[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 201 (Tuesday, October 19, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64303-64306]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-26241]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. PF10-23-000]
Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company; Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Assessment for the Planned Northeast Upgrade Project,
Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of Public
Scoping Meetings
October 8, 2010.
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 Northeast Upgrade Project
involving construction and operation of facilities by Tennessee Gas
Pipeline Company
[[Page 64304]]
(TGP) in northeastern Pennsylvania northern New Jersey. This EA will be
used by the Commission 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 on the project. Your input will help the Commission staff
determine what issues need to be evaluated in the EA. Please note that
the scoping period will close on November 12, 2010.
Comments may be submitted in written form or verbally. Further
details on how to submit written comments are provided in the Public
Participation section of this notice. In lieu of or in addition to
sending written comments, you are invited to attend the public scoping
meetings listed below.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date and Time Location
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Monday, November 1, 2010 7 p.m. EDT.... Eleanor G. Hewitt Elementary
School Gymnasium, 266
Sloatsburg Road, Ringwood, NJ
07456.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010 7 p.m. EDT. Delaware Valley High School
Auditorium, 252 Routes 6 &
209, Milford, PA 18337.
Thursday, November 4, 2010 7 p.m. EDT.. Wyalusing Valley Junior and
Senior High School Auditorium,
11364 Wyalusing New Albany
Road, Wyalusing, PA 18853.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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, you may be contacted
by a pipeline company representative 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 project is approved by the Commission, that approval
conveys with it the right of eminent 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 Federal or 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 (http://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
TGP has announced its intention to build approximately 37 miles of
30-inch-diameter natural gas pipeline in five loop \1\ segments and
other facilities in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The project would
increase natural gas transmission capacity to the northeast region of
the United States by about 636,000 dekatherms per day and would provide
access to natural gas supplies in the Marcellus Shale supply area. The
project would not, however, involve facilities necessary to produce
natural gas from the Marcellus Shale. TGP has signed binding precedent
agreements with two shippers for all of the project's additional firm
transportation capacity.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ A pipeline loop is constructed parallel to an existing
pipeline to increase capacity.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Northeast Upgrade Project would consist of the following
components:
1. Installation of five pipeline loop segments:
Loop 317--Installation of 5.4 miles of 30-inch-diameter
pipeline loop in Bradford County, Pennsylvania.
Loop 319--Installation of 2.0 miles of 30-inch-diameter
pipeline loop in Bradford County, Pennsylvania.
Loop 321--Installation of 8.0 miles of 30-inch-diameter
pipeline loop in Wayne and Pike Counties, Pennsylvania.
Loop 323--Installation of 14.0 miles of 30-inch-diameter
pipeline loop in Pike County, Pennsylvania and Sussex County, New
Jersey.
Loop 325--Installation of 7.7 miles of 30-inch-diameter
pipeline loop in Passaic and Bergen Counties, New Jersey.
2. Modifications at four existing compressor stations:
Compressor Station 319--An inlet gas filter-separator, a
blowdown silencer, and a relief valve would be installed and unit
piping would be modified at the existing compressor station in
Wyalusing Township, Bradford County, Pennsylvania.
Compressor Station 321--Approximately 10,310 horsepower
(hp) of additional compression would be installed at the existing
compressor station in Clifford Township, Susquehanna County,
Pennsylvania. An inlet gas filter-separator, a blowdown silencer, and a
relief valve would also be installed.
Compressor Station 323--Approximately 10,310 hp of
additional compression would be installed at the existing compressor
station in Lackawaxen Township, Pike County, Pennsylvania. An existing
compressor unit would be restaged, unit piping would be modified, and
an inlet gas filter-separator, a blowdown silencer, and a relief valve
would also be installed.
Compressor Station 325--An inlet gas filter-separator, a
blowdown silencer, and a relief valve would be installed at the
existing compressor station in Wantage Township, Sussex County, New
Jersey.
3. Construction or modification of other aboveground facilities
including one meter station, two pig \2\ receivers, three mainline
block valves, and other appurtenant facilities.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ A pig is a tool that is inserted into and moves through the
pipeline, and can be used to clean and/or dry the pipeline, for
internal inspection, or other purposes.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The general location of the project facilities is shown in appendix
1.\3\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\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
http://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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Land Requirements for Construction
TGP is still in the planning phase for the Northeast Upgrade
Project, and workspace requirements have not been finalized at this
time. As currently planned, construction would disturb approximately
638 acres of land for the aboveground facilities and the pipeline.
