[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 65 (Monday, April 6, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18392-18393]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-07769]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket Nos. CP15-115-000; PF14-18-000]


Notice of Application: National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation and 
Empire Pipeline, Inc.

    Take notice that on March 17, 2015, National Fuel Gas Supply 
Corporation (National Fuel) and Empire Pipeline, Inc. (Empire) 
(collectively, Applicants) 6363 Main Street, Williamsville, New York 
14221, filed an application pursuant to sections 7(b) and 7(c) of the 
Natural Gas Act (NGA) and Part 157 of the Commission's Regulations, for 
a certificate of public convenience and necessity to construct and 
operate the Northern Access 2016 Project (the Project), and 
authorization to abandon and acquire certain related facilities. The 
Project will be located in McKean County, Pennsylvania and Alleghany, 
Cattaraugus, Erie and Niagara Counties, New York. The filing may be 
viewed on the web at http://www.ferc.gov using the

[[Page 18393]]

``eLibrary'' link. Enter the docket number excluding the last three 
digits in the docket number field to access the document. For 
assistance, contact FERC at [email protected] or call toll-
free, (886) 208-3676 or TYY, (202) 502-8659.
    Any questions regarding this application should be directed to 
Kenneth E. Webster, Attorney for National Fuel and Empire, 6363 Main 
Street, Williamsville, New York 14221, or call at (716) 857-7067.
    Specifically, National Fuel requests authorization: (i) To 
construct 96.65 miles of 24-inch diameter pipeline; (ii) to add 5,350 
horsepower (hp) of compression at the Porterville, New York compressor 
station; (iii) to construct an interconnect meter and regulation (M&R) 
station with Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company, L.L.C.'s 200 Line; (iv) to 
construct an M&R station and tie-in in Hinsdale, New York; (v) to 
construct an interconnection with NFG Midstream Clermont, L.L.C.; (vi) 
to modify an existing tie-in; (vii) to construct a pressure reduction 
station; (viii) to abandon, via sale to Empire, all 3.09 miles of 
National Fuel's existing Line XM-10 pipeline and certain other existing 
facilities; (ix) to charge an initial incremental firm recourse rate 
for the Project; and (x) for a limited waiver of General Terms and 
Conditions Section 31.1 of National Fuel's tariff to permit the 
Project's Foundation Shipper to shift its primary delivery point for a 
portion of the Project's incremental capacity more than ninety days 
after its initial request. National Fuel proposes to provide 497,000 
dekatherms per day of new firm natural gas transportation capacity.
    Empire requests authorization to: (i) Construct a new 22,214 hp 
compressor station in Pendleton, New York; (ii) construct 3.05 miles of 
24-inch pipeline, replacing 3.05 miles of existing National Fuel 16-
inch XM-10 pipeline; (iii) construct a new dehydration facility; (iv) 
modify two existing tie-ins; and (v) acquire from National Fuel the 
aforementioned 3.09 miles of Line XM-10. Empire proposes to provide 
350,000 dekatherms per day of new firm natural gas transportation 
capacity.
    The total cost of the Project would be approximately $376,670,388 
(National Fuel) and $74,348,362 (Empire).
    On July 24, 2014, the Commission staff granted the Applicants' 
request to use the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Pre-Filing 
Process and assigned Docket No. PF14-18-000 to staff activities 
involving the proposed facilities. Now, as of the filing of this 
application on March 17, 2015, the NEPA Pre-Filing Process for this 
project has ended. From this time forward, this proceeding will be 
conducted in Docket No. CP15-115-000, as noted in the caption of this 
Notice.
    Pursuant to section 157.9 of the Commission's rules, 18 CFR 157.9, 
within 90 days of this Notice the Commission staff will either: 
Complete its environmental assessment (EA) and place it into the 
Commission's public record (eLibrary) for this proceeding, or issue a 
Notice of Schedule for Environmental Review. If a Notice of Schedule 
for Environmental Review is issued, it will indicate, among other 
milestones, the anticipated date for the Commission staff's issuance of 
the final environmental impact statement (FEIS) or EA for this 
proposal. The filing of the EA in the Commission's public record for 
this proceeding or the issuance of a Notice of Schedule will serve to 
notify federal and state agencies of the timing for the completion of 
all necessary reviews, and the subsequent need to complete all federal 
authorizations within 90 days of the date of issuance of the Commission 
staff's FEIS or EA.
    There are two ways to become involved in the Commission's review of 
this project. First, any person wishing to obtain legal status by 
becoming a party to the proceedings for this project should, on or 
before the comment date stated below, file with the Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Washington, DC 20426, a 
motion to intervene in accordance with the requirements of the 
Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.214 or 
385.211) and the Regulations under the NGA (18 CFR 157.10). A person 
obtaining party status will be placed on the service list maintained by 
the Secretary of the Commission and will receive copies of all 
documents filed by the applicant and by all other parties. A party must 
submit 5 copies of filings made with the Commission and must mail a 
copy to the applicant and to every other party in the proceeding. Only 
parties to the proceeding can ask for court review of Commission orders 
in the proceeding.
    However, a person does not have to intervene in order to have 
comments considered. The second way to participate is by filing with 
the Secretary of the Commission, as soon as possible, an original and 
two copies of comments in support of or in opposition to this project. 
The Commission will consider these comments in determining the 
appropriate action to be taken, but the filing of a comment alone will 
not serve to make the filer a party to the proceeding. The Commission's 
rules require that persons filing comments in opposition to the project 
provide copies of their protests only to the party or parties directly 
involved in the protest.
    Persons who wish to comment only on the environmental review of 
this project should submit an original and two copies of their comments 
to the Secretary of the Commission. Environmental commenters will be 
placed on the Commission's environmental mailing list, will receive 
copies of the environmental documents, and will be notified of meetings 
associated with the Commission's environmental review process. 
Environmental commenters will not be required to serve copies of filed 
documents on all other parties. However, the non-party commenters will 
not receive copies of all documents filed by other parties or issued by 
the Commission (except for the mailing of environmental documents 
issued by the Commission) and will not have the right to seek court 
review of the Commission's final order.
    Motions to intervene, protests and comments may be filed 
electronically via the internet in lieu of paper; see, 18 CFR 
385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions on the Commission's Web site 
under the ``e-Filing'' link. The Commission strongly encourages 
electronic filings.
Comment Date: April 17, 2015.

    Dated: March 27, 2015.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2015-07769 Filed 4-3-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P