Columbia Gas Transmission, LLC; Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC; Notice of Scoping Period Requesting Comments on Environmental Issues for the Planned Virginia Reliability Project and Commonwealth Energy Connector Project, and Notice of Public Scoping Session, 11062-11065 [2022-04130]
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Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 39 / Monday, February 28, 2022 / Notices
The filings are accessible in the
Commission’s eLibrary system (https://
elibrary.ferc.gov/idmws/search/
fercgensearch.asp) by 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: February 22, 2022.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2022–04129 Filed 2–25–22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. PF22–3–000; Docket No. PF22–
4–000]
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
Columbia Gas Transmission, LLC;
Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line
Company, LLC; Notice of Scoping
Period Requesting Comments on
Environmental Issues for the Planned
Virginia Reliability Project and
Commonwealth Energy Connector
Project, and Notice of Public Scoping
Session
The staff of the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) will prepare an
environmental document that will
discuss the environmental impacts of
the Virginia Reliability Project and
Commonwealth Energy Connector
Project involving construction and
operation of facilities by Columbia Gas
Transmission, LLC (Columbia) and
Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line
Company, LLC (Transco), respectively.
Columbia’s project would be located in
Greensville, Prince George, Sussex,
Surry, Southampton, and Isle of Wight
Counties, Virginia and in the cities of
Suffolk and Chesapeake, Virginia.
Transco’s project would be located in
Mecklenburg, Brunswick, and
Greensville Counties, Virginia. Because
of planned operational connections
between the Virginia Reliability Project
and the Commonwealth Energy
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Connector Project, the Commission will
prepare a single environmental
document as part of the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
review process. The Commission will
use this environmental document in its
decision-making process to determine
whether the projects are 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 regarding the
projects. As part of the NEPA review
process, the Commission takes into
account concerns the public may have
about proposals and the environmental
impacts that could result from its action
whenever it considers the issuance of a
Certificate of Public Convenience and
Necessity. This gathering of public
input is referred to as ‘‘scoping.’’ The
main goal of the scoping process is to
focus the analysis in the environmental
document on the important
environmental issues. Additional
information about the Commission’s
NEPA process is described below in the
NEPA Process and Environmental
Document section of this notice.
By this notice, the Commission
requests public comments on the scope
of issues to address in the
environmental document. 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
24, 2022. Comments may be submitted
in written or oral form. Further details
on how to submit comments are
provided in the Public Participation
section of this notice.
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 environmental
document. Commission staff will
consider all written or oral comments
during the preparation of the
environmental document.
If you submitted comments on either
of these projects to the Commission
before the opening of the dockets on
December 1, 2021, you will need to file
those comments in Docket Nos. PF22–
3–000 (Virginia Reliability Project) or
PF22–4–000 (Commonwealth Energy
Connector Project) to ensure they are
considered.
This notice is being sent to the
Commission’s current environmental
mailing list for these projects. State and
local government representatives should
notify their constituents of these
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planned projects and encourage them to
comment on their areas of concern.
If you are a landowner receiving this
notice, a representative from Columbia
or Transco may contact you about the
acquisition of an easement to construct,
operate, and maintain the planned
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, the Natural Gas Act conveys
the right of eminent domain to the
company. 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. The
Commission does not subsequently
grant, exercise, or oversee the exercise
of that eminent domain authority. The
courts have exclusive authority to
handle eminent domain cases; the
Commission has no jurisdiction over
these matters.
A fact sheet prepared by the FERC
entitled ‘‘An Interstate Natural Gas
Facility On My Land? What Do I Need
To Know?’’ addresses typically asked
questions, including the use of eminent
domain and how to participate in the
Commission’s proceedings. This fact
sheet along with other landowner topics
of interest are available for viewing on
the FERC website (www.ferc.gov) under
the links to Natural Gas Questions or
Landowner Topics.
Public Participation
There are four methods you can use
to submit your comments to the
Commission. Please carefully follow
these instructions so that your
comments are properly recorded. The
Commission encourages electronic filing
of comments and has staff available to
assist you at (866) 208–3676 or
FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov.
