[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 208 (Tuesday, October 28, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64186-64189]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-25545]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. PF14-10-000]


Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC; Notice of Intent To 
Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Planned Dalton Expansion 
Project, Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of 
Public Scoping Meeting

    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) will prepare an environmental assessment (EA) that will 
discuss the environmental impacts of Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line 
Company, LLC's (Transco's) Dalton Expansion Project (Project) involving 
construction and operation of new pipeline and aboveground facilities 
in Georgia and the modification of Transco's existing mainline system 
in Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina. The Commission will use this 
EA 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 they need to evaluate in the EA. Please note that 
the scoping period will close on November 20, 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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November 3, 2014, 7:00 p.m. EDT...  Northwest Georgia Trade & Convention
                                     Center, 2211 Dug Gap Battle Road,
                                     Dalton, GA 30720, (706) 272-7676.
November 4, 2014, 7:00 p.m. EDT...  VA-AmVets Center, 816 Old Bremen Rd,
                                     Carrollton, GA, (770) 841-6726.

[[Page 64187]]

 
November 5, 2014, 7:00 p.m. EDT...  Clarence Brown Convention Center,
                                     5450 State Route 20, Cartersvillle,
                                     GA, (770) 606-5763.
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    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.
    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 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 about 110.8 miles of new 
natural gas pipeline in Coweta, Carroll, Douglas, Paulding, Bartow, 
Gordon, and Murray Counties, Georgia and a new compressor station in 
Carroll County, Georgia. In addition, Transco plans to modify 
facilities along its existing mainline system in Maryland, Virginia, 
and North Carolina to accommodate bidirectional flow. Transco has 
indicated that the Project would provide 448,000 dekatherms per day of 
incremental firm transportation service to markets in northwest 
Georgia.
    The Project would include the installation of the following 
facilities:
     A new 21,830 horsepower compressor station (Compressor 
Station 116) in Carroll County, Georgia;
     three new meter stations in Bartow and Murray counties, 
Georgia;
     about 7.6 miles of new 30-inch-diameter pipeline in Coweta 
and Caroll Counties, Georgia;
     48.2 miles of new 24-inch-diameter pipeline in Carroll, 
Douglas, Paulding, and Bartow Counties, Georgia;
     53.5 miles of new 20-inch-diameter pipeline in Bartow, 
Gordon, and Murray Counties, Georgia;
     1.5 miles of new 16-inch-diameter pipeline in Murray 
County, Georgia; and
     ancillary facilities associated with the new pipeline 
including mainline valves and pig \1\ launchers/receivers facilities.
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    \1\ A ``pig'' is a tool that the pipeline company inserts into 
and pushes through the pipeline for cleaning the pipeline, 
conducting internal inspections, or other purposes.
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    The Dalton Expansion Project would also include the following 
modifications to Transco's existing mainline facilities:
     Addition of 30-inch mainline regulators at a compressor 
station in Howard County, Maryland;
     addition of valves and yard piping for south flow 
compression at compressor stations in Pittsylvania and Prince William 
Counties, Virginia;
     modifications at a compressor station in Mecklenburg 
County, Virginia;
     modifications at meter stations in Rockingham, Warren, 
Northampton, and Buffalo Island Counties, North Carolina, and 
Pittsylvania, Halifax, Mecklenburg, Brunswick, and Greensville 
Counties, Virginia; and
     modifications at two mainline valves in Rockingham County, 
North Carolina.
    The general location of the 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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Land Requirements for Construction

    Construction of the planned pipeline and aboveground facilities in 
Georgia would disturb about 1,140 acres of land. Following 
construction, Transco would maintain about 685 acres for permanent 
operation of the Project's facilities; the remaining acreage would be 
restored and revert to former uses. About 66 percent of the planned 
pipeline route parallels existing pipeline, utility, or road rights-of-
way.
    Modifications to Transco's mainline facilities in Maryland, 
Virginia, and North Carolina would occur within the boundaries of the 
existing facilities and would not represent impacts on previously 
undisturbed land.

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 
\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 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. We will 
consider all filed comments during the preparation of the EA.
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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 EA we will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of 
the construction and operation of the 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; and
     public safety.
    We will also evaluate possible alternatives to the 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 EA.
    The EA will present our independent analysis of the issues. The EA 
will be available in the public record through eLibrary. Depending on 
the comments received during the scoping process, we may also publish 
and distribute the EA to the public for an allotted comment period. We 
will consider all comments on the EA before we make our

[[Page 64188]]

recommendations to the Commission. 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 6.
    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 EA.\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.
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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 the 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 EA 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 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 and 
the environmental information provided by Transco and public comments. 
This preliminary list of issues may change based on your comments and 
our analysis.
     Geology--Effects as a result of blasting to remove 
existing surface and subsurface bedrock during Project construction.
     Biological Resources--Effects on threatened and endangered 
species and sensitive habitats potentially occurring within or adjacent 
to the Project right-of-way.
     Water Resources--Effects on waterbodies and wetlands.
     Land Use--Effects on residential areas and agricultural 
lands during construction and operation of Project facilities.
     Cultural Resources--Effects on archaeological sites and 
historic resources.
     Air Quality and Noise--Effects on the local air quality 
and noise environment from construction and operation and maintenance 
of Project facilities.

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 
November 20, 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 (PF14-10-000) 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].
    (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 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 EA 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 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

[[Page 64189]]

``General Search'' and enter the docket number, excluding the last 
three digits in the Docket Number field (i.e., PF14-10). 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/docs-filing/esubscription.asp.
    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.

    Dated: October 21, 2014.
Kimberly D. Bose,
 Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2014-25545 Filed 10-27-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P