Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC; Notice of Scoping Period Requesting Comments on Environmental Issues for the Proposed Alabama Georgia Connector Project, 37529-37533 [2023-12244]
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Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 110 / Thursday, June 8, 2023 / Notices
Description: § 205(d) Rate Filing:
Fiber License Agreement with City of
Rolla, RS 5 to be effective 8/2/2023.
Filed Date: 6/2/23.
Accession Number: 20230602–5190.
Comment Date: 5 p.m. ET 6/23/23.
Docket Numbers: ER23–2065–000.
Applicants: New England Power
Company.
Description: § 205(d) Rate Filing:
2023–06–02 Filing of LGIA with
Millennium Power and Request for CEII
Treatment to be effective 5/3/2023.
Filed Date: 6/2/23.
Accession Number: 20230602–5202.
Comment Date: 5 p.m. ET 6/23/23.
Docket Numbers: ER23–2066–000.
Applicants: Antelope Valley BESS,
LLC.
Description: § 205(d) Rate Filing:
Market-Based Rate Application and
Request for Expedited Action to be
effective 7/17/2023.
Filed Date: 6/2/23.
Accession Number: 20230602–5208.
Comment Date: 5 p.m. ET 6/23/23.
Docket Numbers: ER23–2067–000.
Applicants: Union Electric Company.
Description: § 205(d) Rate Filing: RS
504 Joint Use Agreement with Northeast
Missouri Electric to be effective 8/2/
2023.
Filed Date: 6/2/23.
Accession Number: 20230602–5213.
Comment Date: 5 p.m. ET 6/23/23.
Docket Numbers: ER23–2068–000.
Applicants: Ameren Transmission
Company of Illinois.
Description: § 205(d) Rate Filing:
ATXI Certificate of Concurrence with
ITC Midwest to be effective 8/2/2023.
Filed Date: 6/2/23.
Accession Number: 20230602–5216.
Comment Date: 5 p.m. ET 6/23/23.
Docket Numbers:ER23–2069–000.
Applicants: Union Electric Company.
Description: § 205(d) Rate Filing:
Certificate of Concurrence with ITC to
be effective 8/2/2023.
Filed Date: 6/2/23.
Accession Number: 20230602–5226.
Comment Date: 5 p.m. ET 6/23/23.
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.
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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: June 2, 2023.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2023–12240 Filed 6–7–23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. CP23–194–000]
Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line
Company, LLC; Notice of Scoping
Period Requesting Comments on
Environmental Issues for the Proposed
Alabama Georgia Connector Project
The staff of the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) will prepare an
environmental document, that will
discuss the environmental impacts of
the Alabama Georgia Connector Project
involving construction and operation of
facilities by Transcontinental Gas Pipe
Line Company, LLC (Transco) in
Marengo and Randolph Counties,
Alabama; and Coweta, Henry, and
Walton Counties, Georgia. The
Commission will use this environmental
document in its decision-making
process to determine whether the
project is in the public convenience and
necessity.
This notice announces the opening of
the scoping process the Commission
will use to gather input from the public
and interested agencies regarding the
project. As part of the National
Environmental Policy Act (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.
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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 5:00pm Eastern Time on July 3,
2023. Comments may be submitted in
written 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 comments during
the preparation of the environmental
document.
If you submitted comments on this
project to the Commission before the
opening of this docket on April 19,
2023, you will need to file those
comments in Docket No. CP23–194–000
to ensure they are considered as part of
this proceeding.
This notice is being sent to the
Commission’s current environmental
mailing list for this project. State and
local government representatives should
notify their constituents of this
proposed project and encourage them to
comment on their areas of concern.
If you are a landowner receiving this
notice, a pipeline company
representative may contact you about
the acquisition of an easement to
construct, operate, and maintain the
proposed facilities. The company would
seek to negotiate a mutually acceptable
easement agreement. You are not
required to enter into an agreement.
However, if the Commission approves
the project, 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.
