[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 38 (Friday, February 26, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9839-9840]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-04142]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission


Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Proposed Rover Pipeline, Panhandle Backhaul, and 
Trunkline Backhaul Projects

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                                                   Docket Number
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Rover Pipeline, LLC.....................  CP15-93-000
Panhandle Eastern Pipe Line Company, LP.  CP15-94-000
Trunkline Gas Company, LLC..............  CP15-96-000
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    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) has prepared a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) 
for the Rover Pipeline, Panhandle Backhaul, and Trunkline Backhaul 
Projects (Projects), proposed by Rover Pipeline, LLC (Rover), Panhandle 
Eastern Pipe Line Company, LP (Panhandle), and Trunkline Gas Company, 
LLC (Trunkline), respectively, in the above-referenced dockets. Rover 
requests authorization to construct, operate, and maintain certain 
natural gas pipeline facilities to transport about 3.25 billion cubic 
feet per day (Bcf/d) of stranded natural gas from Marcellus and Utica 
production areas in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Ohio to markets in 
the United States and Canada. Panhandle requests authorization to 
modify existing facilities and install an interconnection with Rover in 
Defiance County, Ohio to accommodate 0.75 Bcf/d of east-to-west firm 
transportation service. Trunkline would modify existing facilities, 
including piping at the existing Panhandle-Trunkline Interconnect in 
Douglas County, Illinois to provide 0.75 Bcf/d of north-to-south firm 
transportation service.
    The draft EIS assesses the potential environmental effects of the 
construction and operation of the Projects in accordance with the 
requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The FERC 
staff concludes that approval of the Projects would have some adverse 
and significant environmental impacts; however, these impacts would be 
reduced to acceptable levels with the implementation of Rover's, 
Panhandle's, and Trunkline's proposed mitigation and the additional 
measures recommended by staff in the draft EIS.
    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Army Corps 
of Engineers (COE), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), the Ohio 
Environmental Protection Agency (OHEPA), and the West Virginia 
Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) participated as 
cooperating agencies in the preparation of the EIS. Cooperating 
agencies have jurisdiction by law or special expertise with respect to 
resources potentially affected by the proposals and participate in the 
NEPA analysis. Although the cooperating agencies provided input to the 
conclusions and recommendations presented in the draft EIS, the 
agencies will present their own conclusions and recommendations in 
their respective Records of Decision for the Projects.
    The draft EIS addresses the potential environmental effects of the 
construction and operation of the following facilities:
     510.7 miles of new 24- to 42-inch-diameter natural gas 
pipeline and appurtenant facilities that include 10 new compressor 
stations, 19 new meter stations, 5 new tie-ins, 78 mainline valves, and 
11 pig launcher and receiver facilities.\1\
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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 it for damage or corrosion.
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     modifications by Panhandle at four existing compressor 
stations, one interconnection, and three valve sites; and
     modifications by Trunkline at four existing compressor 
stations and one meter station.
    The FERC staff mailed copies of the draft EIS to federal, state, 
and local government representatives and agencies; elected officials; 
environmental and public interest groups; Native American tribes; 
potentially affected landowners and other interested individuals and 
groups; newspapers and libraries in the project area; and parties to 
this proceeding. Paper copy versions of this EIS were mailed to those 
specifically requesting them; all others received a CD version. In 
addition, the draft EIS is available for public viewing on the FERC's 
Web site (www.ferc.gov) using the eLibrary link. A limited number of 
copies are available for distribution and public inspection at: Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission, Public Reference Room, 888 First Street 
NE., Room 2A, Washington, DC 20426, (202) 502-8371.
    Any person wishing to comment on the draft EIS may do so. To ensure 
consideration of your comments on the

[[Page 9840]]

proposal in the final EIS, it is important that the Commission receive 
your comments on or before April 11, 2016.
    For your convenience, there are four methods you can use to submit 
your comments to the Commission. The Commission will provide equal 
consideration to all comments received, whether filed in written form 
or provided verbally. The Commission encourages electronic filing of 
comments and has expert staff available to assist you at (202) 502-8258 
or [email protected]. Please carefully follow these instructions so that 
your comments are properly recorded.
    (1) You can file your comments electronically using the eComment 
feature on the Commission's Web site (www.ferc.gov) under the link to 
Documents and Filings. This is an easy method for submitting brief, 
text-only comments on a project;
    (2) You can file your comments electronically by using the eFiling 
feature 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.'' If you are filing a comment on a particular project, 
please select ``Comment on a Filing'' as the filing type; or
    (3) You can file a paper copy of your comments by mailing them to 
the following address. Be sure to reference the applicable project 
docket number (CP15-93-000, CP15-94-000, or CP15-96-000) with your 
submission:

Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 
First Street NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426.

    (4) In lieu of sending written or electronic comments, the 
Commission invites you to attend one of the public comment meetings its 
staff will conduct in the Project area to receive comments on the draft 
EIS. The date, time, and location of the public comment meetings will 
be published in a separate Notice and will be mailed to all those 
receiving the draft EIS and posted on the FERC Web site (www.ferc.gov). 
The meetings will be recorded by a court reporter to ensure comments 
are accurately recorded. Transcripts will be placed into the formal 
record of the Commission proceeding and available for public review.
    Any person seeking to become a party to the proceeding must file a 
motion to intervene pursuant to Rule 214 of the Commission's Rules of 
Practice and Procedures (18 CFR part 385.214).\2\ Only intervenors have 
the right to seek rehearing of the Commission's decision. The 
Commission grants affected landowners and others with environmental 
concerns intervenor status upon showing good cause by stating that they 
have a clear and direct interest in this proceeding which no other 
party can adequately represent. Simply filing environmental comments 
will not give you intervenor status, but you do not need intervenor 
status to have your comments considered.
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    \2\ See the previous discussion on the methods for filing 
comments.
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Questions?

    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., CP15-
93, CP15-94, or CP15-96). 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; 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 that 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.

    Dated: February 19, 2016.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-04142 Filed 2-25-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P