[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 171 (Wednesday, September 2, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54557-54558]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-19377]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP20-487-000]


Northern Natural Gas Company; Notice of Schedule for 
Environmental Review of the South Sioux City to Sioux Falls A-Line 
Replacement Project

    On June 29, 2020, Northern Natural Gas Company (Northern) filed an 
application in Docket No. CP20-487-000 requesting a Certificate of 
Public Convenience and Necessity pursuant to 7(b) and 7(c) of the 
Natural Gas Act to abandon, construct, and operate certain natural gas 
facilities. The proposed project is known as the South Sioux City to 
Sioux Falls A-Line Replacement Project (Project) and Northern states 
that the Project would ensure safe and efficient operation of its 
existing pipeline system in Nebraska and South Dakota by replacing 
mechanical joints with modern welded steel pipeline.
    On July 14, 2020, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 
(Commission or FERC) issued its Notice of Application for the Project. 
Among other things, that notice 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 
Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Project. This instant notice 
identifies FERC staff's planned schedule for the completion of the EA 
for the Project.

Schedule for Environmental Review

Issuance of EA--January 5, 2021
90-day Federal Authorization Decision Deadline--April 5, 2021

    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

    Northern proposes the following activities: (1) Abandon in-place 
79.2 miles of its 14- and 16-inch-diameter M561 A-Line and replace the 
pipeline with 82.2 miles of 12-inch-diameter pipeline in Dakota and 
Dixon Counties, Nebraska, and Lincoln and Union Counties, South Dakota; 
(2) install an approximately 3.15-mile-long, 12-inch-diameter tie-over 
pipeline in Lincoln County, South Dakota; (3) abandon in-place the 
existing 0.16-mile-long, 2-inch-diameter Ponca branch pipeline and 
replace it with a 1.9-mile-long, 3-inch-diameter pipeline in Dixon

[[Page 54558]]

County, Nebraska; (4) abandon in-place the existing 0.06-mile-long, 2-
inch-diameter Jackson branch pipeline in Dakota County, Nebraska; and 
(5) construct, modify, or remove appurtenant facilities, including pig 
launchers and receivers, two new metering facilities, regulators, tie-
overs, and associated piping and valves. Northern states that after 
Commission approval of the Project, portions of the abandoned pipeline 
would be purchased and removed by a third-party salvage company.

Background

    On July 23, 2019, the Commission staff granted Northern's request 
to use FERC's pre-filing environmental review process and assigned the 
Project Docket No. PF19-8-000. On November 22, 2019, the Commission 
issued a Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Assessment for 
the Planned South Sioux City to Sioux Falls A-Line Replacement Project, 
Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of Public 
Scoping Sessions (NOI). The NOI was issued during the pre-filing review 
of the Project 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 
National Park Service, the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources, 
and four landowners. The primary issues raised by the commentors were 
impacts on water quality, visual resources, the Missouri National 
Recreational River and the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, 
ground water and surface water resources, floodplains, agriculture and 
grazing, residential areas in close proximity to the pipeline, and 
impacts from soil erosion, contamination, and landform degradation. All 
substantive comments will be addressed in the EA.
    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is a cooperating agency 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 https://www.ferc.gov/ferc-online/overview to register for eSubscription.
    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., CP20-487), 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: August 27, 2020.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-19377 Filed 9-1-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P