[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 132 (Monday, July 11, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40717-40719]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-17251]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. PF11-4-000]


Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC; Notice of Intent To 
Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Planned Northeast Supply 
Link 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 assessment (EA) that will 
discuss the environmental impacts of the Northeast Supply Link Project 
(Project) involving construction and operation of facilities by 
Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC (Transco) in Pennsylvania, 
New Jersey, and New York. 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 during the scoping process will 
help the Commission staff determine what issues need to be evaluated in 
the EA. The Commission staff will also use the scoping process to help 
determine whether preparation of an environmental impact statement is 
more appropriate for this Project based upon the potential significance 
of the anticipated levels of impact. Please note that the scoping 
period will close on August 15, 2011. This is not your only public 
input opportunity; please refer to the Environmental Review Process 
flow chart in Appendix 1.\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ 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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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, July 18, 2011, 6 p.m. EDT.  Hughesville Volunteer Fire Company,
                                     Social Hall, 10 South Railroad
                                     Street, Hughesville, PA 07456.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011, 6 p.m. EDT  Howard Johnson Inn, Pocono Room, 63
                                     Route 611 (Highway 80 at Exit 302),
                                     Bartonsville, PA 18321.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011, 6 p.m.    Holiday Inn Select, Regina Room, 111
 EDT.                                West Main Street, Clinton, NJ
                                     08809.
Thursday, July 21, 2011, 6 p.m.     Ramada Hotel, 130 State Route 10,
 EDT.                                East Hanover, NJ 07936.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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 included on the 
enclosed CD-ROM and 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

    Transco has announced its intention to expand its existing natural 
gas transmission system in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York. The 
Project would increase natural gas transmission capacity to the 
northeast region of the United States by about 250,000 dekatherms per 
day from Transco's Leidy Line in Pennsylvania and New Jersey to 
existing delivery points in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York 
City.
    The Northeast Supply Link Project would consist of the following 
components:
    1. Installation of three pipeline loop \2\ segments:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ A loop is a segment of pipe that is usually installed 
adjacent to an existing pipeline and connected to it at both ends. 
The loop allows more gas to be moved through the system.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 40718]]

 Palmerton Loop--Installation of 3.2 miles of 42-inch-diameter 
pipeline loop in Monroe County, Pennsylvania.
 Muncy Loop--Installation of 2.3 miles of 42-inch-diameter 
pipeline loop in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania.
 Stanton Loop--Installation of 6.8 miles of 42-inch-diameter 
pipeline loop in Hunterdon County, New Jersey.

    2. Replacement of approximately 0.4 mile of existing 36-inch-
diameter pipeline in Essex County, New Jersey.
    3. Uprate \3\ of two existing pipeline segments:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \3\ An uprate is a process by which an existing pipeline is 
approved to operate at a higher pressure, thus increasing the 
capacity of the pipeline. To obtain an uprate, pipeline operators 
must determine and document that the pipeline can safely operate at 
the increased pressure.

 Approximately 25.5 miles of 36-inch-diameter pipeline in 
Passaic, Essex, Hudson, and Bergen Counties, New Jersey.
 Approximately 1.4 miles of 24-inch-diameter pipeline in 
Richmond County, New Jersey and Kings County, New York.

    4. Compressor station construction or modifications:

 Compressor Station 303--Installation of a new 20,000-
horsepower (hp) electric-driven compressor station in Essex County, New 
Jersey.
 Compressor Station 515--Addition of 16,000 hp at the existing 
compressor station in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania.
 Compressor Station 505--Modifications of existing compressor 
units, yard piping, and valves at the existing compressor station in 
Somerset County, New Jersey.

    5. Construction or modification of other aboveground facilities 
including eight meter and regulator stations, five mainline block 
valves, and other appurtenant facilities.
    The general location of the Project facilities is shown in Appendix 
2.

Land Requirements for Construction

    Transco is still in the planning phase for the Project, and 
workspace requirements have not been finalized at this time. As 
currently planned, construction would disturb approximately 262.5 acres 
of land for the aboveground facilities and the pipeline. Following 
construction, about 25 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 Transco's 
existing pipeline system.

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. 
In addition, representatives from FERC participated in the public open 
houses sponsored by Transco in the Project area in March and June 2011 
to explain the Environmental Review Process to interested stakeholders.
    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. 
Currently, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has expressed its intention 
to participate as a cooperating agency in the preparation of the EA to 
satisfy its NEPA responsibilities related to this Project.

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.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 40719]]

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 Transco. This preliminary 
list of issues may be changed based on your comments and our analysis:

 Construction and operational impacts on nearby residences;
 Impacts on wetlands and waterbodies;
 Impacts on air quality and noise;
 Impacts on threatened and endangered species; and
 Safety.

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 August 15, 
2011.
    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 (PF11-4-000) 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]. A 
brochure prepared by the FERC entitled ``Your Guide to Electronic 
Information at FERC'' is included on the enclosed CD-ROM and is 
available for viewing on the FERC Web site (http://www.ferc.gov). This 
brochure provides additional details regarding the electronic 
information services available for the Project at the FERC.
    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.

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 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. 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., PF11-4). 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.

    Dated: July 1, 2011.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2011-17251 Filed 7-8-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P