Northern Natural Gas Company; Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Northern Lights 2023 Expansion Project, 63771-63772 [2022-22776]
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Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 202 / Thursday, October 20, 2022 / Notices
long, 12-foot-diameter steel penstocks
conveying flow from the surge tanks to
the powerhouse; (9) a masonry
powerhouse containing two identical
vertical units, each with a 7,600-kW
capacity; (10) two 600-foot-long, 11.5-kV
parallel generator leads; and (11)
appurtenant facilities.
Rumford Falls Hydro LLC operates
the project in a run-of-river mode and
does not propose any changes to project
facilities or operation. The project
would continue to generate an estimated
average of 270,800 megawatt-hours
annually.
l. Location of the Application: In
addition to publishing the full text of
this notice in the Federal Register, the
Commission provides all interested
persons an opportunity to view and/or
print the contents of this notice, as well
as other documents in the proceeding
(e.g., license application) 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 field to access the
document (P–2333). For assistance,
contact FERC at FERCOnlineSupport@
ferc.gov or call toll-free, (866) 208–3676
or (202) 502–8659 (TTY).
m. You may also register online at
https://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/
esubscription.asp to be notified via
email of new filings and issuances
related to this or other pending projects.
For assistance, contact FERC Online
Support.
n. Procedural Schedule: The
application will be processed according
to the following preliminary Hydro
Licensing Schedule. Revisions to the
schedule may be made as appropriate.
Milestone
Target date
Issue Deficiency Letter (if necessary) .......................................................................................................................................
Issue Additional Information Request (if necessary) .................................................................................................................
Notice of Acceptance/Notice of Ready for Environmental Analysis ..........................................................................................
Filing of recommendations, preliminary terms and conditions, and fishway prescriptions .......................................................
o. Final amendments to the
application must be filed with the
Commission no later than 30 days from
the issuance date of the notice of ready
for environmental analysis.
Dated: October 13, 2022.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2022–22771 Filed 10–19–22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. CP22–138–000]
lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1
Northern Natural Gas Company; Notice
of Availability of the Draft
Environmental Impact Statement for
the Proposed Northern Lights 2023
Expansion Project
The staff of the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) has prepared a draft
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
for the Northern Lights 2023 Expansion
Project (Project), proposed by Northern
Natural Gas Company (Northern) in the
above-referenced docket. Northern
requests a Certificate of Public
Convenience and Necessity and
authorization to abandon, construct,
operate, and maintain certain natural
gas transmission pipeline facilities in
Freeborn, Washington, Scott, Sherburne,
and Stearns Counties, Minnesota and
Monroe County, Wisconsin. The Project
purpose is to provide incremental
winter firm service of 44,222
dekatherms per day (Dth/d) to
Northern’s residential, commercial, and
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:50 Oct 19, 2022
Jkt 259001
industrial customer market and 6,667
Dth/d of additional firm service that
will allow a shipper enhanced
reliability and flexibility in natural gas
transportation capacity for electric
generation.
The draft EIS assesses the potential
environmental effects of the
construction and operation of the
Project in accordance with the
requirements of the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
FERC staff concludes that approval of
the proposed Project, with the
mitigation measures recommended in
the EIS, would result in some adverse
environmental impacts; however, with
the exception of potential impacts on
climate change, we conclude that
impacts would be reduced to less than
significant levels. Regarding climate
change impacts, the EIS is not
characterizing the Project’s greenhouse
gas (GHG) emissions as significant or
not significant because the Commission
is conducting a generic proceeding to
determine whether and how the
Commission will conduct significance
determinations going forward.1
Special construction methods in
proximity to residences are shown on
Northern’s Site-Specific Residential
Construction Plans (see appendix N of
the draft EIS), which we have reviewed
and found acceptable; however, we
encourage affected landowners to
review these site-specific drawings and
provide comments, as warranted. The
draft EIS addresses the potential
environmental effects of the
construction, abandonment, and
1 Consideration of Greenhouse Gas Emissions in
Natural Gas Infrastructure Project Reviews, 178
FERC ¶ 61,108 (2022); 178 FERC ¶ 61,197 (2022).
PO 00000
Frm 00012
Fmt 4703
63771
Sfmt 4703
October 2022.
