[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 147 (Thursday, July 30, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45869-45872]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-16518]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. PF20-3-000]
Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC; Notice of Intent To
Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Planned Regional Energy
Access Expansion Project, Request for Comments on Environmental Issues,
and Notice of Public Virtual Scoping Sessions
The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) will prepare an environmental assessment (EA) that will
discuss the environmental impacts of the Regional Energy Access
Expansion Project involving construction and operation of facilities by
Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC (Transco) in Bucks,
Chester, Delaware, Luzerne, Monroe, Northampton, Wyoming, and York
Counties, Pennsylvania; and Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, Hunterdon,
Mercer, Somerset, and Warren Counties, New Jersey; and Baltimore
County, Maryland. The Commission will use this EA 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 about issues regarding the project. The National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) requires the Commission to take into account the
environmental impacts that could result from its action whenever it
considers the issuance of a Certificate of Public Convenience and
Necessity. NEPA also requires the Commission to discover concerns the
public may have about proposals. This process is referred to as
``scoping.'' The main goal of the scoping process is to focus the
analysis
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in the EA on the important environmental issues. By this notice, the
Commission requests public comments on the scope of issues to address
in the EA. 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 August
24, 2020. 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.
You can make a difference by submitting your specific comments or
concerns about the project. 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 EA. Commission
staff will consider all written or oral comments during the preparation
of the EA.
If you sent comments on this project to the Commission before the
opening of this docket on June 18, 2020, you will need to file those
comments in Docket No. PF20-3-000 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.
A fact sheet prepared by the FERC entitled An Interstate Natural
Gas Facility On My Land? What Do I Need To Know? is available for
viewing on the FERC website (www.ferc.gov) under the natural gas
Landowner Topics link. This fact sheet addresses a number of typically
asked questions, including the use of eminent domain and how to
participate in the Commission's proceedings.
Public Participation
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.
For your convenience, there are four methods you can use to submit
your comments to the Commission. The Commission encourages electronic
filing of comments and has staff available to assist you at (866) 208-
3676 or FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov. Please carefully follow these
instructions so that your comments are properly recorded.
(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;
(3) You can file a paper copy of your comments by mailing them to
the Commission. Be sure to reference the project docket number (PF20-3-
000) on your letter. Submissions sent via the U.S. Postal Service must
be addressed to: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, 888 First Street NE, Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426.
Submissions sent via any other carrier must be addressed to: Kimberly
D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 12225 Wilkins
Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20852; or
(4) In lieu of sending written comments, the Commission invites you
to attend one of the virtual public scoping sessions its staff will
conduct by telephone, scheduled as follows:
Date and Time
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Tuesday, August 18, 2020, 6:00-8:00 p.m. EDT, Call in number: 888-455-
9739, Participant passcode: 4753713.
Wednesday, August 19, 2020, 6:00-8:00 p.m. EDT, Call in number: 888-455-
9739, Participant passcode: 4753713.
Thursday, August 20, 2020, 6:00-8:00 p.m. EDT, Call in number: 888-455-
9739, Participant passcode: 4753713.
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The primary goal of these scoping sessions is to have you identify
the specific environmental issues and concerns that should be
considered in the EA. Individual oral comments will be taken on a one-
on-one basis with a court reporter present on the line. This format is
designed to receive the maximum amount of oral comments, in a
convenient way during the timeframe allotted and is in response to the
ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Each scoping session is scheduled from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Eastern Daylight Time. You may call at any time after 6:00 p.m. at
which time you will be placed on mute and hold. Calls will be answered
in the order they are received. Once answered, you will have the
opportunity to provide your comment directly to a court reporter with
FERC staff or representative present on the line. A time limit of three
minutes will be implemented for each commentor.
Transcripts of all comments received during the scoping sessions
will be publicly available on FERC's eLibrary system (see the last page
of this notice for instructions on using eLibrary).
It is important to note that the Commission provides equal
consideration to all comments received, whether filed in written form
or provided orally at a virtual scoping session.
There will not be a formal presentation provided by Commission
staff. However, information about FERC's environmental review process
can be found on the FERC website (www.ferc.gov) under the natural gas
[[Page 45871]]
Landowner Topics link. In addition, Transco has created a project-
specific website with additional information at https://www.williams.com/expansion-project/regional-energy-access/.
