[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 64 (Monday, April 4, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19167-19168]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-07536]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP15-558-000]


PennEast Pipeline Company, LLC; Notice of Schedule for 
Environmental Review of the Penneast Pipeline Project

    On September 24, 2015, PennEast Pipeline Company, LLC (PennEast) 
filed an application in Docket No. CP15-558-000 under section 7(c) of 
the Natural Gas Act seeking a Certificate of Public Convenience and 
Necessity to construct, operate, and maintain a new natural gas 
pipeline system in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The proposed project is 
known as the PennEast Pipeline Project and will provide approximately 
1.0 billion cubic feet per day of year-round transportation natural gas 
service to markets in eastern and southeastern Pennsylvania and New 
Jersey.
    On October 8, 2015, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 
(Commission or FERC) issued its Notice of Application for the project. 
Among other things, that notice alerted other agencies issuing federal 
authorizations of the requirement to complete all necessary reviews and 
to reach a final decision on the request for a federal authorization 
within 90 days of the date of issuance of the Commission staff's final 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the PennEast Pipeline Project. 
This instant notice identifies the FERC staff's planned schedule for 
completion of the final EIS for the project.

Schedule for Environmental Review

    Issuance of Notice of Availability of the final EIS--December 16, 
2016.
    90-day Federal Authorization Decision Deadline--March 16, 2017.

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

Project Description

    The project includes a total of 118.8 miles of pipeline and 
laterals composed of 115.0 miles of new, 36-inch-diameter pipeline 
extending from Luzerne County, Pennsylvania to Mercer County, New 
Jersey. The Project would also have three pipeline laterals: The 2.1-
mile Hellertown Lateral consisting of 24-inch-diameter pipeline in 
Northampton County, Pennsylvania; the 0.1-mile Gilbert Lateral 
consisting of 12-inch-diameter pipeline in Hunterdon County, 
Pennsylvania; and the 1.5-mile Lambertville Lateral consisting of 36-
inch-diameter pipeline in Hunterdon County, New Jersey.
    The proposed aboveground facilities consist of a new, 47,700 
horsepower compressor station in Kidder Township, Carbon County, 
Pennsylvania. The project would also include the construction of 8 
meter and regulator stations, 11 mainline valves, and 11 pig launcher/
receiver sites.

Background

    On October 10, 2014, the Commission staff granted PennEast's 
request to use the FERC's Pre-filing environmental review process and 
assigned the PennEast Pipeline Project Docket No. PF15-1-000. On 
January 13, 2015, the Commission issued, in that docket, a Notice of 
Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Planned 
PennEast Pipeline Project, Request for Comments on Environmental 
Issues, and Notice of Public Scoping Meetings (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.
    The primary issues raised by the commenters during scoping included 
concerns about potential impacts on agricultural farms, ground water 
resources on Sourland Region, protected conservation lands, threatened 
and endangered species, archaeological sites, forest (i.e., 
fragmentation), and impacts on property value. In addition, the added 
responsibility for emergency response teams; potential for arsenic 
release into groundwater; safety of local residents in the event of a 
pipeline incident; long-term impacts of compressor stations on human 
health and the environment; construction in karst areas; and need for 
alternatives were also raised.
    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, and U.S. Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous 
Materials Safety Administration are cooperating agencies in the 
preparation of the EIS.

Additional Information

    In order to receive notification of the issuance of the EIS 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

[[Page 19168]]

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., 
CP15-558), 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: March 29, 2016.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-07536 Filed 4-1-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P