Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company, LLC, Southern Natural Gas Company, LLC; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Evangeline Pass Expansion Project, and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, 17050-17053 [2020-06333]
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17050
Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 59 / Thursday, March 26, 2020 / Notices
waives the 15-calendar day notification
requirement.
Dated: March 18, 2020.
K.K. Ramsey,
Office of the Judge Advocate General, U.S.
Navy, Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2020–06317 Filed 3–25–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3810–FF–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with NOTICES
Combined Notice of Filings #1
Take notice that the Commission
received the following electric rate
filings:
Docket Numbers: ER15–1434–004.
Applicants: ISO New England Inc.,
Emera Maine.
Description: Compliance filing: Emera
Maine; Joint Offer of Settlement Re:
Bangor Hydro District Charges to be
effective N/A.
Filed Date: 3/19/20.
Accession Number: 20200319–5013.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 4/9/20.
Docket Numbers: ER19–1890–001.
Applicants: MATL LLP.
Description: Compliance filing: Order
No. 845 Compliance Filing (Docket No.
ER19–1890–001) to be effective 5/22/
2019.
Filed Date: 3/20/20.
Accession Number: 20200320–5046.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 4/10/20.
Docket Numbers: ER20–660–000.
Applicants: Bolt Energy Marketing,
LLC.
Description: Report Filing: Response
to Request for Additional Information to
be effective N/A.
Filed Date: 3/19/20.
Accession Number: 20200319–5145.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 4/9/20.
Docket Numbers: ER20–715–001.
Applicants: Central Hudson Gas &
Electric Corporation, New York
Independent System Operator, Inc.
Description: Tariff Amendment:
Central Hudson response to FERC
deficiency letter to be effective 5/20/
2020.
Filed Date: 3/20/20.
Accession Number: 20200320–5110.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 4/10/20.
Docket Numbers: ER20–1351–000.
Applicants: Southwest Power Pool,
Inc.
Description: § 205(d) Rate Filing: 3641
Haystack Wind Project, LLC GIA to be
effective 3/12/2020.
Filed Date: 3/20/20.
Accession Number: 20200320–5016.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 4/10/20.
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Docket Numbers: ER20–1352–000.
Applicants: Niagara Mohawk Power
Corporation, New York Independent
System Operator, Inc.
Description: § 205(d) Rate Filing: Cost
Reimbursement Agreement (SA 2528)
Niagara Mohawk & Lake Placid Village
to be effective 2/21/2020.
Filed Date: 3/20/20.
Accession Number: 20200320–5044.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 4/10/20.
Docket Numbers: ER20–1353–000.
Applicants: Public Service Company
of Colorado.
Description: § 205(d) Rate Filing:
PSCo–HLYCRS–O&M–0.1.0-Filing to be
effective 3/21/2020.
Filed Date: 3/20/20.
Accession Number: 20200320–5049.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 4/10/20.
Docket Numbers: ER20–1355–000.
Applicants: Midcontinent
Independent System Operator, Inc.
Description: § 205(d) Rate Filing:
2020–03–20_SA 3452 Entergy ArkansasHelena Harbor Solar Park GIA (J663) to
be effective 3/6/2020.
Filed Date: 3/20/20.
Accession Number: 20200320–5069.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 4/10/20.
Docket Numbers: ER20–1356–000.
Applicants: Mid-Atlantic Interstate
Transmission, LL, PJM Interconnection,
L.L.C.
Description: § 205(d) Rate Filing:
MAIT submits Operating and
Interconnection Agreement, SA No.
4578 with Penelec to be effective 5/19/
2020.
Filed Date: 3/20/20.
Accession Number: 20200320–5103.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 4/10/20.
Docket Numbers: ER20–1357–000.
Applicants: Midcontinent
Independent System Operator, Inc.
Description: § 205(d) Rate Filing:
2020–03–20_SA 3445 MidAmerican
Energy Company-Plymouth Wind
Energy GIA (J748) to be effective 3/6/
2020.
Filed Date: 3/20/20.
Accession Number: 20200320–5104.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 4/10/20.
Docket Numbers: ER20–1358–000.
Applicants: PJM Interconnection,
L.L.C.
Description: § 205(d) Rate Filing:
Original ISA, SA No. 5605; Queue No.
AC1–222/AD1–055 to be effective 2/24/
2020.
