[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 108 (Wednesday, June 7, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26480-26481]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-11757]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP16-028-000]


National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation; Notice of Availability of 
the Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Line QP, Line Q, and 
Queen Storage Project

    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) has prepared an environmental assessment (EA) for the Line 
QP, Line Q, and Queen Storage Project (Project), proposed by National 
Fuel Gas Supply Corporation (National Fuel) in the above-referenced 
docket. National Fuel requests authorization to construct and operate 
facilities in Forest and Warren Counties, Pennsylvania. National Fuel 
would abandon capacity by sale a natural gas storage system and 
associated pipeline that is no longer needed by the company and would 
provide that capacity to other gathering system suppliers in 
Pennsylvania. Additionally, National Fuel proposes to replace a 
compromised portion of the pipeline associated with the storage system 
and install new pipeline to maintain National Fuel's distribution 
capability.
    The EA assesses the potential environmental effects of the 
construction and operation of the Project in accordance with the 
requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The FERC 
staff concludes that approval of the proposed project, with appropriate 
mitigating measures, would not constitute a major federal action 
significantly affecting the quality of the human environment.
    The United States Army Corps of Engineers, United States Department 
of Agriculture-Forest Service (USDA-FS), and the Pennsylvania Fish and 
Boat Commission participated as cooperating agencies in the preparation 
of the EA. Cooperating agencies have jurisdiction by law or special 
expertise with respect to resources potentially affected by the 
proposal and participate in the NEPA analysis. The USDA-FS may adopt 
and use the EA to consider the issuance of a special use permit for the 
portion of the project on USDA-FS lands.
    The Project includes the following facilities:
     Abandon by sale the existing Queen Storage Field and Queen 
Compressor Station, property interests related thereto, and 
approximately 5.5 miles of the 6[hyphen]inch-diameter natural gas 
transmission pipeline (Line Q) from

[[Page 26481]]

Queen Compressor Station to a point just south of the Allegheny River 
in Limestone Township, Warren County, Pennsylvania;
     abandon in-place 0.18 mile of existing Line Q pipeline 
crossing the Allegheny River, with the exception of exposed portions 
that would be removed, and replace the crossing with a non-
jurisdictional 12-inch-diameter natural gas transmission pipeline that 
would be sold to the future operator;
     install approximately 5 miles of new 4[hyphen]inch-
diameter natural gas transmission pipeline (Line QP) within the Line Q 
right[hyphen]of[hyphen]way; and
     construct a new regulator station and two service taps.
    The FERC staff mailed copies of the EA to federal, state, and local 
government representatives and agencies; elected officials; 
environmental and public interest groups; Native American tribes; 
potentially affected landowners and other interested individuals and 
groups; and newspapers and libraries in the Project area. In addition, 
the EA is available for public viewing on the FERC's Web site 
(www.ferc.gov) using the eLibrary link. A limited number of copies of 
the EA are available for distribution and public inspection at: Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission, Public Reference Room, 888 First Street 
NE., Room 2A, Washington, DC 20426, (202) 502-8371.
    Any person wishing to comment on the EA may do so. Your comments 
should focus on the potential environmental effects, reasonable 
alternatives, and measures to avoid or lessen environmental impacts. 
The more specific your comments, the more useful they will be. To 
ensure that the Commission has the opportunity to consider your 
comments prior to making its decision on this project, it is important 
that we receive your comments in Washington, DC on or before July 1, 
2017.
    For your convenience, there are three methods you can use to file 
your comments to the Commission. In all instances, please reference the 
project docket number (CP16-028-000) with your submission. The 
Commission encourages electronic filing of comments and has expert 
staff available to assist you at (202) 502-8258 or 
[email protected].
    (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 also file your comments electronically 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.'' You must select the type of filing you are making. If 
you are filing a comment on a particular project, please select 
``Comment on a Filing''; or
    (3) You can file a paper copy of your comments by mailing them to 
the following address: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC 
20426.
    Any person seeking to become a party to the proceeding must file a 
motion to intervene pursuant to Rule 214 of the Commission's Rules of 
Practice and Procedures (18 CFR 385.214).\1\ Only intervenors have the 
right to seek rehearing of the Commission's decision. The Commission 
grants affected landowners and others with environmental concerns 
intervenor status upon showing good cause by stating that they have a 
clear and direct interest in this proceeding which no other party can 
adequately represent. Simply filing environmental comments will not 
give you intervenor status, but you do not need intervenor status to 
have your comments considered.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ See the previous discussion on the methods for filing 
comments.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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-
28). 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.

    Dated: June 1, 2017.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2017-11757 Filed 6-6-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P