[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 244 (Thursday, December 23, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72943-72945]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-27785]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP17-40-006]


Spire STL Pipeline LLC; Notice of Intent To Prepare a 
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for The Spire STL Pipeline 
Project, Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Schedule for 
Environmental Review

    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) will prepare a supplemental environmental impact statement 
(EIS) that will discuss the environmental impacts related to the 
continued operation of the Spire STL Pipeline Project facilities by 
Spire STL Pipeline LLC (Spire) in Scott, Greene, and Jersey Counties, 
Illinois and St. Charles and St. Louis Counties, Missouri. By way of 
background, on June 22, 2021, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 
District of Columbia Circuit issued an opinion vacating and remanding 
the Commission's August 3, 2018 Order Issuing Certificate (2018 Order) 
that approved the Spire STL Pipeline Project.\1\ On September 14, 2021, 
and December 3, 2021, the Commission issued temporary certificates of 
public convenience and necessity to Spire to continue to operate the 
facilities constructed under the earlier terms, conditions, and 
authorizations, including Spire's tariff. On remand, the Commission 
will evaluate Spire's pending certificate application,\2\ and consider 
whether to grant a certificate of public convenience and necessity to 
Spire to continue operation of the Spire STL Pipeline Project in 
Illinois and Missouri.
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    \1\ Environmental Defense Fund v. FERC, 2 F.4th 953 (D.C. Cir. 
2021).
    \2\ Following the D.C. Circuit's vacatur and remand of the 
Commission's 2018 Order, Spire's January 26, 2017 application for a 
certificate of public convenience and necessity to construct and 
operate the Spire STL Pipeline Project is again pending before the 
Commission.
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    The Commission must determine whether the project is in the public 
convenience and necessity under the Natural Gas Act, taking into 
consideration the factors discussed in the Court's decision. The 
supplemental EIS will tier off Commission staff's

[[Page 72944]]

analysis and conclusions as documented in staff's environmental 
assessment (EA) for the project issued on September 29, 2017,\3\ as 
well as the environmental discussion contained in the 2018 Order. The 
Commission will use this supplemental EIS in its decision-making 
process to determine whether the Spire STL Pipeline Project is in the 
public convenience and necessity in light of the Court's vacatur and 
remand. The schedule for preparation of the supplemental EIS is 
discussed in the Schedule for Environmental Review section of this 
notice.
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    \3\ The EA is filed in FERC's eLibrary system in Docket Nos. 
CP17-40-000 and CP17-40-001 under Accession No. 20170929-3022.
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    This notice announces the opening of the scoping process the 
Commission will use to gather input from the public and interested 
agencies regarding the project. As part of the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) review process, the Commission takes into account 
concerns the public may have about proposals and the environmental 
impacts that could result from its action whenever it considers the 
issuance of a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity. This 
gathering of public input is referred to as ``scoping.'' The main goal 
of the scoping process is to focus the analysis in the supplemental EIS 
on the important environmental issues. Additional information about the 
Commission's NEPA process is described below in the NEPA Process and 
the Supplemental EIS section of this notice.
    By this notice, the Commission requests public comments on the 
scope of issues to address in the supplemental EIS, including comments 
on potential alternatives and impacts related specifically to the 
continued operation of the Spire STL Pipeline Project. To ensure that 
your comments are timely and properly recorded, please submit your 
comments so that the Commission receives them in Washington, DC on or 
before 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on January 14, 2022. Further details on 
how to submit comments are provided in the Public Participation section 
of this notice.

Public Participation

    There are three methods you can use to submit your comments to the 
Commission. The Commission encourages electronic filing of comments and 
has staff available to assist you at (866) 208-3676 or 
[email protected]. Please carefully follow these instructions 
so that your comments are properly recorded.
    (1) You can file your comments electronically using the eComment 
feature, which is located on the Commission's website (www.ferc.gov) 
under the link to FERC Online. Using eComment is an easy method for 
submitting brief, text-only comments on a project;
    (2) You can file your comments electronically by using the eFiling 
feature, which is located on the Commission's website (www.ferc.gov) 
under the link to FERC Online. With eFiling, you can provide comments 
in a variety of formats by attaching them as a file with your 
submission. New eFiling users must first create an account by clicking 
on ``eRegister.'' You will be asked to select the type of filing you 
are making; a comment on a particular project is considered a ``Comment 
on a Filing''; or
    (3) You can file a paper copy of your comments by mailing them to 
the Commission. Be sure to reference the project docket number (CP17-
40-006) on your letter. 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, MD 20852.
    Additionally, the Commission offers a free service called 
eSubscription. This service provides automatic notification of filings 
made to subscribed dockets, document summaries, and direct links to the 
documents. Go to https://www.ferc.gov/ferc-online/overview to register 
for eSubscription.