Filed Date: 3/20/20.
Accession Number: 20200320–5108.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 4/10/20.
Docket Numbers: ER20–1359–000.
Applicants: Scylla Energy LLC.
Description: Tariff Cancellation:
Cancellation of MBR Tariff to be
effective 3/23/2020.
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Filed Date: 3/20/20.
Accession Number: 20200320–5124.
Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 4/10/20.
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: March 20, 2020.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020–06319 Filed 3–25–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket Nos. CP20–50–000; CP20–51–000]
Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company,
LLC, Southern Natural Gas Company,
LLC; Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Assessment for the
Proposed Evangeline Pass Expansion
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 Evangeline Pass Expansion Project
involving construction and operation of
facilities by Tennessee Gas Pipeline
Company, LLC (Tennessee) and
Southern Natural Gas Company, LLC
(SNG) in Clarke and Smith Counties,
Mississippi and St. Bernard and
Plaquemines Parishes, Louisiana.1 The
Commission will use this EA in its
decision-making process to determine
1 In addition, Southern is proposing to make
modification to auxiliary facilities pursuant to
Section 2.55(a) of the Commission’s regulations in
Jasper, Simpson, Jefferson Davis, Lawrence, and
Walthall Counties, Mississippi and Washington, St.
Tammany, and Orleans Parishes, Louisiana.
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 59 / Thursday, March 26, 2020 / Notices
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 April 20, 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 February 7, 2020, you
will need to file those comments in
Docket No. CP20–50–000 or CP20–51–
000 to ensure they are considered as
part of this proceeding.
This notice is being sent to the
Commission’s current environmental
mailing list for this project. State and
local government representatives should
notify their constituents of this
proposed project and encourage them to
comment on their areas of concern.
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
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condemnation proceedings in court. In
such instances, compensation would be
determined by a judge in accordance
with state law.
Tennessee and SNG 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
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 (CP20–50–
000 or CP20–51–000) with your
submission: Kimberly D. Bose,
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17051
Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, 888 First Street NE, Room
1A, Washington, DC 20426
Please note this is not your only
public input opportunity; please refer to
the review process flow chart in
appendix 1.2
Summary of the Proposed Project
Tennessee proposes to construct and
operate approximately 13 miles total of
looping 3 pipeline and a new
compressor station in St. Bernard and
Plaquemines Parishes Louisiana. SNG
proposes to construct a new compressor
station and three new meter stations in
Clarke and Smith Counties, Mississippi
and St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana.
Tennessee has entered into an
agreement with SNG to acquire leased
capacity on SNG’s system to enable
Tennessee to provide firm
transportation service up to 1,100
million standard cubic feet of natural
gas per day to the recently approved
Venture Global Gator Express Pipeline
interconnect for feed gas for the
Plaquemines LNG Terminal in
Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana.
The Evangeline Pass Expansion
Project would consist of the following
facilities:
Tennessee
• Construction of about 9 miles of 36inch-diameter looping pipeline in St.
Bernard Parish, Louisiana (Yscloskey
Toca Lateral Loop);
• construction of about 4 miles of 36inch-diameter looping pipeline in
Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana (Grand
Bayou Loop);
• construction of a new 23,470
horsepower (hp) compressor station
along Tennessee’s existing 500 line in
St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana
(Compressor Station 529);
• replacement of two 10,410 hp units
(like-for-like) under section 2.55(b) at
existing Compressor Station 527 in
Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana;
SNG
• Construction of a new 22,220 hp
compressor station in Clarke County,
Mississippi (Rose Hill Compressor
Station);
• construction of three new meter
stations in Clarke and Smith Counties,
2 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.
3 A pipeline loop is a segment of pipe constructed
parallel to an existing pipeline to increase capacity.
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 59 / Thursday, March 26, 2020 / Notices
Mississippi and St. Bernard Parish,
Louisiana (Rose Hill and Midcontinent
Express Pipeline Receipt Meter Stations,
and Toca Delivery Meter Station); and
• construction and/or modification of
certain system auxiliary and
appurtenant facilities under section
2.55(a) at existing compressor stations
and along the pipeline corridor in
Clarke, Smith, Jasper, Simpson,
Jefferson Davis, Lawrence, and Walthall
Counties, Mississippi and St. Bernard,
Washington, St. Tammany, and Orleans
Parishes, Louisiana.
