[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 179 (Tuesday, September 15, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57204-57205]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-20238]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP18-260-000]


Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC; Notice of Request 
for Extension of Time

    Take notice that on August 31, 2020, Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line 
Company, LLC (Transco) requested that the Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission (Commission) grant an extension of time, until October 23, 
2021, to complete abandonment of its North Padre Island (NPI) Lateral 
from NPI Block 956 to approximately 3.5 miles from shore, Offshore 
Texas, and its NPI Block ``B'' Platform (Project), as originally 
authorized in the October 24, 2018 Order Issuing Certificate (October 
24 Order).\1\ On October 21, 2019, FERC approved Transco's October 17, 
2019 request for a waiver of Ordering Paragraph (B) of the Order and 
granted an extension of time until and including October 23, 2020 to 
complete abandonment of Project facilities.\2\
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    \1\ Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC, 165 FERC ] 
62,047 (2018).
    \2\ Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC, Letter Order 
Re: Request for Waiver, Docket No. CP18-260-000 (October 21, 2019).
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    On May 19, 2020 FERC approved Transco's May 14, 2020 request for 
notice to proceed with Project construction activities.\3\ On August 
21, 2020 Transco provided notice that construction activities commenced 
for the Project.\4\ Transco states that among other factors, offshore 
weather systems including Hurricane Hanna have caused significant 
delays for construction start, and Hurricanes Marco and Laura suspended 
construction activities and caused de-mobilizations from the 
construction site in the Gulf of Mexico. Weather permitting, the 
offshore construction window generally runs from May 1st through 
September 30th of each year allowing for a very limited window to 
safely complete activities offshore. Transco states that with the 
offshore construction window closing soon, Transco intends to complete 
the platform decommissioning and pipeline abandonment this year and 
anticipates deferring the platform and jacket removal scope to next 
year.
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    \3\ Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC, Letter Order 
Re: Notice to Proceed with Construction, Docket No. CP18-260-000 
(May 19, 2020).
    \4\ Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC, Notice of 
Commencement of Construction, Docket No. CP18-260-000 (August 21, 
2020).
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    This notice establishes a 15-calendar day intervention and comment 
period deadline. Any person wishing to comment on the applicant'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).\5\
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    \5\ 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,\6\ the 
Commission will aim to issue an order acting on the request within 45 
days.\7\ The Commission will address all arguments relating to whether 
the applicant has demonstrated there is good cause to grant the 
extension.\8\ 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.\9\ 
At the time 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.\10\ The OEP Director, 
or his or her designee, will act on all of those extension requests 
that are uncontested.
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    \6\ Contested proceedings are those where an intervenor disputes 
any material issue of the filing. 18 CFR 385.2201(c)(1) (2019).
    \7\ Algonquin Gas Transmission, LLC, 170 FERC ] 61,144, at P 40 
(2020).
    \8\ Id. at P 40.
    \9\ 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.
    \10\ 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 
in lieu of paper using the ``eFile'' link at http://www.ferc.gov. 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.

[[Page 57205]]

    Comment Date: 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on September 21, 2020.

    Dated: September 4, 2020.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-20238 Filed 9-14-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P