Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC; Notice of Scoping Period Requesting Comments on Environmental Issues for the Planned Southeast Supply Enhancement Project, and Notice of Public Scoping Session, 41427-41430 [2024-10344]
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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 93 / Monday, May 13, 2024 / Notices
Applicants: Alabama Power
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filing per 35.17(b): Shortleaf Solar LGIA
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Comment Date: 5 p.m. ET 5/28/24.
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Filed Date: 5/3/24.
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Comment Date: 5 p.m. ET 5/24/24.
Docket Numbers: ER24–1946–000.
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Description: § 205(d) Rate Filing:
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Applicants: Keystone Appalachian
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Filed Date: 5/6/24.
Accession Number: 20240506–5066.
Comment Date: 5 p.m. ET 5/28/24.
The filings are accessible in the
Commission’s eLibrary system by
clicking on the links or querying the
docket number.
Any person desiring to intervene, to
protest, or to answer a complaint in any
of the above proceedings must file in
accordance with Rules 211, 214, or 206
of the Commission’s Regulations (18
CFR 385.211, 385.214, or 385.206) on or
before 5:00 p.m. Eastern time on the
specified comment date. Protests may be
considered, but intervention is
necessary to become a party to the
proceeding.
eFiling is encouraged. More detailed
information relating to filing
requirements, interventions, protests,
service, and qualifying facilities filings
can be found at: https://www.ferc.gov/
docs-filing/efiling/filing-req.pdf. For
other information, call (866) 208–3676
(toll free). For TTY, call (202) 502–8659.
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: May 6, 2024.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2024–10269 Filed 5–10–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. PF24–2–000]
Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line
Company, LLC; Notice of Scoping
Period Requesting Comments on
Environmental Issues for the Planned
Southeast Supply Enhancement
Project, and Notice of Public Scoping
Session
The staff of the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) will prepare an
environmental document that will
discuss the environmental impacts of
the Southeast Supply Enhancement
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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 93 / Monday, May 13, 2024 / Notices
Project involving construction and
operation of facilities by
Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line
Company, LLC (Transco) in Virginia,
North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia,
and Alabama. 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 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on June
6, 2024. Comments may be submitted in
written or oral form. Further details on
how to submit comments are provided
in the Public Participation section of
this notice.
Your comments should focus on the
potential environmental effects,
reasonable alternatives, and measures to
avoid or lessen environmental impacts.
Your input will help the Commission
staff determine what issues they need to
evaluate in the environmental
document. Commission staff will
consider all written and oral 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 February 1,
2024, you will need to file those
comments in Docket No. PF24–2–000 to
ensure they are considered.
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 planned
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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
planned facilities. The company would
seek to negotiate a mutually acceptable
easement agreement. You are not
required to enter into an agreement.
However, if the Commission approves
the project, the Natural Gas Act conveys
the right of eminent domain to the
company. Therefore, if you and the
company do not reach an easement
agreement, the pipeline company could
initiate condemnation proceedings in
court. In such instances, compensation
would be determined by a judge in
accordance with state law. The
Commission does not subsequently
grant, exercise, or oversee the exercise
of that eminent domain authority. The
courts have exclusive authority to
handle eminent domain cases; the
Commission has no jurisdiction over
these matters.
A fact sheet prepared by the FERC
entitled ‘‘An Interstate Natural Gas
Facility On My Land? What Do I Need
To Know?’’ addresses typically asked
questions, including the use of eminent
domain and how to participate in the
Commission’s proceedings. This fact
sheet along with other landowner topics
of interest are available for viewing on
the FERC website (www.ferc.gov) under
the Natural Gas, Landowner Topics link.
Public Participation
There are four methods you can use
to submit your comments to the
Commission. Please carefully follow
these instructions so that your
comments are properly recorded. The
Commission encourages electronic filing
of comments and has staff available to
assist you at (866) 208–3676 or
FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov.
(1) You can file your comments
electronically using the eComment
feature, which is located on the
Commission’s website (www.ferc.gov)
under the link to FERC Online. Using
eComment is an easy method for
submitting brief, text-only comments on
a project;
(2) You can file your comments
electronically by using the eFiling
feature, which is located on the
Commission’s website (www.ferc.gov)
under the link to FERC Online. With
eFiling, you can provide comments in a
variety of formats by attaching them as
a file with your submission. New
eFiling users must first create an
account by clicking on ‘‘eRegister.’’ You
will be asked to select the type of filing
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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 (PF24–2–000) on
your letter. Submissions sent via the
U.S. Postal Service must be addressed
to: Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Acting
Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, 888 First Street NE, Room
1A, Washington, DC 20426.
