Great Basin Gas Transmission Company; Notice of Scoping Period Requesting Comments on Environmental Issues for the Planned Gabbs Lateral FNAS Relocation Project, 83870-83873 [2024-23847]
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83870
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 202 / Friday, October 18, 2024 / Notices
issued in this proceeding and to
subsequently challenge the
Commission’s orders in the U.S. Circuit
Courts of Appeal.
To intervene, you must submit a
motion to intervene to the Commission
in accordance with Rule 214 of the
Commission’s Rules of Practice and
Procedure 4 and the regulations under
the NGA 5 by the intervention deadline
for the project, which is December 10,
2024. As described further in Rule 214,
your motion to intervene must state, to
the extent known, your position
regarding the proceeding, as well as
your interest in the proceeding. For an
individual, this could include your
status as a landowner, ratepayer,
resident of an impacted community, or
recreationist. You do not need to have
property directly impacted by the
project in order to intervene. For more
information about motions to intervene,
refer to the FERC website at https://
www.ferc.gov/resources/guides/how-to/
intervene.asp.
All timely, unopposed motions to
intervene are automatically granted by
operation of Rule 214(c)(1). Motions to
intervene that are filed after the
intervention deadline are untimely and
may be denied. Any late-filed motion to
intervene must show good cause for
being late and must explain why the
time limitation should be waived and
provide justification by reference to
factors set forth in Rule 214(d) of the
Commission’s Rules and Regulations. A
person obtaining party status will be
placed on the service list maintained by
the Secretary of the Commission and
will receive copies (paper or electronic)
of all documents filed by the applicant
and by all other parties.
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Comments
Any person wishing to comment on
the project may do so. The Commission
considers all comments received about
the project in determining the
appropriate action to be taken. To
ensure that your comments are timely
and properly recorded, please submit
your comments on or before December
10, 2024. The filing of a comment alone
will not serve to make the filer a party
to the proceeding. To become a party,
you must intervene in the proceeding.
How To File Protests, Interventions, and
Comments
There are two ways to submit
protests, motions to intervene, and
comments. In both instances, please
reference the Project docket number
CP25–1–000 in your submission.
4 18
5 18
CFR 385.214.
CFR 157.10.
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(1) You may file your protest, motion
to intervene, and comments by using the
Commission’s eFiling feature, which is
located on the Commission’s website
(www.ferc.gov) under the link to
Documents and Filings. 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; first select ‘‘General’’ and then
select ‘‘Protest’’, ‘‘Intervention’’, or
‘‘Comment on a Filing’’; or 6
(2) You can file a paper copy of your
submission by mailing it to the address
below. Your submission must reference
the Project docket number CP25–1–000.
To file via USPS: Debbie-Anne A.
Reese, Secretary, Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street
NE, Washington, DC 20426.
To file via any other method: DebbieAnne A. Reese, Secretary, Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission, 12225
Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, Maryland
20852.
The Commission encourages
electronic filing of submissions (option
1 above) and has eFiling staff available
to assist you at (202) 502–8258 or
FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov.
Protests and motions to intervene
must be served on the applicant either
by mail at: Francisco Tarin, Director,
Regulatory, Kinder Morgan, Inc., as
Operator of Natural Gas Pipeline
Company of America, LLC, 2 North
Nevada Avenue, Colorado Springs,
Colorado 80903, or by email at
francisco_tarin@kindermorgan.com.
Any subsequent submissions by an
intervenor must be served on the
applicant and all other parties to the
proceeding. Contact information for
parties can be downloaded from the
service list at the eService link on FERC
Online.
Tracking the Proceeding
Throughout the proceeding,
additional information about the project
will be 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
as described above. The eLibrary link
also provides access to the texts of all
formal documents issued by the
Commission, such as orders, notices,
and rulemakings.
In addition, the Commission offers a
free service called eSubscription which
allows you to keep track of all formal
6 Additionally, you may file your comments
electronically by using the eComment feature,
which is located on the Commission’s website at
www.ferc.gov under the link to Documents and
Filings. Using eComment is an easy method for
interested persons to submit brief, text-only
comments on a project.
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issuances and submittals in specific
dockets. This can reduce the amount of
time you spend researching proceedings
by automatically providing you with
notification of these filings, document
summaries, and direct links to the
documents. For more information and to
register, go to www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/
esubscription.asp.