Summary of the Project Facilities

    The Spire STL Pipeline Project consists of the following 
facilities:
     59.2 miles of 24-inch-diameter pipeline (the Mainline);
     6.0 miles of 24-inch-diameter pipeline (designated as the 
North County Extension);
     three new meter and regulator stations (meter stations);
     three new mainline valves; and
     installation of three pig \4\ launcher/receivers.
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    \4\ A pipeline ``pig'' is a device to clean or inspect the 
pipeline. A pig launcher/receiver is an aboveground facility where 
pigs are inserted or retrieved from the pipeline.
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    The project currently transports up to 400 million standard cubic 
feet per day of firm natural gas transportation service to the St. 
Louis metropolitan area, eastern Missouri, and southwestern Illinois. 
According to Spire, the Spire STL Pipeline Project was developed as a 
new source of supply that would provide its customers with supply 
diversity and greater reliability.
    The general location of the project is shown in appendix 1.\5\
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    \5\ The appendices referenced in this notice will not appear in 
the Federal Register. Copies of the appendices were sent to all 
those receiving this notice in the mail and are available at http://www.ferc.gov using the link called ``eLibrary'' or from the 
Commission's Public Reference Room, 888 First Street NE, Washington, 
DC 20426, or call (202) 502-8371. For instructions on connecting to 
eLibrary, refer to the last page of this notice.
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The NEPA Process and the Supplemental EIS

    The supplemental EIS will discuss environmental impacts that could 
occur as a result of the continued operation of the Spire STL Pipeline 
Project. As a result, the supplemental EIS will include a reevaluation 
of the operational impacts previously analyzed in the EA, including 
environmental justice, air emissions, and noise levels. Additionally, 
Commission staff will evaluate reasonable alternatives (further 
discussed below) and will also make recommendations on how to lessen or 
avoid impacts on the various resource areas. Your comments will help 
Commission staff focus its analysis on the issues that may have a 
significant effect on the human environment.
    The supplemental EIS will present Commission staff's independent 
analysis of the issues. Staff will prepare a draft supplemental EIS 
which will be issued for public comment. Commission staff will consider 
all timely comments received during the comment period on the draft 
supplemental EIS and revise the document, as necessary, before issuing 
a final supplemental EIS. Any draft and final supplemental EIS will be 
available in electronic format in the public record through eLibrary 
\6\ and the Commission's natural gas environmental documents web page 
(https://www.ferc.gov/industries-data/natural-gas/environment/environmental-documents). If eSubscribed, you will receive instant 
email notification when the environmental document is issued.
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    \6\ For instructions on connecting to eLibrary, refer to the 
last page of this notice.
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Alternatives Under Consideration

    The supplemental EIS will evaluate reasonable alternatives that are 
technically and economically feasible and meet the purpose and need for 
the proposed action involving the continued operation of the Spire STL

[[Page 72945]]

Pipeline Project.\7\ Alternatives currently under consideration include 
the no-action alternative (i.e., the project would no longer be 
authorized to continue operating after the expiration of its current 
temporary certificate). Potential actions that will be analyzed as part 
of the no-action alternative also include:
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    \7\ 40 CFR 1508.1(z).
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     Pipeline and aboveground facility abandonment by removal;
     pipeline and aboveground facility abandonment in place; 
and
     system alternatives (e.g., Natural Gas Pipeline Company of 
America, LLC; MoGas Pipeline, LLC; and Spire Missouri Inc. systems, as 
identified in Spire's filing of November 12, 2021).

Schedule for Environmental Review

    This notice identifies the Commission staff's planned schedule for 
completion of the final supplemental EIS for the project, which is 
based on an issuance of the draft supplemental EIS in June 2022.

Issuance of Notice of Availability of the final supplemental EIS: 
October 7, 2022

    If a schedule change becomes necessary for the final supplemental 
EIS, an additional notice will be provided so that the relevant 
agencies are kept informed of the project's progress.

Environmental Mailing List

    This notice is being sent to the Commission's current environmental 
mailing list for the project which includes federal, state, and local 
government representatives and agencies; elected officials; 
environmental and public interest groups; Native American Tribes; other 
interested parties; and local libraries and newspapers. This list also 
includes all affected landowners (as defined in the Commission's 
regulations) for the original Spire STL Pipeline Project and anyone who 
submits comments on the present case. Commission staff will update the 
environmental mailing list as the analysis proceeds to ensure that 
Commission notices related to this environmental review are sent to all 
individuals, organizations, and government entities interested in and/
or potentially affected by the project.
    If you need to make changes to your name/address, or if you would 
like to remove your name from the mailing list, please complete one of 
the following steps:
    (1) Send an email to [email protected] stating your 
request. You must include the docket number CP17-40 in your request. If 
you are requesting a change to your address, please be sure to include 
your name and the correct address. If you are requesting to delete your 
address from the mailing list, please include your name and address as 
it appeared on this notice. This email address is unable to accept 
comments.
OR
    (2) Return the attached ``Mailing List Update Form'' (appendix 2).

Additional Information

    Additional information about the project is available from the 
Commission's Office of External Affairs, at (866) 208-FERC, or on the 
FERC website at www.ferc.gov using the eLibrary link. Click on the 
eLibrary link, click on ``General Search'' and enter the docket number 
in the ``Docket Number'' field (i.e., CP17-40). Be sure you have 
selected an appropriate date range. For assistance, please contact FERC 
Online Support at [email protected] or (866) 208-3676, or for 
TTY, contact (202) 502-8659. The eLibrary link also provides access to 
the texts of all formal documents issued by the Commission, such as 
orders, notices, and rulemakings.
    Public sessions or site visits will be posted on the Commission's 
calendar located at https://www.ferc.gov/news-events/events along with 
other related information.

    Dated: December 15, 2021.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2021-27785 Filed 12-22-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P