[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 220 (Thursday, November 16, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53494-53495]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-24790]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP18-12-000]


Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America LLC; Notice of 
Application

    Take notice that on October 31, 2017, Natural Gas Pipeline Company 
of America LLC (Natural), 3250 Lacey Road, Downers Grove, Illinois 
60515-7918, filed in Docket No. CP18-12-000 an application pursuant to 
section 7(b) of the Natural Gas Act (NGA), and Part 157 of the 
Commission's regulations requesting authority to abandon Natural's 
Herscher Northwest Storage Field (HNW Storage Field) located in 
Kankakee County, Illinois. Natural states that its HNW Storage Field is 
an aquifer type gas storage field that has been under-performing and is 
no longer needed by Natural to provide storage services for its 
customers or to operate its system.
    Specifically, Natural proposes to: (i) Plug and permanently abandon 
19 injection and withdrawal (I/W) wells (and to retain one I/W well as 
an observation (OBS) well; (ii) abandon in place 16.15 miles of 4-inch-
diameter to 16-inch-diameter field laterals, (iii) abandon by removal 
Compressor Station 202, a 330 horsepower compressor station, located in 
the HNW Storage Field; and (iv) abandon in place approximately 15.3 Bcf 
of non-recoverable cushion gas. Additionally, Natural plans to plug and 
permanently abandon 13 OBS wells (one would be retained for continued 
observation purposes) and a salt water disposal well. Natural would 
also remove all auxiliary surface facilities, all as more fully set 
forth in the application which is on file with the Commission and open 
to public inspection. The filing may also be viewed on the web at 
http://

[[Page 53495]]

www.ferc.gov using the ``eLibrary'' link. Enter the docket number 
excluding the last three digits in the docket number field to access 
the document. For assistance, contact FERC at 
[email protected] or call toll-free, (866) 208-3676 or TYY, 
(202) 502-8659.
    Any questions regarding this application should be directed to 
Bruce H. Newsome, Vice President, Natural Gas Pipeline Company of 
America LLC, 3250 Lacey Road, Suite 700, Downers Grove, Illinois 60515-
7918; by telephone (630) 725-3070; or by email at 
[email protected].
    Pursuant to section 157.9 of the Commission's rules (18 CFR 157.9), 
within 90 days of this Notice, the Commission staff will either: 
Complete its environmental assessment (EA) and place it into the 
Commission's public record (eLibrary) for this proceeding; or issue a 
Notice of Schedule for Environmental Review. If a Notice of Schedule 
for Environmental Review is issued, it will indicate, among other 
milestones, the anticipated date for the Commission staff's issuance of 
the EA for this proposal. The filing of the EA in the Commission's 
public record for this proceeding or the issuance of a Notice of 
Schedule for Environmental Review will serve to notify federal and 
state agencies of the timing for the completion of all necessary 
reviews, and the subsequent need to complete all federal authorizations 
within 90 days of the date of issuance of the Commission staff's EA.
    There are two ways to become involved in the Commission's review of 
this project. First, any person wishing to obtain legal status by 
becoming a party to the proceedings for this project should, on or 
before the comment date stated below, file with the Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Washington, DC 20426, a 
motion to intervene in accordance with the requirements of the 
Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.214 or 
385.211) and the Regulations under the NGA (18 CFR 157.10). A person 
obtaining party status will be placed on the service list maintained by 
the Secretary of the Commission and will receive copies of all 
documents filed by the applicant and by all other parties. A party must 
submit five copies of filings made with the Commission and must mail a 
copy to the applicant and to every other party in the proceeding. Only 
parties to the proceeding can ask for court review of Commission orders 
in the proceeding.
    However, a person does not have to intervene in order to have 
comments considered. The second way to participate is by filing with 
the Secretary of the Commission, as soon as possible, an original and 
two copies of comments in support of or in opposition to this project. 
The Commission will consider these comments in determining the 
appropriate action to be taken, but the filing of a comment alone will 
not serve to make the filer a party to the proceeding. The Commission's 
rules require that persons filing comments in opposition to the project 
provide copies of their protests only to the party or parties directly 
involved in the protest.
    Persons who wish to comment only on the environmental review of 
this project should submit an original and two copies of their comments 
to the Secretary of the Commission. Environmental commentors will be 
placed on the Commission's environmental mailing list, will receive 
copies of the environmental documents, and will be notified of meetings 
associated with the Commission's environmental review process. 
Environmental commentors will not be required to serve copies of filed 
documents on all other parties. However, the non-party commentors will 
not receive copies of all documents filed by other parties or issued by 
the Commission (except for the mailing of environmental documents 
issued by the Commission) and will not have the right to seek court 
review of the Commission's final order.
    The Commission strongly encourages electronic filings of comments, 
protests and interventions in lieu of paper using the ``eFiling'' link 
at http://www.ferc.gov. Persons unable to file electronically should 
submit an original and five copies of the protest or intervention to 
the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., 
Washington, DC 20426.
    Comment Date: November 29, 2017.

    Dated: November 8, 2017.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2017-24790 Filed 11-15-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P