Northern Border Pipeline Company; Notice of Scoping Period Requesting Comments on Environmental Issues for the Proposed Bison XPress Project, 75572-75576 [2023-24316]
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Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 212 / Friday, November 3, 2023 / Notices
assumptions of liability, is November
20, 2023.
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
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.
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 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.
Dated: October 30, 2023.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2023–24323 Filed 11–2–23; 8:45 am]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. CP23–544–000]
Northern Border Pipeline Company;
Notice of Scoping Period Requesting
Comments on Environmental Issues
for the Proposed Bison XPress 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 Bison XPress Project involving
construction and operation of facilities
by Northern Border Pipeline Company
(Northern Border) in in McKenzie,
Dunn, and Morton Counties, North
Dakota. The Commission will use this
environmental document in its
decision-making process to determine
whether the project is in the public
convenience and necessity.
Applications by Bison Pipeline, LLC
(Docket No. CP23–543–000) and
Wyoming Interstate Company, LLC and
Fort Union Gas Gathering, LLC (Docket
No. CP23–545–000) are associated
projects being evaluated under the
applicable Commission regulations.
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 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on
November 29, 2023. Comments may be
submitted in written form. Further
details on how to submit comments are
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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 September 15,
2023, you will need to file those
comments in Docket No. CP23–544–000
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.
Northern Border 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?’’ 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.
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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 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 (CP23–544–000)
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.
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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75573
information and navigate 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.
property would be leased from the
landowner during Project construction.
Following the completion of
construction, temporary workspace
outside of the existing facilities would
be restored to pre-construction contours
and allowed to revegetate.
Summary of the Proposed Project
Northern Border’s proposed Bison
XPress Project consists of the
replacement and expansion of
compression facilities at Northern
Border’s existing compressor stations
including Arnegard (No. 4) in McKenzie
County, North Dakota, Manning (No. 5)
in Dunn County North Dakota, and Glen
Ullin (No. 6) in Morton County, North
Dakota (Appendix 1). Upon completion,
the Bison XPress Project would (a)
replace and expand existing compressor
facilities with new, more modern and
efficient compression facilities; (b)
create 300,000 dekatherms per day of
incremental mainline natural gas
capacity from receipt points between
Northern Border’s Culbertson (No. 3)
Compressor Station and Glen Ullin (No.
6) Compressor Station (‘‘Bakken Receipt
Points’’) to its interconnection with
Bison in Morton County, North Dakota
(Kurtz Delivery Point); and (c) introduce
standby horsepower for the first time on
Northern Border’s system, as opposed to
the previous single compressor unit
design at each station.
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 Bison XPress 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;
• environmental justice;
• air quality and noise; and
• reliability and safety.
Commission staff have already
identified several issues that deserve
attention based on a preliminary review
of the proposed facilities and the
environmental information provided by
Northern Border. This preliminary list
of issues may change based on your
comments and our analysis:
• environmental justice;
• air quality; and
• cultural resources.
Commission staff will also evaluate
reasonable alternatives to the proposed
Bison XPress 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) for the Bison
XPress Project. 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 Bison
XPress Project. If Commission staff
prepares an EIS, a Notice of Intent to
Prepare an EIS/Notice of Schedule will
be issued, which will open up an
additional comment period. Staff will
Land Requirements for Construction
All facility modifications and
additions proposed as part of the Bison
XPress Project would be entirely on
property owned by Northern Border,
within Northern Border easements, or
on leased space. The Bison XPress
Project would require the use of a total
of 102.70 acres of land during
construction, including 26.86 acres at
the Arnegard Compressor Station, 33.15
acres at the Manning Compressor
Station, and 42.69 acres at the Glen
Ullin Compressor Station. Permanent
impacts (a total of 4.11 acres) would
only occur at the Manning Compressor
Station and would be associated with
the expansion of the existing facility
fence line and grading to level the land
surface. Construction activities at all
three of the compressor stations would
require temporary workspace both
within and directly adjacent to the
existing facility fence lines.
Temporary workspace outside of the
existing facility fence lines at the
compressor stations would be used
primarily for the staging, parking, and
storage of construction equipment and
materials. Temporary workspace at all
three of the compressor stations that
extends beyond Northern Border’s
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Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 212 / Friday, November 3, 2023 / Notices
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
public record through eLibrary 1 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.2
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 Office(s), and to solicit
their views and those of other
government agencies, interested Indian
instructions on connecting to eLibrary, refer
to the last page of this notice.
2 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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tribes, and the public on the project’s
potential effects on historic properties.3
The environmental document for the
project will document 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; 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
Bison XPress 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:
3 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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(1) Send an email to
GasProjectAddressChange@ferc.gov
stating your request. You must include
the docket number CP23–544–000 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
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.
