[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 245 (Friday, December 21, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65647-65648]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-27640]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP18-186-000]


Notice of Schedule for Environmental Review of the 
Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC, Southeastern Trail Project

    On April 11, 2018, Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC 
(Transco) filed an application in Docket No. CP18-186-000 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 
Southeastern Trail Project (Project), and would provide 296.4 million 
standard cubic feet of natural gas per day (MMcf/d) of additional firm 
transportation capacity from the Pleasant Valley Interconnect facility 
in Fairfax County, Virginia to the existing Station 65 pooling point in 
St. Helena Parish, Louisiana.
    With this notice, this Commission is alerting agencies that issue 
federal 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 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--February 8, 2019
90-day Federal Authorization Decision Deadline--May 9, 2019

    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 would involve construction and operation of 
approximately 7.7 miles of new natural gas pipeline loop located along 
Transco's existing mainline (referred to as the Manassas Loop) in 
Fauquier and Prince William Counties, Virginia. The Project also 
includes approximately 60,720 horsepower of additional compression at 
three existing facilities in Virginia (Compressor Station 185, 
Compressor Station 175, and Compressor Station 165); reversal and/or 
deodorization modifications at eight existing mainline facilities in 
South Carolina, Georgia, and Louisiana; and modifications at 13 
existing mainline valve sites in South Carolina and Georgia. In 
addition, Transco proposes to retire and abandon 10 compressor units 
and related buildings and ancillary equipment at existing Compressor 
Station 165 in Pittsylvania County, Virginia.

Background

    On June 1, 2018, the Commission issued a Notice of Intent to 
Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Southeastern Trail 
Project, Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of 
Public Scoping Sessions (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 Virginia Department 
of Conservation and Recreation, the Teamsters National Pipeline Labor 
Management Cooperation Trust, and four landowners. The primary issues 
raised by the commentors are noise, safety, land use, and sensitive 
habitats and species. All substantive comments will be addressed in the 
EA.

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

[[Page 65648]]

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 website (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., 
CP18-186), 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 
website also provides access to the texts of formal documents issued by 
the Commission, such as orders, notices, and rule makings.

    Dated: December 14, 2018.
Kimberly D. Bose,
 Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2018-27640 Filed 12-20-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P