[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 106 (Friday, June 1, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32626-32628]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-13279]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. PF09-8-000]


Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC; Notice of Intent To 
Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Planned Rockaway 
Delivery Lateral 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 discuss the environmental impacts of the Rockaway Delivery Lateral 
Project involving construction and operation of facilities by 
Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC (Transco) in Queens and 
Kings Counties, New York. The Commission will use this EIS in its 
decisionmaking 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 they need to evaluate in the EIS. Please note 
that the scoping period will close on June 25, 2012.
    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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June 12, 2012, 7:00 p.m. EDT...........  Aviator Sports & Events Center,
                                          3159 Flatbush Avenue,
                                          Brooklyn, NY 11234.
June 13, 2012, 7:00 p.m. EDT...........  Knights of Columbus Rockaway
                                          Council 2672, 333 Beach 90
                                          Street, Rockaway Beach, NY
                                          11693.
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    The public meetings are designed to provide you with more detailed 
information and another opportunity to offer your comments on the 
planned project. Transco representatives will be present one hour 
before each meeting to describe their proposal, present maps, and 
answer questions. Interested groups and individuals are encouraged to 
attend the meetings and to present comments on the issues they believe 
should be addressed in the EIS. A transcript of each meeting will be 
made so that your comments will be accurately recorded.
    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.
    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 how to participate in 
the Commission's proceedings.

Summary of the Planned Project

    Transco plans to modify its existing pipeline system in Lower New 
York Bay by adding a new pipeline lateral and a meter and regulating 
(M&R) station. Specifically, Transco plans to construct and operate 
3.20 miles of 26-inch-diameter pipeline from its existing Lower New 
York Bay Lateral (LNYBL), in the Atlantic Ocean, to an onshore 
interconnect with the National Grid pipeline system on the Rockaway 
Peninsula in Queens County, New York. At the offshore interconnect with 
the LNYBL Transco would also install a subsea tie-in assembly that 
includes a pig \1\ launcher and main line valve.
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    \1\ A pig is an internal tool that can be used to clean and dry 
a pipeline and/or to inspect the pipeline for damage. A pig launcher 
is the launching station from which the pig is launched.
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    Transco would construct the first 2.17 miles of offshore pipeline 
from the LNYBL toward shore using conventional marine lay and trenching 
methods. The remaining 0.65 mile of offshore pipeline, and all but 0.03 
mile of onshore pipeline to the planned onshore interconnect with 
National Grid's system on the Rockaway Peninsula would be installed 
using horizontal directional drill (HDD) technology. Use of the HDD 
method would disturb a small amount of land at the HDD entry location, 
which would be located on the Tri-borough Bridge and Tunnel Authority's 
right-of-way, and a small amount of seabed at the offshore HDD exit 
location. However, the land and seabed between the HDD entry and exit 
locations, which includes the beach and other Gateway National 
Recreation Area lands, would not be disturbed or directly impacted.
    Transco would construct the new M&R station inside two existing, 
unused hangars within the Gateway National Recreation Area that are 
located on the southern end of Floyd Bennett Field. Transco would also 
install inlet and outlet piping to connect the M&R station to a 
proposed National Grid pipeline along Flatbush Avenue. A general 
overview of the major project facilities is shown in Appendix 1.\2\
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    \2\ 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. For instructions on 
connecting to eLibrary, refer to the last page of this notice.
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    Transco indicates that the planned project would provide increased 
natural gas supplies and enhanced system reliability to natural gas 
distributors throughout the New York City area. Once completed, the 
project would be capable of delivering up to 647 thousand dekatherms 
per day (MDth/d) of natural gas (including 100 MDth/d of new 
incremental supply) from Transco's pipeline system to National Grid's 
distribution system in Brooklyn, New York. The lateral would also give

[[Page 32627]]

National Grid the flexibility to shift existing natural gas supplies 
from its existing Long Beach delivery point to the new delivery point 
on Flatbush Avenue. This, in turn, would alleviate the existing 
capacity constraints on National Grid's system in the Rockaways.
    Pending project approvals, Transco anticipates beginning 
construction in September 2013, with a projected in-service date of 
November 2014. The intervening period between receipt of agency 
approvals and commencement of construction would be used to obtain 
congressional authorization and final National Park Service permits and 
easements in order to allow the project to occur within the Gateway 
National Recreation Area.

