[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 133 (Wednesday, July 13, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41703-41706]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-14921]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP22-44-000]


Equitrans, L.P.; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental 
Impact Statement for the Proposed Ohio Valley Connector Expansion 
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 an environmental impact statement (EIS) that 
will discuss the environmental impacts of the Ohio Valley Connector 
Expansion Project (Project) involving construction and operation of 
facilities by Equitrans, L.P. (Equitrans) in Greene County, 
Pennsylvania, Wetzel County, West Virginia, and Monroe County, Ohio. 
The Commission will use this EIS in its decision-making process to 
determine whether the Project is in the public convenience and 
necessity. The schedule for preparation of the EIS is discussed in the 
Schedule for Environmental Review section of this notice.
    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 
whenever it considers the issuance of a Certificate of Public 
Convenience and Necessity. This gathering of public input is referred 
to as ``scoping.'' By notice issued on May 23, 2022, in Docket No. 
CP22-44-000, the Commission opened a scoping period to solicit 
comments. Commission staff intends to prepare an EIS that will address 
the concerns raised during the scoping process and comments received in 
response to this notice.
    As mentioned above, the Commission opened a scoping period which 
expired on June 22, 2022; however, Commission staff continued to accept 
comments after the comment period closed. All substantive written and 
oral comments provided will be addressed in the EIS. Therefore, if you 
submitted comments on this Project to the Commission during the 
previous scoping period, you do not need to file those comments again.
    By this notice, the Commission requests public comments on the 
scope of issues to address in the EIS, including comments on potential 
alternatives and impacts, and any relevant information, studies, or 
analyses of any kind concerning impacts affecting the quality of the 
human environment. 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 August 8, 
2022. Comments may be submitted in written form. Further details on how 
to submit comments are provided in the Public Participation section of 
this notice.
    If you are a landowner receiving this notice, a pipeline company 
representative may contact you about the acquisition of an easement to 
construct, operate, and maintain the proposed facilities. The company 
would seek to negotiate a mutually acceptable easement agreement. You 
are not required to enter into an agreement. However, if the Commission 
approves the Project, the Natural Gas Act conveys the right of eminent 
domain to the company. Therefore, if you and the company do not reach 
an easement agreement, the pipeline company could initiate condemnation 
proceedings in court. In such instances, compensation would be 
determined by a judge in accordance with state law. The Commission does 
not grant, exercise, or oversee the exercise of eminent domain 
authority. The courts have exclusive authority to handle eminent domain 
cases; the Commission has no jurisdiction over these matters.
    Equitrans provided landowners with a fact sheet prepared by the 
FERC entitled ``An Interstate Natural Gas Facility On My Land? What Do 
I Need To Know?''

[[Page 41704]]

which addresses typically asked questions, including the use of eminent 
domain and how to participate in the Commission's proceedings. This 
fact sheet along with other landowner topics of interest are available 
for viewing on the FERC website (www.ferc.gov) under the Natural Gas 
Questions or Landowner Topics link.

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 (CP22-
44-000) 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.

Project Purpose and Need, Summary of Facilities, and Expected Impacts

    According to Equitrans, its Project would expand Equitrans' 
existing Ohio Valley Connector assets to deliver approximately 350,000 
dekatherms per day of incremental firm natural gas transportation to 
mid-continent and Gulf Coast markets along the Rockies Express and 
Rover pipeline systems.
    Equitrans proposes to acquire and operate the existing non-
jurisdictional Cygrymus Compressor Station, located in Greene County, 
Pennsylvania, and install two new turbines. Equitrans would also 
install one additional compressor unit each at the existing Corona 
Compressor Station Wetzel County, West Virginia and at the existing 
Plasma Compressor Station in Monroe County, Ohio. Equitrans would also 
construct approximately 5.5 miles of pipeline and ancillary facilities 
in different locations related to the compressor stations. 
Specifically, the Project would consist of the following facilities in:

Greene County, Pennsylvania

     addition of two Taurus 70 turbines at the existing 
Cygrymus Compressor Station;
     approximately 0.5 mile of 16-inch-diameter natural gas 
pipeline (H-327);
     approximately 0.5-mile of 12-inch-diameter natural gas 
pipeline (H-328);
     a deep anode groundbed and rectifier; and
     ancillary facilities, such as a valve yard, taps, and 
internal inspection device (e.g., pig \1\) launchers and receivers.
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    \1\ A ``pig'' is a tool that the pipeline company inserts into 
and pushes through the pipeline for cleaning the pipeline, 
conducting internal inspections, or other purposes.
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Wetzel County, West Virginia

     addition of one Mars 100 compressor at the existing Corona 
Compressor Station;
     approximately 3.7 miles of new 24-inch-diameter natural 
gas pipeline (H-326);
     approximately 129 feet of new 8-inch-diameter natural gas 
pipeline (H-329);
     approximately 0.7 mile of new 16-inch-diameter natural gas 
pipeline (H-330);
     approximately 0.09 mile of new 16-inch-diameter natural 
gas pipeline (H-330 Spur);
     approximately 160 feet of new 12-inch-diameter natural gas 
pipeline (Logansport Spur); and
     ancillary facilities, such as mainline valves, valve 
yards, measuring equipment, and internal inspection device (pig 
launchers and receivers).

Monroe County, Ohio

     addition of one Titan 130 compressor at the existing 
Plasma Compressor Station.
    The general location of the Project facilities is shown in appendix 
1.\2\
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    \2\ 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 
www.ferc.gov using the link called ``eLibrary.'' For instructions on 
connecting to eLibrary, refer to the last page of this notice. At 
this time, the Commission has suspended access to the 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 TTY (202) 502-8659.
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    Based on the environmental information provided by Equitrans, 
construction of the proposed facilities would disturb about 117 acres 
of land for the aboveground facilities and the pipeline. Following 
construction, Equitrans would maintain about 32 acres for operation of 
the Project facilities; the remaining acreage would be restored and 
revert to former uses. The proposed H-326, H-330, and H-330 spur 
pipelines would be collocated with existing pipelines for approximately 
58.8 percent, 76.8 percent, and 88.9 percent of the proposed 
alignments, respectively, and the H-327 and H-328 pipelines are 
parallel and would be located within a shared pipeline construction 
right-of-way.
    Based on an initial review of Equitrans' proposal and public 
comments received during scoping, Commission staff have identified 
several expected impacts that deserve attention in the EIS. The Project 
would impact 13 waterbodies and about 0.4 acre of wetland habitat. 
Operation of the Project would result in emissions estimated at 6.77 
million metric tonnes per year of carbon dioxide (CO2) from 
the end use of the natural gas. Construction of the Project would also 
have impacts on noise, traffic, and road conditions. In response to the 
Notice of Scoping, the Commission received comments from the Teamsters 
National Pipeline Labor Management Cooperation Trust (Teamsters); 
Center for Coalfield Justice (Coalfield Justice); the U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service (USFWS). The Teamsters comments were supportive of the Project. 
Primary issues raised by the Coalfield Justice include potential 
Project impacts on environmental

[[Page 41705]]

justice communities; especially in Greene County, Pennsylvania; and 
climate change and air quality concerns. The EPA stated that the 
environmental document should discuss project need and alternatives; 
potential impacts on water quality and wetlands; air quality, climate 
change, and greenhouse gas emissions; community, social, and economic 
impacts, including environmental justice communities; noise impacts; 
and potential spread of noxious weeds. The USFWS comments included 
potential Project impacts on federally listed species, including 
Indiana and northern long-eared bats, clubshell and snuffbox mussels, 
migratory birds, and bald and golden eagles.

The NEPA Process and the EIS

    The EIS issued by the Commission will discuss impacts that could 
occur as a result of the construction and operation of the proposed 
Project under the relevant general resource areas:
     geology and soils;
     water resources and wetlands;
     vegetation and wildlife;
     threatened and endangered species;
     cultural resources;
     land use and visual impacts;
     socioeconomics and environmental justice;
     air quality and climate change;
     noise; and
     reliability and safety.
    Commission staff will also make recommendations on how to lessen or 
avoid impacts on the various resource areas, and will review 
alternatives as discussed further below. Your comments will help 
Commission staff focus its analysis on the issues that may have a 
significant effect on the human environment.
    The EIS will present Commission staff's independent analysis of the 
issues. Staff will prepare a draft EIS which will be issued for public 
comment. Commission staff will consider all timely comments received 
during the comment period on the draft EIS and revise the document, as 
necessary, before issuing a final EIS. Any draft and final EIS will be 
available in electronic format in the public record through eLibrary 
\3\ 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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    \3\ For instructions on connecting to eLibrary, refer to the 
last page of this notice.
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Alternatives Under Consideration

    The EIS will evaluate reasonable alternatives that are technically 
and economically feasible and meet the purpose and need for the 
proposed action.\4\ Alternatives currently under consideration include:
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    \4\ 40 CFR 1508.1(z).
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     the no-action alternative, meaning the Project is not 
implemented;
     one route alternative for the H-327 and H-328 Pipelines 
and two route alternatives for the H-326 Pipeline; and
     electric motor-driven compression.
    With this notice, the Commission requests specific comments 
regarding any additional potential alternatives to the proposed action 
or segments of the proposed action. Please focus your comments on 
reasonable alternatives (including alternative facility sites and 
pipeline routes) that meet the Project objectives, are technically and 
economically feasible, and avoid or lessen environmental impact.