Transco provided landowners with a
fact sheet prepared by the FERC entitled
‘‘An Interstate Natural Gas Facility On
My Land? What Do I Need To Know?’’
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Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 110 / Thursday, June 8, 2023 / Notices
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which 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 Natural Gas, Landowner Topics link.
Public Participation
There are three 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 also 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
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 (CP23–194–000)
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.
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.
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Summary of the Proposed Project
Transco proposes to construct and
operate various modifications at five
existing compressor stations in Alabama
and Georgia. The Alabama Georgia
Connector Project would provide about
63,800 dekatherms per day of yearround firm transportation capacity on
Transco’s system for the Oglethorpe
Power Corporation, the Municipal Gas
Authority of Georgia (MGAG), and the
City of Buford Georgia.
The Alabama Georgia Connector
Project would consist of the following
facilities:
• Existing Compressor Station 90
(Marengo County, Alabama)
Æ Re-wheel two existing compressors.
• Existing Compressor Station 110
(Randolph County, Alabama)
Æ Increase the total certificated
horsepower (HP) of two gas-fired
turbines from 35,500 HP at
International Organization for
Standardization conditions to
39,365 HP at International
Organization for Standardization
conditions.
• Existing Compressor Station 115
(Coweta County, Georgia)
Æ Re-wheel three existing
compressors.
• Existing Compressor Station 120
(Henry County, Georgia)
Æ Replacement of an existing
certificated 12,000 HP electric
motor driven compressor unit with
a 22,500 HP electric motor driven
compressor unit
• Existing Compressor Station 125
(Walton County, Georgia).
Æ Increase the total certificated HP of
the station from 49,800 HP to
55,800 HP (by increasing the
currently certificated HP of an
existing compressor unit from 9.000
to 15,000 HP and re-wheel of one
existing compressor.
Transco would also modify station
piping within the compressor stations
listed above. The general location of the
project facilities is shown in appendix
1.1
Land Requirements for Construction
Construction of the proposed facilities
would disturb about 122.4 acres of land
within existing compressor station
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.
For assistance, contact FERC at
FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or call toll free, (886)
208–3676 or TTY (202) 502–8659.
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facilities and temporary use of existing
permanent facility roads. No new
permanent areas would be required for
the project; however, the existing
permanent facility areas and roads
would continue to be maintained after
the construction of the project.
NEPA Process and the Environmental
Document
Any environmental document issued
by the Commission will discuss impacts
that could occur as a result of the
construction and operation of the
proposed project under the relevant
general resource areas:
• geology and soils;
• water resources and wetlands;
• vegetation and wildlife;
• threatened and endangered species;
• cultural resources;
• land use;
• socioeconomics;
• environmental justice;
• air quality and noise;
• reliability and safety.
Commission staff will also evaluate
reasonable alternatives to the proposed
project or portions of the project and
make recommendations on how to
lessen or avoid impacts on the various
resource areas. 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.
Following this scoping period,
Commission staff will 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 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
decision regarding the proposed project.
If Commission staff prepares an EIS, a
Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS/
Notice of Schedule will be issued,
which will open an additional comment
period. Staff will then prepare a draft
EIS which 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
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Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 110 / Thursday, June 8, 2023 / Notices
public record through eLibrary 2 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 of this project
to formally cooperate in the preparation
of the environmental document.3
Agencies that would like to request
cooperating agency status should follow
the instructions for filing comments
provided under the Public Participation
section of this notice.
Consultation Under Section 106 of the
National Historic Preservation Act
In accordance with the Advisory
Council on Historic Preservation’s
implementing regulations for section
106 of the National Historic
Preservation Act, the Commission is
using this notice to initiate consultation
with the applicable State Historic
Preservation Offices, and to solicit their
views and those of other government
agencies, interested Indian tribes, and
the public on the project’s potential
effects on historic properties.4 The
environmental document for this project
will document findings on the impacts
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2 For instructions on connecting to eLibrary, refer
to the last page of this notice.
