Port Arthur Pipeline, LLC; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Louisiana Connector Amendment Project, Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of Public Scoping Session, 7985-7988 [2020-02822]
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7985
Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 29 / Wednesday, February 12, 2020 / Notices
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest
Service, as part of the Los Padres
National Forest; and 6.5 acres
administered by the U.S. Department of
the Interior, Bureau of Land
Management.
l. 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.
m. 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. 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.
Milestone
Target date
Notice of Acceptance/Notice of Ready for Environmental Analysis ..........................................................................................
Filing of recommendations, preliminary terms and conditions, and fishway prescriptions .......................................................
Commission issues Draft EIS ....................................................................................................................................................
Comments on Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) ....................................................................................................
Modified terms and conditions ...................................................................................................................................................
Commission issues Final EIS ....................................................................................................................................................
o. Final amendments to the
application must be filed with the
Commission no later than 30 days from
the issuance date of the notice of ready
for environmental analysis.
Dated: February 6, 2020.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020–02809 Filed 2–11–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Project No. 3240–039]
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with NOTICES
Briar Hydro Associates, LLC; Notice of
Intent To File License Application,
Filing of Pre-Application Document,
and Approving Use of the Traditional
Licensing Process
a. Type of Filing: Notice of Intent to
File License Application and Request to
Use the Traditional Licensing Process.
b. Project No.: 3240–039.
c. Date Filed: November 29, 2019.
d. Submitted By: Briar Hydro
Associates, LLC (Briar Hydro).
e. Name of Project: Rolfe Canal
Hydroelectric Project.
f. Location: On the Contoocook River,
in the Village of Penacook and City of
Concord, New Hampshire. No federal
lands are occupied by the project works
or located within the project boundary.
g. Filed Pursuant to: 18 CFR 5.3 and
5.5 of the Commission’s regulations.
h. Potential Applicant Contact:
Andrew J. Locke, Essex Hydro
Associates, LLC, 55 Union Street,
Boston, MA 02108; (617) 357–0032;
email—alocke@essexhydro.com.
i. FERC Contact: Jeanne Edwards at
(202) 502–6181; or email at
jeanne.edwards@ferc.gov.
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j. Briar Hydro filed its request to use
the Traditional Licensing Process on
November 29, 2019. Briar Hydro
provided public notice of its request on
December 12, 2019. In a letter dated
February 6, 2020, the Director of the
Division of Hydropower Licensing
approved Briar Hydro’s request to use
the Traditional Licensing Process.
k. With this notice, we are initiating
informal consultation with the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service and/or NOAA
Fisheries under section 7 of the
Endangered Species Act, and the joint
agency regulations thereunder at 50
CFR, Part 402. We are also initiating
consultation with the New Hampshire
State Historic Preservation Officer, as
required by section 106 of the National
Historic Preservation Act, and the
implementing regulations of the
Advisory Council on Historic
Preservation at 36 CFR 800.2.
l. With this notice, we are designating
Briar Hydro as the Commission’s nonfederal representative for carrying out
informal consultation pursuant to
section 7 of the Endangered Species Act
and consultation pursuant to section
106 of the National Historic
Preservation Act.
m. On November 28, 2019, Briar
Hydro filed a Pre-Application Document
(PAD; including a proposed process
plan and schedule) with the
Commission, pursuant to 18 CFR 5.6 of
the Commission’s regulations.
n. A copy of the PAD is available for
review at the Commission in the Public
Reference Room or may be viewed on
the Commission’s website (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 at
FERCONlineSupport@ferc.gov, (866)
PO 00000
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April 2020.
June 2020.
December 2020.
February 2021.
April 2021.
July 2021.
208–3676 (toll free), or (202) 502–8659
(TTY). A copy is also available for
inspection and reproduction at the
address in paragraph h.
o. The licensee states its unequivocal
intent to submit an application for a
new license for Project No. 3240.
Pursuant to 18 CFR 16.8, 16.9, and 16.10
each application for a new license and
any competing license applications
must be filed with the Commission at
least 24 months prior to the expiration
of the existing license. All applications
for license for this project must be filed
by November 30, 2022.
p. 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.
Dated: February 6, 2020.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020–02810 Filed 2–11–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. CP20–21–000]
Port Arthur Pipeline, LLC; Notice of
Intent To Prepare an Environmental
Assessment for the Proposed
Louisiana Connector Amendment
Project, 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 assessment (EA) that will
discuss the environmental impacts of
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 29 / Wednesday, February 12, 2020 / Notices
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with NOTICES
the Louisiana Connector Amendment
Project (Project) involving construction
and operation of facilities by Port
Arthur Pipeline, LLC (PAPL) in
Beauregard Parish, Louisiana. 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.