Consultation Under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation 
Act

    In accordance with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation's 
implementing regulations for section 106 of the National Historic 
Preservation Act, the Commission is using this notice to initiate 
consultation with the applicable State Historic Preservation Office(s), 
and other government agencies, interested Indian tribes, and the public 
to solicit their views and concerns regarding the Project's potential 
effects on historic properties.\5\ The Project EIS will document 
findings on the impacts on historic properties and summarize the status 
of consultations under section 106.
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    \5\ The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation's regulations 
are at Title 36, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 800. Those 
regulations define historic properties as any prehistoric or 
historic district, site, building, structure, or object included in 
or eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic 
Places.
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Schedule for Environmental Review

    On February 11, 2022, the Commission issued its Notice of 
Application for the Project. Among other things, that notice alerted 
other agencies issuing federal authorizations of the requirement to 
complete all necessary reviews and to reach a final decision on the 
request for a federal authorization within 90 days of the date of 
issuance of the Commission staff's final EIS for the Project. This 
notice identifies the Commission staff's planned schedule for 
completion of the final EIS for the Project, which is based on an 
issuance of the draft EIS in September 2022.

Issuance of Notice of Availability of the final EIS--January 20, 2023
90-day Federal Authorization Decision Deadline \6\--April 20, 2023
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    \6\ The Commission's deadline applies to the decisions of other 
federal agencies, and state agencies acting under federally 
delegated authority, that are responsible for federal 
authorizations, permits, and other approvals necessary for proposed 
projects under the Natural Gas Act. Per 18 CFR 157.22(a), the 
Commission's deadline for other agency's decisions applies unless a 
schedule is otherwise established by federal law.

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

Permits and Authorizations

    The table below lists the anticipated permits and authorizations 
for the Project required under federal law. This list may not be all-
inclusive and does not preclude any permit or authorization if it is 
not listed here. Agencies with jurisdiction by law and/or special 
expertise may formally cooperate in the preparation of the Commission's 
EIS and may adopt the EIS to satisfy their NEPA responsibilities 
related to this Project. Agencies that would like to request 
cooperating agency status should follow the instructions for filing 
comments provided under the Public Participation section of this 
notice.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Agency                               Permit
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Federal Energy Regulatory Commission...  Certificate of Public
                                          Convenience and Necessity.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)     Pennsylvania (PA) State
 Pittsburgh District.                     Programmatic General Permit--
                                          6.
USACE Huntington West Virginia (WV)      Nationwide Permit 12/Individual
 District.                                Permit.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)   Endangered Species Act (ESA)
 PA Field Office.                         Consultation; Fish and
                                          Wildlife Coordination Act
                                          Coordination; Migratory Bird
                                          Treaty Act (MBTA)
                                          Coordination; Bald and Golden
                                          Eagle Protection Act (BGEPA)
                                          Consultation.
USFWS--WV Field Office.................  ESA Consultation, and MBTA and
                                          BGEPA Coordination.

[[Page 41706]]

 
USFWS--Ohio (OH) Field Office..........  ESA Consultation, and MBTA and
                                          BGEPA Coordination.
PA Department of Environmental           Section 401 Water Quality
 Protection--Regional Permitting          Certificate.
 Coordination Office.
PA State Historic Preservation Office    National Historic Preservation
 (SHPO).                                  Act (NHPA), Section 106
                                          Consultation.
WV Department of Environmental           Section 401 Water Quality
 Protection Division of Water and Waste   Certificate.
 Management.
WV SHPO................................  NHPA, Section 106 Consultation.
OH Environmental Protection Agency.....  Clean Water Act, Section 401.
OH SHPO................................  NHPA, Section 106 Consultation.
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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) who are potential right-of-way grantors, whose property 
may be used temporarily for Project purposes, or who own homes within 
certain distances of aboveground facilities, and anyone who submits 
comments on the Project and includes a mailing address with their 
comments. 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 proposed Project. State and local government representatives should 
notify their constituents of this proposed Project and encourage them 
to comment on their areas of concern.
    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 CP22-44-000 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, excluding the last three digits (i.e., 
CP22-44). 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: July 7, 2022.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2022-14921 Filed 7-12-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P