[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 185 (Monday, September 24, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48305-48306]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-20679]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP17-101-000]


Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC; Notice of Draft 
General Conformity Determination for the Northeast Supply Enhancement 
Project

    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) has prepared a draft general conformity determination (GCD) 
for the Northeast Supply Enhancement Project (Project) proposed by 
Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC (Transco) in the above-
referenced docket. The draft GCD assesses the potential air quality 
impacts associated with the construction and operation of natural gas 
facilities to provide about 400 million standard cubic feet of natural 
gas per day to Brooklyn Union Gas Company and KeySpan Gas East 
Corporation (collectively referred to as National Grid) to serve 
residential and commercial customers in the New York City area 
beginning in the 2020/heating season.
    The draft GCD was prepared to satisfy the requirements of the Clean 
Air Act. The FERC staff concludes that the Project would achieve 
conformity in New York and New Jersey through direct mitigation and the 
purchase of emission reduction credits. The draft GCD addresses the 
potential air quality impacts from construction and operation of the 
following relevant subset of Project facilities:
     A 3.4-mile-long, 26-inch-diameter pipeline loop \1\ in 
Middlesex County, New Jersey (Madison Loop);
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    \1\ A pipeline ``loop'' is a segment of pipe constructed 
parallel to an existing pipeline to increase capacity.
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     a 23.5-mile long, 26-inch-diameter pipeline loop comprised 
of a 0.2-mile-long segment in onshore Middlesex County, New Jersey, and 
a 23.3-mile-long segment in the offshore waters of Middlesex and 
Monmouth Counties, New Jersey and Queens and Richmond Counties, New 
York (Raritan Bay Loop); and
     a new 32,000 horsepower natural gas-fired compressor 
station in Somerset County, New Jersey (Compressor Station 206).
    The draft GCD identifies that the Project is located within the NY-
NJ-CT Interstate air quality control region (AQCR). The Clean Air Act 
defines nonattainment areas as ``any area that does not meet (or that 
contributes to ambient air quality in a nearby area that does not meet) 
the national primary or secondary ambient air quality standard for the 
pollutant''. The draft environmental impact statement explains that in 
order to achieve improved air quality within a nonattainment area, 
reductions are required throughout the entire AQCR. The General 
Conformity Regulations require that offsets be purchased ``within the 
same nonattainment or maintenance area (or a nearby area of equal or 
higher classification provided the emissions from that area contribute 
to the violations, or have contributed to violations in the past).'' 
Transco proposes to implement a combination of direct mitigation 
projects and purchasing emission reduction credits to offset 
construction emissions nitrogen oxides for the Project. FERC staff will 
issue the final GCD with the final environmental impact statement on 
January 25, 2019.
    The Commission mailed a copy of the Notice of Availability 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 libraries in the Project area. The draft 
GCD is only available in electronic format. It may be viewed and 
downloaded using the eLibrary link on the FERC's website. Click on the 
eLibrary link (https://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/elibrary.asp), click on 
General Search, and enter the docket number in the ``Docket Number'' 
field, excluding the last three digits (i.e., CP17-101). 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.
    In accordance with the General Conformity Regulations under the 
Code of Federal Regulations Chapter 40 Part 93.156, the draft GCD is 
issued for a 30-day comment period. Any person wishing to comment on 
the draft GCD may do so. To ensure consideration of your comments on 
the Project, it is important that the Commission receive

[[Page 48306]]

your comments on or before October 18, 2018.
    For your convenience, there are three methods you can use to submit 
your comments to the Commission. The Commission encourages electronic 
filing of comments and has expert staff available to assist you at 
(202) 502-8258 or [email protected]. Please carefully follow 
these instructions so that your comments are properly recorded.
    (1) You can file your comments electronically using the eComment 
feature on the Commission's website (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 file your comments electronically by using the eFiling 
feature on the Commission's website (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.'' If you are filing a comment on a particular project, 
please select ``Comment on a Filing'' as the filing type; or
    (3) You can file a paper copy of your comments by mailing them to 
the following address. Be sure to reference the Project docket number 
(CP17-101-000) with your submission: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, 
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Room 1A, 
Washington, DC 20426.
    Additional information about the Project is available from the 
Commission's Office of External Affairs at (866) 208-FERC or on the 
FERC website (www.ferc.gov) using the eLibrary link and the Project 
docket number (e.g., CP17-101). The eLibrary link on the FERC website 
also provides access to the texts of formal documents issued by the 
Commission, such as orders, notices, and rulemakings.

    Dated: September 18, 2018.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2018-20679 Filed 9-21-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P