(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 FERC Online. 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 FERC Online. 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
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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
Commission. Be sure to reference the
project docket number (PF22–3–000 for
Virginia Reliability Project or PF22–4–
000 for Commonwealth Energy
Connector Project) on your letter.
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.
(4) In lieu of sending written
comments, the Commission invites you
to attend the virtual public scoping
session its staff will conduct by
telephone, scheduled as follows:
Date and Time
Tuesday, March 15, 2022, 5:00 p.m. to
7:00 p.m., Call in number: 800–779–
8625, Passcode: 3472916
Although there will not be a formal
presentation, Commission staff will be
available to answer questions you may
have about the environmental review
process. The primary goal of this
scoping session is to have you identify
the specific environmental issues and
concerns that should be considered in
the environmental document.
Individual oral comments will be taken
on a one-on-one basis with a court
reporter present on the line. This format
is designed to receive the maximum
amount of oral comments, in a
convenient way during the timeframe
allotted, and is in response to the
ongoing COVID–19 pandemic.
The scoping session is scheduled
from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. eastern time.
You may call at any time after 5:00 p.m.
at which time you will be placed on
mute and hold. Calls will be answered
in the order they are received. Once
answered, you will have the
opportunity to provide your comment
directly to a court reporter with FERC
staff or representative present on the
line. A time limit of three minutes will
be implemented for each commentor.
Transcripts of all comments received
during the scoping session will be
publicly available on FERC’s eLibrary
system (see the last page of this notice
for instructions on using eLibrary).
It is important to note that the
Commission provides equal
consideration to all comments received,
whether filed in written form or
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provided orally at a virtual scoping
session.
Additionally, 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. Go to https://
www.ferc.gov/ferc-online/overview to
register for eSubscription.
Summary of the Planned Projects
Virginia Reliability Project
Columbia plans to replace and expand
existing facilities associated with its
VM–107 and VM–108 pipelines in
southeast Virginia. The Virginia
Reliability Project would increase the
capability of Columbia’s existing
pipeline facilities to provide
incremental firm transportation service
of 100,000 dekatherms per day (Dth/d),
while increasing the reliability of
Columbia’s system by replacing 1950s
vintage pipeline. According to
Columbia, its project would meet the
increasing market demand of
residential, commercial, and industrial
consumers in southeast Virginia.
The Virginia Reliability Project would
consist of the following:
• Replacement of approximately 47.7
miles of existing, 1950s vintage 12-inchdiameter VM–107 and VM–108
pipelines with 24-inch-diameter
pipeline mostly within Columbia’s
existing right-of-way, in the Counties of
Sussex, Surry, Southampton, and Isle of
Wight, as well as the cities of Suffolk
and Chesapeake, Virginia;
• installation of one new 5,500
horsepower (HP) electric-drive
compressor unit at the existing Emporia
Compressor Station in Greensville
County, Virginia;
• a facility upgrade involving
additional gas cooling and an increase
of 2,700 HP at the existing Petersburg
Compressor Station in Prince George
County, Virginia;
• expansion of the Emporia Point of
Receipt in Greensville County, Virginia;
RS–7423 Regulator Station in Prince
George County, Virginia; and the MS–
831010 Point of Delivery in the City of
Chesapeake, Virginia; and
• eight mainline valve replacements,
five new launcher/receiver installations,
and other minor appurtenant facilities.
The general location of the project
facilities is shown in appendix 1.1
1 The appendices referenced in this notice will
not appear in the Federal Register. Copies of the
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11063
Commonwealth Energy Connector
Project
Transco plans to expand its existing
natural gas transmission system to
provide 105,000 Dth/d of incremental
firm transportation capacity from its
Compressor Station 165 in Pittsylvania
County, Virginia to the existing Emporia
delivery point in Greensville County,
Virginia on the existing South Virginia
Lateral B-Line Pipeline.