3 The Council on Environmental Quality
regulations addressing cooperating agency
responsibilities are at Title 40, Code of Federal
Regulations, Section 1501.8.
4 The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation’s
regulations are at Title 36, Code of Federal
Regulations, Part 800. Those regulations define
historic properties as any prehistoric or historic
district, site, building, structure, or object included
in or eligible for inclusion in the National Register
of Historic Places.
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on historic properties and summarize
the status of consultations under section
106.
OR
(2) Return the attached ‘‘Mailing List
Update Form’’ (appendix 2).
Environmental Mailing List
Additional Information
The environmental mailing list
includes federal, state, and local
government representatives and
agencies; elected officials;
environmental and public interest
groups; Native American Tribes; other
interested parties; and local libraries
and newspapers. This list also includes
all affected landowners (as defined in
the Commission’s regulations) who are
potential right-of-way grantors, whose
property may be used temporarily for
project purposes, or who own homes
within certain distances of aboveground
facilities, and anyone who submits
comments on the project 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 proposed
project.
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 CP23–194–000 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 list,
please include your name and address
as it appeared on this notice. This email
address is unable to accept comments.
Additional information about the
project is available from the
Commission’s Office of External Affairs,
at (866) 208–FERC, or on the FERC
website at www.ferc.gov using the
eLibrary link. Click on the eLibrary link,
click on ‘‘General Search’’ and enter the
docket number in the ‘‘Docket Number’’
field. Be sure you have selected an
appropriate date range. For assistance,
please contact FERC Online Support at
FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or (866)
208–3676, or for TTY, contact (202)
502–8659. The eLibrary link also
provides access to the texts of all formal
documents issued by the Commission,
such as orders, notices, and
rulemakings.
The Commission’s Office of Public
Participation (OPP) supports meaningful
public engagement and participation in
Commission proceedings. OPP can help
members of the public, including
landowners, environmental justice
communities, Tribal members and
others, access publicly available
information and navigate the
Commission processes. For public
inquiries and assistance with making
filings such as interventions, comments,
or requests for rehearing, the public is
encouraged to contact OPP at (202) 502–
6595 or OPP@ferc.gov.
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.
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Dated: June 2, 2023.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
Appendix 1
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Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 110 / Thursday, June 8, 2023 / Notices
Agency lllllllllllllllll
Address
llllllllllllllll
MAILING LIST UPDATE FORM
City llllllllllllllllll
ALABAMA GEORGIA CONNECTOR
State llllllllllllllllll
PROJECT
Zip Code llllllllllllllll
Name llllllllllllllllll b Please update the mailing list
Appendix 2
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b Please remove my name from the mailing
list
FROM lllllllllllllllll
lllllllllllllllllllll
lllllllllllllllllllll
lllllllllllllllllllll
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Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 110 / Thursday, June 8, 2023 / Notices
ATTN: OEP—Gas 1, PJ–11.1
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
888 First Street NE
Washington, DC 20426
CP23–194–000, Alabama Georgia Connector
Project
Staple or Tape Here
[FR Doc. 2023–12244 Filed 6–7–23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Project No. 2589–095]
ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
Marquette Board of Light and Power;
Notice of Application Accepted for
Filing and Soliciting Comments,
Motions To Intervene, and Protests
Take notice that the following
hydroelectric application has been filed
with the Commission and is available
for public inspection.
a. Type of Application: Request for a
Temporary Variance of Flow and
Reservoir Elevation Requirements.
b. Project No.: 2589–095.
c. Dates Filed: May 26, 2023.
d. Applicant: Marquette Board of
Light and Power (licensee).
e. Name of Project: Marquette
Hydroelectric Project.
f. Location: The project is located on
the Dead River, near the City of
Marquette, in Marquette County,
Michigan. The project does not occupy
federal lands.
g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power
Act, 16 U.S.C. 791(a)–825(r).
h. Applicant Contact: Thomas J.
