[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 209 (Wednesday, October 28, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68320-68321]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-23865]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP18-6-000]
RH energytrans, LLC; Notice of Request for Extension of Time
Take notice that on October 19, 2020, RH energytrans, LLC (RH)
requested that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission)
grant an extension of time, until December 7, 2022, to complete
construction of, and place into service, its Meadville and County Line
compressor stations in Crawford and Erie Counties, Pennsylvania as
authorized in the December 7, 2018 Order Issuing Certificate
(Certificate Order).\1\ Ordering Paragraph B(1) of the Certificate
Order required RH to complete the construction of the proposed Risberg
Line Project facilities \2\ and make them available for service within
two years from issuance, or by December 7, 2020.\3\
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\1\ RH energytrans, LLC, 165 FERC 61,218 (2018) (Certificate
Order).
\2\ The Risberg Line Project consists of the conversion of 31.6
miles of existing 8-inch and 12-inch natural gas gathering pipeline
to transmission service, construction of 28.3 miles of new 12-inch
pipeline, conversion of the existing Countyline Compressor station
from gathering to transmission service, and construction of a new
compressor station at Meadville, PA.
\3\ Id. at ordering para. (B)(1).
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On November 22, 2019, the Commission granted RH partial
authorization to place into service the pipeline facilities associated
with the Risberg Line Project,\4\ and subsequently, on December 1,
2019, RH placed those facilities into service.\5\ RH states that it has
experienced construction delays due to winter weather, the dissolution
of one of its pipeline contractors, and delays resulting from COVID-19
pandemic restrictions. As a result, RH now requests an additional two
years, or until December 7, 2022, to complete the authorized
construction at the Meadville and County Line compressor stations and
make them available for service.
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\4\ RH energytrans, LLC, Docket No. CP18-6-000, Partial
Authorization to Commence Service (November 22, 2019).
\5\ The only authorized facilities not placed into service at
that time were the two compressor stations, and the approval was
conditioned on RH's commitment to finalize restoration of the
disturbed right-of -way in the spring/summer of 2020.
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This notice establishes a 15-calendar day intervention and comment
period deadline. Any person wishing to comment on RH's request for an
extension of time 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).\6\
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\6\ Only motions to intervene from entities that were party to
the underlying proceeding will be accepted. Algonquin Gas
Transmission, LLC, 170 FERC 61,144, at P 39 (2020).
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As a matter of practice, the Commission itself generally acts on
requests for extensions of time to complete construction for Natural
Gas Act facilities when such requests are contested before order
issuance. For those extension requests that are contested,\7\ the
Commission will aim to issue an order acting on the request within 45
days.\8\ The Commission will address all arguments relating to whether
the applicant has demonstrated there is good cause to grant the
extension.\9\ 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.\10\ 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.\11\ The OEP Director,
or his or her designee, will act on those extension requests that are
uncontested.
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\7\ Contested proceedings are those where an intervenor disputes
any material issue of the filing. 18 CFR 385.2201(c)(1) (2020).
\8\ Algonquin Gas Transmission, LLC, 170 FERC 61,144, at P 40
(2020).
\9\ Id. P 40.
\10\ 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.
\11\ Algonquin Gas Transmission, LLC, 170 FERC 61,144, at P 40
(2020).
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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
[[Page 68321]]
declaring a National Emergency concerning 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 eFile 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 November 6, 2020.
Dated: October 22, 2020.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-23865 Filed 10-27-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P