[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 126 (Thursday, June 30, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 42700]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-15555]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP16-18-000]


Magnum Gas Storage, LLC; Notice of Schedule for Environmental 
Review of The Magnum Gas Storage Amendment Project

    On November 16, 2015, Magnum Gas Storage, LLC (Magnum) filed an 
abbreviated application to amend the Certificate of Public Convenience 
and Necessity granted by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 
(Commission or FERC) on March 17, 2011 in Docket No. CP10-22-000. 
Magnum was authorized to construct, own, and operate natural gas 
storage and transmission facilities in Millard, Juab, and Utah 
Counties, Utah. To date, construction of the authorized Magnum Gas 
Storage Project (Magnum Project) has not commenced.
    On November 24, 2015, the Commission issued its Notice of 
Application for the Magnum Gas Storage Amendment Project (Amendment 
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 Amendment Project.

Schedule for Environmental Review

Issuance of EA, July 29, 2016
90-day Federal Authorization Decision Deadline, October 27, 2016
    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 Amendment Project would result in the elimination and 
relocation of facilities within the original footprint of the Magnum 
Project. Specifically, Magnum would eliminate: Brine evaporation pond 
1; monitoring wells DA-1 and DA-2; and monitoring wells, GA-1, GA-2, 
GA-9, GA-10, and GA-11. Magnum would also relocate: Four natural gas 
caverns; water wells 1 through 5; compression, dehydration, and pumping 
facilities; 4-inch gas supply line; maintenance and laydown area; 
office/warehouse building and substation; and site-wide utilities.
    Additionally, Magnum would relocate a 6,252-foot-long segment of 
the 61.6-mile-long, 36-inch-diameter Header pipeline, 63 feet north of 
the authorized alignment, west of Jones Road in Millard County, Utah. 
Magnum is not proposing any changes to the temporary or permanent 
right-of-way width for this portion of the Header alignment. Therefore, 
the previously approved temporary and permanent disturbance acreage 
would not increase.

Background

    On January 14, 2016, the Commission issued a Notice of Intent To 
Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Magnum Gas Storage 
Amendment 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 Hopi Tribe, the State of Utah Office of the 
Governor, and the State of Utah School and Institutional Trust Lands 
Administration (SITLA). The primary issues raised by the commentors are 
consultations on cultural resources, state permits, and the National 
Historic Perseveration Act. The U.S. Department of Transportation, 
SITLA, State of Utah, and Millard County, Utah, are cooperating 
agencies in the preparation of the EA for the Amendment Project.

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., 
CP16-18), 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: June 24, 2016.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-15555 Filed 6-29-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P