Skewis, Environmental Compliance,
Marquette Board of Light and Power,
2200 Wright Street, Marquette, MI
49855, (906) 225–8670, tskewis@mblp.
i. FERC Contact: Aneela Mousam,
(202) 502–8357, aneela.mousam@
ferc.gov.
j. Deadline for filing comments,
motions to intervene, and protests is 30
days from the issuance of this notice by
the Commission. The Commission
strongly encourages electronic filing.
Please file comments, motions to
intervene, and protests using the
Commission’s eFiling system at https://
www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp.
Commenters can submit brief comments
up to 6,000 characters, without prior
registration, using the eComment system
at https://www.ferc.gov/doc-sfiling/
ecomment.asp. 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
VerDate Sep<11>2014
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(TTY). 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, MD 20852. The first page of
any filing should include docket
number P–2589–095.
The Commission’s Rules of Practice
and Procedure 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. Description of Request: The
licensee requests Commission approval
for a temporary variance of the
minimum powerhouse flow and
reservoir elevation requirements
outlined in license articles 403 and 404.
The purpose of the variance request is
to accommodate controls upgrade and
minor maintenance at the Forestville
powerhouse (No. 2 Development),
scheduled to take place for a duration of
6–10 weeks in June–July 2023. To
facilitate the controls upgrade, the
licensee plans to take both hydro units
offline. Prior to taking the hydro units
offline, the licensee would gradually
reduce the powerhouse flows 1 to allow
the reservoir elevation to exceed the
maximum allowable limit (771.0 feet),
and overflow the spillway 2 to prevent
areas within the river channel from
drying up before suspending the
powerhouse flows.
For the duration of the planned
upgrades, the licensee would provide
flows 3 from the spillway to the river by
allowing the reservoir elevation to
exceed the spillway crest elevation of
771.4 feet. Once the project upgrades are
complete, the licensee would place the
hydro units online and lower the
reservoir level to meet the license
requirements. The licensee would work
closely with the relevant resource
agencies to prevent any adverse
environmental effects from occurring
1 40
cubic feet per second.
overflow spillway has a crest elevation of
771.4 feet.
3 The flows would be run of the river.
2 The
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37533
prior to, during, and after the temporary
variance.
l. 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. For
assistance, contact FERC at
FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or call
toll-free, (886) 208–3676 or TYY, (202)
502–8659.
m. Individuals desiring to be included
on the Commission’s mailing list should
so indicate by writing to the Secretary
of the Commission.
n. Comments, Motions to Intervene, or
Protests: Anyone may submit
comments, a motion to intervene, or a
protest in accordance with the
requirements of Rules of Practice and
Procedure, 18 CFR 385.210, .211, .214.
In determining the appropriate action to
take, the Commission will consider all
protests or other comments filed, but
only those who file a motion to
intervene in accordance with the
Commission’s Rules may become a
party to the proceeding. Any comments,
motions to intervene, or protests must
be received on or before the specified
comment date for the particular
application.
o. Filing and Service of Responsive
Documents: Any filing must (1) bear in
all capital letters the title
‘‘COMMENTS’’, ‘‘MOTION TO
INTERVENE’’, or ‘‘PROTEST’’ as
applicable; (2) set forth in the heading
the name of the applicant and the
project number(s) of the application to
which the filing responds; (3) furnish
the name, address, and telephone
number of the person intervening or
protesting; and (4) otherwise comply
with the requirements of 18 CFR
385.2001 through 385.2005. All
comments, motions to intervene, or
protests must set forth their evidentiary
basis. A copy of all other filings in
reference to this application must be
accompanied by proof of service on all
persons listed in the service list
prepared by the Commission in this
proceeding, in accordance with 18 CFR
385.2010.
