[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 221 (Friday, November 15, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62528-62529]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-24816]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket Nos. CP19-491-000; CP19-494-000]


National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation and Transcontinental Gas 
Pipe Line Company, LLC; Notice of Schedule For Environmental Review of 
The FM100 Project and Leidy South Project

    On July 18, 2019 and July 31, 2019, National Fuel Gas Supply 
Corporation (National Fuel) and Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, 
LLC (Transco) filed their respective applications in Docket Nos. CP19-
491-000 and CP19-494-000 each requesting a Certificate of Public 
Convenience and Necessity pursuant to Sections 7(b) and 7(c) of the 
Natural Gas Act to construct, operate, and abandon certain natural gas 
pipeline facilities. The proposed projects are the FM100 Project, 
proposed by National Fuel, and the Leidy South Project, proposed by 
Transco (Projects). The FM100 Project would allow National Fuel to 
modernize a portion of its existing system and provide an additional 
330,000 dekatherms per day (Dth/d) of incremental natural gas 
transportation capacity, all of which is fully subscribed to Transco. 
The Leidy South Project would provide 582,400 Dth/d of firm natural gas 
transportation service from shale producing areas in northern and 
western Pennsylvania to Transco's customers in the eastern United 
States. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission or FERC) 
staff's environmental review of the Projects will be presented in a 
single environmental assessment (EA) because of the interrelatedness of 
the Projects.
    On July 31, 2019 and August 14, 2019, the Commission issued Notices 
of Application for the FM100 Project and the Leidy South Project, 
respectively. Among other things, those notices alerted agencies 
issuing 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 issuance of the 
Commission staff's EA for the Projects. This instant notice identifies 
the FERC staff's planned schedule for the completion of the EA for the 
Projects.

Schedule for Environmental Review

Issuance of EA--February 7, 2020
90-day Federal Authorization Decision Deadline--May 7, 2020

    If a schedule change becomes necessary, additional notice will be 
provided so that the relevant agencies are kept informed of the 
Projects' progress.

Project Description

    National Fuel and Transco are proposing to construct and operate 
interdependent natural gas infrastructure projects, which are both 
located entirely within Pennsylvania. The FM100 Project consists of 
29.5 miles of new 20-inch-diameter pipeline in McKean and Potter 
Counties (Line YM58); 1.4 miles of 24-inch-diameter pipeline loop \1\ 
in Potter County (YM224 Loop); 0.4 mile of 12-inch-diameter pipeline in 
McKean County (Line KL Extension); construction of new Marvindale 
Compressor Station in McKean County; construction of new Tamarack 
Compressor Station in Clinton County; construction of the Marvindale 
Interconnect in McKean County; construction of the Carpenter Hollow 
over-pressurization protection station in Potter County; abandonment in 
place of a 44.9-mile-long portion of the existing 12-inch-diameter 
FM100 Pipeline in Clearfield, Elk, and Potter Counties; abandonment by 
removal of the existing Costello Compressor Station in Potter County; 
abandonment by removal of an existing meter station WHP-MS-4317X in 
Potter County; and installation and abandonment of appurtenances, such 
as mainline valves and anode beds, associated with the above 
facilities.
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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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    The Leidy South Project consists of 3.5 miles of 42-inch-diameter 
pipeline loop in Lycoming County (Benton Loop); 2.5 miles of 36-inch-
diameter pipeline loop in Clinton County (Hilltop Loop); 6.3 miles of 
36-inch-diameter

[[Page 62529]]

pipeline loop and related abandonment of a 5.8-mile-long portion of the 
23.4-inch-diameter Leidy Line A Pipeline (Hensel Replacement) in 
Clinton County; modification of existing Compressor Station 605 in 
Wyoming County; modification of existing Compressor Station 610 in 
Columbia County; construction of new Compressor Station 607 in Luzerne 
County; construction of new Compressor Station 620 in Schuylkill 
County; installation of associated facilities such as mainline valves, 
communication facilities, and pig \2\ launchers and receivers, and 
other appurtenances.
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    \2\ A ``pig'' is a tool that the pipeline company inserts into 
and pushes through the pipeline for cleaning the pipeline, 
conducting internal inspections, or other purposes.
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Background

    On March 5, 2019, the Commission issued a Notice of Intent to 
Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed FM100 Project and 
the Leidy South Project and Request for Comments on Environmental 
Issues and Notice of Public Scoping Sessions (NOI). The NOI was issued 
during the pre-filing review of the Projects in Docket Nos. PF17-10-000 
and PF19-1-000 and 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 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, 
Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, 
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation; 1 state senator; 1 state 
representative; 3 local agencies; 3 special interest groups; 35 
landowners; and 130 individuals.
    The majority of issues raised by the commentors are related to the 
Leidy South Project's proposed Compressor Station 620 in Hegins, 
Pennsylvania, including impacts on air quality, noise, nearby 
residences, wildlife, prime farmland and organic farming, visual 
resources, waterbodies, zoning, future expansion of the facility, 
emergency response, and safety. Additional issues raised on the 
Projects include impacts on threatened and endangered species; the 
Hensel Replacement impact on the Tamarack Swamp Natural Area; landowner 
requests for removal of the to-be-abandoned Line FM100 from their 
property; and segmentation of projects under FERC review. All 
substantive comments will be addressed in the EA.
    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers are cooperating agencies in the preparation of 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 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 Projects 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., 
CP19-491 or CP19-494), 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: November 8, 2019.
Kimberly D. Bose,
 Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2019-24816 Filed 11-14-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P