Northern Natural Gas Company; Notice of Schedule for Environmental Review of the South Sioux City to Sioux Falls A-Line Replacement Project, 54557-54558 [2020-19377]

Download as PDF jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 171 / Wednesday, September 2, 2020 / Notices facilities located at its Koran Compressor Station in Bossier and Webster parishes, Louisiana, all as more fully set forth in the application, which is open to the public for inspection. In addition to publishing the full text of this document in the Federal Register, the Commission provides all interested persons an opportunity to view and/or print the contents of this document via the internet through the Commission’s Home Page (https:// ferc.gov) using the eLibrary link. Enter the docket number excluding the last three digits in the docket number field to access the document. At this time, the Commission has suspended access to the Commission’s Public Reference Room, due to the proclamation declaring a National Emergency concerning the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID–19), issued by the President on March 13, 2020. For assistance, contact FERC at FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or call toll-free, (886) 208–3676 or TYY, (202) 502–8659. Any questions regarding this application should be directed to Juan Eligio, Jr., Supervisor of Regulatory Affairs, Gulf South Pipeline Company, LLC, 9 Greenway Plaza, Houston, Texas 77046, at (713) 479–3480 or by email to juan.eligio@bwpipelines.com. Questions may also be directed to Payton Barrientos, Sr. Regulatory Analyst, Gulf South Pipeline Company, LLC, 9 Greenway Plaza, Houston, Texas, 77046, at (713) 479–8157 or by email to payton.barrientos@bwpipelines.com. Any person or the Commission’s staff may, within 60 days after 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 and pursuant to Section 157.205 of the regulations under the NGA (18 CFR 157.205), a protest to 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 filing a protest. If a protest is filed and not withdrawn within 30 days after the allowed time for filing a protest, the instant request shall be treated as an application for authorization pursuant to section 7 of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 VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:33 Sep 01, 2020 Jkt 250001 Schedule for Environmental Review is issued, it will indicate, among other milestones, the anticipated date for the Commission staff’s issuance of the environmental assessment (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, will receive copies of the environmental documents, and will be notified of 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 commenter will not receive copies of all documents filed by other parties or issued by the Commission (except for the mailing of environmental documents 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 eFile link at https://www.ferc.gov. In lieu of electronic filing, you may submit a paper copy. Submissions sent via the U.S. Postal Service must be addressed to: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426. Submissions sent via any other carrier must be addressed to: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20852. Dated: August 27, 2020. Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr., Deputy Secretary. [FR Doc. 2020–19379 Filed 9–1–20; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717–01–P PO 00000 Frm 00026 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 54557 DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. CP20–487–000] Northern Natural Gas Company; Notice of Schedule for Environmental Review of the South Sioux City to Sioux Falls A-Line Replacement Project On June 29, 2020, Northern Natural Gas Company (Northern) filed an application in Docket No. CP20–487– 000 requesting a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity pursuant to 7(b) and 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act to abandon, construct, and operate certain natural gas facilities. The proposed project is known as the South Sioux City to Sioux Falls A-Line Replacement Project (Project) and Northern states that the Project would ensure safe and efficient operation of its existing pipeline system in Nebraska and South Dakota by replacing mechanical joints with modern welded steel pipeline. On July 14, 2020, 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 FERC staff’s planned schedule for the completion of the EA for the Project. Schedule for Environmental Review Issuance of EA—January 5, 2021 90-day Federal Authorization Decision Deadline—April 5, 2021 If a schedule change becomes necessary, additional notice will be provided so that the relevant agencies are kept informed of the Project’s progress. Project Description Northern proposes the following activities: (1) Abandon in-place 79.2 miles of its 14- and 16-inch-diameter M561 A-Line and replace the pipeline with 82.2 miles of 12-inch-diameter pipeline in Dakota and Dixon Counties, Nebraska, and Lincoln and Union Counties, South Dakota; (2) install an approximately 3.15-mile-long, 12-inchdiameter tie-over pipeline in Lincoln County, South Dakota; (3) abandon inplace the existing 0.16-mile-long, 2inch-diameter Ponca branch pipeline and replace it with a 1.9-mile-long, 3inch-diameter pipeline in Dixon E:\FR\FM\02SEN1.SGM 02SEN1 54558 Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 171 / Wednesday, September 2, 2020 / Notices County, Nebraska; (4) abandon in-place the existing 0.06-mile-long, 2-inchdiameter Jackson branch pipeline in Dakota County, Nebraska; and (5) construct, modify, or remove appurtenant facilities, including pig launchers and receivers, two new metering facilities, regulators, tie-overs, and associated piping and valves. Northern states that after Commission approval of the Project, portions of the abandoned pipeline would be purchased and removed by a third-party salvage company. Background On July 23, 2019, the Commission staff granted Northern’s request to use FERC’s pre-filing environmental review process and assigned the Project Docket No. PF19–8–000. On November 22, 2019, the Commission issued a Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Planned South Sioux City to Sioux Falls A-Line Replacement Project, Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of Public Scoping Sessions (NOI). The NOI was issued during the pre-filing review of the Project and was sent to affected landowners; federal, state, and local government agencies; elected officials; environmental and public interest groups; Native American tribes; other interested parties; and local libraries and newspapers. In response to the NOI, the Commission received comments from the National Park Service, the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources, and four landowners. The primary issues raised by the commentors were impacts on water quality, visual resources, the Missouri National Recreational River and the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, ground water and surface water resources, floodplains, agriculture and grazing, residential areas in close proximity to the pipeline, and impacts from soil erosion, contamination, and landform degradation. All substantive comments will be addressed in the EA. