[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 144 (Friday, July 28, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35192-35194]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-15911]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket Nos. CP15-554-000, CP15-554-001, CP15-555-000, CP15-556-000]


Atlantic Coast Pipeline, LLC, Dominion Energy Transmission, Inc., 
Piedmont Natural Gas Company, Inc.; Notice of Availability of the Final 
Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Atlantic Coast Pipeline 
and Supply Header Project

    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) has prepared a final environmental impact statement (EIS) 
for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP) and Supply Header Project (SHP) 
as proposed by Atlantic Coast Pipeline, LLC (Atlantic) and Dominion 
Energy Transmission, Inc. (DETI), respectively, in the above-referenced 
dockets. Atlantic and DETI request authorization to construct and 
operate a total of 642.0 miles of natural gas transmission pipeline and 
associated facilities, and three new natural gas-fired compressor 
stations; and to modify four existing compressor stations. The projects 
would provide about 1.44 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas to 
electric generation, distribution, and end use markets in Virginia and 
North Carolina. In addition, Atlantic and Piedmont Natural Gas. Co., 
Inc. (Piedmont) request authorization to allow Atlantic to lease 
capacity on Piedmont's existing pipeline distribution system in North 
Carolina for use by Atlantic (Capacity Lease Proposal). No construction 
or facility modifications are proposed with the Capacity Lease.
    The final EIS assesses the potential environmental effects of the 
construction and operation of the projects in accordance with the 
requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The FERC 
staff concludes that approval of the projects would have some adverse 
and significant environmental impacts; however, the majority of impacts 
would be reduced to less-than-significant levels with the 
implementation of the Atlantic's and DETI's proposed

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mitigation and the additional measures recommended in the EIS.
    The U.S. Department of Agriculture--Forest Service (FS); U.S. Army 
Corps of Engineers; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service; West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection; 
and West Virginia Division of Natural Resources participated as 
cooperating agencies in the preparation of the final EIS. Cooperating 
agencies have jurisdiction by law or special expertise with respect to 
resources potentially affected by the proposals and participate in the 
NEPA analysis. Further, the FS may use the EIS when it considers 
amendments to Land and Resource Management Plans (LRMPs) and 
authorizations for special use permits (SUPs) for the proposed 
crossings of the Monongahela National Forest (MNF) and George 
Washington National Forest (GWNF). Although the cooperating agencies 
provide input to the conclusions and recommendations presented in the 
final EIS, each agency may present its own conclusions and 
recommendations in its respective record of decision or determination 
for the projects.
    The final EIS addresses the potential environmental effects of the 
construction and operation of the following project facilities:
    ACP would include:
     519.7 miles of new 42- and 36-inch-diameter natural gas 
pipeline in West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina;
     84.8 miles of 20- and 16-inch-diameter natural gas 
pipeline in Virginia and North Carolina;
     three new compressor stations in Lewis County, West 
Virginia; Buckingham County, Virginia; and Northampton County, North 
Carolina; and
     nine meter stations, along with pig \1\ launchers/
receivers and mainline valves.
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    \1\ A pipeline pig is a device used to clean or inspect a 
pipeline. A pig launcher/receiver is an aboveground facility where 
pigs are inserted or retrieved from the pipeline.
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    SHP would include:
     37.5 miles of new 30-inch-diameter natural gas pipeline in 
Pennsylvania and West Virginia;
     modifications at four existing compressor stations in 
Westmoreland and Green Counties, Pennsylvania and Marshall and Wetzel 
Counties, West Virginia;
     abandonment of existing compressor units and associated 
facilities in Wetzel County, West Virginia; and
     one meter station, along with pig launchers/receivers and 
mainline valves.