The general location of the project
facilities is shown in appendix 2.
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Land Requirements for Construction
Construction of the proposed facilities
would disturb a total of about 535 acres
of land for the aboveground facilities
and the pipelines (including activities
proposed to be conducted under section
2.55). Following construction, a total of
about 133 acres of new permanent rightof-way would be maintained for
permanent operation of the project’s
facilities; the remaining acreage would
be restored and revert to former uses.
The proposed looping pipeline routes
would parallel existing pipelines, and to
the extent that it is practicable, would
be located within and adjacent to the
existing rights-of-way. The new
Compressor Station 529 would be
located at an existing abandoned
compressor station site owned by
Tennessee, while SNG’s new Rose Hill
Compressor Station would be located
within a forested timber property.
Tennessee would use four contractor
yards (about 27 acres total) to facilitate
construction (Toca Yard, Bayou Road
Yard, State Road LA–46 Yard, and
Yscloskey Yard).
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;
• socioeconomics;
• 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
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issues. The EA will be available in
electronic format in the public record
through eLibrary 4 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.5 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 Offices, 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.6 The EA
for this project will document findings
on the impacts on historic properties
and summarize the status of
consultations under section 106.
Currently Identified Environmental
Issues
Commission staff have already
identified several issues that deserve
attention based on a preliminary review
of the proposed facilities and the
environmental information provided by
Tennessee and SNG. This preliminary
list of issues may change based on your
comments and our analysis.
4 For instructions on connecting to eLibrary, refer
to the last page of this notice.
5 The Council on Environmental Quality
regulations addressing cooperating agency
responsibilities are at Title 40, Code of Federal
Regulations, Part 1501.6.
6 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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•
•
•
•
•
Wetlands and waterbodies;
fisheries and aquatic species;
hunting and fishing;
property values; and
air and noise.
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.,
CP20–50 or CP20–51). 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.
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 59 / Thursday, March 26, 2020 / Notices
Dated: March 20, 2020.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020–06333 Filed 3–25–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. CP20–87–000]
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ANR Pipeline Company; Notice of
Request Under Blanket Authorization
Take notice that on March 11, 2020,
ANR Pipeline Company (ANR), 700
Louisiana Street, Suite 700, Houston,
Texas 77002–2700, filed in the above
referenced docket, a prior notice request
pursuant to sections 157.205 and
157.210 of the Commission’s regulations
under the Natural Gas Act (NGA) and
ARN’s blanket certificate issued in
Docket No. CP82–480–000. ANR request
authorization to increase the certificated
horsepower (HP) at the Grand Chenier
Compressor Station located in Cameron
Parish, Louisiana (Grand Chenier
Horsepower Increase Project). The
project will allow the increase of the
certificated ISO rated HP from 9,700 to
10,800. ANR avers that there are no
additional facility installation, or
modifications to the previously installed
facilities required to facilitate the HP
increase, all as more fully set forth in
the application which is on file with the
Commission and open to public
inspection. The filing may also be
viewed on the web 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, please contact FERC Online
Support at FERCOnlineSupport@
ferc.gov or toll free at (866) 208–3676, or
TTY, contact (202) 502–8659.
Any questions regarding this prior
notice request should be directed to
Sorana Linder, Director, Modernization
& Certificates, Columbia Gas
Transmission, LLC, 700 Louisiana
Street, Suite 700, Houston, Texas
77002–2700, Phone: (832) 320–5209,
Email: sorana_linder@tcenergy.com.
Any person or the Commission’s staff
may, within 60 days after the issuance
of the instant notice by the Commission,
file pursuant to Rule 214 of the
Commission’s Procedural Rules (18 CFR
385.214) a motion to intervene or notice
of intervention. Any person filing to
intervene, or the Commission’s staff
may, pursuant to section 157.205 of the
Commission’s Regulations under the
NGA (18 CFR 157.205) file a protest to
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the request. If no protest is filed within
the time allowed therefore, the proposed
activity shall be deemed to be
authorized effective the day after the
time allowed for protest. If a protest is
filed and not withdrawn within 30 days
after the time allowed for filing a
protest, the instant request shall be
treated as an application for
authorization pursuant to section 7 of
the NGA.
