[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 168 (Tuesday, August 30, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59618-59620]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-20755]



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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. PF16-5-000]


Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC; Notice of Intent To 
Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Planned Northeast 
Supply Enhancement Project, Request for Comments on Environmental 
Issues, and Notice of Public Scoping Sessions

    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) that 
will discuss the environmental impacts of the Northeast Supply 
Enhancement (NESE) Project involving construction and operation of 
facilities by Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC (Transco) in 
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania; Somerset and Middlesex Counties, New 
Jersey; and in State of New Jersey and State of New York marine waters 
in Raritan Bay and Lower New York Bay. The Commission will use this EIS 
in its decision-making process to determine whether the project is in 
the public convenience and necessity.
    This notice announces the opening of the scoping process the 
Commission will use to gather input from the public and interested 
agencies on the project. You can make a difference by providing us with 
your specific comments or concerns about the project. 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 EIS. 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 September 23, 2016.
    If you sent comments on this project to the Commission before the 
opening of this docket on May 18, 2016, you will need to file those 
comments in Docket No. PF16-5-000 to ensure they are considered as part 
of this proceeding.
    This notice is being sent to the Commission's current environmental 
mailing list for this project. State and local government 
representatives should notify their constituents of this planned 
project and encourage them to comment on their areas of concern.
    If you are a landowner receiving this notice, a pipeline company 
representative may contact you about the acquisition of an easement to 
construct, operate, and maintain the planned facilities. The company 
would seek to negotiate a mutually acceptable agreement. However, if 
the Commission approves the project, 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 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 project docket number 
(PF16-5-000) 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 scoping sessions its 
staff will conduct in the project area, scheduled as follows:

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            Date and time                          Location
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Wednesday, September 7, 2016, 5:00-   George Bush Senior Center, 1 Old
 9:00 p.m.                             Bridge Plaza, Old Bridge, NJ
                                       08857.
Thursday, September 8, 2016, 5:00-    Aviator Sports and Events Center
 9:00 p.m.                             at Floyd Bennett Field, 3159
                                       Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn, NY
                                       11234.
Wednesday, September 14, 2016, 5:00-  Solanco High School, 585 Solanco
 9:00 p.m.                             Road, Quarryville, PA 17566.
Thursday, September 15, 2016, 5:00-   Franklin Township Community
 9:00 p.m.                             Center, 505 Demott Lane,
                                       Somerset, NJ 08873.
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    The primary goal of these scoping sessions is to have you identify 
the specific environmental issues and concerns that should be 
considered in the EIS to be prepared for the project. Individual verbal 
comments will be taken on a one-on-one basis with one of two 
stenographers. Because we anticipate a large amount of interest from 
affected landowners and other concerned citizens, this format is 
designed to receive the maximum amount of verbal comments, in a 
convenient way during the timeframe allotted.
    Each scoping session is scheduled from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. 
Eastern Time Zone. You may arrive at any time after 5:00 p.m. There 
will not be a formal presentation by Commission staff when the session 
opens. If you wish to speak, the Commission staff will hand out numbers 
in the order of your arrival, and will discontinue handing them out at 
8:00 p.m. Comments will be taken until 9:00 p.m. or 8:00 p.m., if no 
additional numbers have been handed out, whichever comes first. Your 
verbal scoping comments will be recorded by the stenographer (with FERC 
staff or representative present) and become part of the public record 
for this proceeding. Transcripts will be publicly available on

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FERC's eLibrary system (see below for instructions on using eLibrary). 
If a significant number of people are interested in providing verbal 
comments in the one-on-one settings, a time limit of 3 to 5 minutes may 
be implemented for each commenter. It is important to note that verbal 
comments hold the same weight as written or electronically submitted 
comments. Although there will not be a formal presentation, Commission 
staff will be available throughout the scoping session to answer your 
questions about the environmental review process.
    Please note this is not your only public input opportunity; please 
refer to the review process flow chart in appendix 1.\1\
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    \1\ 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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Summary of the Planned Project

    Transco plans to expand its existing interstate natural gas 
transmission system in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York. The NESE 
Project would provide about 400 million standard cubic feet of natural 
gas per day to National Grid for service to National Grid's domestic 
and commercial customers. According to Transco, its project would 
ensure adequate natural gas supply to support demand growth, provide 
natural gas supply diversification and reliability, and improve air 
quality as a result of conversion from heating oil systems to natural 
gas.
    The NESE Project would consist of the following facilities:
     A 10.1-mile-long, 42-inch-diameter pipeline loop \2\ of 
Transco's Mainline in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania (Quarryville 
Loop);
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    \2\ A pipeline loop is a segment of pipe constructed parallel to 
an existing pipeline to increase capacity.
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     a 3.4-mile-long, 26-inch-diameter pipeline loop of the 
Lower New York Bay Lateral in Middlesex County, New Jersey (Madison 
Loop);
     a 23.4-mile-long, 26-inch-diameter pipeline loop of the 
Lower New York Bay Lateral beginning at the coast of Middlesex County, 
New Jersey and crossing New Jersey and New York State marine waters to 
the existing Rockaway Transfer Point (Raritan Bay Loop);
     an additional 21,000 horsepower of compression at 
Compressor Station 200 in Chester County, Pennsylvania;
     a new 32,000 horsepower compressor station in Somerset 
County, New Jersey (Compressor Station 206); and
     appurtenant underground and aboveground facilities.
    The general location of the facilities is shown in appendix 2.
    Transco is currently considering two locations for Compressor 
Station 206 in Somerset County, New Jersey, referred to as Alternative 
2 and Alternative 3. Because Transco is in the planning stages of the 
project, we are requesting comments on both Alternative 2 and 
Alternative 3 for Compressor Station 206.

