[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 99 (Monday, May 23, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32322-32324]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-12062]



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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket Nos. CP16-3-000 and CP16-3-001]


Texas Eastern Transmission, LP; Supplemental Notice of Intent To 
Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Access South, 
Adair Southwest, and Lebanon Extension Projects and Request for 
Comments on Environmental Issues

    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) will prepare an environmental assessment (EA) that will 
discuss the environmental impacts of the Access South, Adair Southwest, 
and Lebanon Extension Projects (Projects) in Docket Nos. CP16-3-000 and 
CP16-3-001. The Projects involve construction, abandonment, and 
operation of facilities by Texas Eastern Transmission, LP (Texas 
Eastern) that would enable an additional 622,000 dekatherms per day of 
natural gas transportation on Texas Eastern's existing mainline 
facilities to serve markets in the Midwest and Southeast. The 
Commission will use this EA in its decision-making process to determine 
whether the project is in the public convenience and necessity.
    This notice announces the opening of a second scoping period that 
the Commission will use to gather input from the public on the 
Projects. The Commission is opening a second scoping period for 
affected landowners who were not included in the mailing list for the 
original Notice of Intent (NOI) issued for the Projects on August 1, 
2015 during the pre-filing review process under Docket Number PF15-17-
000. This includes landowners near twelve existing compressor stations 
where Texas Eastern proposes to replace pipeline or modify facilities 
to allow for reverse flow capabilities, including one compressor 
station where it proposes to install additional compression facilities. 
Texas Eastern's proposal is more fully described on page 3 of this 
notice.
    You can make a difference by providing us with your specific 
comments or concerns about the Projects. Your comments should focus on 
the potential environmental effects, reasonable alternatives, and 
measures to avoid or lessen environmental impacts. Your input will help 
the Commission staff determine what issues they need to evaluate in the 
EA. To ensure that your comments are timely and properly recorded, 
please send your comments so that the Commission receives them in 
Washington, DC on or before June 16, 2016.
    Landowners receiving this notice are primarily abutters to Texas 
Eastern's existing compressor stations where modifications are proposed 
or are within 0.5 mile of the Tompkinsville Compressor Station in 
Monroe County, Kentucky, where additional compression is proposed. One 
landowner receiving this notice is directly affected by the proposed 
replacement pipeline at Kosciusko Compressor Station in Attala County, 
Mississippi, and Texas Eastern has stated it has contacted this 
landowner. The company will seek to negotiate a mutually acceptable 
agreement regarding acquisition of any easements needed to construct, 
operate, and maintain the replacement pipeline. However, if the 
Commission approves the Projects, that approval conveys with it the 
right of eminent domain. Therefore, if easement negotiations fail to 
produce an agreement, the pipeline company could initiate condemnation 
proceedings where compensation would be determined in accordance with 
state law.
    A fact sheet prepared by the FERC entitled ``An Interstate Natural 
Gas Facility On My Land? What Do I Need To Know?'' is available for 
viewing on the FERC Web site (www.ferc.gov). This fact sheet addresses 
a number of typically asked questions, including the use of eminent 
domain and how to participate in the Commission's proceedings.

Public Participation

    For your convenience, there are three methods you can use to submit 
your comments to the Commission. 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 project docket numbers 
(CP16-3-000 and CP16-3-001) with your submission: Kimberly D. Bose, 
Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., 
Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426.

Summary of the Proposed Project

    The proposed pipeline facilities for the Projects include 15.8 
miles of 36-inch-diameter pipeline loop \1\ in three segments, most of 
which would be either within or adjacent to Texas Eastern's existing 
rights-of-way in Athens, Meigs, Noble, and Monroe Counties, Ohio; and 
0.5 mile of 16-inch-diameter replacement pipeline within an existing 
right-of-way in Attala County, Mississippi. In addition two pig \2\ 
launcher/receivers would be relocated and two new pig launcher/
receivers would be installed in Monroe County, Ohio. Proposed 
modifications to aboveground facilities would include modifications 
necessary to allow for bi-directional flow and meter reversals at 
twelve existing compressor stations which are proposed to be located 
primarily within Texas Eastern's current footprint. In addition, a new 
16,875 horsepower electric compressor would be added at the 
Tompkinsville Compressor Station in Monroe County, Kentucky.
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    \1\ A pipeline loop is a segment of pipe constructed parallel to 
an existing pipeline to increase capacity.
    \2\ A ``pig'' is a tool that the pipeline company inserts into 
and pushes through the pipeline for cleaning the pipeline, 
conducting internal inspections, or other purposes.
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    The proposed modifications at twelve existing compressor station 
sites would include piping modifications to accommodate bi-directional 
flow capability along Texas Eastern's existing mainline. These 
modifications are proposed at the following compressor stations:
     Holbrook Compressor Station in Greene County, 
Pennsylvania;
     Lebanon Compressor Station in Warren County, Ohio;
     Somerset Compressor Station in Perry County, Ohio;
     Berne Compressor Station in Monroe County, Ohio;
     Athens Compressor Station in Athens County, Ohio;
     Owingsville Compressor Station in Bath County, Kentucky;
     Danville Compressor Station in Lincoln County, Kentucky;
     Tompkinsville Compressor Station in Monroe County, 
Kentucky;
     Gladeville Compressor Station in Wilson County, Tennessee;