Eastern Time on March 6, 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.
If you sent comments on this Project
to the Commission before the opening of
this docket on December 9, 2019, you
will need to file those comments in
Docket No. CP20–21–000 to ensure they
are considered as part of this
proceeding. If you have already filed
comments in Docket No. CP20–21–000,
you do not need to file those comments
again.
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.
PAPL 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 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
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’’;
(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 (CP20–21–
000) with your submission: Kimberly D.
Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street
NE, Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426;
(4) Newly affected landowners
wishing to obtain legal status by
becoming a party to the proceeding for
this project should, on or before the
comment date (March 6, 2020), file with
the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, 888 First Street NE,
Washington, DC 20426, a motion to
intervene in accordance with the
requirements of the Commission’s Rules
of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR
385.214 or 385.211) and the Regulations
under the NGA (18 CFR 157.10). A
person obtaining party status will be
placed on the service list maintained by
the Secretary of the Commission and
will receive copies of all documents
filed by the applicant and by all other
parties. A party must submit 3 copies of
filings made with the Commission and
must provide a copy to the applicant
and to every other party in the
proceeding. Only parties to the
proceeding can ask for court review of
Commission orders in the proceeding;
or
(5) In lieu of sending written
comments, the Commission invites you
to attend the public scoping session its
staff will conduct in the Project area,
scheduled as follows:
Date and time
Location
Wednesday, March 4, 2020, 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Central Time.
South Beauregard Recreation District Community Center, 6719 Highway 12, Ragley,
LA 70657, 337–725–3717.
Please note that staff may conclude the session at 6:30 p.m. if all attendees planning to provide comments have done so.
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 29 / Wednesday, February 12, 2020 / Notices
The primary goal of the scoping
session 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.
The scoping session is scheduled
from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Central
Time. You may arrive any time at or
after 4:00 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 7:00 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 6:30 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
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 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 PAPL will also be
present to answer Project-specific
questions.
Summary of the Proposed Project
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PAPL proposes to amend its April 18,
2019 Order Issuing Certificate for the
Louisiana Connector Project (CP18–7–
000) by constructing and operating a
compressor station in Beauregard
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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Parish, Louisiana (the Beauregard Parish
Compressor Station or BPCS) in lieu of
the compressor station previously
certificated in Allen Parish, Louisiana.
The compressor station proposed for
this Project would be constructed as
part of the Louisiana Connector Project.
In its December 9, 2019 Amendment
Application, PAPL proposed to locate
the BPCS within the previously
certificated Beauregard Parish
Contractor Yard (LYBEA–01) and
workspace associated with pipeline
construction at milepost (MP) 72.3.
However, on January 31, 2020, PAPL
filed to relocate the new BPCS site
approximately 0.75 mile south of
Gaytine Road, to a location adjacent to
and west-southwest of Cameron
Interstate Pipeline, LLC’s existing
Ragley Compressor Station.2 The
proposed site would be approximately
2,750 feet directly south of the initially
proposed BPCS location described in
PAPL’s December 9, 2019 Amendment
Application. The new location for the
BPCS would be south of and adjacent to
the main pipeline corridor and would
use the same mainline connection and
interconnect location points near MP
72.3 as previously proposed.
As part of the Project, PAPL would:
• Relocate the previously authorized
compressor station consisting of four
Solar Titan 130E gas turbine driven
compressors in Allen Parish from MP
96.1, to MP 72.3 in Beauregard Parish,
increasing horsepower from 89,900 to
93,880;
• relocate an interconnect with the
Texas Eastern Transmission Company
from MP 96.1 to MP 72.3;
• relocate pig launcher/receiver
facilities from MP 96.1 to MP 72.3;
• construct three new pipeline
interconnections with Cameron
Intrastate Pipeline, Transcontinental
Gas Pipeline, and Louisiana Storage at
MP 72.3;
• construct one new mainline block
valve at MP 72.3, resulting in a total of
10 mainline valves on the Louisiana
Connector Project; and
• use the former Allen Parish
compressor station site at MP 96.1 as a
contractor yard.
The Project facilities would result in
a slight increase in the overall capacity
of feed gas to the approved Port Arthur
Liquefaction facility from approximately
1.98 to 2.05 billion cubic feet per day.