The Commonwealth Energy
Connector Project would consist of the
following:
• Construction of a 6.35-mile-long,
24-inch-diameter pipeline loop 2
(referred to as the Commonwealth
Loop), including valve and launcher/
receiver facilities, in Brunswick and
Greensville Counties, Virginia;
• installation of a 30,500 HP electric
motor-drive compressor unit at the
existing Compressor Station 168 in
Mecklenburg County, Virginia; and
• expansion of the existing Emporia
Metering and Regulator Station in
Greensville County, Virginia.
The general location of the project
facilities is shown in appendix 1.
Land Requirements for Construction
Virginia Reliability Project
As a preliminary estimate,
construction of the planned facilities for
the Virginia Reliability Project would
disturb about 814 acres of land for the
aboveground facilities and the pipeline.
Following construction, Columbia
would maintain about 195 acres for
permanent operation of the project’s
facilities; the remaining acreage would
be restored. These acreages are subject
to change pending further pipeline route
refinement. All of the planned pipeline
route parallels Columbia’s existing VM–
107 and VM–108 pipelines.
Commonwealth Energy Connector
Project
Construction of the planned facilities
for the Commonwealth Energy
Connector would disturb about 168
acres of land for the compressor station
modifications and the pipeline. An
additional amount, as yet to be
quantified, would be disturbed for
appendices were sent to all those receiving this
notice in the mail and are available at www.ferc.gov
using the link called ‘‘eLibrary.’’ For instructions on
connecting to eLibrary, refer to the last page of this
notice. 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 TTY (202) 502–8659.
2 A pipeline loop is a segment of pipe constructed
parallel to an existing pipeline to increase capacity.
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Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 39 / Monday, February 28, 2022 / Notices
aboveground facilities. Following
construction, Transco would maintain
about 2.8 acres of new pipeline right-ofway for permanent operation of the
project’s facilities; the remaining
acreage is either part of its existing
permanent right-of-way or would be
restored. The acreage that would be
permanently affected by aboveground
facilities outside of Transco’s existing
facilities has yet to be quantified. All of
the planned pipeline route parallels
Transco’s existing South Virginia
Lateral A-Line.
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NEPA Process and the Environmental
Document
Any environmental document issued
by Commission staff will discuss
impacts that could occur as a result of
the construction and operation of the
planned projects under the relevant
general resource areas:
• Geology and soils;
• water resources and wetlands;
• vegetation and wildlife;
• threatened and endangered species;
• cultural resources;
• socioeconomics and environmental
justice;
• land use;
• air quality and noise;
• climate change; and
• reliability and safety.
Commission staff have already
identified several issues that deserve
attention based on a preliminary review
of the planned facilities and the
environmental information provided by
Columbia and Transco for their
respective projects. This preliminary list
of issues may change based on your
comments and our analysis:
• Lands administered by the Great
Dismal Swamp National Wildlife
Refuge;
• the Sunray Historic District in the
city of Chesapeake, Virginia; and
• residential, commercial, and
industrial areas;
• agricultural lands;
• wetlands and waterbodies; and
• forested areas.
Commission staff will also evaluate
reasonable alternatives to the planned
projects or portions of the projects and
make recommendations on how to
lessen or avoid impacts on the various
resource areas. Your comments will
help Commission staff identify and
focus on the issues that might have an
effect on the human environment and
potentially eliminate others from further
study and discussion in the
environmental document.
Although no formal application has
been filed for either project,
Commission staff have already initiated
a NEPA review under the Commission’s
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pre-filing process. The purpose of the
pre-filing process is to encourage early
involvement of interested stakeholders
and to identify and resolve issues before
the Commission receives an application.
As part of the pre-filing review,
Commission staff will contact federal
and state agencies to discuss their
involvement in the scoping process and
the preparation of the environmental
document.
If formal applications are filed,
Commission staff will then determine
whether to prepare an Environmental
Assessment (EA) or an Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS). The EA or the
EIS will present Commission staff’s
independent analysis of the
environmental issues. If Commission
staff prepares an EA, a Notice of
Schedule for the Preparation of an
Environmental Assessment will be
issued. The EA may be issued for an
allotted public comment period. The
Commission would consider timely
comments on the EA before making its
determination on the proposed projects.
