[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 145 (Tuesday, July 29, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44023-44026]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-17756]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. PF14-8-000]
Transcontinental Gas Pipeline Company, LLC; Notice of Intent To
Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Planned Atlantic
Sunrise Expansion Project Request for Comments on Environmental Issues,
and Notice of Public Scoping Meetings
The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) that
will address the environmental impacts of the Atlantic Sunrise
Expansion Project (Project). This planned Project would involve
construction and operation of facilities by Transcontinental Gas
Pipeline Company, LLC (Transco), a subsidiary of Williams Partners L.P.
(Williams), in Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, and
South Carolina. The Commission will use this EIS 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 that the
Commission will use to gather input from the public and interested
agencies on the Project. Your input will help the Commission staff
determine what issues need to be evaluated in the EIS. Please note that
the scoping period will close on August 18, 2014.
You may submit comments in written form or verbally. Further
details on how to submit written comments are in the Public
Participation section of this notice. In lieu of or in addition to
sending written comments, the Commission invites you to attend the
public scoping meetings scheduled as follows:
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Date and time Location
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August 4, 2014, 7 to 10 PM........ Millersville University, Student
Memorial Center, 21 South George
Street, Millersville, PA 17551.
August 5, 2014, 7 to 10 PM........ Lebanon Valley College, Arnold
Sports Center, 101 North College
Ave., Anneville, PA 17003.
August 6, 2014, 7 to 10 PM........ Bloomsburg University, Haas Center
for the Arts, 400 East Second
Street, Bloomsburg, PA 17815.
August 7, 2014, 7 to 10 PM........ Lake Lehmon High School, 1128 Old
Route 115, Dallas, PA 18612.
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Williams staff will be available for an open house from 6:00 to
7:00 p.m., prior to the public scoping meetings at the listed
locations.
This notice is being sent to the Commission's current environmental
mailing list for this Project. State and local government
representatives are asked to 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 agreement. However, if
the Commission approves the Project, that approval conveys with it the
right of eminent
[[Page 44024]]
domain. Therefore, if easement negotiations fail to produce an
agreement, the pipeline company could initiate condemnation proceedings
where compensation would be determined 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 Web site (www.ferc.gov). 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.
Summary of the Planned Project
Transco plans to construct and operate certain facilities in
Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina
which would provide about 1,700,000 dekatherms per day of natural gas
transportation service from various receipt points in Pennsylvania to
various delivery points along Transco's existing interstate pipeline
system.
The planned Project would consist of the following components:
Construction of approximately 177.3 miles of new 30- and 42-
inch-diameter pipelines in Columbia, Lancaster, Lebanon, Luzerne,
Northumberland, Schuylkill, Susquehanna, and Wyoming Counties,
Pennsylvania;
construction of approximately 12 miles of new 36- and 42-inch-
diameter pipeline loops \1\ in Clinton and Lycoming Counties,
Pennsylvania;
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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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replacement of 2.5 miles of 30-inch-diameter pipeline in
Prince William County, Virginia;
construction of two new compressor stations:
[ssquf] Compressor Station 605--installation of two electric-driven
Solar Mars 100S 15,000-horsepower compressors in Susquehanna,
Pennsylvania; and
[ssquf] Compressor Station 610--installation of one electric-driven
Solar Titan 250S 30,000-horsepower compressor and one electric-driven
Solar Titan 130S 20,500-horsepower compressor in Columbia County,
Pennsylvania;
installation of additional compression at three existing
compressor stations:
[ssquf] Compressor Station 520--installation of one 16,000-
horsepower Solar Mars 100S gas turbine in Lycoming County,
Pennsylvania;
[ssquf] Compressor Station 517--installation of one 16,000-
horsepower Solar Mars 100S gas turbine in Columbia County,
Pennsylvania; and
[ssquf] Compressor Station 190--installation of one 25,000-
horsepower electric-driven compressor in Howard County, Maryland;
modifications at six existing compressor stations in Virginia
and North Carolina to allow bi-directional flow and/or installation of
supplemental odorization, odor detection, and odor masking/
deodorization equipment;
construction of two meter stations and three regulator
stations:
[ssquf] Zick Meter Station--a new receipt meter station and pig \2\
launcher in Susquehanna, Pennsylvania;
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\2\ A pig is a tool that can be used to clean and dry a pipeline
and/or to inspect it for damage or corrosion.