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     Barton Compressor Station in Colbert County, Alabama;
     Egypt Compressor Station in Monroe County, Mississippi; 
and
     Kosciusko Compressor Station in Attala County, 
Mississippi.
    The general location of the Projects facilities is shown in 
appendix 1.\3\
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    \3\ The appendices referenced in this notice will not appear in 
the Federal Register. Copies of the appendices were sent to all 
those receiving this notice in the mail and are available at 
www.ferc.gov using the link called ``eLibrary'' or from the 
Commission's Public Reference Room, 888 First Street NE., 
Washington, DC 20426, or call (202) 502-8371. For instructions on 
connecting to eLibrary, refer to the last page of this notice.
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Land Requirements for Construction

    Construction of the proposed facilities would disturb about 283.7 
acres of land for the pipeline loops and replacement, including extra 
workspace and access roads, and 341.0 acres of previously disturbed 
land at compressor station facilities. Following construction, Texas 
Eastern would maintain an additional 96.8 acres for permanent operation 
of the Projects' facilities; the remaining acreage would be restored 
and revert to former uses. The proposed loops would be located mostly 
adjacent to Texas Eastern's existing pipeline rights-of-way and 
construction at the compressor stations would occur at existing 
facilities where no permanent expansion of the facilities would occur.

The EA Process

    The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires the 
Commission to take into account the environmental impacts that could 
result from an action whenever it considers the issuance of a 
Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity. NEPA also requires us 
\4\ to discover and address concerns the public may have about 
proposals. This process is referred to as scoping. The main goal of the 
scoping process is to focus the analysis in the EA on the important 
environmental issues. By this notice, the Commission requests public 
comments on the scope of the issues to address in the EA. We will 
consider all filed comments during the preparation of the EA.
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    \4\ ``We,'' ``us,'' and ``our'' refer to the environmental staff 
of the Commission's Office of Energy Projects.
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    In the EA we will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of 
the construction and operation of the proposed Projects under these 
general headings:
     Geology and soils;
     Land use;
     water resources, fisheries, and wetlands;
     cultural resources;
     vegetation and wildlife;
     air quality and noise;
     endangered and threatened species;
     public safety; and
     cumulative impacts.
    We will also evaluate possible alternatives to the proposed 
Projects or portions of the Projects, and make recommendations on how 
to lessen or avoid impacts on the various resource areas.
    The EA will present our independent analysis of the issues. The EA 
will be available in the public record through eLibrary. Depending on 
the comments received during the scoping process, we may also publish 
and distribute the EA to the public for an allotted comment period. We 
will consider all comments on the EA before we make our recommendations 
to the Commission. To ensure we have the opportunity to consider and 
address your comments, please carefully follow the instructions in the 
Public Participation section, beginning on page 2.

Consultations Under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation 
Act

    In accordance with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation's 
implementing regulations for section 106 of the National Historic 
Preservation Act, we have initiated consultation with the applicable 
State Historic Preservation Offices, and to solicit their views and 
those of other government agencies, interested Indian tribes, and the 
public on the Projects' potential effects on historic properties.\5\ We 
will define the project-specific Area of Potential Effects (APE) in 
consultation with the SHPOs as the Projects develop. On natural gas 
facility projects, the APE at a minimum encompasses all areas subject 
to ground disturbance (examples include construction right-of-way, 
contractor/pipe storage yards, compressor stations, and access roads). 
Our EA for the Projects will document our findings on the impacts on 
historic properties and summarize the status of consultations under 
section 106.
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    \5\ The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation regulations 
are at Title 36, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 800. Those 
regulations define historic properties as any prehistoric or 
historic district, site, building, structure, or object included in 
or eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic 
Places.
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Environmental Mailing List

    The environmental mailing list for the Projects includes federal, 
state, and local government representatives and agencies; elected 
officials; environmental and public interest groups; Native American 
Tribes; and local libraries and newspapers. This list also includes all 
affected landowners (as defined in the Commission's regulations) who 
are potential right-of-way grantors, whose property may be used 
temporarily for project purposes, or who own homes within certain 
distances of aboveground facilities, and anyone who submits comments on 
the Projects. The mailing list for this supplemental NOI just includes 
landowners who were not previously notified by the original NOI and are 
abutters to Texas Eastern's compressor stations or within 0.5 mile of 
the Tompkinsville Compressor Station in Monroe County, Kentucky where 
additional compression is proposed. We will update the environmental 
mailing list as the analysis proceeds to ensure that we send the 
information related to this environmental review to all individuals, 
organizations, and government entities interested in and/or potentially 
affected by the proposed Projects.
    If we publish and distribute the EA, copies of the EA will be sent 
to the environmental mailing list for public review and comment. If you 
would prefer to receive a paper copy of the document instead of the CD 
version or would like to remove your name from the mailing list, please 
return the attached Information Request (appendix 2).

Becoming an Intervenor

    In addition to involvement in the EA scoping process, you may want 
to become an ``intervenor'' which is an official party to the 
Commission's proceeding. Intervenors play a more formal role in the 
process and are able to file briefs, appear at hearings, and be heard 
by the courts if they choose to appeal the Commission's final ruling. 
An intervenor formally participates in the proceeding by filing a 
request to intervene. Motions to intervene are more fully described at 
http://www.ferc.gov/resources/guides/how-to/intervene.asp. Instructions 
for becoming an intervenor are in the ``Document-less Intervention 
Guide'' under the ``e-filing'' link on the Commission's Web site. 
Because you were not notified by the original NOI, you may still 
intervene.

Additional Information

    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., CP16-

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3). 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, or 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 which 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.
    Finally, public meetings or site visits will be posted on the 
Commission's calendar located at www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/EventsList.aspx along with other related information.

    Dated: May 17, 2016.
Kimberly D. Bose,
 Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-12062 Filed 5-20-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P