If Commission staff prepares an EIS, a
Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS/
Notice of Schedule will be issued once
the applications are filed, which will
open an additional public comment
period. Staff will then prepare a draft
EIS that will be issued for public
comment. Commission staff will
consider all timely comments received
during the comment period on the draft
EIS, and revise the document, as
necessary, before issuing a final EIS.
Any EA or draft and final EIS will be
available in electronic format in the
public record through eLibrary 3 and the
Commission’s natural gas
environmental documents web page
(https://www.ferc.gov/industries-data/
natural-gas/environment/
environmental-documents). If
eSubscribed, you will receive instant
email notification when the
environmental document is issued.
With this notice, the Commission is
asking agencies with jurisdiction by law
and/or special expertise with respect to
the environmental issues related to
these projects to formally cooperate in
the preparation of the environmental
document.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.
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 1501.8.
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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 Virginia Department of Historic
Resources, and to solicit its views and
those of other government agencies,
interested Indian tribes, and the public
on the projects’ potential effects on
historic properties.5 The environmental
document for these projects will
document our findings on the impacts
on historic properties and summarize
the status of consultations under section
106.
Environmental Mailing List
The environmental mailing list
includes federal, state, and local
government representatives and
agencies; elected officials;
environmental and public interest
groups; Native American Tribes; and
other interested parties. This list also
includes all affected landowners (as
defined in the Commission’s
regulations) who are potential right-ofway 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
projects and includes a mailing address
with their comments. 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 planned
projects.
If you need to make changes to your
name/address, or if you would like to
remove your name from the mailing list,
please complete one of the following
steps:
(1) Send an email to
GasProjectAddressChange@ferc.gov
stating your request. You must include
the docket number PF22–03–000 for
Virginia Reliability Project or PF22–04–
000 for Commonwealth Energy
Connector Project in your request. If you
are requesting a change to your address,
please be sure to include your name and
the correct address. If you are requesting
to delete your address from the mailing
5 The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation
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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Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 39 / Monday, February 28, 2022 / Notices
list, please include your name and
address as it appeared on this notice.
This email address is unable to accept
comments.
OR
(2) Return the attached ‘‘Mailing List
Update Form’’ (appendix 2).
Becoming an Intervenor
Once Columbia and Transco file their
applications with the Commission, you
may want to become an ‘‘intervenor’’
which is an official party to the
Commission’s proceeding. Only
intervenors have the right to seek
rehearing of the Commission’s decision
and be heard by the courts if they
choose to appeal the Commission’s final
ruling. An intervenor formally
participates in the proceeding by filing
a request to intervene pursuant to Rule
214 of the Commission’s Rules of
Practice and Procedures (18 CFR
385.214). Motions to intervene are more
fully described at https://www.ferc.gov/
resources/guides/how-to.asp. Please
note that the Commission will not
accept requests for intervenor status at
this time. You must wait until the
Commission receives formal
applications for the projects, after which
the Commission will issue a public
notice that establishes an intervention
deadline.
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Additional Information
Additional information about the
projects 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. Click on the eLibrary link,
click on ‘‘General Search’’ and enter the
docket number in the ‘‘Docket Number’’
field. Be sure you have selected an
appropriate date range. For assistance,
please contact FERC Online Support at
FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or toll free
at (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 https://www.ferc.gov/newsevents/events along with other related
information.
Dated: February 22, 2022.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2022–04130 Filed 2–25–22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
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17:23 Feb 25, 2022
Jkt 256001
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. ER22–1085–000]
Panorama Wind, LLC; Supplemental
Notice That Initial Market-Based Rate
Filing Includes Request for Blanket
Section 204 Authorization
This is a supplemental notice in the
above-referenced proceeding of
Panorama Wind, LLC’s application for
market-based rate authority, with an
accompanying rate tariff, noting that
such application includes a request for
blanket authorization, under 18 CFR
part 34, of future issuances of securities
and assumptions of liability.
Any person desiring to intervene or to
protest should file with the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission, 888
First Street NE, Washington, DC 20426,
in accordance with Rules 211 and 214
of the Commission’s Rules of Practice
and Procedure (18 CFR 385.211 and
385.214). Anyone filing a motion to
intervene or protest must serve a copy
of that document on the Applicant.