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: October 30, 2023.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
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Appendix 1
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MAILING LIST UPDATE FORM
Bison XPress Project
--------------------
Name
Agency_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
-------------------
Address
City_________ State___ Zip Code_ _ __
D
Please update the mailing list
D
Please remove my name from the mailing list
FROM
ATTN: OEP - Gas 5, PJ -11.5
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
888 First Street NE
Washington, DC 20426
Docket No. CP23-544-000
Bison XPress Project
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 212 (Friday, November 3, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75572-75576]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-24316]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP23-544-000]
Northern Border Pipeline Company; Notice of Scoping Period
Requesting Comments on Environmental Issues for the Proposed Bison
XPress 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 Bison XPress Project involving
construction and operation of facilities by Northern Border Pipeline
Company (Northern Border) in in McKenzie, Dunn, and Morton Counties,
North Dakota. The Commission will use this environmental document in
its decision-making process to determine whether the project is in the
public convenience and necessity. Applications by Bison Pipeline, LLC
(Docket No. CP23-543-000) and Wyoming Interstate Company, LLC and Fort
Union Gas Gathering, LLC (Docket No. CP23-545-000) are associated
projects being evaluated under the applicable Commission regulations.
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 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on November 29, 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 September 15, 2023, you will need to file
those comments in Docket No. CP23-544-000 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.
Northern Border 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?'' 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.
[[Page 75573]]
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 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-
544-000) 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.
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 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].
Summary of the Proposed Project
Northern Border's proposed Bison XPress Project consists of the
replacement and expansion of compression facilities at Northern
Border's existing compressor stations including Arnegard (No. 4) in
McKenzie County, North Dakota, Manning (No. 5) in Dunn County North
Dakota, and Glen Ullin (No. 6) in Morton County, North Dakota (Appendix
1). Upon completion, the Bison XPress Project would (a) replace and
expand existing compressor facilities with new, more modern and
efficient compression facilities; (b) create 300,000 dekatherms per day
of incremental mainline natural gas capacity from receipt points
between Northern Border's Culbertson (No. 3) Compressor Station and
Glen Ullin (No. 6) Compressor Station (``Bakken Receipt Points'') to
its interconnection with Bison in Morton County, North Dakota (Kurtz
Delivery Point); and (c) introduce standby horsepower for the first
time on Northern Border's system, as opposed to the previous single
compressor unit design at each station.
Land Requirements for Construction
All facility modifications and additions proposed as part of the
Bison XPress Project would be entirely on property owned by Northern
Border, within Northern Border easements, or on leased space. The Bison
XPress Project would require the use of a total of 102.70 acres of land
during construction, including 26.86 acres at the Arnegard Compressor
Station, 33.15 acres at the Manning Compressor Station, and 42.69 acres
at the Glen Ullin Compressor Station. Permanent impacts (a total of
4.11 acres) would only occur at the Manning Compressor Station and
would be associated with the expansion of the existing facility fence
line and grading to level the land surface. Construction activities at
all three of the compressor stations would require temporary workspace
both within and directly adjacent to the existing facility fence lines.
Temporary workspace outside of the existing facility fence lines at
the compressor stations would be used primarily for the staging,
parking, and storage of construction equipment and materials. Temporary
workspace at all three of the compressor stations that extends beyond
Northern Border's property would be leased from the landowner during
Project construction. Following the completion of construction,
temporary workspace outside of the existing facilities would be
restored to pre-construction contours and allowed to revegetate.
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 Bison XPress 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;
environmental justice;
air quality and noise; and
reliability and safety.
Commission staff have already identified several issues that
deserve attention based on a preliminary review of the proposed
facilities and the environmental information provided by Northern
Border. This preliminary list of issues may change based on your
comments and our analysis:
environmental justice;
air quality; and
cultural resources.
Commission staff will also evaluate reasonable alternatives to the
proposed Bison XPress 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) for the Bison XPress Project. 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 Bison XPress Project. If Commission staff prepares an EIS,
a Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS/Notice of Schedule will be issued,
which will open up an additional comment period. Staff will
[[Page 75574]]
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 public record through eLibrary
\1\ 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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\1\ 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.\2\ 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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\2\ 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 Office(s),
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.\3\ The environmental document for the
project will document findings on the impacts on historic properties
and summarize the status of consultations under section 106.
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\3\ 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 Bison XPress 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 CP23-544-000 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.
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: October 30, 2023.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
Appendix 1
[[Page 75575]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN03NO23.029
Appendix 2
[[Page 75576]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN03NO23.030
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN03NO23.031
[FR Doc. 2023-24316 Filed 11-2-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-C
