[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 32 (Thursday, February 18, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 8190]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-03311]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP15-527-000]


Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC; Notice of Schedule 
for Environmental Review of the New York Bay Expansion Project

    On July 8, 2015, Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC 
(Transco) filed an application in Docket No. CP15-527-000 requesting a 
Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity pursuant to Section 
7(c) of the Natural Gas Act to construct and operate certain natural 
gas pipeline facilities. The proposed project is known as the New York 
Bay Expansion Project (Project), and would modify existing facilities 
and replace existing pipeline to provide an additional 115,000 
dekatherms per day of firm transportation service to National Grid New 
York to meet 2017-2018 winter heating season needs.
    On July 21, 2015, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 
(Commission or FERC) issued its Notice of Application for the Project. 
Among other things, that notice alerted agencies issuing federal 
authorizations of the requirement to complete all necessary reviews and 
to reach a final decision on a request for a federal authorization 
within 90 days of the date of issuance of the Commission staff's 
Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Project. This instant notice 
identifies the FERC staff's planned schedule for the completion of the 
EA for the Project.

                    Schedule for Environmental Review
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Issuance of EA.........................  April 4, 2016.
90-day Federal Authorization Decision    July 3, 2016.
 Deadline.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    If a schedule change becomes necessary, additional notice will be 
provided so that the relevant agencies are kept informed of the 
Project's progress.

Project Description

    The Project would involve the following activities at existing 
aboveground facilities in the specified towns and municipalities:
     Uprate Compressor Station 200 from 30,860 horsepower (hp) 
to 33,000 hp (East Whiteland Township, Chester, Pennsylvania);
     uprate a unit of Compressor Station 303 from 25,000 hp to 
27,500 hp (Roseland Borough, Essex, New Jersey);
     add 11,000 hp of electric-driven compression to Compressor 
Station 207 (Old Bridge Township, Middlesex, New Jersey); and
     install various appurtenances and modifications at three 
meter and regulation stations in East Brandywine Township (Chester, 
Pennsylvania), Sayreville Borough (Middlesex, New Jersey), and Staten 
Island Borough (Richmond, New York).
    In addition, Transco proposes to replace three segments of its 42-
inch-diameter Lower New York Bay Lateral pipeline, totaling 0.25 mile, 
and uprate the lateral pipeline's operating pressure from 960 to 1000 
pounds per square inch in Middlesex County, New Jersey.

Background

    On October 8, 2015, the Commission issued a Notice of Intent to 
Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed New York Bay 
Expansion Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues 
(NOI). The NOI was sent to affected landowners; federal, state, and 
local government agencies; elected officials; environmental and public 
interest groups; Native American tribes; other interested parties; and 
local libraries and newspapers. In response to the NOI, the Commission 
received comments from the New Jersey Department of Environmental 
Protection, the New Jersey State Historic Preservation Office, the 
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, and two citizens. 
The primary issues raised by the commentors are general comments for 
natural gas transmission projects in each state, specific questions for 
Transco regarding the operation of the facilities, and concerns about 
possible system alternatives.

Additional Information

    In order to receive notification of the issuance of the EA and to 
keep track of all formal issuances and submittals in specific dockets, 
the Commission offers a free service called eSubscription. 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.
    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, select 
``General Search'' from the eLibrary menu, enter the selected date 
range and ``Docket Number'' excluding the last three digits (i.e., 
CP15-527), and follow the instructions. For assistance with access to 
eLibrary, the helpline can be reached at (866) 208-3676, TTY (202) 502-
8659, or at [email protected]. The eLibrary link on the FERC 
Web site also provides access to the texts of formal documents issued 
by the Commission, such as orders, notices, and rule makings.

    Dated: February 10, 2016.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-03311 Filed 2-17-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P