RH energytrans, LLC; Notice of Request for Extension of Time, 68320-68321 [2020-23865]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
• Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 209 (Wednesday, October 28, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68320-68321]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-23865]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP18-6-000]


RH energytrans, LLC; Notice of Request for Extension of Time

    Take notice that on October 19, 2020, RH energytrans, LLC (RH) 
requested that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) 
grant an extension of time, until December 7, 2022, to complete 
construction of, and place into service, its Meadville and County Line 
compressor stations in Crawford and Erie Counties, Pennsylvania as 
authorized in the December 7, 2018 Order Issuing Certificate 
(Certificate Order).\1\ Ordering Paragraph B(1) of the Certificate 
Order required RH to complete the construction of the proposed Risberg 
Line Project facilities \2\ and make them available for service within 
two years from issuance, or by December 7, 2020.\3\
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    \1\ RH energytrans, LLC, 165 FERC 61,218 (2018) (Certificate 
Order).
    \2\ The Risberg Line Project consists of the conversion of 31.6 
miles of existing 8-inch and 12-inch natural gas gathering pipeline 
to transmission service, construction of 28.3 miles of new 12-inch 
pipeline, conversion of the existing Countyline Compressor station 
from gathering to transmission service, and construction of a new 
compressor station at Meadville, PA.
    \3\ Id. at ordering para. (B)(1).
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    On November 22, 2019, the Commission granted RH partial 
authorization to place into service the pipeline facilities associated 
with the Risberg Line Project,\4\ and subsequently, on December 1, 
2019, RH placed those facilities into service.\5\ RH states that it has 
experienced construction delays due to winter weather, the dissolution 
of one of its pipeline contractors, and delays resulting from COVID-19 
pandemic restrictions. As a result, RH now requests an additional two 
years, or until December 7, 2022, to complete the authorized 
construction at the Meadville and County Line compressor stations and 
make them available for service.
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    \4\ RH energytrans, LLC, Docket No. CP18-6-000, Partial 
Authorization to Commence Service (November 22, 2019).
    \5\ The only authorized facilities not placed into service at 
that time were the two compressor stations, and the approval was 
conditioned on RH's commitment to finalize restoration of the 
disturbed right-of -way in the spring/summer of 2020.
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    This notice establishes a 15-calendar day intervention and comment 
period deadline. Any person wishing to comment on RH's request for an 
extension of time may do so. No reply comments or answers will be 
considered. If you wish to obtain legal status by becoming a party to 
the proceedings for this request, you should, on or before the comment 
date stated below, file 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 Natural Gas Act 
(18 CFR 157.10).\6\
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    \6\ Only motions to intervene from entities that were party to 
the underlying proceeding will be accepted. Algonquin Gas 
Transmission, LLC, 170 FERC 61,144, at P 39 (2020).
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    As a matter of practice, the Commission itself generally acts on 
requests for extensions of time to complete construction for Natural 
Gas Act facilities when such requests are contested before order 
issuance. For those extension requests that are contested,\7\ the 
Commission will aim to issue an order acting on the request within 45 
days.\8\ The Commission will address all arguments relating to whether 
the applicant has demonstrated there is good cause to grant the 
extension.\9\ The Commission will not consider arguments that re-
litigate the issuance of the Certificate Order, including whether the 
Commission properly found the project to be in the public convenience 
and necessity and whether the Commission's environmental analysis for 
the certificate complied with the National Environmental Policy 
Act.\10\ At the time a pipeline requests an extension of time, orders 
on certificates of public convenience and necessity are final and the 
Commission will not re-litigate their issuance.\11\ The OEP Director, 
or his or her designee, will act on those extension requests that are 
uncontested.
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    \7\ Contested proceedings are those where an intervenor disputes 
any material issue of the filing. 18 CFR 385.2201(c)(1) (2020).
    \8\ Algonquin Gas Transmission, LLC, 170 FERC 61,144, at P 40 
(2020).
    \9\ Id. P 40.
    \10\ Similarly, the Commission will not re-litigate the issuance 
of an NGA section 3 authorization, including whether a proposed 
project is not inconsistent with the public interest and whether the 
Commission's environmental analysis for the permit order complied 
with NEPA.
    \11\ Algonquin Gas Transmission, LLC, 170 FERC 61,144, at P 40 
(2020).
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    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

[[Page 68321]]

declaring a National Emergency concerning COVID-19, issued by the 
President on March 13, 2020. For assistance, contact FERC at 
[email protected] or call toll-free, (886) 208-3676 or TYY, 
(202) 502-8659.
    The Commission strongly encourages electronic filings of comments, 
protests and interventions in lieu of paper using the eFile link at 
https://www.ferc.gov. Persons unable to file electronically may mail 
similar pleadings to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 
First Street NE, Washington, DC 20426. Hand delivered submissions in 
docketed proceedings should be delivered to Health and Human Services, 
12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20852.
    Comment Date: 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on November 6, 2020.

    Dated: October 22, 2020.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-23865 Filed 10-27-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P