Pursuant to section 157.9 of the
Commission’s rules, 18 CFR 157.9,
within 90 days of this Notice the
Commission staff will either: Complete
its environmental assessment (EA) and
place it into the Commission’s public
record (eLibrary) for this proceeding; or
issue a Notice of Schedule for
Environmental Review. If a Notice of
Schedule for Environmental Review is
issued, it will indicate, among other
milestones, the anticipated date for the
Commission staff’s issuance of the EA
for this proposal. The filing of the EA
in the Commission’s public record for
this proceeding or the issuance of a
Notice of Schedule for Environmental
Review will serve to notify federal and
state agencies of the timing for the
completion of all necessary reviews, and
the subsequent need to complete all
federal authorizations within 90 days of
the date of issuance of the Commission
staff’s EA.
Persons who wish to comment only
on the environmental review of this
project should submit an original and
two copies of their comments to the
Secretary of the Commission.
Environmental commenters will be
placed on the Commission’s
environmental mailing list and will be
notified of any meetings associated with
the Commission’s environmental review
process. Environmental commenters
will not be required to serve copies of
filed documents on all other parties.
However, the non-party commenters
will not receive copies of all documents
filed by other parties or issued by the
Commission and will not have the right
to seek court review of the
Commission’s final order.
The Commission strongly encourages
electronic filings of comments, protests,
and interventions in lieu of paper using
the eFiling link at https://www.ferc.gov.
Persons unable to file electronically
should submit an original and 3 copies
of the protest or intervention to the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
888 First Street NE, Washington, DC
20426.
PO 00000
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17053
Dated: March 20, 2020.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020–06330 Filed 3–25–20; 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
Schedule for Environmental Review of
the Louisiana Connector Amendment
Project
On December 9, 2019, Port Arthur
Pipeline, LLC filed an application in
Docket No. CP20–21–000 requesting a
Certificate of Public Convenience and
Necessity pursuant to Section 7(c) of the
Natural Gas Act to construct and operate
certain natural gas pipeline facilities.
The proposed project is known as the
Port Arthur Louisiana Connector
Amendment Project (Project), and
consists of relocating a compressor
station site previously approved in the
Louisiana Connector Project (Docket No.
CP18–7–000) in Allen Parish, Louisiana.
Port Arthur Pipeline, LLC, currently
proposes to construct the compressor
station, along with associated
interconnect and metering facilities, in
Beauregard Parish, Louisiana. The
Project would also increase the design
capacity of the compressor station from
89,900 horsepower (hp) to 93,880 hp,
and increase the capacity of the
previously certificated Louisiana
Connector Project from 1.98 billion
standard cubic feet per day of natural
gas to 2.05 billion standard cubic feet
per day of natural gas deliverable to the
Port Arthur Liquefaction Project,
previously approved by the Commission
in Docket No. CP17–20–000.
On December 20, 2019, the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission
(Commission or FERC) issued its Notice
of Application for the Project. Among
other things, that notice alerted agencies
issuing federal authorizations of the
requirement to complete all necessary
reviews and to reach a final decision on
a request for a federal authorization
within 90 days of the date of issuance
of the Commission staff’s Environmental
Assessment (EA) for the Project. This
instant notice identifies the FERC staff’s
planned schedule for the completion of
the EA for the Project.
Schedule for Environmental Review
Issuance of EA—May 8, 2020
90-day Federal Authorization Decision
Deadline—August 6, 2020
E:\FR\FM\26MRN1.SGM
26MRN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 59 (Thursday, March 26, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17050-17053]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-06333]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket Nos. CP20-50-000; CP20-51-000]
Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company, LLC, Southern Natural Gas
Company, LLC; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment
for the Proposed Evangeline Pass Expansion 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 Evangeline Pass Expansion
Project involving construction and operation of facilities by Tennessee
Gas Pipeline Company, LLC (Tennessee) and Southern Natural Gas Company,
LLC (SNG) in Clarke and Smith Counties, Mississippi and St. Bernard and
Plaquemines Parishes, Louisiana.\1\ The Commission will use this EA in
its decision-making process to determine
[[Page 17051]]
whether the project is in the public convenience and necessity.