Submissions sent via any other carrier
must be addressed to: Debbie-Anne A.
Reese, Acting Secretary, Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission, 12225 Wilkins
Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20852.
(4) In lieu of sending written
comments, the Commission invites you
to attend the virtual public scoping
session its staff will conduct by
telephone, scheduled as follows:
Date and Time
Tuesday, May 21, 2024
6:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time
Call in number: 888–810–4938
Participant passcode: 2443865
Note that the scoping session will
start at 6:00 p.m. and will end once all
participants wishing to comment have
had the opportunity to do so, or at 8:00
p.m., whichever comes first. Individual
oral comments will be taken one at a
time with a court reporter present on the
line.
There will be a brief introduction by
Commission staff when the session
opens, so please attempt to call in at the
beginning of the session. All
participants will be able to hear the
comments provided by other
participants; however, all lines will
remain closed during the comments of
others and then opened one at a time for
providing comments. Once you call in,
the operator will provide directions on
how to indicate you would like to
provide a comment. A time limit of 3
minutes may be implemented for each
commentor.
Your oral comments will be recorded
by the court reporter and become part of
the public record for this proceeding.
Transcripts of all comments received
during the scoping session will be
publicly available on FERC’s eLibrary
system (see the last page of this notice
for instructions on using eLibrary).
FERC staff intend to conduct
additional in-person public scoping
sessions in the Project area. Once
scheduled, scoping meeting dates,
times, and locations will be provided in
a separate notice at least two weeks
prior to the date of the meeting(s).
Additionally, the Commission offers a
free service called eSubscription, which
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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 93 / Monday, May 13, 2024 / Notices
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 OPP@
ferc.gov.
lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1
Summary of the Planned Project
Transco plans to construct, modify,
and operate natural gas pipeline
facilities along its existing pipeline
system in Virginia, North Carolina,
South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama.
The Southeast Supply Enhancement
Project would provide 1,586,900
Dekatherms per day of new firm
transportation capacity to the midAtlantic and southeast United States.
According to Transco, its project would
remove pipeline capacity constraints
and meet growing natural gas-fired
power generation, commercial,
residential, and industrial demand in
the region. The Southeast Supply
Enhancement Project would consist of
the facilities listed below.
• Construction of approximately 30.6
miles of 42-inch-diameter pipeline in
Pittsylvania County, Virginia and
Rockingham County, North Carolina,
designated as the Eden Loop.1
• Construction of approximately 24.0
miles of 42-inch-diameter pipeline in
Guilford, Forsyth, and Davidson
Counties, North Carolina, designated as
the Salem Loop.
• Addition of compressor units at the
following existing Transco compressor
stations (CS):
Æ CS 165 in Pittsylvania County,
Virginia (two compressor units);
Æ CS 155 in Davidson County, North
Carolina (three compressor units); and
Æ CS 150 in Iredell County, North
Carolina (one compressor unit).
1 A pipeline loop is a segment of pipe constructed
parallel to an existing pipeline to increase capacity.
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• Replacement of three existing
compressor units with larger
compressor units at Transco’s existing
CS 145 in Cleveland County, North
Carolina.
• Piping modifications at the
following existing Transco compressor
stations:
Æ CS 135 in Anderson County, South
Carolina;
Æ CS 125 in Walton County, Georgia;
Æ CS 120 in Henry County, Georgia;
and
Æ CS 105 in Coosa County, Alabama.
• Regulator installation on the Eden
Loop near mileposts 1382.5 and 1382.7
in Rockingham County, North Carolina
and at CS 120 in Henry County, Georgia.
The general location of the project
facilities is shown in appendix 1.
Land Requirements for Construction
Based on preliminary estimates,
construction of the planned facilities
would disturb about 961 acres of land
for the aboveground facilities and the
pipeline. Following construction,
Transco would maintain about 392 acres
for permanent operation of the project’s
facilities; the remaining acreage would
be restored. Most of the planned
pipeline route parallels Transco’s
existing pipeline rights-of-way.
NEPA Process and the Environmental
Document
Any environmental document issued
by Commission staff will discuss
impacts that could occur as a result of
the construction and operation of the
planned 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;
• reliability and safety; and
• climate change.
Commission staff will also evaluate
reasonable alternatives to the planned
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.
Although no formal application has
been filed, Commission staff have
already initiated a NEPA review under
the Commission’s pre-filing process.
The purpose of the pre-filing process is
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41429
to encourage early involvement of
interested stakeholders and to identify
and resolve issues before the
Commission receives an application. As
part of the pre-filing review,
Commission staff will contact federal
and state agencies to discuss their
involvement in the scoping process and
the preparation of the environmental
document.