Notice is hereby given that the
deadline for filing protests with regard
to the applicant’s request for blanket
authorization, under 18 CFR part 34, of
future issuances of securities and
assumptions of liability, is March 14,
2022.
The Commission encourages
electronic submission of protests and
interventions in lieu of paper, using the
FERC Online links at https://
www.ferc.gov. To facilitate electronic
service, persons with internet access
who will eFile a document and/or be
listed as a contact for an intervenor
must create and validate an
eRegistration account using the
eRegistration link. Select the eFiling
link to log on and submit the
intervention or protests.
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.
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://
www.ferc.gov) using the ‘‘eLibrary’’ link.
Enter the docket number excluding the
last three digits in the docket number
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11065
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 the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission at
FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or call
toll-free, (886) 208–3676 or TYY, (202)
502–8659.
Dated: February 22, 2022.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2022–04131 Filed 2–25–22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
Combined Notice of Filings
Take notice that the Commission has
received the following Natural Gas
Pipeline Rate and Refund Report filings:
Filings Instituting Proceedings
Docket Numbers: RP22–568–000.
Applicants: Columbia Gas
Transmission, LLC.
Description: Compliance filing:
Annual Report on Operational
Transactions 2022 to be effective N/A.
Filed Date: 2/18/22.
Accession Number: 20220218–5191.
Comment Date: 5 p.m. ET 3/2/22.
Docket Numbers: RP22–569–000.
Applicants: Hardy Storage Company,
LLC.
Description: Compliance filing:
Annual Report on Operational
Transactions 2022 to be effective N/A.
Filed Date: 2/18/22.
Accession Number: 20220218–5192.
Comment Date: 5 p.m. ET 3/2/22.
Docket Numbers: RP22–570–000.
Applicants: Crossroads Pipeline
Company.
Description: Compliance filing:
Annual Report on Operational
Transactions 2022 to be effective N/A.
Filed Date: 2/18/22.
Accession Number: 20220218–5196.
Comment Date: 5 p.m. ET 3/2/22.
Docket Numbers: RP22–571–000.
Applicants: Columbia Gulf
Transmission, LLC.
Description: Compliance filing:
Annual Report on Operational
Transactions 2022 to be effective N/A.
Filed Date: 2/18/22.
Accession Number: 20220218–5212.
Comment Date: 5 p.m. ET 3/2/22.
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 39 (Monday, February 28, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11062-11065]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-04130]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. PF22-3-000; Docket No. PF22-4-000]
Columbia Gas Transmission, LLC; Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line
Company, LLC; Notice of Scoping Period Requesting Comments on
Environmental Issues for the Planned Virginia Reliability Project and
Commonwealth Energy Connector Project, and Notice of Public Scoping
Session
The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) will prepare an environmental document that will discuss
the environmental impacts of the Virginia Reliability Project and
Commonwealth Energy Connector Project involving construction and
operation of facilities by Columbia Gas Transmission, LLC (Columbia)
and Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC (Transco),
respectively. Columbia's project would be located in Greensville,
Prince George, Sussex, Surry, Southampton, and Isle of Wight Counties,
Virginia and in the cities of Suffolk and Chesapeake, Virginia.
Transco's project would be located in Mecklenburg, Brunswick, and
Greensville Counties, Virginia. Because of planned operational
connections between the Virginia Reliability Project and the
Commonwealth Energy Connector Project, the Commission will prepare a
single environmental document as part of the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) review process. The Commission will use this
environmental document in its decision-making process to determine
whether the projects are 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 regarding the projects. As part of the NEPA review process,
the Commission takes into account concerns the public may have about
proposals and the environmental impacts that could result from its
action whenever it considers the issuance of a Certificate of Public
Convenience and Necessity. This gathering of public input is referred
to as ``scoping.'' The main goal of the scoping process is to focus the
analysis in the environmental document on the important environmental
issues. Additional information about the Commission's NEPA process is
described below in the NEPA Process and Environmental Document section
of this notice.