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[ssquf] Oswego Meter Station--a new receipt meter station in
Susquehanna, Pennsylvania;
[ssquf] Regulator Station--a new regulator station at milepost (MP)
L92.7 along the Transco Leidy Line system;
[ssquf] Regulator Station--a new regulator station and pig
launcher/receiver at MP L113.8 along the Transco Leidy Line system; and
[ssquf] Regulator Station--a new regulator station and pig receiver
at MP 1682.7 along the Transco Mainline system;
installation of mainline valve assemblies at multiple
locations along the planned pipeline segments; and
installation of supplemental odorization, odor detection,
and odor masking/deodorization equipment at various meter stations and
valve sites in North Carolina and South Carolina.
The general location of the planned project facilities is shown in
Appendix 1.\3\
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\3\ The appendices referenced in this notice are not being
printed in the Federal Register. Copies of 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. For instructions on
connecting to eLibrary, refer to the last page of this notice.
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Land Requirements for Construction
Transco is still in the planning phase of the Project and workspace
requirements have not been finalized. However, Transco is planning on
using a 100-foot-wide construction right-of-way for the 42-inch-
diameter pipeline segments and a 90-foot-wide construction right-of-way
for the 30- and 36-inch-diameter pipeline segments. Following
construction, Transco would retain a 50-foot-wide easement for
operation of the pipelines. Transco would also require land for
additional workspaces at road, railroad, waterbody, and wetland
crossings; topsoil storage; access roads; storage or pipeyards; and
other purposes during construction.
The EIS Process
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires the
Commission to take into account the environmental impacts that could
result from an action whenever it considers the issuance of a
Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity. NEPA also requires us
\4\ to discover and address 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 in the EIS on important
environmental issues. By this notice, the Commission requests public
comments on the scope of issues to address in the EIS. We will consider
all filed comments during the preparation of the EIS.
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\4\ ``We,'' ``us,'' and ``our'' refer to the environmental staff
of the Commission's Office of Energy Projects.
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In the EIS, we will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of
the construction and operation of the planned Project under these
general headings:
Geology;
soils;
water resources and wetlands;
vegetation and wildlife;
fisheries and aquatic resources;
threatened, endangered, and other special-status species;
land use, recreation, special interest areas, and visual
resources;
socioeconomics;
cultural resources;
air quality;
noise;
reliability and safety; and
cumulative environmental impacts.
We 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, we have already
initiated our 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 FERC receives an application. As part of our pre-filing review, we
[[Page 44025]]
participated in public Open House meetings sponsored by Transco in the
project area in May and June 2014 to explain the environmental review
process to interested stakeholders. We have also begun to contact
federal and state agencies to discuss their involvement in the scoping
process and the preparation of the EIS.
The EIS will present our independent analysis of the issues. We
will publish and distribute the draft EIS for public comment. After the
comment period, we will consider all timely comments and revise the
document, as necessary, before issuing a final EIS. To ensure we have
the opportunity to consider and address your comments, please follow
the instructions in the Public Participation section beginning on page
7.
With this notice, we are asking agencies with jurisdiction and/or
special expertise with respect to environmental issues related to this
Project to formally cooperate with us in the preparation of the EIS
\5\. 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 U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers has expressed its intention to participate as a
cooperating agency in the preparation of the EIS to satisfy its NEPA
responsibilities related to this Project.
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\5\ 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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Consultations 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, we are using this notice to initiate consultation
with the applicable State Historic Preservation Offices 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.\6\ We will define the project-specific Area of Potential
Effects (APE) in consultation with the SHPOs as the project develops.