November 2022.
March 2023.
May 2023.
operation of the following Project
facilities:
• Ventura North E-line Extension
(Ventura Extension)—2.8 miles of 36inch-diameter pipeline extension of the
Ventura North E-Line in Freeborn
County, Minnesota;
• Elk River 3rd Branch Line Loop 2
(Elk River Loop)—1.1 miles of 30-inchdiameter pipeline loop in Washington
County, Minnesota;
• Willmar D Branch Line Extension
(Willmar Extension)—1.1 miles of 24inch-diameter pipeline extension in
Scott County, Minnesota;
• Princeton Tie-Over Loop Extension
(Princeton Extension)—2.5 miles of 8inch-diameter pipeline loop extension
in Sherburne County, Minnesota;
• Paynesville 2nd Branch Line Loop
(Paynesville Loop)—2.0 miles of 4-inchdiameter pipeline loop in Stearns
County, Minnesota; and
• Tomah Branch Line Loop Extension
(Tomah Extension)—0.3 mile of 8-inchdiameter pipeline extension in Monroe
County, Wisconsin.
• The aboveground facilities
proposed for this Project would include
one new pig 3 launcher, four new valve
settings, replacement of valves and
piping inside four facilities, and
installation of two rupture-mitigation
valves (RMV), associated piping, and
buildings.
• Abandonment and removal of two
valve settings and associated piping.
2 A loop is a segment of pipeline parallel to a
mainline that connects to it at both ends and allows
more gas to flow through that segment.
3 A ‘‘pig’’ is a tool that the pipeline company
inserts into and pushes through the pipeline for
cleaning the pipeline, conducting internal
inspections, or other purposes.
E:\FR\FM\20OCN1.SGM
20OCN1
lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1
63772
Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 202 / Thursday, October 20, 2022 / Notices
The Commission mailed a copy of the
Notice of Availability of the draft EIS to
federal, state, and local government
representatives and agencies; elected
officials; environmental and public
interest groups; Native American tribes;
potentially affected landowners and
other interested individuals and groups;
and newspapers and libraries in the
project area. The draft EIS is only
available in electronic format. It may be
viewed and downloaded from the
FERC’s website (www.ferc.gov), on the
natural gas environmental documents
page (https://www.ferc.gov/industriesdata/natural-gas/environment/
environmental-documents). In addition,
the draft EIS may be accessed by using
the eLibrary link on the FERC’s website.
Click on the eLibrary link (https://
elibrary.ferc.gov/eLibrary/search) select
‘‘General Search’’ and enter the docket
number in the ‘‘Docket Number’’ field,
excluding the last three digits (i.e.,
CP22–138). 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 draft EIS is not a decision
document. It presents Commission
staff’s independent analysis of the
environmental issues for the
Commission to consider when
addressing the merits of all issues in
this proceeding. Any person wishing to
comment on the draft EIS may do so.
Your comments should focus on draft
EIS’s disclosure and discussion of
potential environmental effects,
measures to avoid or lessen
environmental impacts, and the
completeness of the submitted
alternatives, information and analyses.
To ensure consideration of your
comments on the proposal in the final
EIS, it is important that the Commission
receive your comments on or before 5:00
p.m. Eastern Time on December 5, 2022.
For your convenience, there are three
methods you can use to submit your
comments to the Commission. The
Commission will provide equal
consideration to all comments received,
whether filed in written form or
provided verbally. 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 on the Commission’s website
(www.ferc.gov) under the link to FERC
Online. This is an easy method for
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:50 Oct 19, 2022
Jkt 259001
submitting brief, text-only comments on
a project;
(2) You can file your comments
electronically by using the eFiling
feature 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.’’ If you are filing a comment
on a particular project, please select
‘‘Comment on a Filing’’ as the filing
type; 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 (CP22–138–000)
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.
Any person seeking to become a party
to the proceeding must file a motion to
intervene pursuant to Rule 214 of the
Commission’s Rules of Practice and
Procedures (18 CFR part 385.214).