Actions of the Forest Service

    The FS's purpose and need for the proposed action is to respond to 
a special use application submitted by Atlantic on November 12, 2015, 
to allow the construction and operation of ACP on National Forest 
System (NFS) lands managed by the MNF and GWNF. If the FS decides to 
authorize the pipeline crossing of NFS lands and issue SUPs, the FS has 
determined that amendments to each national forest LRMP would be 
needed.
    Pursuant to Title 40 Code of Federal Regulations Part 1506.3(c) (40 
CFR 1506.3(c)), the FS may adopt and use this EIS developed by FERC to 
consider authorization for the construction and operation of the ACP 
crossing NFS lands. Further, the FS may use this EIS when it considers 
amendments to the LRMPs that would be required for the proposed 
crossings of the MNF and GWNF.

Forest Service's Draft Record of Decision

    After issuance of the final EIS, the FS will release a single draft 
Record of Decision (ROD) for the authorization of a SUP to Atlantic for 
use of and to occupy NFS lands to construct, operate, maintain, and 
eventually decommission a natural gas pipeline that crosses lands 
administered by the MNF and GWNF; and for approval of the project-
specific LRMP amendments associated with implementing the ACP on the 
MNF and the GWNF. The Regional Foresters (RFs) in the Eastern Region 
(for the MNF) and the Southern Region (for the GWNF) will be the 
responsible officials for the ROD. The RF for the Eastern Region has 
determined that two parts of the MNF LRMP, where four standards would 
be modified by a Forest Plan amendment (section 4.8 of the final EIS), 
meet the substantive requirements of the FS planning regulations (36 
CFR 219) and could be implemented without impairing the long-term 
productivity of NFS lands. Similarly, the RF for the Southern Region 
has determined that six parts of the GWNF LRMP, where nine standards 
would be modified by a Forest Plan amendment, meet the substantive 
requirements of the FS planning regulations and could be implemented 
without impairing the long-term productivity on NFS lands. With the 
amended LRMPs, the ACP would be consistent with both Forests' LRMPs. 
This draft ROD will be based on a review of the environmental analysis 
disclosed in the final EIS; the project record; Atlantic's proposed 
Construction, Operation, and Maintenance Plan; comments received from 
the public, partners, and other agencies; and consideration of the 36 
CFR 219 requirements for amending a Forest Plan.
    The draft ROD is subject to the FS pre-decision objection process 
pursuant to the provisions available at 36 CFR part 218, subparts A and 
B (published in the Federal Register Vol. 78, No. 59 at 18481 [March 
27, 2013]). Objections to the FS draft ROD on the authorization of the 
pipeline and the LRMP amendments must be filed within 45 calendar days 
from the publication date of the legal notice of the opportunity to 
object in The Milwaukee Journal/Sentinel and Atlanta Journal-
Constitution, which are the newspapers of RODs made by the Eastern 
Region and Southern Region RFs. Notices will also be published in the 
Inter-Mountain and The Roanoke Times for local notification of the FS 
draft ROD. The legal notices will contain the details of the objection 
process. The FS must respond to all objections received before it makes 
a final decision.
    A copy of the FS draft ROD and the legal notices for objections can 
be obtained by any of the following methods:
    For the GWNF:
     Internet Web site: http://www.fs.usda.gov/gwj;
     Email: [email protected]; or
     Regular mail: Karen Overcash, George Washington and 
Jefferson National Forests, 5162 Valleypointe Parkway, Roanoke, VA 
24019; telephone: (540) 265-5100.
    For the MNF:
     Internet Web site: http://www.fs.usda.gov/mnf;
     Email: [email protected]; or
     Regular mail: Karen Stevens, Monongahela National Forest, 
200 Sycamore Street, Elkins, WV 26241; telephone (304) 636-1800.

Distribution of the Final Environmental Impact Statement

    The FERC staff mailed copies of the final EIS 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; newspapers and libraries in the project area; and parties to 
this proceeding. Paper copy versions of this final EIS were mailed to 
those specifically requesting them; all others received a CD version. 
In addition, the final EIS is available for public viewing on the

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FERC's Web site (www.ferc.gov) using the eLibrary link. A limited 
number of copies of the final EIS 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.
    Additional information about the projects 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., CP15-
554, CP15-555, or CP15-556). 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; 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 that 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 to 
subscribe.

    Dated: July 21, 2017.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2017-15911 Filed 7-27-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P