On natural gas facility projects, the APE at a minimum encompasses all
areas subject to ground disturbance (examples include the construction
right-of-way, contractor/pipe storage yards, compressor stations, and
access roads). Our EIS 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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\6\ The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation's regulations
are at Title 36, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 800. Historic
properties are defined in those regulations 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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Currently Identified Environmental Issues
We have already identified several issues that we think deserve
attention based on a preliminary review of the planned facilities,
comments filed with the FERC, comments made to us at Transco's open
houses, preliminary consultations with other agencies, and the
environmental information provided by Transco. This preliminary list of
issues may be changed based on your comments and our analysis:
Impacts on forested areas including fragmentation;
impacts on agricultural areas including impacts to soils;
impacts on residential areas;
impacts on property values;
impacts on recreational areas including parks and nature
preserves;
impacts on the Appalachian Trail;
impacts on surface water including the Chesapeake Bay;
impacts on groundwater including wells and springs;
impacts on wildlife and vegetation;
impacts on federal and state-listed threatened, endangered,
and sensitive species;
impacts on quarries or mining;
geologic hazards including karst and seismic areas;
impacts on air quality due to construction and operation;
impacts related to noise during construction and operation;
assessment of alternatives including the no action alternative
and system alternatives consisting of various combinations of looping
Transco's existing system and/or replacing existing pipeline with
larger diameter pipeline and adding compression;
assessment of alternative pipeline routes and compressor
station locations;
visual and other impacts from forest clearing;
eminent domain; and
cumulative impacts.
Public Participation
You can make a difference by providing us with 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. The more specific
your comments, the more useful they will be. To ensure that your
comments are timely and properly recorded, please send your comments so
that the Commission receives them in Washington, DC on or before August
18, 2014.
For your convenience, there are three methods you can use to submit
your comments to the Commission. In all instances, please reference the
project docket number (PF14-8-000) with your submission. The Commission
encourages electronic filing of comments and has expert staff available
to assist you at (202) 502-8258 or efiling@ferc.gov.
(1) You can file your comments electronically using the eComment
feature located on the Commission's Web site (www.ferc.gov) under the
link to Documents and Filings. This is an easy method for interested
persons to submit brief, text-only comments on a project;
(2) You can file your comments electronically using the eFiling
feature located on the Commission's Web site (www.ferc.gov) under the
link to Documents and Filings. 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 must select the type of filing you are making. If
you are filing a comment on a particular project, please select
``Comment on a Filing''; or
(3) You can file a paper copy of your comments by mailing them to
the following address: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC
20426.
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 by 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. We will update the environmental mailing list
as the analysis proceeds to ensure that we send the information related
to this environmental review to all individuals, organizations, and
government entities
[[Page 44026]]
interested in and/or potentially affected by the planned Project.
Copies of the completed draft EIS will be sent to the environmental
mailing list for public review and comment. If you would prefer to
receive a paper copy of the document instead of a CD version or would
like to remove your name from the mailing list, please return the
attached Information Request (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. Intervenors play a more formal role in the
process and are able to file briefs, appear at hearings, 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. Instructions for becoming an intervenor are in
the User's Guide under the ``e-filing'' link on the Commission's Web
site. 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.
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 Web site (www.ferc.gov) using the eLibrary link. Click on the
eLibrary link, click on ``General Search'' and enter the docket number,
excluding the last three digits in the Docket Number field (i.e., PF14-
8). 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 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 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. Go to www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/esubscription.asp.
Public meetings or site visits will be posted on the Commission's
calendar located at www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/EventsList.aspx along
with other related information.
Finally, Transco has established a toll-free phone number (1-844-
785-0455) and an email support address (AtlanticSunrise@Williams.com)
so that parties can contact it directly with questions about the
Project.
Dated: July 18, 2014.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2014-17756 Filed 7-28-14; 8:45 am]
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