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is a cooperating agency in the preparation of the EA. jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES Additional Information In order to receive notification of the issuance of the EA and to keep track of all formal issuances and submittals in specific dockets, the Commission offers a free service called eSubscription. This can reduce the amount of time you spend researching proceedings by automatically providing you with notification of these filings, document summaries, and direct links to the documents. Go to https://www.ferc.gov/ VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:33 Sep 01, 2020 Jkt 250001 ferc-online/overview to register for eSubscription. Additional information about the Project is available from the Commission’s Office of External Affairs at (866) 208–FERC or on the FERC website (www.ferc.gov). Using the eLibrary link, select General Search from the eLibrary menu, enter the selected date range and Docket Number excluding the last three digits (i.e., CP20–487), and follow the instructions. For assistance with access to eLibrary, the helpline can be reached at (866) 208–3676, TTY (202) 502–8659, or at FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov. The eLibrary link on the FERC website also provides access to the texts of formal documents issued by the Commission, such as orders, notices, and rule makings. Dated: August 27, 2020. Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr., Deputy Secretary. [FR Doc. 2020–19377 Filed 9–1–20; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717–01–P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Project No. 2816–050] North Hartland, LLC; Notice of Application Accepted for Filing, Soliciting Motions To Intervene and Protests, Ready for Environmental Analysis, and Soliciting Comments, Recommendations, Terms and Conditions, and Prescriptions Take notice that the following hydroelectric application has been filed with the Commission and is available for public inspection. a. Type of Application: New Major License. b. Project No.: 2816–050. c. Date filed: November 26, 2019. d. Applicant: North Hartland, LLC (North Hartland). e. Name of Project: North Hartland Hydroelectric Project (North Hartland Project). f. Location: The North Hartland Project is located on the Ottauquechee River in Windsor County, Vermont. The North Hartland Project occupies 20.8 acres of land managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps). g. Filed Pursuant To: Federal Power Act 16 U.S.C. 791(a)–825(r). h. Applicant Contact: Andrew J. Locke, President, Essex Hydro Associates, LLC, 55 Union Street, Boston, MA 02108; Phone at (617) 367– 0032, or email at alocke@ essexhydro.com. PO 00000 Frm 00027 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 i. FERC Contact: Bill Connelly, (202) 502–8587 or william.connelly@ferc.gov. j. Deadline for filing motions to intervene and protests, comments, recommendations, terms and conditions, and prescriptions: 60 Days from the issuance date of this notice; reply comments are due 105 days from the issuance date of this notice. The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file motions to intervene and protests, comments, recommendations, terms and conditions, and prescriptions using the Commission’s eFiling system at https:// ferconline.ferc.gov/FERCOnline.aspx. Commenters can submit brief comments up to 6,000 characters, without prior registration, using the eComment system at https://ferconline.ferc.gov/ QuickComment.aspx. 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). The Commission’s Rules of Practice require all intervenors filing documents with the Commission to serve a copy of that document on each person on the official service list for the project. Further, if an intervenor files comments or documents with the Commission relating to the merits of an issue that may affect the responsibilities of a particular resource agency, they must also serve a copy of the document on that resource agency. k. This application has been accepted for filing and is ready for environmental analysis at this time. l. Project Description: The existing North Hartland Project consists of: (1) A steel-lined intake structure in the Corps’ North Hartland Dam that is equipped with trashracks with 2-inch clear bar spacing; (2) a 470-foot-long, 12-footdiameter steel penstock that provides flow to a 4.0-megawatt (MW) adjustable blade, vertical shaft turbine-generator unit located inside of a 59-foot-long, 40foot-wide concrete powerhouse; (3) a 12-foot-diameter bypass conduit that branches off of the 12-foot-diameter penstock about 100 feet before the powerhouse, and that empties into a 60foot-long concrete-lined channel through a bypass control gate; (4) a 30inch-diameter steel penstock that branches off of the 12-foot-diamater bypass conduit about 50 feet upstream of the bypass control gate, and that provides flow to a 0.1375–MW fixed geometry, horizontal pump turbinegenerator unit located on a raised platform outside of the southern wall of the powerhouse; (5) a 400-foot-long, 50 to 150-foot-wide tailrace channel; (6) a E:\FR\FM\02SEN1.SGM 02SEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 171 (Wednesday, September 2, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54557-54558]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-19377]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP20-487-000]