If a formal application is filed,
Commission staff will then determine
whether to prepare an Environmental
Assessment (EA) or an Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS). The EA or the
EIS will present Commission staff’s
independent analysis of the
environmental issues. If Commission
staff prepares an EA, a Notice of
Schedule for the Preparation of an
Environmental Assessment will be
issued. The EA may be issued for an
allotted public comment period. The
Commission would consider timely
comments on the EA before making its
determination on the proposed project.
If Commission staff prepares an EIS, a
Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS/
Notice of Schedule will be issued once
an application is filed, which will open
an additional public comment period.
Staff will then prepare a draft EIS that
will be issued for public comment.
Commission staff will consider all
timely comments received during the
comment period on the draft EIS, and
revise the document, as necessary,
before issuing a final EIS. Any EA or
draft and final EIS will be available in
electronic format in the public record
through eLibrary 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 related to 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.
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 40 CFR 1501.8.
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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 93 / Monday, May 13, 2024 / Notices
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.4
The environmental document for this
project will document our findings on
the impacts on historic properties and
summarize the status of consultations
under section 106.
lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1
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 planned
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 PF24–2–000 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).
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Becoming an Intervenor
Commission Information Collection
Activities (FERC–582) Comment
Request; Extension
Once Transco files its application
with the Commission, you may want to
become an ‘‘intervenor’’ which is an
official party to the Commission’s
proceeding. Only intervenors have the
right to seek rehearing of the
Commission’s decision and be heard by
the courts if they choose to appeal the
Commission’s final ruling. An
intervenor formally participates in the
proceeding by filing a request to
intervene pursuant to Rule 214 of the
Commission’s Rules of Practice and
Procedures (18 CFR 385.214). Motions
to intervene are more fully described at
https://www.ferc.gov/how-intervene.
Please note that the Commission will
not accept requests for intervenor status
at this time. You must wait until the
Commission receives a formal
application for the project, after which
the Commission will issue a public
notice that establishes an intervention
deadline.
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 (www.ferc.gov) using the
eLibrary link. Click on the eLibrary link,
click on ‘‘General Search’’ and enter the
docket number in the ‘‘Docket Number’’
field. Be sure you have selected an
appropriate date range. For assistance,
please contact FERC Online Support at
FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or toll free
at (866) 208–3676, or for TTY, contact
(202) 502–8659. The eLibrary link also
provides access to the texts of all formal
documents issued by the Commission,
such as orders, notices, and
rulemakings.
Public sessions or site visits will be
posted on the Commission’s calendar
located at https://www.ferc.gov/newsevents/events along with other related
information.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2024–10344 Filed 5–10–24; 8:45 am]
4 The
Advisory Council on Historic Preservation
regulations are at 36 CFR 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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BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
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Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. IC24–12–000]
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission.
ACTION: Notice of information collection
and request for comments.
AGENCY:
In compliance with the
requirements of the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
(Commission or FERC) is soliciting
public comment on the currently
approved information collection, FERC–
582, Electric Fees, Annual Charges,
Waivers, and Exemptions, OMB Control
Number 1902–0132, which will be
submitted to the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) for review.
DATES: Comments on the collection of
information are due June 12, 2024.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments on
FERC–582 to OMB through
www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain.
Attention: Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission Desk Officer. Please
identify the OMB Control Number
(1902–0132) in the subject line of your
comments. Comments should be sent
within 30 days of publication of this
notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/
PRAMain.
Please submit copies of your
comments to the Commission. You may
submit copies of your comments
(identified by Docket No. IC24–12–000
and FERC–582) by one of the following
methods: Electronic filing through
https://www.ferc.gov, is preferred.
• Electronic Filing: Documents must
be filed in acceptable native
applications and print-to-PDF, but not
in scanned or picture format.
• For those unable to file
electronically, comments may be filed
by USPS mail or by hand (including
courier) delivery.
• Mail via U.S. Postal Service Only:
Addressed to: Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission, Secretary of the
Commission, 888 First Street NE,
Washington, DC 20426.
• Hand (including courier) delivery:
Deliver to: Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, Secretary of the
Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue,
Rockville, MD 20852.
Instructions: OMB submissions must
be formatted and filed in accordance
with submission guidelines at
SUMMARY:
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 93 (Monday, May 13, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41427-41430]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-10344]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. PF24-2-000]
Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC; Notice of Scoping
Period Requesting Comments on Environmental Issues for the Planned
Southeast Supply Enhancement Project, and Notice of Public Scoping
Session
The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) will prepare an environmental document that will discuss
the environmental impacts of the Southeast Supply Enhancement
[[Page 41428]]
Project involving construction and operation of facilities by
Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC (Transco) in Virginia,
North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama. 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 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on June 6, 2024. Comments may be
submitted in written or oral form. Further details on how to submit
comments are provided in the Public Participation section of this
notice.