Please note this is not your only public input opportunity; please
refer to the review process flow chart 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 or from the Commission's
Public Reference Room, 888 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20426, or
call (202) 502-8371.
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Summary of the Planned Project
Transco plans to construct and operate approximately 35.8 miles of
pipeline loop \2\ and one new compressor station, as well as modify
existing compressor stations and facilities in Pennsylvania and New
Jersey. The project would provide about 760 million standard cubic feet
of natural gas per day to multiple delivery points along Transco's
existing system in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland. According to
Transco, its project would provide its customers with enhanced access
to Marcellus and Utica Shale natural gas supplies.
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\2\ A pipeline loop is a segment of pipe constructed parallel to
an existing pipeline to increase capacity.
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The project would consist of the following facilities:
Installation of 22 miles of 30-inch-diameter pipeline loop
in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania (Regional Energy Lateral);
installation of 13.8 miles of 42-inch-diameter pipeline
loop in Monroe County, Pennsylvania (Effort Loop);
installation of the new Compressor Station 201 (up to
11,500 horsepower [hp]) in Gloucester County, New Jersey);
installation of a gas turbine or electric motor-driven
compressor unit (up to 16,000 hp) at existing Compressor Station 505 in
Somerset County, New Jersey;
installation of a gas turbine compressor unit (up to an
additional 31,871 hp) and modifications to three existing compressors
at existing Compressor Station 515 in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania;
modifications at existing compressor stations, meter
stations, interconnects, and ancillary facilities in Pennsylvania, New
Jersey, and Maryland; and
installation of ancillary facilities such as mainline
valves, communication facilities, and pig \3\ launchers and receivers.
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\3\ A pig is a tool that the pipeline company inserts into and
pushes through the pipeline for cleaning the pipeline, conducting
internal inspections, or other purposes.
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The general location of the project facilities is shown in appendix
2.
Land Requirements for Construction
Construction of the planned facilities would disturb about 814
acres \4\ of land for the aboveground facilities and the pipeline
loops. Following construction, Transco would maintain about 232 acres
for permanent operation of the project's facilities; the remaining
acreage would be restored and revert to former uses. The majority of
the planned pipeline loops parallel Transco's existing pipeline rights-
of-way.
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\4\ Transco is evaluating workspace requirements at three of the
planned aboveground facilities to determine whether additional land
requirements will be necessary.
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The EA Process
The EA will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of the
construction and operation of the planned project under these general
headings:
Geology and soils;
water resources and wetlands;
vegetation and wildlife;
threatened and endangered species;
cultural resources;
land use and visual impacts;
socioeconomics;
air quality and noise;
public safety; and
cumulative impacts.
Commission staff will also evaluate possible 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.
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 EA.
The EA will present Commission staff's independent analysis of the
issues. The EA will be available in electronic format in the public
record through eLibrary \5\ 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 EA is issued. The EA
may be issued for an allotted public comment period. Commission staff
will consider all comments on the EA before making recommendations to
the Commission. To ensure Commission staff have the opportunity to
consider and address your comments, please carefully follow the
instructions in the Public Participation section, beginning on page 2.
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\5\ 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 EA.\6\ 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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\6\ The Council on Environmental Quality regulations addressing
cooperating agency responsibilities are at Title 40, Code of Federal
Regulations, Part 1501.6.
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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.\7\ The EA 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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\7\ The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation 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
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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 the Commission issues the EA for an allotted public comment
period, a Notice of Availability of the EA will be sent to the
environmental mailing list and will provide instructions to access the
electronic document on the FERC's website (www.ferc.gov). If you need
to make changes to your name/address, or if you would like to remove
your name from the mailing list, please return the attached Mailing
List Update Form (appendix 3).
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/ferc-online/ferc-online/how-guides.
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, excluding the last three digits (i.e., PF20-
3). 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 virtual scoping sessions or site visits will be posted on
the Commission's calendar located at https://www.ferc.gov/news-events/events along with other related information.
Dated: July 24, 2020.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-16518 Filed 7-29-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P