Northern Natural Gas Company; Notice of Schedule for 
Environmental Review of the South Sioux City to Sioux Falls A-Line 
Replacement Project

    On June 29, 2020, Northern Natural Gas Company (Northern) filed an 
application in Docket No. CP20-487-000 requesting a Certificate of 
Public Convenience and Necessity pursuant to 7(b) and 7(c) of the 
Natural Gas Act to abandon, construct, and operate certain natural gas 
facilities. The proposed project is known as the South Sioux City to 
Sioux Falls A-Line Replacement Project (Project) and Northern states 
that the Project would ensure safe and efficient operation of its 
existing pipeline system in Nebraska and South Dakota by replacing 
mechanical joints with modern welded steel pipeline.
    On July 14, 2020, 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 FERC staff's planned schedule for the completion of the EA 
for the Project.

Schedule for Environmental Review

Issuance of EA--January 5, 2021
90-day Federal Authorization Decision Deadline--April 5, 2021

    If a schedule change becomes necessary, additional notice will be 
provided so that the relevant agencies are kept informed of the 
Project's progress.

Project Description

    Northern proposes the following activities: (1) Abandon in-place 
79.2 miles of its 14- and 16-inch-diameter M561 A-Line and replace the 
pipeline with 82.2 miles of 12-inch-diameter pipeline in Dakota and 
Dixon Counties, Nebraska, and Lincoln and Union Counties, South Dakota; 
(2) install an approximately 3.15-mile-long, 12-inch-diameter tie-over 
pipeline in Lincoln County, South Dakota; (3) abandon in-place the 
existing 0.16-mile-long, 2-inch-diameter Ponca branch pipeline and 
replace it with a 1.9-mile-long, 3-inch-diameter pipeline in Dixon

[[Page 54558]]

County, Nebraska; (4) abandon in-place the existing 0.06-mile-long, 2-
inch-diameter Jackson branch pipeline in Dakota County, Nebraska; and 
(5) construct, modify, or remove appurtenant facilities, including pig 
launchers and receivers, two new metering facilities, regulators, tie-
overs, and associated piping and valves. Northern states that after 
Commission approval of the Project, portions of the abandoned pipeline 
would be purchased and removed by a third-party salvage company.

Background

    On July 23, 2019, the Commission staff granted Northern's request 
to use FERC's pre-filing environmental review process and assigned the 
Project Docket No. PF19-8-000. On November 22, 2019, the Commission 
issued a Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Assessment for 
the Planned South Sioux City to Sioux Falls A-Line Replacement Project, 
Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of Public 
Scoping Sessions (NOI). The NOI was issued during the pre-filing review 
of the Project and was sent to affected landowners; federal, state, and 
local government agencies; elected officials; environmental and public 
interest groups; Native American tribes; other interested parties; and 
local libraries and newspapers.
    In response to the NOI, the Commission received comments from the 
National Park Service, the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources, 
and four landowners. The primary issues raised by the commentors were 
impacts on water quality, visual resources, the Missouri National 
Recreational River and the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, 
ground water and surface water resources, floodplains, agriculture and 
grazing, residential areas in close proximity to the pipeline, and 
impacts from soil erosion, contamination, and landform degradation. All 
substantive comments will be addressed in the EA.
    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is a cooperating agency in the 
preparation of the EA.

Additional Information

    In order to receive notification of the issuance of the EA and to 
keep track of all formal issuances and submittals in specific dockets, 
the Commission offers a free service called eSubscription. This can 
reduce the amount of time you spend researching proceedings by 
automatically providing you with notification of these filings, 
document summaries, and direct links to the documents. Go to https://www.ferc.gov/ferc-online/overview to register for eSubscription.
    Additional information about the Project is available from the 
Commission's Office of External Affairs at (866) 208-FERC or on the 
FERC website (www.ferc.gov). Using the eLibrary link, select General 
Search from the eLibrary menu, enter the selected date range and Docket 
Number excluding the last three digits (i.e., CP20-487), and follow the 
instructions. For assistance with access to eLibrary, the helpline can 
be reached at (866) 208-3676, TTY (202) 502-8659, or at 
[email protected]. The eLibrary link on the FERC website also 
provides access to the texts of formal documents issued by the 
Commission, such as orders, notices, and rule makings.

    Dated: August 27, 2020.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-19377 Filed 9-1-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
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