The Project would allow gas from
additional sources to supply the
liquefaction facility.
The general location of the Project
facilities is shown in appendix 2.
2 Newly affected landowners have an opportunity
to file for timely intervention during this scoping
period, which ends on March 6, 2020.
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7987
Land Requirements for Construction
The Project facilities would disturb
approximately 59.9 acres, all of which
would be permanently maintained as
aboveground facilities or right-of-way.
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;
• socioeconomics;
• cultural resources;
• land use;
• air quality and noise;
• alternatives;
• 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
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.
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 29 / Wednesday, February 12, 2020 / Notices
implementing regulations for section
106 of the National Historic
Preservation Act, the Commission is
using this notice to initiate consultation
with the Louisiana State Historic
Preservation Office, and to solicit its
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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Currently Identified Environmental
Issues
Commission staff have already
identified several issues that deserve
attention based on a preliminary review
of the proposed facilities; the
environmental information provided by
PAPL; and comments already received,
as listed below. This preliminary list of
issues may change based on your
comments and our analysis.
• Alternative compressor station
locations
• Traffic on Gaytine Road
• Impact on property values
• Proposed developments near the
compressor station
• Cumulative impacts
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
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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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 3).
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.,
CP20–21). 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: February 5, 2020.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020–02822 Filed 2–11–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Project No. 1417–274]
Central Nebraska Public Power and
Irrigation District; Notice of Application
Accepted for Filing, Soliciting
Comments, 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: Request for a
temporary variance from release
restriction requirements.
b. Project No.: 1417–274.
c. Date Filed: January 21, 2020.
d. Applicant: Central Nebraska Public
Power and Irrigation District (Central).
e. Name of Project: Kingsley Dam
Project
f. Location: The project is located on
the North Platte and Platte Rivers in
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Garden, Keith, Lincoln, Dawson, and
Gosper Counties in south-central
Nebraska.
g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power
Act, 16 U.S.C. 791a–825r.
h. Applicant Contact: Mr. Michael A.
Drain, P.E., Central, P.O. BOX 740, 415
Lincoln Street, Holdrege, NE 68949–
0740, (308) 995–8601.
i. FERC Contact: Zeena Aljibury, (202)
502–6065, zeena.aljibury@ferc.gov.
j. Deadline for filing comments,
motions to intervene, and protests:
February 21, 2020.
The Commission strongly encourages
electronic filing. Please file motions to
intervene, protests, comments, or
recommendations using the
Commission’s eFiling system at https://
www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp.
Commenters can submit brief comments
up to 6,000 characters, without prior
registration, using the eComment system
at https://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/
ecomment.asp. You must include your
name and contact information at the end
of your comments. 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–1417–274.
Comments emailed to Commission staff
are not considered part of the
Commission record.
The Commission’s Rules of Practice
and Procedure 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. Description of Request: Central
requests Commission approval for a
temporary modification of the current
restrictions of releases at or above flood
stage (as defined by the National
Weather Service) from the
Environmental Account (an account of
storage water in Lake McConaughy to be
released for environmental purposes) at
North Platte. The request would only
apply to release restrictions at North
Platte site from March 1 through
September 30, 2020 in order to test the
channel capacity improvements. The
Platte Recovery Implementation
Program (Platte Program) estimates that
the channel can pass flows at or near a
stage of 6.6 feet without causing
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 29 (Wednesday, February 12, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7985-7988]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-02822]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP20-21-000]
Port Arthur Pipeline, LLC; Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Louisiana Connector Amendment
Project, 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 assessment (EA) that will
discuss the environmental impacts of
[[Page 7986]]
the Louisiana Connector Amendment Project (Project) involving
construction and operation of facilities by Port Arthur Pipeline, LLC
(PAPL) in Beauregard Parish, Louisiana. 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. Eastern Time on
March 6, 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.
If you sent comments on this Project to the Commission before the
opening of this docket on December 9, 2019, you will need to file those
comments in Docket No. CP20-21-000 to ensure they are considered as
part of this proceeding. If you have already filed comments in Docket
No. CP20-21-000, you do not need to file those comments again.
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.