Motions to intervene are more fully
described at https://www.ferc.gov/ferconline/ferc-online/how-guides. Only
intervenors have the right to seek
rehearing or judicial review of the
Commission’s decision. The
Commission grants affected landowners
and others with environmental concerns
intervenor status upon showing good
cause by stating that they have a clear
and direct interest in this proceeding
which no other party can adequately
represent. Simply filing environmental
comments will not give you intervenor
status, but you do not need intervenor
status to have your comments
considered.
Questions?
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. The eLibrary link also
provides access to the texts of all formal
documents issued by the Commission,
such as orders, notices, and
rulemakings.
In addition, the Commission offers a
free service called eSubscription that
allows you to keep track of all formal
issuances and submittals in specific
dockets. This can reduce the amount of
PO 00000
Frm 00013
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
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.
Dated: October 14, 2022.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2022–22776 Filed 10–19–22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Project No. 7186–054]
Missisquoi, LLC; Notice of Application
Tendered for Filing With the
Commission and Soliciting Additional
Study Requests and Establishing
Procedural Schedule for Relicensing
and a Deadline for Submission of Final
Amendments
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.: 7186–054.
c. Date Filed: September 30, 2022.
d. Applicant: Missisquoi, LLC.
e. Name of Project: Sheldon Springs
Hydroelectric Project.
f. Location: On the Missisquoi River
in Franklin County, Vermont. The
project does not occupy any federal
land.
g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power
Act, 16 U.S.C. 791(a)–825(r).
h. Applicant Contact: Mr. Kevin
Webb, Licensing Manager, Missisquoi,
LLC, 670 N Commercial St., Suite 204,
Manchester, NH 03101; Phone at (978)
935–6039, or email at kwebb@
centralriverspower.com.
i. FERC Contact: John Baummer at
(202) 502–6837, or john.baummer@
ferc.gov.
j. Cooperating Agencies: Federal,
state, local, and tribal agencies with
jurisdiction and/or special expertise
with respect to environmental issues
that wish to cooperate in the
preparation of the environmental
document should follow the
instructions for filing such requests
described in item l below. Cooperating
agencies should note the Commission’s
policy that agencies that cooperate in
the preparation of the environmental
document cannot also intervene. See 94
FERC ¶ 61,076 (2001).
E:\FR\FM\20OCN1.SGM
20OCN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 202 (Thursday, October 20, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63771-63772]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-22776]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP22-138-000]
Northern Natural Gas Company; Notice of Availability of the Draft
Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Northern Lights 2023
Expansion Project
The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) has prepared a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
for the Northern Lights 2023 Expansion Project (Project), proposed by
Northern Natural Gas Company (Northern) in the above-referenced docket.
Northern requests a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity and
authorization to abandon, construct, operate, and maintain certain
natural gas transmission pipeline facilities in Freeborn, Washington,
Scott, Sherburne, and Stearns Counties, Minnesota and Monroe County,
Wisconsin. The Project purpose is to provide incremental winter firm
service of 44,222 dekatherms per day (Dth/d) to Northern's residential,
commercial, and industrial customer market and 6,667 Dth/d of
additional firm service that will allow a shipper enhanced reliability
and flexibility in natural gas transportation capacity for electric
generation.
The draft EIS assesses the potential environmental effects of the
construction and operation of the Project in accordance with the
requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). FERC
staff concludes that approval of the proposed Project, with the
mitigation measures recommended in the EIS, would result in some
adverse environmental impacts; however, with the exception of potential
impacts on climate change, we conclude that impacts would be reduced to
less than significant levels. Regarding climate change impacts, the EIS
is not characterizing the Project's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as
significant or not significant because the Commission is conducting a
generic proceeding to determine whether and how the Commission will
conduct significance determinations going forward.\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Consideration of Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Natural Gas
Infrastructure Project Reviews, 178 FERC ] 61,108 (2022); 178 FERC ]
61,197 (2022).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Special construction methods in proximity to residences are shown
on Northern's Site-Specific Residential Construction Plans (see
appendix N of the draft EIS), which we have reviewed and found
acceptable; however, we encourage affected landowners to review these
site-specific drawings and provide comments, as warranted. The draft
EIS addresses the potential environmental effects of the construction,
abandonment, and operation of the following Project facilities:
Ventura North E-line Extension (Ventura Extension)--2.8
miles of 36-inch-diameter pipeline extension of the Ventura North E-
Line in Freeborn County, Minnesota;
Elk River 3rd Branch Line Loop \2\ (Elk River Loop)--1.1
miles of 30-inch-diameter pipeline loop in Washington County,
Minnesota;
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ A loop is a segment of pipeline parallel to a mainline that
connects to it at both ends and allows more gas to flow through that
segment.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Willmar D Branch Line Extension (Willmar Extension)--1.1
miles of 24-inch-diameter pipeline extension in Scott County,
Minnesota;
Princeton Tie-Over Loop Extension (Princeton Extension)--
2.5 miles of 8-inch-diameter pipeline loop extension in Sherburne
County, Minnesota;
Paynesville 2nd Branch Line Loop (Paynesville Loop)--2.0
miles of 4-inch-diameter pipeline loop in Stearns County, Minnesota;
and
Tomah Branch Line Loop Extension (Tomah Extension)--0.3
mile of 8-inch-diameter pipeline extension in Monroe County, Wisconsin.