By this notice, the Commission requests public comments on the
scope of issues to address in the environmental document. 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 24, 2022. Comments may be
submitted in written or oral form. Further details on how to submit
comments are provided in the Public Participation section of this
notice.
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 environmental document. Commission
staff will consider all written or oral comments during the preparation
of the environmental document.
If you submitted comments on either of these projects to the
Commission before the opening of the dockets on December 1, 2021, you
will need to file those comments in Docket Nos. PF22-3-000 (Virginia
Reliability Project) or PF22-4-000 (Commonwealth Energy Connector
Project) to ensure they are considered.
This notice is being sent to the Commission's current environmental
mailing list for these projects. State and local government
representatives should notify their constituents of these planned
projects and encourage them to comment on their areas of concern.
If you are a landowner receiving this notice, a representative from
Columbia or Transco may contact you about the acquisition of an
easement to construct, operate, and maintain the planned 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, the Natural Gas Act conveys the
right of eminent domain to the company. 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. The Commission does not subsequently grant, exercise, or oversee
the exercise of that eminent domain authority. The courts have
exclusive authority to handle eminent domain cases; the Commission has
no jurisdiction over these matters.
A fact sheet prepared by the FERC entitled ``An Interstate Natural
Gas Facility On My Land? What Do I Need To Know?'' addresses typically
asked questions, including the use of eminent domain and how to
participate in the Commission's proceedings. This fact sheet along with
other landowner topics of interest are available for viewing on the
FERC website (www.ferc.gov) under the links to Natural Gas Questions or
Landowner Topics.
Public Participation
There are four methods you can use to submit your comments to the
Commission. Please carefully follow these instructions so that your
comments are properly recorded. The Commission encourages electronic
filing of comments and has staff available to assist you at (866) 208-
3676 or [email protected].
(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 FERC Online. 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 FERC Online. 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
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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 Commission. Be sure to reference the project docket number (PF22-3-
000 for Virginia Reliability Project or PF22-4-000 for Commonwealth
Energy Connector Project) on your letter. 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.
(4) In lieu of sending written comments, the Commission invites you
to attend the virtual public scoping session its staff will conduct by
telephone, scheduled as follows:
Date and Time
Tuesday, March 15, 2022, 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Call in number: 800-
779-8625, Passcode: 3472916
Although there will not be a formal presentation, Commission staff
will be available to answer questions you may have about the
environmental review process. The primary goal of this scoping session
is to have you identify the specific environmental issues and concerns
that should be considered in the environmental document. Individual
oral comments will be taken on a one-on-one basis with a court reporter
present on the line. This format is designed to receive the maximum
amount of oral comments, in a convenient way during the timeframe
allotted, and is in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The scoping session is scheduled from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
eastern time. You may call at any time after 5:00 p.m. at which time
you will be placed on mute and hold. Calls will be answered in the
order they are received. Once answered, you will have the opportunity
to provide your comment directly to a court reporter with FERC staff or
representative present on the line. A time limit of three minutes will
be implemented for each commentor.
Transcripts of all comments received during the scoping session
will be publicly available on FERC's eLibrary system (see the last page
of this notice for instructions on using eLibrary).
It is important to note that the Commission provides equal
consideration to all comments received, whether filed in written form
or provided orally at a virtual scoping session.
Additionally, 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. Go to https://www.ferc.gov/ferc-online/overview to register for eSubscription.
Summary of the Planned Projects
Virginia Reliability Project
Columbia plans to replace and expand existing facilities associated
with its VM-107 and VM-108 pipelines in southeast Virginia. The
Virginia Reliability Project would increase the capability of
Columbia's existing pipeline facilities to provide incremental firm
transportation service of 100,000 dekatherms per day (Dth/d), while
increasing the reliability of Columbia's system by replacing 1950s
vintage pipeline. According to Columbia, its project would meet the
increasing market demand of residential, commercial, and industrial
consumers in southeast Virginia.
