[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 248 (Monday, December 28, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Page 84329]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-28563]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP17-486-000]


National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation; Notice of Request for 
Extension of Time

    Take notice that on December 11, 2020, National Fuel Gas Supply 
Corporation (National Fuel) requested that the Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission (Commission) grant an extension of time, until 
December 1, 2023, to continue using Well 7451 in the Beech Hill Storage 
Field (Beech Hill) as a withdrawal-only well in order to continue to 
collect and evaluate information it needs to further demonstrate and 
assess the reservoir connection between the Beech Hill Complex and the 
Shongo Pool.
    The Commission authorized National Fuel to test Well 7451 and to 
assess the connection between the Beech Hill Complex and the Shongo 
Pool in its January 26, 2018 order, for a term not to exceed three 
years (January 2018 Order).\1\ Ordering Paragraph (A) of the January 
2018 Order requires National Fuel to notify the Commission within three 
years of the certificate being issued, if the certificate authorization 
needs to be abandoned.\2\
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    \1\ National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation, 162 FERC ] 62,063 
(2018).
    \2\ Id., at Ordering Paragraph A.
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    National Fuel states that it has not collected enough information 
about Well 7451 to make any final determinations as required by the 
Commission approved Containment Plan of the Beech Hill Storage 
Field.\3\ National Fuel's reservoir models have projected different 
points at which the effect of any interconnection may be evident, the 
soonest point those models project the effect will be evident is when 
an additional withdrawal of 0.655 Bcf of gas from Well 7451 occurs. 
National Fuel expects it will take about two years or longer to reach a 
level of total withdrawal that will provide information needed to 
verify and update the reservoir models.
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    \3\ See National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation, Beech Hill 
Containment and Management Plan, filed February 1, 2017 and 
Commission March 6, 2017 unpublished letter to National Fuel 
regarding the Beech Hill Containment and Management Plan.
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    This notice establishes a 15-calendar day intervention and comment 
period deadline. Any person wishing to comment on National Fuel'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).\4\
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    \4\ 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,\5\ the 
Commission will aim to issue an order acting on the request within 45 
days.\6\ The Commission will address all arguments relating to whether 
the applicant has demonstrated there is good cause to grant the 
extension.\7\ 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.\8\ 
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.\9\ The OEP Director, or 
his or her designee, will act on all of those extension requests that 
are uncontested.
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    \5\ Contested proceedings are those where an intervenor disputes 
any material issue of the filing. 18 CFR 385.2201(c)(1) (2019).
    \6\ Algonquin Gas Transmission, LLC, 170 FERC ] 61,144, at P 40 
(2020).
    \7\ Id. at P 40.
    \8\ 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.
    \9\ 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 ``eFile'' link at 
http://www.ferc.gov. Persons unable to file electronically may mail 
similar pleadings to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 
First Street NE, Washington, DC 20426. Hand delivered submissions in 
docketed proceedings should be delivered to Health and Human Services, 
12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20852.
    Comment Date: 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on January 4, 2021.

    Dated: December 18, 2020.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-28563 Filed 12-23-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P