[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