[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 55 (Wednesday, March 22, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17205-17206]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-05791]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

 [Docket No. CP15-17-000]


Sabal Trail Transmission, LLC; Notice of Request for Extension of 
Time

    Take notice that on March 10, 2023, Sabal Trail Transmission, LLC 
(Sabal Trail) requested that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 
(Commission) grant an extension of time, until May 1, 2025, to complete 
Phase III of their Sabal Trail Project, originally authorized in the 
February 2, 2016 Order Issuing Certificate Under Section 7 of the 
Natural Gas Act (February 2 Order).\1\ This project involved the 
construction, in three phases, of interstate pipeline facilities that 
would allow Sabal Trail to provide up to 1,075,000 dekatherms per day 
(Dth/d) of transportation service to delivery points in the 
southeastern United States. Ordering Paragraph (F)(1) of the February 2 
Order, as amended, provided a deadline of May 1, 2021, to make Phase 
III of their project facilities available for service.
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    \1\ See Florida Southeast Connection, LLC, et al., 154 FERC ] 
61,080 (2016) (February 2 Order), order on reh'g, Florida Southeast 
Connection, LLC, et al., 156 FERC ] 61,160 (2016), order on remand, 
Florida Southeast Connection, LLC, et al., 162 FERC ] 61,233 (2018).
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    On April 7, 2021, Sabal Trail filed a request for an extension of 
time, until May 1, 2023, to complete construction of the project and 
place Phase III of the remaining facilities--two compressor units--into 
service. The Commission granted that requested extension of time on 
June 15, 2021.\2\ That delegated order recognized that Sabal Trail had 
placed all other facilities into service and its pipeline system was 
capable of providing up to 999,000 Dth/d of firm transportation 
service.
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    \2\ Sabal Trail Transmission, LLC, Docket No. CP15-17-000 (June 
15, 2021) (delegated order).
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    Sabal Trail now states that, due to adverse economic and logistical 
conditions induced, in part, by the COVID-19 pandemic, commercial 
progress was slowed. Sabal Trail now states that these unforeseen 
circumstances precluded the project from reaching full 
commercialization, and that additional time is now required to complete 
the installation of the remaining two compressor units and make them 
available for service.
    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).\3\
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    \3\ 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,\4\ the 
Commission will aim to issue an order acting on the request within 45 
days.\5\ The Commission will address all arguments relating to whether 
the applicant has demonstrated there is good cause to grant the 
extension.\6\ 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.\7\ 
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.\8\ The OEP Director, or 
his or her designee, will act on all of those extension requests that 
are uncontested.
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    \4\ Contested proceedings are those where an intervenor disputes 
any material issue of the filing. 18 CFR 385.2201(c)(1) (2019).
    \5\ Algonquin Gas Transmission, LLC, 170 FERC ] 61,144, at P 40 
(2020).
    \6\ Id. at P 40.
    \7\ 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.
    \8\ 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 TTY, 
(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

[[Page 17206]]

Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20852.
    Comment Date: 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on March 30, 2023.

    Dated: March 15, 2023.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2023-05791 Filed 3-21-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P