p. The Commission’s Office of Public
Participation (OPP) supports meaningful
public engagement and participation in
Commission proceedings. OPP can help
members of the public, including
landowners, environmental justice
communities, Tribal members and
others, access publicly available
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 110 (Thursday, June 8, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37529-37533]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-12244]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP23-194-000]
Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC; Notice of Scoping
Period Requesting Comments on Environmental Issues for the Proposed
Alabama Georgia Connector Project
The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) will prepare an environmental document, that will discuss
the environmental impacts of the Alabama Georgia Connector Project
involving construction and operation of facilities by Transcontinental
Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC (Transco) in Marengo and Randolph Counties,
Alabama; and Coweta, Henry, and Walton Counties, Georgia. The
Commission will use this environmental document in its decision-making
process to determine whether the project is in the public convenience
and necessity.
This notice announces the opening of the scoping process the
Commission will use to gather input from the public and interested
agencies regarding the project. As part of the National Environmental
Policy Act (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 5:00pm Eastern Time on July 3, 2023. Comments may be submitted
in written 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 comments during the preparation of the
environmental document.
If you submitted comments on this project to the Commission before
the opening of this docket on April 19, 2023, you will need to file
those comments in Docket No. CP23-194-000 to ensure they are considered
as part of this proceeding.
This notice is being sent to the Commission's current environmental
mailing list for this project. State and local government
representatives should notify their constituents of this proposed
project and encourage them to comment on their areas of concern.
If you are a landowner receiving this notice, a pipeline company
representative may contact you about the acquisition of an easement to
construct, operate, and maintain the proposed facilities. The company
would seek to negotiate a mutually acceptable easement agreement. You
are not required to enter into an agreement. However, if the Commission
approves the project, 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.
Transco provided landowners with a fact sheet prepared by the FERC
entitled ``An Interstate Natural Gas Facility On My Land? What Do I
Need To Know?''
[[Page 37530]]
which 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 Natural Gas,
Landowner Topics link.
Public Participation
There are three 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 also 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 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 (CP23-
194-000) 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.
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 Proposed Project
Transco proposes to construct and operate various modifications at
five existing compressor stations in Alabama and Georgia. The Alabama
Georgia Connector Project would provide about 63,800 dekatherms per day
of year-round firm transportation capacity on Transco's system for the
Oglethorpe Power Corporation, the Municipal Gas Authority of Georgia
(MGAG), and the City of Buford Georgia.
The Alabama Georgia Connector Project would consist of the
following facilities:
Existing Compressor Station 90 (Marengo County, Alabama)
[cir] Re-wheel two existing compressors.
Existing Compressor Station 110 (Randolph County, Alabama)
[cir] Increase the total certificated horsepower (HP) of two gas-
fired turbines from 35,500 HP at International Organization for
Standardization conditions to 39,365 HP at International Organization
for Standardization conditions.
Existing Compressor Station 115 (Coweta County, Georgia)
[cir] Re-wheel three existing compressors.
Existing Compressor Station 120 (Henry County, Georgia)
[cir] Replacement of an existing certificated 12,000 HP electric
motor driven compressor unit with a 22,500 HP electric motor driven
compressor unit
Existing Compressor Station 125 (Walton County, Georgia).
[cir] Increase the total certificated HP of the station from 49,800
HP to 55,800 HP (by increasing the currently certificated HP of an
existing compressor unit from 9.000 to 15,000 HP and re-wheel of one
existing compressor.
Transco would also modify station piping within the compressor
stations listed above. 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. For assistance, contact FERC at
[email protected] or call toll free, (886) 208-3676 or TTY
(202) 502-8659.
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Land Requirements for Construction
Construction of the proposed facilities would disturb about 122.4
acres of land within existing compressor station facilities and
temporary use of existing permanent facility roads. No new permanent
areas would be required for the project; however, the existing
permanent facility areas and roads would continue to be maintained
after the construction of the project.