Your comments should focus on the potential environmental effects,
reasonable alternatives, and measures to avoid or lessen environmental
impacts. Your input will help the Commission staff determine what
issues they need to evaluate in the environmental document. Commission
staff will consider all written and oral 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 February 1, 2024, you will need to file
those comments in Docket No. PF24-2-000 to ensure they are considered.
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 planned
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 planned facilities. The company
would seek to negotiate a mutually acceptable easement agreement. You
are not required to enter into an agreement. However, if the Commission
approves the project, the Natural Gas Act conveys the right of eminent
domain to the company. Therefore, if you and the company do not reach
an easement agreement, the pipeline company could initiate condemnation
proceedings in court. In such instances, compensation would be
determined by a judge in accordance with state law. The Commission does
not subsequently grant, exercise, or oversee the exercise of that
eminent domain authority. The courts have exclusive authority to handle
eminent domain cases; the Commission has no jurisdiction over these
matters.
A fact sheet prepared by the FERC entitled ``An Interstate Natural
Gas Facility On My Land? What Do I Need To Know?'' addresses typically
asked questions, including the use of eminent domain and how to
participate in the Commission's proceedings. This fact sheet along with
other landowner topics of interest are available for viewing on the
FERC website (www.ferc.gov) under the Natural Gas, Landowner Topics
link.
Public Participation
There are four methods you can use to submit your comments to the
Commission. Please carefully follow these instructions so that your
comments are properly recorded. The Commission encourages electronic
filing of comments and has staff available to assist you at (866) 208-
3676 or [email protected].
(1) You can file your comments electronically using the eComment
feature, which is located on the Commission's website (www.ferc.gov)
under the link to FERC Online. Using eComment is an easy method for
submitting brief, text-only comments on a project;
(2) You can file your comments electronically by using the eFiling
feature, which is located on the Commission's website (www.ferc.gov)
under the link to FERC Online. With eFiling, you can provide comments
in a variety of formats by attaching them as a file with your
submission. New eFiling users must first create an account by clicking
on ``eRegister.'' You 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 (PF24-2-
000) on your letter. Submissions sent via the U.S. Postal Service must
be addressed to: Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Acting Secretary, Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Room 1A, Washington, DC
20426. Submissions sent via any other carrier must be addressed to:
Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Acting Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20852.
(4) In lieu of sending written comments, the Commission invites you
to attend the virtual public scoping session its staff will conduct by
telephone, scheduled as follows:
Date and Time
Tuesday, May 21, 2024
6:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time
Call in number: 888-810-4938
Participant passcode: 2443865
Note that the scoping session will start at 6:00 p.m. and will end
once all participants wishing to comment have had the opportunity to do
so, or at 8:00 p.m., whichever comes first. Individual oral comments
will be taken one at a time with a court reporter present on the line.
There will be a brief introduction by Commission staff when the
session opens, so please attempt to call in at the beginning of the
session. All participants will be able to hear the comments provided by
other participants; however, all lines will remain closed during the
comments of others and then opened one at a time for providing
comments. Once you call in, the operator will provide directions on how
to indicate you would like to provide a comment. A time limit of 3
minutes may be implemented for each commentor.
Your oral comments will be recorded by the court reporter and
become part of the public record for this proceeding. Transcripts of
all comments received during the scoping session will be publicly
available on FERC's eLibrary system (see the last page of this notice
for instructions on using eLibrary).
FERC staff intend to conduct additional in-person public scoping
sessions in the Project area. Once scheduled, scoping meeting dates,
times, and locations will be provided in a separate notice at least two
weeks prior to the date of the meeting(s).
Additionally, the Commission offers a free service called
eSubscription, which
[[Page 41429]]
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 Planned Project
Transco plans to construct, modify, and operate natural gas
pipeline facilities along its existing pipeline system in Virginia,
North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama. The Southeast
Supply Enhancement Project would provide 1,586,900 Dekatherms per day
of new firm transportation capacity to the mid-Atlantic and southeast
United States. According to Transco, its project would remove pipeline
capacity constraints and meet growing natural gas-fired power
generation, commercial, residential, and industrial demand in the
region. The Southeast Supply Enhancement Project would consist of the
facilities listed below.
