[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 5 (Monday, January 9, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2352-2353]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-00069]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP16-478-000]


Gulf South Pipeline Company, LP; Notice of Schedule for 
Environmental Review of the St. Charles Parish Expansion Project

    On July 11, 2016, Gulf South Pipeline Company, LP (Gulf South) 
filed an application in Docket No. CP16-478-000 requesting a 
Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity pursuant to section 
7(c) of the Natural Gas Act to construct and operate certain natural 
gas pipeline facilities. The proposed project is known as the St. 
Charles Parish Expansion (Project), and involves the construction and 
operation of natural gas pipeline and compression facilities by Gulf 
South in St. Charles and St. John the Baptist Parishes, Louisiana.
    On July 18, 2016, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 
(Commission or FERC) issued its Notice of Application for the Project. 
Among other things, that notice alerted agencies issuing federal

[[Page 2353]]

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 Project.

Schedule for Environmental Review

Issuance of EA--March 3, 2017
90-day Federal Authorization Decision Deadline--June 1, 2017

    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 Project purpose is to provide 133,333 dekatherms per day to 
serve Entergy Louisiana, LLC's proposed natural gas-fired power plant 
facility located near Montz, Louisiana. Gulf South proposes to 
construct a new 5,000 horsepower compressor station near Montz, 
Louisiana (Montz Compressor Station), about 900 feet of new 16-inch-
diameter pipeline, and auxiliary facilities.
    The proposed Montz Compressor Station would be on the border of St. 
Charles and St. John the Baptist Parishes. Gulf South plans to begin 
construction of the Project in the fall of 2017 and place the 
facilities in-service by September 1, 2018.

Background

    On August 24, 2016, the Commission issued a Notice of Intent to 
Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed St. Charles Parish 
Expansion 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 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the 
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. The primary issues raised by the commentors 
are air quality, impacts on wetlands, tribal coordination, the 
availability of cultural surveys, and environmental justice impacts.

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., 
CP16-478), 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: December 30, 2016.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2017-00069 Filed 1-6-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P