NEPA Process and the Environmental Document
Any environmental document issued by the Commission will discuss
impacts that could occur as a result of the construction and operation
of the proposed project under the relevant general resource areas:
geology and soils;
water resources and wetlands;
vegetation and wildlife;
threatened and endangered species;
cultural resources;
land use;
socioeconomics;
environmental justice;
air quality and noise;
reliability and safety.
Commission staff will also evaluate reasonable alternatives to the
proposed project or portions of the project and make recommendations on
how to lessen or avoid impacts on the various resource areas. 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.
Following this scoping period, Commission staff will 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 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 decision regarding the proposed
project. If Commission staff prepares an EIS, a Notice of Intent to
Prepare an EIS/Notice of Schedule will be issued, which will open an
additional comment period. Staff will then prepare a draft EIS which
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
[[Page 37531]]
public record through eLibrary \2\ 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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\2\ For instructions on connecting to eLibrary, refer to the
last page of this notice.
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With this notice, the Commission is asking agencies with
jurisdiction by law and/or special expertise with respect to the
environmental issues of this project to formally cooperate in the
preparation of the environmental document.\3\ 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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\3\ The Council on Environmental Quality regulations addressing
cooperating agency responsibilities are at Title 40, Code of Federal
Regulations, Section 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 applicable State Historic Preservation Offices,
and to solicit their views and those of other government agencies,
interested Indian tribes, and the public on the project's potential
effects on historic properties.\4\ The environmental document for this
project will document findings on the impacts on historic properties
and summarize the status of consultations under section 106.
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\4\ The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation's regulations
are at Title 36, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 800. Those
regulations define historic properties as any prehistoric or
historic district, site, building, structure, or object included in
or eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic
Places.
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Environmental Mailing List
The environmental mailing list includes federal, state, and local
government representatives and agencies; elected officials;
environmental and public interest groups; Native American Tribes; other
interested parties; and local libraries and newspapers. This list also
includes all affected landowners (as defined in the Commission's
regulations) who are potential right-of-way grantors, whose property
may be used temporarily for project purposes, or who own homes within
certain distances of aboveground facilities, and anyone who submits
comments on the project 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 proposed project.
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 CP23-194-000 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 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).
Additional Information
Additional information about the project is available from the
Commission's Office of External Affairs, at (866) 208-FERC, or on the
FERC website at www.ferc.gov using the eLibrary link. Click on the
eLibrary link, click on ``General Search'' and enter the docket number
in the ``Docket Number'' field. Be sure you have selected an
appropriate date range. For assistance, please contact FERC Online
Support at [email protected] or (866) 208-3676, or for TTY,
contact (202) 502-8659. The eLibrary link also provides access to the
texts of all formal documents issued by the Commission, such as orders,
notices, and rulemakings.
The Commission's Office of Public Participation (OPP) supports
meaningful public engagement and participation in Commission
proceedings. OPP can help members of the public, including landowners,
environmental justice communities, Tribal members and others, access
publicly available information and navigate the Commission processes.
For public inquiries and assistance with making filings such as
interventions, comments, or requests for rehearing, the public is
encouraged to contact OPP at (202) 502-6595 or [email protected].
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: June 2, 2023.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
Appendix 1
[[Page 37532]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN08JN23.004
Appendix 2
MAILING LIST UPDATE FORM
ALABAMA GEORGIA CONNECTOR PROJECT
Name-------------------------------------------------------------------
Agency-----------------------------------------------------------------
Address----------------------------------------------------------------
City-------------------------------------------------------------------
State------------------------------------------------------------------
Zip Code---------------------------------------------------------------
[squ] Please update the mailing list
[squ] Please remove my name from the mailing list
FROM-------------------------------------------------------------------
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[[Page 37533]]
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ATTN: OEP--Gas 1, PJ-11.1
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
888 First Street NE
Washington, DC 20426
CP23-194-000, Alabama Georgia Connector Project
Staple or Tape Here
[FR Doc. 2023-12244 Filed 6-7-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