Dated: October 11, 2024.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2024–24170 Filed 10–17–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. PF24–6–000]
Great Basin Gas Transmission
Company; Notice of Scoping Period
Requesting Comments on
Environmental Issues for the Planned
Gabbs Lateral FNAS Relocation
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 Gabbs Lateral FNAS Project (Project)
involving construction and operation of
facilities by Great Basin Gas
Transmission Company (Great Basin) in
Mineral and Nye Counties, Nevada. 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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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 202 / Friday, October 18, 2024 / Notices
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 Nov 8,
2024. 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 July 9, 2024,
you will need to file those comments in
Docket No. PF24–6–000 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.
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
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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 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 (PF24–6–000) 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.
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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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.
Summary of the Proposed Project
Great Basin plans to relocate the
Gabbs Lateral in Mineral and Nye
Counties, Nevada from its current
location on the United States Navy’s
Fallon Naval Air Station to an area
outside of the expanded footprint of the
range training complex. The Project
would not provide any incremental
capacity.
The Project would consist of the
following facilities and activities:
• construction of about 33 miles of
new 8-inch-diameter (18.8 miles) and 6inch-diameter (13.8 miles) pipeline;
• abandonment in-place or by
removal of about 21 miles of 8-inchdiameter (18.5 miles) and 6-inchdiameter (2.4 miles) pipeline on Great
Basin’s Gabbs Lateral;
• relocation of the Sheelite rectifier;
• replacement of a thermoelectric
generator for the cathodic protection
system; and
• installation of two aboveground
valve assemblies.
The general location of the Project
facilities is shown in appendix 1.1
Land Requirements for Construction
Construction of the planned facilities
would disturb about 558 acres of land.
Following construction, Great Basin
would maintain about 240 acres for
permanent operation of the project’s
facilities; the remaining temporary
workspaces would be restored and
revert to former uses. Great Basin plans
to abandon about 127 acres of land and
grant possession to the Navy. All work
is expected to occur within land
managed by the Bureau of Land
Management.
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. For assistance, contact FERC at
FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or call toll free, (886)
208–3676 or TTY (202) 502–8659.
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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 202 / Friday, October 18, 2024 / Notices
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NEPA Process and the Environmental
Document
Any environmental document issued
by Commission staff will discuss
impacts that could occur as a result of
the construction and operation of the
planned 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 and visual resources;
• socioeconomics and traffic;
• environmental justice;
• air quality and noise; and
• reliability and safety.
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.
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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 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. Currently, the
Bureau of Land Management has
expressed their intention to participate
as a cooperating agency in the
preparation of the environmental
document to satisfy their NEPA
responsibilities related to this project.
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 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
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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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 PF24–6–000 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 Great Basin 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
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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 202 / Friday, October 18, 2024 / Notices
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 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.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2024–23847 Filed 10–17–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. CP24–529–000]
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Notice of Application and Establishing
Intervention Deadline; Tennessee Gas
Pipeline, L.L.C.
Take notice that on September 30,
2024, Tennessee Gas Pipeline, L.L.C.
(Tennessee), 1001 Louisiana Street,
Suite 1000, Houston, Texas 77002, filed
an application under section 7(b) of the
Natural Gas Act (NGA), and Part 157 of
the Commission’s regulations requesting
authorization for its 507G Line
Abandonment Project (Project). The
Project consists of the abandonment in
place and by removal of a portion of
Tennessee’s mainline pipeline, Line
507G–100, consisting of approximately
75.38 miles of 16-inch-diameter
pipeline and associated appurtenances;
and the abandonment of a pipeline
supply lateral, Line 507G–500,
consisting of approximately 9.05 miles
of 12-inch-diameter pipeline and
associated appurtenances. The Project
facilities are located in Acadia,
Vermilion, Iberia, and St. Mary Parishes,
Louisiana. Tennessee estimates the total
cost of the Project to be $46.4 million,
all as more fully set forth in the
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16:48 Oct 17, 2024
Jkt 265001
application which is on file with the
Commission and open for public
inspection.
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). From the Commission’s
Home Page on the internet, this
information is available on eLibrary.
The full text of this document is
available on eLibrary in PDF and
Microsoft Word format for viewing,
printing, and/or downloading. To access
this document in eLibrary, type the
docket number excluding the last three
digits of this document in the docket
number field.
User assistance is available for
eLibrary and the Commission’s website
during normal business hours from
FERC Online Support at 202–502–6652
(toll free at 1–866–208–3676) or email at
ferconlinesupport@ferc.gov, or the
Public Reference Room at (202) 502–
8371, TTY (202) 502–8659. Email the
Public Reference Room at
public.referenceroom@ferc.gov.
Any questions regarding the proposed
project should be directed to Tina
Hardy, Director of Regulatory,
Tennessee Gas Pipeline, L.L.C., 569
Brookwood Village, Suite 600,
Birmingham, Alabama 35209, by phone
at (205) 325–3668, or by email at tina_
hardy@kindermorgan.com.