PAPL 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 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 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'';
(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
(CP20-21-000) with your submission: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary,
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Room 1A,
Washington, DC 20426;
(4) Newly affected landowners wishing to obtain legal status by
becoming a party to the proceeding for this project should, on or
before the comment date (March 6, 2020), file with the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20426, a
motion to intervene in accordance with the requirements of the
Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.214 or
385.211) and the Regulations under the NGA (18 CFR 157.10). A person
obtaining party status will be placed on the service list maintained by
the Secretary of the Commission and will receive copies of all
documents filed by the applicant and by all other parties. A party must
submit 3 copies of filings made with the Commission and must provide a
copy to the applicant and to every other party in the proceeding. Only
parties to the proceeding can ask for court review of Commission orders
in the proceeding; or
(5) In lieu of sending written comments, the Commission invites you
to attend the public scoping session its staff will conduct in the
Project area, scheduled as follows:
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Date and time Location
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Wednesday, March 4, 2020, 4:00 South Beauregard Recreation District
p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Central Time. Community Center, 6719 Highway 12,
Ragley, LA 70657, 337-725-3717.
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Please note that staff may conclude the session at 6:30 p.m. if all
attendees planning to provide comments have done so.
[[Page 7987]]
The primary goal of the scoping session 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.
The scoping session is scheduled from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Central Time. You may arrive any time at or after 4:00 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 7:00 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 6:30 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 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 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 PAPL will also be present to answer
Project-specific questions.
Summary of the Proposed Project
PAPL proposes to amend its April 18, 2019 Order Issuing Certificate
for the Louisiana Connector Project (CP18-7-000) by constructing and
operating a compressor station in Beauregard Parish, Louisiana (the
Beauregard Parish Compressor Station or BPCS) in lieu of the compressor
station previously certificated in Allen Parish, Louisiana. The
compressor station proposed for this Project would be constructed as
part of the Louisiana Connector Project.
In its December 9, 2019 Amendment Application, PAPL proposed to
locate the BPCS within the previously certificated Beauregard Parish
Contractor Yard (LYBEA-01) and workspace associated with pipeline
construction at milepost (MP) 72.3. However, on January 31, 2020, PAPL
filed to relocate the new BPCS site approximately 0.75 mile south of
Gaytine Road, to a location adjacent to and west-southwest of Cameron
Interstate Pipeline, LLC's existing Ragley Compressor Station.\2\ The
proposed site would be approximately 2,750 feet directly south of the
initially proposed BPCS location described in PAPL's December 9, 2019
Amendment Application. The new location for the BPCS would be south of
and adjacent to the main pipeline corridor and would use the same
mainline connection and interconnect location points near MP 72.3 as
previously proposed.
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\2\ Newly affected landowners have an opportunity to file for
timely intervention during this scoping period, which ends on March
6, 2020.
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As part of the Project, PAPL would:
Relocate the previously authorized compressor station
consisting of four Solar Titan 130E gas turbine driven compressors in
Allen Parish from MP 96.1, to MP 72.3 in Beauregard Parish, increasing
horsepower from 89,900 to 93,880;
relocate an interconnect with the Texas Eastern
Transmission Company from MP 96.1 to MP 72.3;
relocate pig launcher/receiver facilities from MP 96.1 to
MP 72.3;
construct three new pipeline interconnections with Cameron
Intrastate Pipeline, Transcontinental Gas Pipeline, and Louisiana
Storage at MP 72.3;
construct one new mainline block valve at MP 72.3,
resulting in a total of 10 mainline valves on the Louisiana Connector
Project; and
use the former Allen Parish compressor station site at MP
96.1 as a contractor yard.
The Project facilities would result in a slight increase in the
overall capacity of feed gas to the approved Port Arthur Liquefaction
facility from approximately 1.98 to 2.05 billion cubic feet per day.
The Project would allow gas from additional sources to supply the
liquefaction facility.
The general location of the Project facilities is shown in appendix
2.
Land Requirements for Construction
The Project facilities would disturb approximately 59.9 acres, all
of which would be permanently maintained as aboveground facilities or
right-of-way.
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;
socioeconomics;
cultural resources;
land use;
air quality and noise;
alternatives;
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
[[Page 7988]]
implementing regulations for section 106 of the National Historic
Preservation Act, the Commission is using this notice to initiate
consultation with the Louisiana State Historic Preservation Office, and
to solicit its 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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Currently Identified Environmental Issues
Commission staff have already identified several issues that
deserve attention based on a preliminary review of the proposed
facilities; the environmental information provided by PAPL; and
comments already received, as listed below. This preliminary list of
issues may change based on your comments and our analysis.
Alternative compressor station locations
Traffic on Gaytine Road
Impact on property values
Proposed developments near the compressor station
Cumulative impacts
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 3).
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.,
CP20-21). 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: February 5, 2020.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-02822 Filed 2-11-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