The aboveground facilities proposed for this Project would
include one new pig \3\ launcher, four new valve settings, replacement
of valves and piping inside four facilities, and installation of two
rupture-mitigation valves (RMV), associated piping, and buildings.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ A ``pig'' is a tool that the pipeline company inserts into
and pushes through the pipeline for cleaning the pipeline,
conducting internal inspections, or other purposes.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Abandonment and removal of two valve settings and
associated piping.
[[Page 63772]]
The Commission mailed a copy of the Notice of Availability of the
draft EIS to federal, state, and local government representatives and
agencies; elected officials; environmental and public interest groups;
Native American tribes; potentially affected landowners and other
interested individuals and groups; and newspapers and libraries in the
project area. The draft EIS is only available in electronic format. It
may be viewed and downloaded from the FERC's website (www.ferc.gov), on
the natural gas environmental documents page (https://www.ferc.gov/industries-data/natural-gas/environment/environmental-documents). In
addition, the draft EIS may be accessed by using the eLibrary link on
the FERC's website. Click on the eLibrary link (https://elibrary.ferc.gov/eLibrary/search) select ``General Search'' and enter
the docket number in the ``Docket Number'' field, excluding the last
three digits (i.e., CP22-138). 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 draft EIS is not a decision document. It presents Commission
staff's independent analysis of the environmental issues for the
Commission to consider when addressing the merits of all issues in this
proceeding. Any person wishing to comment on the draft EIS may do so.
Your comments should focus on draft EIS's disclosure and discussion of
potential environmental effects, measures to avoid or lessen
environmental impacts, and the completeness of the submitted
alternatives, information and analyses. To ensure consideration of your
comments on the proposal in the final EIS, it is important that the
Commission receive your comments on or before 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on
December 5, 2022.
For your convenience, there are three methods you can use to submit
your comments to the Commission. The Commission will provide equal
consideration to all comments received, whether filed in written form
or provided verbally. 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 on the Commission's website (www.ferc.gov) under the link to
FERC Online. This 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 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.'' If you
are filing a comment on a particular project, please select ``Comment
on a Filing'' as the filing type; 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 (CP22-
138-000) 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.
Any person seeking to become a party to the proceeding must file a
motion to intervene pursuant to Rule 214 of the Commission's Rules of
Practice and Procedures (18 CFR part 385.214). Motions to intervene are
more fully described at https://www.ferc.gov/ferc-online/ferc-online/how-guides. Only intervenors have the right to seek rehearing or
judicial review of the Commission's decision. The Commission grants
affected landowners and others with environmental concerns intervenor
status upon showing good cause by stating that they have a clear and
direct interest in this proceeding which no other party can adequately
represent. Simply filing environmental comments will not give you
intervenor status, but you do not need intervenor status to have your
comments considered.
Questions?
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. The eLibrary link
also provides access to the texts of all formal documents issued by the
Commission, such as orders, notices, and rulemakings.
In addition, the Commission offers a free service called
eSubscription that allows you to keep track of all formal issuances and
submittals in specific dockets. 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.
Dated: October 14, 2022.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2022-22776 Filed 10-19-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P