[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 54 (Tuesday, March 21, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16967-16969]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-05661]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP23-87-000]


WBI Energy Transmission, Inc.; Notice of Request Under Blanket 
Authorization and Establishing Intervention and Protest Deadline

    Take notice that on March 7, 2023, WBI Energy Transmission, Inc. 
(WBI Energy), 1250 West Century Avenue, Bismarck, North Dakota 58503, 
filed a prior notice request for authorization, in accordance with 18 
CFR 157.205, 157.208, 157.210, 157.211 and 157.216 of the Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission's (Commission) regulations under the 
Natural Gas Act and WBI Energy's blanket certificate issued in Docket 
No. CP82-487-000, to construct, uprate, modify, operate and abandon 
natural gas facilities in Butte, Lawrence, Meade and Pennington 
Counties, South Dakota (Project).
    WBI Energy's states its Project is designed to provide up to 25,000 
dekatherms per day for its customers Montana-Dakota Utilities Co. 
(Montana-Dakota) and Black Hills Service Company, LLC, as shown in 
Table 1 of WBI Energy's application.\1\ WBI Energy proposes to: (1) 
uprate 23 miles of the Yellow Mainline from a Maximum Allowable 
Operating Pressure (MAOP) of 470 pounds per square inch gauge (psig) to 
an MAOP of 1,017 psig commencing from the Belle Fourche Compressor 
Station, located in Butte County, South Dakota and ending at the 
proposed Deadwood Mainline Transfer Station to be constructed in 
Lawrence County, South Dakota; (2) install a second stage compressor 
unit (Unit 8) and associated equipment facilities at its existing Belle 
Fourche Compressor Station; (3) extend the existing Yellow and Red 
Mainlines 500 feet southwest from the current Krebs Station in 
Pennington County, South Dakota; (4) construct 6.6 miles of new 8-inch-
diameter lateral pipeline in Lawrence County, South Dakota; and (4) 
replace and construct town border stations and valve settings as 
detailed in Table 2 of WBI Energy's application.\2\
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    \1\ Application at 5.
    \2\ Application at 8-11.
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    Additionally, WBI Energy proposes to abandon in place 6.6 miles of 
4-inch-diameter lateral pipeline in Lawrence County, South Dakota, 
abandon by removal multiple meter stations in Meade County, South 
Dakota, and

[[Page 16968]]

abandon by sale to Montana-Dakota four existing station outlet valves 
at the Krebs Station located in Pennington, South Dakota. WBI Energy 
also proposes to perform work on associated auxiliary facilities under 
Section 2.55(a) of the Commissions regulations as detailed in Table 3 
of WBI Energy's application.\3\ WBI Energy states that the cost of the 
Project will be $33,800,000, all as more fully set forth in the 
application which is on file with the Commission and open to public 
inspection.
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    \3\ Application at 11.
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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://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 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 the Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission at [email protected] or call toll-free, 
(886) 208-3676 or TYY, (202) 502-8659.
    Any questions concerning this application should be directed to 
Lori Myerchin, Director, Regulatory Affairs and Transportation 
Services, WBI Energy Transmission, Inc., 1250 West Century Avenue, 
Bismarck, North Dakota 58503, at (701) 530-1563 or 
[email protected].
    Pursuant to Section 157.9 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and 
Procedure,\4\ within 90 days of this Notice the Commission staff will 
either: complete its environmental review and place it into the 
Commission's public record (eLibrary) for this proceeding; or issue a 
Notice of Schedule for Environmental Review. If a Notice of Schedule 
for Environmental Review is issued, it will indicate, among other 
milestones, the anticipated date for the Commission staff's issuance of 
the final environmental impact statement (FEIS) or environmental 
assessment (EA) for this proposal. The filing of an EA in the 
Commission's public record for this proceeding or the issuance of a 
Notice of Schedule for Environmental Review will serve to notify 
federal and state agencies of the timing for the completion of all 
necessary reviews, and the subsequent need to complete all federal 
authorizations within 90 days of the date of issuance of the Commission 
staff's FEIS or EA.
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    \4\ 18 CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) Sec.  157.9.
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Public Participation

    There are three ways to become involved in the Commission's review 
of this project: you can file a protest to the project, you can file a 
motion to intervene in the proceeding, and you can file comments on the 
project. There is no fee or cost for filing protests, motions to 
intervene, or comments. The deadline for filing protests, motions to 
intervene, and comments is 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on May 15, 2023. How 
to file protests, motions to intervene, and comments is explained 
below.