Pursuant to section 157.9 of the
Commission’s Rules of Practice and
Procedure,1 within 90 days of this
Notice the Commission staff will either:
complete its environmental review and
place it into the Commission’s public
record (eLibrary) for this proceeding; or
issue a Notice of Schedule for
Environmental Review. If a Notice of
Schedule for Environmental Review is
issued, it will indicate, among other
milestones, the anticipated date for the
Commission staff’s issuance of the final
environmental impact statement (FEIS)
or environmental assessment (EA) for
this proposal. The filing of an EA in the
Commission’s public record for this
proceeding or the issuance of a Notice
of Schedule for Environmental Review
will serve to notify federal and state
agencies of the timing for the
completion of all necessary reviews, and
the subsequent need to complete all
federal authorizations within 90 days of
the date of issuance of the Commission
staff’s FEIS or EA.
1 18
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CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) 157.9.
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83873
Public Participation
There are three ways to become
involved in the Commission’s review of
this project: you can file comments on
the project, you can protest the filing,
and you can file a motion to intervene
in the proceeding. There is no fee or
cost for filing comments or intervening.
The deadline for filing a motion to
intervene is 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on
November 1, 2024. How to file protests,
motions to intervene, and comments is
explained below.
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.
Comments
Any person wishing to comment on
the project may do so. Comments may
include statements of support or
objections, to the project as a whole or
specific aspects of the project. The more
specific your comments, the more useful
they will be.
Protests
Pursuant to sections 157.10(a)(4) 2 and
385.211 3 of the Commission’s
regulations under the NGA, any person 4
may file a protest to the application.
Protests must comply with the
requirements specified in section
385.2001 5 of the Commission’s
regulations. A protest may also serve as
a motion to intervene so long as the
protestor states it also seeks to be an
intervenor.
To ensure that your comments or
protests are timely and properly
recorded, please submit your comments
on or before November 1, 2024.
There are three methods you can use
to submit your comments or protests to
the Commission. In all instances, please
reference the Project docket number
CP24–529–000 in your submission.
(1) You may file your comments
electronically by using the eComment
feature, which is located on the
2 18
CFR 157.10(a)(4).
CFR 385.211.
4 Persons include individuals, organizations,
businesses, municipalities, and other entities. 18
CFR 385.102(d).
5 18 CFR 385.2001.
3 18
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 202 (Friday, October 18, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 83870-83873]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-23847]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. PF24-6-000]
Great Basin Gas Transmission Company; Notice of Scoping Period
Requesting Comments on Environmental Issues for the Planned Gabbs
Lateral FNAS Relocation 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 Gabbs Lateral FNAS Project (Project)
involving construction and operation of facilities by Great Basin Gas
Transmission Company (Great Basin) in Mineral and Nye Counties, Nevada.
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.
[[Page 83871]]
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 Nov 8, 2024. 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 July 9, 2024, you will need to file those
comments in Docket No. PF24-6-000 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.
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 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 (PF24-6-
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.
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
Great Basin plans to relocate the Gabbs Lateral in Mineral and Nye
Counties, Nevada from its current location on the United States Navy's
Fallon Naval Air Station to an area outside of the expanded footprint
of the range training complex. The Project would not provide any
incremental capacity.
The Project would consist of the following facilities and
activities:
construction of about 33 miles of new 8-inch-diameter
(18.8 miles) and 6-inch-diameter (13.8 miles) pipeline;
abandonment in-place or by removal of about 21 miles of 8-
inch-diameter (18.5 miles) and 6-inch-diameter (2.4 miles) pipeline on
Great Basin's Gabbs Lateral;
relocation of the Sheelite rectifier;
replacement of a thermoelectric generator for the cathodic
protection system; and
installation of two aboveground valve assemblies.
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. 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 planned facilities would disturb about 558
acres of land. Following construction, Great Basin would maintain about
240 acres for permanent operation of the project's facilities; the
remaining temporary workspaces would be restored and revert to former
uses. Great Basin plans to abandon about 127 acres of land and grant
possession to the Navy. All work is expected to occur within land
managed by the Bureau of Land Management.
[[Page 83872]]
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 and visual resources;
socioeconomics and traffic;
environmental justice;
air quality and noise; and
reliability and safety.
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 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. Currently, the Bureau of Land Management has expressed their
intention to participate as a cooperating agency in the preparation of
the environmental document to satisfy their NEPA responsibilities
related to this project.
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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 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 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 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 PF24-6-000 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 Great Basin 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
[[Page 83873]]
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 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.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2024-23847 Filed 10-17-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P