[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 233 (Wednesday, December 6, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 84812-84814]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-26762]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP24-8-000]


Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America, LLC; Notice of Scoping 
Period Requesting Comments on Environmental Issues for the Proposed 
Texas-Louisiana Expansion Project

    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) will prepare an environmental document that will discuss 
the environmental impacts of the Texas-Louisiana Expansion Project 
(Project) involving installation and operation of facilities by Natural 
Gas Pipeline Company of America, LLC (Natural) in Montgomery and 
Liberty Counties, Texas. The Commission will use this environmental 
document in its decision-making process to determine whether the 
Project is in the public convenience and necessity.
    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 environmental 
document on the important environmental issues. Additional information 
about the Commission's NEPA process is described below in the NEPA 
Process and Environmental Document section of this notice.
    By this notice, the Commission requests public comments on the 
scope of issues to address in the environmental document. 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 2, 2024. Comments may be 
submitted in written form. Further details on how to submit comments 
are provided in the Public Participation section of this notice.
    Your comments should focus on the potential environmental effects, 
reasonable alternatives, and measures to avoid or lessen environmental 
impacts. Your input will help the Commission

[[Page 84813]]

staff determine what issues they need to evaluate in the environmental 
document. Commission staff will consider all written comments during 
the preparation of the environmental document.
    If you submitted comments on this Project to the Commission before 
the opening of this docket on October 18, 2023, you will need to file 
those comments in Docket No. CP24-8-000 to ensure they are considered 
as part of this proceeding.
    This notice is being sent to the Commission's current environmental 
mailing list for this Project. State and local government 
representatives should notify their constituents of this proposed 
Project and encourage them to comment on their areas of concern.
    Natural 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?'' which addresses typically asked questions, including 
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, Landowner 
Topics link.

Public Participation

    There are three methods you can use to submit your comments to the 
Commission. Please carefully follow these instructions so that your 
comments are properly recorded. The Commission encourages electronic 
filing of comments and has staff available to assist you at (866) 208-
3676 or [email protected].
    (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 (CP24-8-
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 which makes it easy to stay informed of all issuances and 
submittals regarding the dockets/projects to which you subscribe. These 
instant email notifications are the fastest way to receive notification 
and provide a link to the document files which can reduce the amount of 
time you spend researching proceedings. Go to https://www.ferc.gov/ferc-online/overview to register for eSubscription.
    The Commission's Office of Public Participation (OPP) supports 
meaningful public engagement and participation in Commission 
proceedings. OPP can help members of the public, including landowners, 
environmental justice communities, Tribal members and others, access 
publicly available information and navigate Commission processes. For 
public inquiries and assistance with making filings such as 
interventions, comments, or requests for rehearing, the public is 
encouraged to contact OPP at (202) 502-6595 or [email protected].

Summary of the Proposed Project

    Natural proposes the construction, installation, modification, 
operation, and maintenance of facilities at two existing compressor 
stations in Liberty and Montgomery Counties, Texas. Through 
installation of the proposed facilities, Natural would add an 
incremental 300,000 dekatherms/day (Dth/day) of firm gas capacity in 
Segment 25 of its Louisiana Line 10. When combined with the 
unsubscribed capacity Natural has reserved for the Project, this would 
allow Natural to provide up to 467,000 Dth/day of firm transportation 
service to the Project shippers. Natural states the Project would not 
result in the termination or reduction in firm service to any of its 
existing customers.
    The Project would consist of the following facilities and 
activities:

Modifications and Installations at Compressor Station 302 (CS 302) in 
Montgomery County, Texas

     Uprate the horsepower (hp) of existing compressor controls 
to increase the horsepower of existing compressor Units 7 and 8 by 
1,600 hp each, for a total of 3,200 hp;
     Re-wheel existing compressor Units 7, 8 and 9; and
     Install one new electric motor driven (EMD) compressor 
unit with a rating of 18,340 hp.

Modification at Compressor Station 343 (CS 343) in Liberty County, 
Texas

     Re-wheel existing EMD compressor Units 9 and 10.
    In addition, Natural has identified in its application certain 
appurtenant facilities that it intends to construct/install under 
section 2.55(a) of the Commission's regulations.
    The general location of the Project facilities is shown in appendix 
1.\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ 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. For 
assistance, contact FERC at [email protected] or call toll 
free, (886) 208-3676 or TTY (202) 502-8659.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Land Requirements for Construction

    About 21.5 acres of land would be affected during construction at 
CS 302 in Montgomery County, Texas. Land affected during operation of 
new facilities installed at CS 302 would total 1.6 acres. All acreage 
would be within the existing CS 302 fenceline. About 10.9 acres of land 
would be affected during construction at CS 343 in Liberty County, 
Texas. Operational use would be limited to less than 0.2 acre of 
affected land. Of the 10.9 acres used at CS 343 during construction, 
less than 9.1 acres would be within the existing fenceline and about 
1.9 acres would be outside the fenceline on previously disturbed 
property that Natural currently owns.
    No offsite staging areas or yards are proposed as part of the 
Project. Natural would use existing public and private roads for 
temporary construction access to Project workspaces. Following Project 
activities, Natural would restore all but the required 1.8 acre of 
operational-use land to its former state. Natural proposes to begin 
construction around July 1, 2025.

NEPA Process and the Environmental Document

    Any environmental document 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;

[[Page 84814]]

     threatened and endangered species;
     cultural resources;
     land use;
     environmental justice;
     air quality and noise; and
     reliability and safety.
    Commission staff will also evaluate reasonable alternatives to the 
proposed Project or portions of the Project and make recommendations on 
how to lessen or avoid impacts on the various resource areas. Your 
comments will help Commission staff identify and focus on the issues 
that might have an effect on the human environment and potentially 
eliminate others from further study and discussion in the environmental 
document.
    Following this scoping period, Commission staff will determine 
whether to prepare an environmental assessment (EA) or an environmental 
impact statement (EIS). The EA or the EIS will present Commission 
staff's independent analysis of the issues. If Commission staff 
prepares an EA, a Notice of Schedule for the Preparation of an 
Environmental Assessment will be issued. The EA may be issued for an 
allotted public comment period. The Commission would consider timely 
comments on the EA before making its decision regarding the proposed 
Project. If Commission staff prepares an EIS, a Notice of Intent to 
Prepare an EIS/Notice of Schedule will be issued, which will open up an 
additional comment period. Staff would then prepare a draft EIS which 
would 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 EA 
or draft and final EIS will be available in electronic format in the 
public record through eLibrary \2\ 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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ For instructions on connecting to eLibrary, refer to the 
last page of this notice.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    With this notice, the Commission is asking agencies with 
jurisdiction by law and/or special expertise with respect to the 
environmental issues of this project to formally cooperate in the 
preparation of the environmental document.\3\ 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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \3\ The Council on Environmental Quality regulations addressing 
cooperating agency responsibilities are at Title 40, Code of Federal 
Regulations, Section 1501.8.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

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 to solicit their views and those of other government agencies, 
interested Indian tribes, and the public on the Project's potential 
effects on historic properties.\4\ The environmental document for this 
project will document findings on the impacts on historic properties 
and summarize the status of consultations under section 106.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \4\ 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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Environmental Mailing List

    The environmental mailing list includes federal, state, and local 
government representatives and agencies; elected officials; 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.
    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 CP24-8-000 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. 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 would be posted on the Commission's 
calendar located at https://www.ferc.gov/news-events/events along with 
other related information.

    Dated: November 30, 2023.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2023-26762 Filed 12-5-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P