The Virginia Reliability Project would consist of the following:
Replacement of approximately 47.7 miles of existing, 1950s
vintage 12-inch-diameter VM-107 and VM-108 pipelines with 24-inch-
diameter pipeline mostly within Columbia's existing right-of-way, in
the Counties of Sussex, Surry, Southampton, and Isle of Wight, as well
as the cities of Suffolk and Chesapeake, Virginia;
installation of one new 5,500 horsepower (HP) electric-
drive compressor unit at the existing Emporia Compressor Station in
Greensville County, Virginia;
a facility upgrade involving additional gas cooling and an
increase of 2,700 HP at the existing Petersburg Compressor Station in
Prince George County, Virginia;
expansion of the Emporia Point of Receipt in Greensville
County, Virginia; RS-7423 Regulator Station in Prince George County,
Virginia; and the MS-831010 Point of Delivery in the City of
Chesapeake, Virginia; and
eight mainline valve replacements, five new launcher/
receiver installations, and other minor appurtenant facilities.
The general location of the project facilities is shown in appendix
1.\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.'' For instructions on
connecting to eLibrary, refer to the last page of this notice. 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 [email protected] or call toll free, (886) 208-3676
or TTY (202) 502-8659.
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Commonwealth Energy Connector Project
Transco plans to expand its existing natural gas transmission
system to provide 105,000 Dth/d of incremental firm transportation
capacity from its Compressor Station 165 in Pittsylvania County,
Virginia to the existing Emporia delivery point in Greensville County,
Virginia on the existing South Virginia Lateral B-Line Pipeline.
The Commonwealth Energy Connector Project would consist of the
following:
Construction of a 6.35-mile-long, 24-inch-diameter
pipeline loop \2\ (referred to as the Commonwealth Loop), including
valve and launcher/receiver facilities, in Brunswick and Greensville
Counties, Virginia;
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\2\ A pipeline loop is a segment of pipe constructed parallel to
an existing pipeline to increase capacity.
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installation of a 30,500 HP electric motor-drive
compressor unit at the existing Compressor Station 168 in Mecklenburg
County, Virginia; and
expansion of the existing Emporia Metering and Regulator
Station in Greensville County, Virginia.
The general location of the project facilities is shown in appendix
1.
Land Requirements for Construction
Virginia Reliability Project
As a preliminary estimate, construction of the planned facilities
for the Virginia Reliability Project would disturb about 814 acres of
land for the aboveground facilities and the pipeline. Following
construction, Columbia would maintain about 195 acres for permanent
operation of the project's facilities; the remaining acreage would be
restored. These acreages are subject to change pending further pipeline
route refinement. All of the planned pipeline route parallels
Columbia's existing VM-107 and VM-108 pipelines.
Commonwealth Energy Connector Project
Construction of the planned facilities for the Commonwealth Energy
Connector would disturb about 168 acres of land for the compressor
station modifications and the pipeline. An additional amount, as yet to
be quantified, would be disturbed for
[[Page 11064]]
aboveground facilities. Following construction, Transco would maintain
about 2.8 acres of new pipeline right-of-way for permanent operation of
the project's facilities; the remaining acreage is either part of its
existing permanent right-of-way or would be restored. The acreage that
would be permanently affected by aboveground facilities outside of
Transco's existing facilities has yet to be quantified. All of the
planned pipeline route parallels Transco's existing South Virginia
Lateral A-Line.
NEPA Process and the Environmental Document
Any environmental document issued by Commission staff will discuss
impacts that could occur as a result of the construction and operation
of the planned projects under the relevant general resource areas:
Geology and soils;
water resources and wetlands;
vegetation and wildlife;
threatened and endangered species;
cultural resources;
socioeconomics and environmental justice;
land use;
air quality and noise;
climate change; and
reliability and safety.
Commission staff have already identified several issues that
deserve attention based on a preliminary review of the planned
facilities and the environmental information provided by Columbia and
Transco for their respective projects. This preliminary list of issues
may change based on your comments and our analysis:
Lands administered by the Great Dismal Swamp National
Wildlife Refuge;
the Sunray Historic District in the city of Chesapeake,
Virginia; and
residential, commercial, and industrial areas;
agricultural lands;
wetlands and waterbodies; and
forested areas.
