[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 69 (Thursday, April 9, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Page 19940]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-07496]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket Nos. CP11-1-000]
Pine Prairie Energy Center, LLC; Notice of Extension of Time
Request
Take notice that on March 31, 2020, Pine Prairie Energy Center, LLC
(Pine Prairie) requested that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
(Commission) grant an extension of time, until May 18, 2023, to
construct and place into service two underground storage caverns
(Cavern Nos. 6 and 7) which are part of the Phase III Expansion portion
of its Pine Prairie Energy Center facilities. The Phase III Expansion
Project was authorized on May 19, 2011 and the Pine Prairie Energy
Center was originally authorized on November 23, 2004.
Pine Prairie was initially required to construct the Phase III
Expansion facilities and place them into service by May 19, 2014. On
April 22, 2014, the Office of Energy Projects, by delegated order,
extended the deadline through May 18, 2017. On March 28, 2017 the
Office of Energy Projects, by delegated order, extended the deadline
through May 18, 2020. Pine Prairie now requests a three-year extension
of this deadline through May 18, 2023. To date, Pine Prairie has not
been able to construct Cavern Nos. 6 and 7 because the required
approvals from the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources have been
delayed.
This notice establishes a 15-calendar day intervention and comment
period deadline. Any person wishing to comment on the extension motion
may do so. No reply comments or answers will be considered. If you wish
to obtain legal status by becoming a party to the proceedings for this
request, you should, on or before the comment date stated below, file a
motion to intervene in accordance with the requirements of the
Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.214 or
385.211) and the Regulations under the Natural Gas Act (18 CFR 157.10).
However, only motions to intervene from entities that were party to the
underlying proceeding will be accepted.
As a matter of practice, the Commission itself generally acts on
requests for extensions of time to complete construction for NGA
facilities when such requests are contested before order issuance. For
those extension requests that are contested,\1\ the Commission acting
as a whole will aim to issue an order acting on the request within 45
days.\2\ The Commission will address all arguments relating to whether
the applicant has demonstrated there is good cause to grant the
extension. The Commission will not consider arguments that re-litigate
the issuance of the certificate order, including whether the Commission
properly found the project to be in the public convenience and
necessity and whether the Commission's environmental analysis for the
certificate complied with the National Environmental Policy Act.\3\ At
the time a pipeline requests an extension of time, orders on
certificates of public convenience and necessity are final and the
Commission will not re-litigate their issuance. The OEP Director, or
his or her designee, will act on all of those extension requests that
are uncontested.
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\1\ Contested proceedings are those where an intervenor disputes
any material issue of the filing. 18 CFR 385.2201(c)(1) (2019).
\2\ Algonquin Gas Transmission, LLC, 170 FERC 61,144, at P 40
(2020).
\3\ Similarly, the Commission will not re-litigate the issuance
of an NGA section 3 authorization, including whether a proposed
project is not inconsistent with the public interest and whether the
Commission's environmental analysis for the permit order complied
with NEPA.
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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 (http://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 FERC at
FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or call toll-free, (886) 208-3676 or TYY,
(202) 502-8659.
The Commission strongly encourages electronic filings of comments,
protests and interventions in lieu of paper using the eFiling link at
http://www.ferc.gov. 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.
Comment Date: 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on April 20, 2020.
Dated: April 3, 2020.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-07496 Filed 4-8-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P