Land Requirements for Construction

    The planned pipelines would generally parallel Transco's existing 
system. Transco is evaluating onshore and offshore land requirements 
for pipeline construction and will provide this information when it is 
available. Compressor Station 206 Alternative 2 consists of a 36 acre 
parcel and Alternative 3 consists of a 52 acre parcel. Modification of 
existing Compressor Station 200 in Chester County, Pennsylvania, would 
occur within the boundary of the facility.

The EIS 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 
\3\ 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 EIS on the important 
environmental issues. By this notice, the Commission requests public 
comments on the scope of the issues to address in the EIS. We will 
consider all filed comments during the preparation of the EIS.
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    \3\ ``We,'' ``us,'' and ``our'' refer to the environmental staff 
of the Commission's Office of Energy Projects.
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    In the EIS we will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of 
the construction and operation of the planned project under these 
general headings:
     Geology and soils;
     land use;
     water resources, fisheries, and wetlands;
     cultural resources;
     socioeconomics;
     vegetation and wildlife;
     air quality and noise;
     endangered and threatened species;
     public safety; and
     cumulative impacts.
    We will also evaluate possible alternatives to the planned project 
or portions of the project, and make recommendations on how to lessen 
or avoid impacts on the various resource areas.
    Although no formal application has been filed, we have already 
initiated our NEPA review under the Commission's pre-filing process. 
The purpose of the pre-filing process is to encourage early involvement 
of interested stakeholders and to identify and resolve issues before 
the FERC receives an application. As part of our pre-filing review, we 
have begun to contact some federal and state agencies to discuss their 
involvement in the scoping process and the preparation of the EIS.
    The EIS will present our independent analysis of the issues. We 
will publish and distribute the draft EIS for public comment. After the 
comment period, we will consider all timely comments and revise the 
document, as necessary, before issuing a final EIS. 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.
    With this notice, we are asking agencies with jurisdiction by law 
and/or special expertise with respect to the environmental issues 
related to this project to formally cooperate with us in the 
preparation of the EIS.\4\ Agencies that would like to request 
cooperating agency status should follow the instructions for filing 
comments provided under the Public Participation section of this 
notice. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has expressed its 
intention to participate as a cooperating agency in the preparation of 
the EIS to satisfy its NEPA responsibilities related to this project.
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    \4\ The Council on Environmental Quality regulations addressing 
cooperating agency responsibilities are at Title 40, Code of Federal 
Regulations, Part 1501.6.
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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 are using this notice to initiate consultation 
with the applicable State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPOs), and to 
solicit their views and those of other government agencies, interested 
Indian tribes, and the public on the project's potential

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effects on historic properties.\5\ We will define the project-specific 
Area of Potential Effects (APE) in consultation with the SHPOs as the 
project develops. 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 EIS for this project 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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Currently Identified Environmental Issues

    We have already identified several issues that we think deserve 
attention based on a preliminary review of the planned facilities, the 
environmental information provided by Transco, comments received at 
Transco's open houses, and those comments filed to-date. This 
preliminary list of issues may change based on your additional comments 
and our analysis:
     Potential impact of planned Compressor Station 206 on 
property values, air quality, health, noise, traffic, soil, 
groundwater, and public safety;
     potential impact on Compressor Station 206 from blasting 
activity at the Trap Rock Industries, Inc. quarry;
     alternative compressor station locations;
     the potential for the horizontal directional drill method 
to impact drinking water wells; and
     potential impacts on aquatic resources in Raritan Bay and 
Lower New York Bay.

Environmental Mailing List

    The environmental mailing list includes federal, state, and local 
government representatives and agencies; elected officials; 
environmental and public interest groups; Native American Tribes; other 
interested parties; 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 project. 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 
planned project.
    Copies of the completed draft EIS 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 3).

Becoming an Intervenor

    Once Transco files its application with the Commission, 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. 
Please note that the Commission will not accept requests for intervenor 
status at this time. You must wait until the Commission receives a 
formal application for the project.

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., PF16-5). 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/sessions 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: August 24, 2016.
 Kimberly D. Bose,
 Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-20755 Filed 8-29-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P