Following construction, about 112 acres would be maintained for
permanent operation of the project facilities. The remaining acreage
would be restored and allowed to revert to former uses. As planned, the
new pipeline loops would primarily be installed adjacent to TGP's
existing pipeline system.
[[Page 64305]]
The EA 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 EA on the important
environmental issues. By this notice, the Commission requests public
comments on the scope of the issues to address in the EA. All comments
received will be considered during the preparation of the EA.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\4\ ``Us,'' ``we,'' and ``our'' refer to the environmental staff
of the Commission's Office of Energy Projects.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the EA we 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, fisheries, and wetlands;
Vegetation, wildlife, and endangered and threatened
species;
Cultural resources;
Land use and cumulative impacts;
Air quality and noise; and
Public safety.
We 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.
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 an
application is filed with the FERC. As part of our pre-filing review,
we have begun to contact some Federal and state agencies to discuss
their involvement in the scoping process and the preparation of the EA.
Our independent analysis of the issues will be presented in the EA.
The EA will be placed in the public record and, depending on the
comments received during the scoping process, may be published and
distributed to the public. A comment period will be allotted if the EA
is published for review. We will consider all comments on the EA before
we make our recommendations to the Commission. To ensure your comments
are considered, please carefully follow the instructions in the Public
Participation section beginning on page 6.
With this notice, we are asking agencies with jurisdiction and/or
special expertise with respect to environmental issues to formally
cooperate with us in the preparation of the EA. These agencies may
choose to participate once they have evaluated the proposal relative to
their responsibilities. 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.
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 applicable State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPO), 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.\5\ We will define the project-specific Area of
Potential Effects (APE) in consultation with the SHPOs as the project
is further developed. On natural gas facility projects, the APE at a
minimum encompasses all areas subject to ground disturbance (examples
include construction right-of-way, contractor/pipe storage yards,
compressor stations, and access roads). Our EA for this project will
document our findings on the impacts on historic properties and
summarize the status of consultations under section 106.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\5\ The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation's regulations
are at Title 36 of the 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 for Historic Places.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Currently Identified Environmental Issues
We have already identified several issues that we think deserve
attention based on a preliminary review of the planned facilities and
the environmental information provided by TGP. This preliminary list of
issues may be changed based on your comments and our analysis:
Route alternatives on and near the Delaware Water Gap
National Recreation Area in Pike County, Pennsylvania and Sussex
County, New Jersey;
Crossing the Appalachian Trail in Sussex County, New
Jersey;
Crossing the Susquehanna River in Bradford County,
Pennsylvania; and
Crossing the New Jersey Highlands in Passaic and Bergen
Counties, New Jersey.
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 they will be received in Washington, DC on or before November 12,
2010.
For your convenience, there are four methods you can use to submit
your comments to the Commission. In all instances, please reference the
project docket number (PF10-23-000) with your submission. The
Commission encourages electronic filing of comments and has expert
eFiling staff available to assist you at (202) 502-8258 or
[email protected].
1. You may file your comments electronically by using the eComment
feature, which is located on the Commission's Web site at http://www.ferc.gov under the link to Documents and Filings. An eComment is an
easy method for interested persons to submit brief, text-only comments
on a project;
2. You may file your comments electronically by using the eFiling
feature, which is located on the Commission's Web site at http://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 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 may attend and provide either oral or written comments at a
public scoping meeting. A transcript of each meeting will be made so
that your comments will be accurately recorded and included in the
public record; or
4. You may file a paper copy of your comments at the following
address: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, 888 First Street NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426.
[[Page 64306]]
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. 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 interested in and/or potentially affected by the
planned project.
If the EA is published for distribution, copies 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 the 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 TGP 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 included 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 a formal application for the
project is filed with the Commission.
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 (http://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., PF10-23). Be sure you have selected an appropriate date range.
For assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at
[email protected] or toll free at (866) 208-3676, or for TTY,
contact (202) 502-8659. The eLibrary link also provides access to the
text 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 http://www.ferc.gov/esubscribenow.htm.
Finally, public meetings or site visits will be posted on the
Commission's calendar located at http://www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/EventsList.aspx along with other related information.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2010-26241 Filed 10-18-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P