Protests

    Pursuant to section 157.205 of the Commission's regulations under 
the NGA,\5\ any person \6\ or the Commission's staff may file a protest 
to the request. If no protest is filed within the time allowed or if a 
protest is filed and then withdrawn within 30 days after the allowed 
time for filing a protest, the proposed activity shall be deemed to be 
authorized effective the day after the time allowed for protest. If a 
protest is filed and not withdrawn within 30 days after the time 
allowed for filing a protest, the instant request for authorization 
will be considered by the Commission.
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    \5\ 18 CFR 157.205.
    \6\ Persons include individuals, organizations, businesses, 
municipalities, and other entities. 18 CFR 385.102(d).
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    Protests must comply with the requirements specified in section 
157.205(e) of the Commission's regulations,\7\ and must be submitted by 
the protest deadline, which is May 15, 2023. A protest may also serve 
as a motion to intervene so long as the protestor states it also seeks 
to be an intervenor.
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    \7\ 18 CFR 157.205(e).
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Interventions

    Any person has the option to file a motion to intervene in this 
proceeding. Only intervenors have the right to request rehearing of 
Commission orders issued in this proceeding and to subsequently 
challenge the Commission's orders in the U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeal.
    To intervene, you must submit a motion to intervene to the 
Commission in accordance with Rule 214 of the Commission's Rules of 
Practice and Procedure \8\ and the regulations under the NGA \9\ by the 
intervention deadline for the project, which is May 15, 2023. As 
described further in Rule 214, your motion to intervene must state, to 
the extent known, your position regarding the proceeding, as well as 
your interest in the proceeding. For an individual, this could include 
your status as a landowner, ratepayer, resident of an impacted 
community, or recreationist. You do not need to have property directly 
impacted by the project in order to intervene. For more information 
about motions to intervene, refer to the FERC website at https://www.ferc.gov/resources/guides/how-to/intervene.asp.
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    \8\ 18 CFR 385.214.
    \9\ 18 CFR 157.10.
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    All timely, unopposed motions to intervene are automatically 
granted by operation of Rule 214(c)(1). Motions to intervene that are 
filed after the intervention deadline are untimely and may be denied. 
Any late-filed motion to intervene must show good cause for being late 
and must explain why the time limitation should be waived and provide 
justification by reference to factors set forth in Rule 214(d) of the 
Commission's Rules and Regulations. A person obtaining party status 
will be placed on the service list maintained by the Secretary of the 
Commission and will receive copies (paper or electronic) of all 
documents filed by the applicant and by all other parties.

Comments

    Any person wishing to comment on the project may do so. The 
Commission considers all comments received about the project in 
determining the appropriate action to be taken. To ensure that your 
comments are timely and properly recorded, please submit your comments 
on or before May 15, 2023. The filing of a comment alone will not serve 
to make the filer a party to the proceeding. To become a party, you 
must intervene in the proceeding.

How To File Protests, Interventions, and Comments

    There are two ways to submit protests, motions to intervene, and 
comments. In both instances, please reference the Project docket number 
CP23-87-000 in your submission.
    (1) You may file your protest, motion to intervene, and comments by 
using the Commission's eFiling feature, which is located on the 
Commission's website (www.ferc.gov) under the link to Documents and 
Filings. 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; first select General'' and then

[[Page 16969]]

select ``Protest'', ``Intervention'', or ``Comment on a Filing''; or 
\10\
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    \10\ Additionally, you may file your comments electronically by 
using the eComment feature, which is located on the Commission's 
website at www.ferc.gov under the link to Documents and Filings. 
Using eComment is an easy method for interested persons to submit 
brief, text-only comments on a project.
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    (2) You can file a paper copy of your submission by mailing it to 
the address below. Your submission must reference the Project docket 
number CP23-87-000.
    To mail via USPS, use the following address: Kimberly D. Bose, 
Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, 
Washington, DC 20426.
    To mail via any other courier, use the following address: Kimberly 
D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 12225 Wilkins 
Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20852.
    The Commission encourages electronic filing of submissions (option 
1 above) and has eFiling staff available to assist you at (202) 502-
8258 or [email protected].
    Protests and motions to intervene must be served on the applicant 
either by mail or email (with a link to the document) at: Lori 
Myerchin, Director, Regulatory Affairs and Transportation Services, WBI 
Energy Transmission, Inc., 1250 West Century Avenue, Bismarck, North 
Dakota 58503, at (701) 530-1563 or [email protected].
    Any subsequent submissions by an intervenor must be served on the 
applicant and all other parties to the proceeding. Contact information 
for parties can be downloaded from the service list at the eService 
link on FERC Online.

Tracking the Proceeding

    Throughout the proceeding, additional information about the project 
will be 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 as described above. The eLibrary link also provides 
access to the texts of all formal documents issued by the Commission, 
such as orders, notices, and rulemakings.
    In addition, the Commission offers a free service called 
eSubscription which allows you to keep track of all formal issuances 
and submittals in specific dockets. 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. For more information and to register, go to 
www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/esubscription.asp.

    Dated: March 14, 2023.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2023-05661 Filed 3-20-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P