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 
\3\ 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 the important 
environmental issues. By this notice, the Commission requests public 
comments on the scope of the issues to address in the EIS. We will 
consider all filed comments during the preparation of the EIS.
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    \3\ ``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 and soils;
     Water resources, fisheries, and wetlands;
     Vegetation and wildlife;
     Endangered and threatened species;
     Land use;
     Socioeconomics;
     Cultural resources;
     Air quality and noise;
     Public safety; and
     Cumulative 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 
have begun to contact some 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 carefully 
follow the instructions in the Public Participation section beginning 
on page 7.
    With this notice, we are asking agencies with jurisdiction by law 
and/or special expertise with respect to the environmental issues 
related to this project to formally cooperate with us in the 
preparation of the EIS.\4\ 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 NPS, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 
and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE) have expressed their intention 
to participate as cooperating agencies in the preparation of the EIS to 
satisfy their NEPA responsibilities related to this project.
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    \4\ 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 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.\5\ We will define the project-specific Area of Potential 
Effects (APE) in consultation with the SHPO(s) as the project develops. 
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 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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    \5\ 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 for 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 and 
the environmental information provided by Transco. This preliminary 
list of issues may change based on your comments and our analysis.
     Water Resources:
     [cir] Impacts on off-shore and near-shore water quality.
     [cir] Assessment of contingency plans for inadvertent releases of 
drilling fluids associated with horizontal directional drills.
     [cir] Assessment of alternative marine construction methods.
     Cultural Resources:
     [cir] Consideration of the special historic status of Jacob Riis 
Park and Floyd Bennett Field.
     [cir] Impact of the planned M&R facility on the historic hangers 
at Floyd Bennett Field.
     Land Use, Recreation and Special Interest Areas, and 
Visual Resources:
     [cir] Impacts on the Gateway National Recreation Area and existing 
uses within the recreation area, including Jacob Riis Park, Floyd 
Bennett Field, and Jamaica Bay National Wildlife Refuge.
     [cir] Impacts on marine navigation and use of offshore waters.
     Air Quality and Noise:
     [cir] Effects on the local air quality and noise environment from 
construction and operation of the planned facilities.
     Reliability and Safety:
     [cir] Assessment of hazards associated with natural gas pipelines 
and aboveground facilities.
     [cir] Potential for project-related fire hazards.
     [cir] Evacuation plans
     Alternatives:
     [cir] Assessment of existing systems, alternative system 
configurations, and alternative routes to reduce or avoid environmental 
impacts.
     [cir] Evaluation of alternatives to avoid the Gateway National 
Recreation Area.
     [cir] Assessment of alternative metering and regulating station 
locations.

[[Page 32628]]

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 June 
25, 2012.
    (1) 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 (PF09-8-000) with your submission. 
The Commission encourages electronic filing of comments and has expert 
staff available to assist you at (202) 502-8258 or [email protected]. 
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 
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.
    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 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 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 
available on the Commission's Web site at: http://www.ferc.gov/help/how-to/intervene.asp. 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., PF09-
8). 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 
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/esubscribenow.htm.
    Finally, 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 an Internet Web site for its 
project at http://www.energy.williams.com/Rockaway. The site includes a 
project overview, contact information, regulatory overview, and 
construction procedures. Transco will continue to update its Web site 
with information about the project. You can also request additional 
information by calling Transco at (866) 455-9103.

    Dated: May 25, 2012.
Kimberly D. Bose,
 Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2012-13279 Filed 5-31-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P