Construction of approximately 30.6 miles of 42-inch-
diameter pipeline in Pittsylvania County, Virginia and Rockingham
County, North Carolina, designated as the Eden Loop.\1\
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\1\ A pipeline loop is a segment of pipe constructed parallel to
an existing pipeline to increase capacity.
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Construction of approximately 24.0 miles of 42-inch-
diameter pipeline in Guilford, Forsyth, and Davidson Counties, North
Carolina, designated as the Salem Loop.
Addition of compressor units at the following existing
Transco compressor stations (CS):
[cir] CS 165 in Pittsylvania County, Virginia (two compressor
units);
[cir] CS 155 in Davidson County, North Carolina (three compressor
units); and
[cir] CS 150 in Iredell County, North Carolina (one compressor
unit).
Replacement of three existing compressor units with larger
compressor units at Transco's existing CS 145 in Cleveland County,
North Carolina.
Piping modifications at the following existing Transco
compressor stations:
[cir] CS 135 in Anderson County, South Carolina;
[cir] CS 125 in Walton County, Georgia;
[cir] CS 120 in Henry County, Georgia; and
[cir] CS 105 in Coosa County, Alabama.
Regulator installation on the Eden Loop near mileposts
1382.5 and 1382.7 in Rockingham County, North Carolina and at CS 120 in
Henry County, Georgia.
The general location of the project facilities is shown in appendix
1.
Land Requirements for Construction
Based on preliminary estimates, construction of the planned
facilities would disturb about 961 acres of land for the aboveground
facilities and the pipeline. Following construction, Transco would
maintain about 392 acres for permanent operation of the project's
facilities; the remaining acreage would be restored. Most of the
planned pipeline route parallels Transco's existing pipeline rights-of-
way.
NEPA Process and the Environmental Document
Any environmental document issued by Commission staff will discuss
impacts that could occur as a result of the construction and operation
of the planned 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;
reliability and safety; and
climate change.
Commission staff will also evaluate reasonable alternatives to the
planned 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.
Although no formal application has been filed, Commission staff
have already initiated a NEPA review under the Commission's pre-filing
process. The purpose of the pre-filing process is to encourage early
involvement of interested stakeholders and to identify and resolve
issues before the Commission receives an application. As part of the
pre-filing review, Commission staff will contact federal and state
agencies to discuss their involvement in the scoping process and the
preparation of the environmental document.
If a formal application is filed, Commission staff will then
determine whether to prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA) or an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The EA or the EIS will present
Commission staff's independent analysis of the environmental issues. If
Commission staff prepares an EA, a Notice of Schedule for the
Preparation of an Environmental Assessment will be issued. The EA may
be issued for an allotted public comment period. The Commission would
consider timely comments on the EA before making its determination on
the proposed project. If Commission staff prepares an EIS, a Notice of
Intent to Prepare an EIS/Notice of Schedule will be issued once an
application is filed, which will open an additional public comment
period. Staff will then prepare a draft EIS that will be issued for
public comment. Commission staff will consider all timely comments
received during the comment period on the draft EIS, and revise the
document, as necessary, before issuing a final EIS. Any EA or draft and
final EIS will be available in electronic format in the public record
through eLibrary \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 related to 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 40 CFR 1501.8.
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[[Page 41430]]
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.\4\ The environmental document for this
project will document our 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 regulations
are at 36 CFR 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 planned 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 PF24-2-000 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).
Becoming an Intervenor
Once Transco files its application with the Commission, you may
want to become an ``intervenor'' which is an official party to the
Commission's proceeding. Only intervenors have the right to seek
rehearing of the Commission's decision and be heard by the courts if
they choose to appeal the Commission's final ruling. An intervenor
formally participates in the proceeding by filing a request to
intervene pursuant to Rule 214 of the Commission's Rules of Practice
and Procedures (18 CFR 385.214). Motions to intervene are more fully
described at https://www.ferc.gov/how-intervene. Please note that the
Commission will not accept requests for intervenor status at this time.
You must wait until the Commission receives a formal application for
the project, after which the Commission will issue a public notice that
establishes an intervention deadline.
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 (www.ferc.gov) using the eLibrary link. Click on the
eLibrary link, click on ``General Search'' and enter the docket number
in the ``Docket Number'' field. Be sure you have selected an
appropriate date range. For assistance, please contact FERC Online
Support at [email protected] or toll free at (866) 208-3676,
or for TTY, contact (202) 502-8659. The eLibrary link also provides
access to the texts of all formal documents issued by the Commission,
such as orders, notices, and rulemakings.
Public sessions or site visits will be posted on the Commission's
calendar located at https://www.ferc.gov/news-events/events along with
other related information.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2024-10344 Filed 5-10-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
