[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 140 (Tuesday, July 21, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44066-44067]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-15732]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP17-80-000]


Columbia Gas Transmission, LLC; Notice of Request for Extension 
of Time

    Take notice that on July 8, 2020, Columbia Gas Transmission, LLC 
(Columbia) requested that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 
(Commission) grant an extension of time, until July 18, 2023, to 
complete the construction of the Eastern Panhandle Expansion Project, 
as authorized in the July 19, 2018 Order Issuing Certificate (July 19 
Order).\1\ The July 19 Order required Columbia to complete construction 
and make the facilities available for service within two years of the 
Order date.
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    \1\ Columbia Gas Transmission, LLC, 164 FERC 61,036 (2018).
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    Columbia states that, due to unforeseen delays in acquiring an 
easement from the government of Maryland across the Western Maryland 
Rail Trail, additional time is now required in order to complete the 
construction of the authorized Project facilities.
    This notice establishes a 15-calendar day intervention and comment 
period deadline. Any person wishing to comment on Columbia's request 
for an extension of time may do so. No reply comments or answers will 
be considered. If you wish to obtain legal status by becoming a party 
to the proceedings for this request, you should, on or before the 
comment date stated below, file 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 
Natural Gas Act (18 CFR 157.10).\2\
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    \2\ Only motions to intervene from entities that were party to 
the underlying proceeding will be accepted. Algonquin Gas 
Transmission, LLC, 170 FERC 61,144, at P 39 (2020).
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    As a matter of practice, the Commission itself generally acts on 
requests for extensions of time to complete construction for Natural 
Gas Act facilities when such requests are contested before order 
issuance. For those extension requests that are contested,\3\ the 
Commission will aim to issue an order acting on the request within 45 
days.\4\ The Commission will address all arguments relating to whether 
the applicant has demonstrated there is good cause to grant the 
extension.\5\ The Commission will not consider arguments that re-
litigate the issuance of the certificate order, including whether the 
Commission properly found the project to be in the public convenience 
and necessity and whether the Commission's environmental analysis for 
the certificate complied with the National Environmental Policy Act.\6\ 
At the time

[[Page 44067]]

a pipeline requests an extension of time, orders on certificates of 
public convenience and necessity are final and the Commission will not 
re-litigate their issuance.\7\ The OEP Director, or his or her 
designee, will act on all of those extension requests that are 
uncontested.
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    \3\ Contested proceedings are those where an intervenor disputes 
any material issue of the filing. 18 CFR 385.2201(c)(1) (2019).
    \4\ Algonquin Gas Transmission, LLC, 170 FERC 61,144, at P 40 
(2020).
    \5\ Id. at P 40.
    \6\ Similarly, the Commission will not re-litigate the issuance 
of an NGA section 3 authorization, including whether a proposed 
project is not inconsistent with the public interest and whether the 
Commission's environmental analysis for the permit order complied 
with NEPA.
    \7\ Algonquin Gas Transmission, LLC, 170 FERC 61,144, at P 40 
(2020).
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    In addition to publishing the full text of this document in the 
Federal Register, the Commission provides all interested persons an 
opportunity to view and/or print the contents of this document via the 
internet through the Commission's Home Page (http://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. At this time, 
the Commission has suspended access to Commission's Public Reference 
Room, due to the proclamation declaring a National Emergency concerning 
the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), issued by the President on 
March 13, 2020. For assistance, contact FERC at 
[email protected] or call toll-free, (886) 208-3676 or TYY, 
(202) 502-8659.
    The Commission strongly encourages electronic filings of comments, 
protests and interventions in lieu of paper using the e-File link at 
http://www.ferc.gov. Persons unable to file electronically should 
submit an original and three copies of the protest or intervention to 
the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, 
Washington, DC 20426.
    In lieu of electronic filing, you may submit a paper copy. 
Submissions sent via the U.S. Postal Service must be addressed to: 
Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 
First Street NE, Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426. Submissions sent via 
any other carrier must be addressed to: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, 
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, 
Maryland 20852.
    Comment Date: 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on July 30, 2020.

    Dated: July 15, 2020.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-15732 Filed 7-20-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P