for Mine Panel 20E may now begin as early as August of 2021.
As such, Texas Eastern would need to commence activities to protect its
pipelines that traverse Mine Panel 20E concurrent with planned
activities to protect its pipelines that traverse Mine Panel 19E
(longwall mining activities in Mine Panel 19E are anticipated to begin
in October 2020) in order to ensure timely stabilization of the
pipeline segments above ground for the duration of the longwall mining
activities scheduled to take place at both Mine Panels. Completion of
longwall mining activities and potential subsidence is anticipated in
December 2020 for Mine Panel 19E and in October 2021 for Mine Panel
20E. As such, Texas Eastern is seeking to amend the timing set forth in
the Application for completion of Project activities from October 2021
to October 2022, prior to the start of Texas Eastern's winter heating
season
The general location of the project facilities is shown in appendix
1.\2\
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\2\ The appendices referenced in this notice will not appear in
the Federal Register. Copies of appendices were sent to all those
receiving this notice in the mail and are available at www.ferc.gov
using the link called eLibrary or from the Commission's Public
Reference Room, 888 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20426, or call
(202) 502-8371. For instructions on connecting to eLibrary, refer to
the last page of this notice.
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Land Requirements for Construction
Construction workspace would disturb about 34.2 acres of land for
the pipeline excavation, elevation, and/or replacement. Following
construction, Texas Eastern would maintain about 12.0 acres of existing
right-of-way for permanent operation of the project's facilities; the
remaining acreage would be restored and revert to former uses.
The EA Process
The EA will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of the
construction and operation of the proposed project under these general
headings:
Geology and soils;
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 reasonable alternatives to the
proposed project or portions of the project, and make recommendations
on how to lessen or avoid impacts on the various resource areas.
The EA will present 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 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 of 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.
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\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 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's regulations
are at Title 36, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 800. Those
regulations define historic properties as any prehistoric or
historic district, site, building, structure, or object included in
or eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic
Places.
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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 proposed 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 2).
Additional Information
Additional information about the project is available from the
Commission's Office of External Affairs, at (866) 208-FERC, or on the
FERC website at www.ferc.gov using the eLibrary link. Click on the
eLibrary link, click on General Search and enter the docket number in
the Docket Number field, excluding the last three digits (i.e.,
[[Page 3676]]
CP09-509). Be sure you have selected an appropriate date range. For
assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at
[email protected] or (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: January 13, 2020.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-00966 Filed 1-21-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P