[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 182 (Tuesday, September 20, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64450-64451]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-22604]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP16-357-000; Docket No. CP16-361-000]


Columbia Gas Transmission, LLC, Columbia Gulf Transmission, LLC; 
Notice of Schedule for Environmental Review of the Mountaineer XPress 
Project and the Gulf XPress Project

    On April 29, 2016, Columbia Gas Transmission, LLC (Columbia Gas) 
and Columbia Gulf Transmission, LLC (Columbia Gulf) filed applications 
in Docket Nos. CP16-357-000 and CP16-361-000, respectively, requesting 
Certificates of Public Convenience and Necessity pursuant to Sections 
7(b) and 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act to construct, operate, and 
maintain certain natural gas pipeline facilities. Columbia Gas' 
proposed Mountaineer XPress Project in West Virginia would transport up 
to 2,700,000 dekatherms per day (Dth/d) of natural gas from receipt 
points in West Virginia, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, to markets on the 
Columbia Pipeline Group system. Columbia Gulf's proposed Gulf XPress 
Project in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Mississippi would expand the 
capacity of Columbia Gulf's existing system to allow for an additional 
860,000 Dth/d of natural gas delivery to high-demand markets in the 
Gulf Coast region. Because these are interrelated projects, the Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or Commission) deemed it was 
appropriate to analyze them in a single environmental impact statement 
(EIS).
    FERC issued respective Notices of Application for the Mountaineer 
XPress and Gulf XPress Projects on May 13, 2016. Among other things, 
those notices 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 EIS for the two 
projects. This instant notice identifies the FERC staff's planned 
schedule for completion of the final EIS for the projects, which is 
based on an issuance of the draft EIS in November 2016.

[[Page 64451]]

Schedule for Environmental Review

Issuance of Notice of Availability of the final EIS--April 28, 2017
90-day Federal Authorization Decision Deadline--July 27, 2017

    If a schedule change becomes necessary for the final EIS, an 
additional notice will be provided so that the relevant agencies are 
kept informed of the projects' progress.

Project Description

    The Mountaineer XPress Project consists of new pipeline and 
compression facilities, all in the state of West Virginia. The major 
proposed facilities include 163.9 miles of new 36-inch-diameter 
pipeline in Marshall and Cabell Counties; 5.8 miles of new 24-inch-
diameter pipeline in Doddridge County; 0.4 mile of replacement 30-inch-
diameter pipeline on segments of Columbia Gas' SM80 and SM80 loop 
pipelines in Cabell County; three new compressor stations (totaling 
106,300 horsepower) in Doddridge, Calhoun, and Jackson Counties; two 
new regulating stations in Ripley and Cabell Counties; and added 
compression at three existing compressor stations in Marshall, Wayne, 
and Kanawha Counties.
    The Gulf XPress Project consists of construction and operation of 
seven new compressor stations, and upgrades at one existing meter 
station and one pending compressor station (under Docket No. CP15-539) 
on Columbia Gulf's existing system, spread across Kentucky (Carter, 
Boyd, Rowan, Garrard, and Metcalfe Counties), Tennessee (Davidson and 
Wayne Counties), and Mississippi (Union and Grenada Counties).

Background

    On September 16, 2015, the Commission staff granted Columbia Gas' 
request to use the FERC's Pre-filing environmental review process and 
assigned the Mountaineer XPress Project temporary Docket No. PF15-31-
000. On November 18, 2015, the Commission issued a Notice of Intent to 
Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Planned Mountaineer 
XPress Project, Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and 
Notice of Public Scoping Meetings. The Gulf XPress Project did not 
utilize the FERC's Pre-filing environmental process, and on June 2, 
2016, the Commission issued a Notice of Intent to Prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Gulf XPress Project, 
Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of Public 
Scoping Meeting.
    The Notices of Intent were sent to our environmental mailing list 
that include federal, state, and local government agencies; elected 
officials; affected landowners; regional environmental groups and 
nongovernmental organizations; Native Americans and Indian tribes; 
local libraries and newspapers; and other interested parties. Major 
environmental issues raised during scoping included karst terrain; 
impacts on groundwater and surface waterbodies; impacts on forests; 
impacts on special status species; impacts on property values and the 
use of eminent domain; impacts on the local economy; impacts on 
historic properties and districts; visual impacts from compressor 
stations; impacts on land use; impacts on air quality and noise from 
construction and operation of pipeline facilities; and public health 
and safety.
    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency; West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection; and West 
Virginia Division of Natural Resources 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 (http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/esubscription.asp). Additional data about the 
projects can be obtained electronically through the Commission's 
Internet Web site (www.ferc.gov). Under ``Dockets & Filings,'' use the 
``eLibrary'' link, select ``General Search'' from the menu, enter the 
docket numbers excluding the last three digits (i.e., CP16-357 or CP16-
361), and the search dates. Questions about the projects can be 
directed to the Commission's Office of External Affairs at (866) 208-
FERC.

    Dated: September 14, 2016.
Kimberly D. Bose,
 Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-22604 Filed 9-19-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P