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\1\ In addition, Southern is proposing to make modification to
auxiliary facilities pursuant to Section 2.55(a) of the Commission's
regulations in Jasper, Simpson, Jefferson Davis, Lawrence, and
Walthall Counties, Mississippi and Washington, St. Tammany, and
Orleans Parishes, Louisiana.
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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 April 20,
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 February 7, 2020, you will need to file those
comments in Docket No. CP20-50-000 or CP20-51-000 to ensure they are
considered as part of this proceeding.
This notice is being sent to the Commission's current environmental
mailing list for this project. State and local government
representatives should notify their constituents of this proposed
project and encourage them to comment on their areas of concern.
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.
Tennessee and SNG 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
(CP20-50-000 or CP20-51-000) with your submission: Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE,
Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426
Please note this is not your only public input opportunity; please
refer to the review process flow chart in appendix 1.\2\
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\2\ 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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Summary of the Proposed Project
Tennessee proposes to construct and operate approximately 13 miles
total of looping \3\ pipeline and a new compressor station in St.
Bernard and Plaquemines Parishes Louisiana. SNG proposes to construct a
new compressor station and three new meter stations in Clarke and Smith
Counties, Mississippi and St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana.
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\3\ A pipeline loop is a segment of pipe constructed parallel to
an existing pipeline to increase capacity.
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Tennessee has entered into an agreement with SNG to acquire leased
capacity on SNG's system to enable Tennessee to provide firm
transportation service up to 1,100 million standard cubic feet of
natural gas per day to the recently approved Venture Global Gator
Express Pipeline interconnect for feed gas for the Plaquemines LNG
Terminal in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana.
The Evangeline Pass Expansion Project would consist of the
following facilities:
Tennessee
Construction of about 9 miles of 36-inch-diameter looping
pipeline in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana (Yscloskey Toca Lateral
Loop);
construction of about 4 miles of 36-inch-diameter looping
pipeline in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana (Grand Bayou Loop);
construction of a new 23,470 horsepower (hp) compressor
station along Tennessee's existing 500 line in St. Bernard Parish,
Louisiana (Compressor Station 529);
replacement of two 10,410 hp units (like-for-like) under
section 2.55(b) at existing Compressor Station 527 in Plaquemines
Parish, Louisiana;
SNG
Construction of a new 22,220 hp compressor station in
Clarke County, Mississippi (Rose Hill Compressor Station);
construction of three new meter stations in Clarke and
Smith Counties,
[[Page 17052]]
Mississippi and St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana (Rose Hill and
Midcontinent Express Pipeline Receipt Meter Stations, and Toca Delivery
Meter Station); and
construction and/or modification of certain system
auxiliary and appurtenant facilities under section 2.55(a) at existing
compressor stations and along the pipeline corridor in Clarke, Smith,
Jasper, Simpson, Jefferson Davis, Lawrence, and Walthall Counties,
Mississippi and St. Bernard, Washington, St. Tammany, and Orleans
Parishes, Louisiana.
The general location of the project facilities is shown in appendix
2.
Land Requirements for Construction
Construction of the proposed facilities would disturb a total of
about 535 acres of land for the aboveground facilities and the
pipelines (including activities proposed to be conducted under section
2.55). Following construction, a total of about 133 acres of new
permanent right-of-way would be maintained for permanent operation of
the project's facilities; the remaining acreage would be restored and
revert to former uses. The proposed looping pipeline routes would
parallel existing pipelines, and to the extent that it is practicable,
would be located within and adjacent to the existing rights-of-way. The
new Compressor Station 529 would be located at an existing abandoned
compressor station site owned by Tennessee, while SNG's new Rose Hill
Compressor Station would be located within a forested timber property.
Tennessee would use four contractor yards (about 27 acres total) to
facilitate construction (Toca Yard, Bayou Road Yard, State Road LA-46
Yard, and Yscloskey Yard).
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;
socioeconomics;
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 \4\ 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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\4\ 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.\5\ 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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\5\ 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 Offices,
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.\6\ 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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\6\ 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 and the environmental information provided by Tennessee and
SNG. This preliminary list of issues may change based on your comments
and our analysis.
Wetlands and waterbodies;
fisheries and aquatic species;
hunting and fishing;
property values; and
air and noise.
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., CP20-50
or CP20-51). 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.
[[Page 17053]]
Dated: March 20, 2020.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-06333 Filed 3-25-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