Commission staff will also evaluate reasonable alternatives to the
planned projects or portions of the projects and make recommendations
on how to lessen or avoid impacts on the various resource areas. Your
comments will help Commission staff identify and focus on the issues
that might have an effect on the human environment and potentially
eliminate others from further study and discussion in the environmental
document.
Although no formal application has been filed for either project,
Commission staff have already initiated a NEPA review under the
Commission's pre-filing process. The purpose of the pre-filing process
is to encourage early involvement of interested stakeholders and to
identify and resolve issues before the Commission receives an
application. As part of the pre-filing review, Commission staff will
contact federal and state agencies to discuss their involvement in the
scoping process and the preparation of the environmental document.
If formal applications are filed, Commission staff will then
determine whether to prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA) or an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The EA or the EIS will present
Commission staff's independent analysis of the environmental issues. If
Commission staff prepares an EA, a Notice of Schedule for the
Preparation of an Environmental Assessment will be issued. The EA may
be issued for an allotted public comment period. The Commission would
consider timely comments on the EA before making its determination on
the proposed projects. If Commission staff prepares an EIS, a Notice of
Intent to Prepare an EIS/Notice of Schedule will be issued once the
applications are filed, which will open an additional public comment
period. Staff will then prepare a draft EIS that will be issued for
public comment. Commission staff will consider all timely comments
received during the comment period on the draft EIS, and revise the
document, as necessary, before issuing a final EIS. Any EA or draft and
final EIS will be available in electronic format in the public record
through eLibrary \3\ and the Commission's natural gas environmental
documents web page (https://www.ferc.gov/industries-data/natural-gas/environment/environmental-documents). If eSubscribed, you will receive
instant email notification when the environmental document is issued.
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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 related to these projects to formally cooperate in
the preparation of the environmental document.\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 1501.8.
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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 Virginia Department of Historic Resources, and to
solicit its views and those of other government agencies, interested
Indian tribes, and the public on the projects' potential effects on
historic properties.\5\ The environmental document for these projects
will document our 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 regulations
are at Title 36, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 800. Those
regulations define historic properties as any prehistoric or
historic district, site, building, structure, or object included in
or eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic
Places.
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Environmental Mailing List
The environmental mailing list includes federal, state, and local
government representatives and agencies; elected officials;
environmental and public interest groups; Native American Tribes; and
other interested parties. 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 projects
and includes a mailing address with their comments. 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 planned projects.
If you need to make changes to your name/address, or if you would
like to remove your name from the mailing list, please complete one of
the following steps:
(1) Send an email to [email protected] stating your
request. You must include the docket number PF22-03-000 for Virginia
Reliability Project or PF22-04-000 for Commonwealth Energy Connector
Project in your request. If you are requesting a change to your
address, please be sure to include your name and the correct address.
If you are requesting to delete your address from the mailing
[[Page 11065]]
list, please include your name and address as it appeared on this
notice. This email address is unable to accept comments.
OR
(2) Return the attached ``Mailing List Update Form'' (appendix 2).
Becoming an Intervenor
Once Columbia and Transco file their applications with the
Commission, you may want to become an ``intervenor'' which is an
official party to the Commission's proceeding. Only intervenors have
the right to seek rehearing of the Commission's decision and be heard
by the courts if they choose to appeal the Commission's final ruling.
An intervenor formally participates in the proceeding by filing a
request to intervene pursuant to Rule 214 of the Commission's Rules of
Practice and Procedures (18 CFR 385.214). Motions to intervene are more
fully described at https://www.ferc.gov/resources/guides/how-to.asp.
Please note that the Commission will not accept requests for intervenor
status at this time. You must wait until the Commission receives formal
applications for the projects, after which the Commission will issue a
public notice that establishes an intervention deadline.
Additional Information
Additional information about the projects 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. Click on the
eLibrary link, click on ``General Search'' and enter the docket number
in the ``Docket Number'' field. Be sure you have selected an
appropriate date range. For assistance, please contact FERC Online
Support at [email protected] or toll free at (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 https://www.ferc.gov/news-events/events along with
other related information.
Dated: February 22, 2022.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2022-04130 Filed 2-25-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
