[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 93 (Monday, May 13, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41427-41430]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-10344]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. PF24-2-000]


Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC; Notice of Scoping 
Period Requesting Comments on Environmental Issues for the Planned 
Southeast Supply Enhancement Project, and Notice of Public Scoping 
Session

    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) will prepare an environmental document that will discuss 
the environmental impacts of the Southeast Supply Enhancement

[[Page 41428]]

Project involving construction and operation of facilities by 
Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC (Transco) in Virginia, 
North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama. 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 June 6, 2024. Comments may be 
submitted in written or oral 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 staff determine what 
issues they need to evaluate in the environmental document. Commission 
staff will consider all written and oral 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 February 1, 2024, you will need to file 
those comments in Docket No. PF24-2-000 to ensure they are considered.
    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 planned 
project and encourage them to comment on their areas of concern.
    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 planned 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 subsequently grant, exercise, or oversee the exercise of that 
eminent domain authority. The courts have exclusive authority to handle 
eminent domain cases; the Commission has no jurisdiction over these 
matters.
    A fact sheet prepared by the FERC entitled ``An Interstate Natural 
Gas Facility On My Land? What Do I Need To Know?'' 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, Landowner Topics 
link.

Public Participation

    There are four 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 (PF24-2-
000) on your letter. Submissions sent via the U.S. Postal Service must 
be addressed to: Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Acting Secretary, Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Room 1A, Washington, DC 
20426. Submissions sent via any other carrier must be addressed to: 
Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Acting Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20852.
    (4) In lieu of sending written comments, the Commission invites you 
to attend the virtual public scoping session its staff will conduct by 
telephone, scheduled as follows:

Date and Time
Tuesday, May 21, 2024
6:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time
    Call in number: 888-810-4938
    Participant passcode: 2443865

    Note that the scoping session will start at 6:00 p.m. and will end 
once all participants wishing to comment have had the opportunity to do 
so, or at 8:00 p.m., whichever comes first. Individual oral comments 
will be taken one at a time with a court reporter present on the line.
    There will be a brief introduction by Commission staff when the 
session opens, so please attempt to call in at the beginning of the 
session. All participants will be able to hear the comments provided by 
other participants; however, all lines will remain closed during the 
comments of others and then opened one at a time for providing 
comments. Once you call in, the operator will provide directions on how 
to indicate you would like to provide a comment. A time limit of 3 
minutes may be implemented for each commentor.
    Your oral comments will be recorded by the court reporter and 
become part of the public record for this proceeding. Transcripts of 
all comments received during the scoping session will be publicly 
available on FERC's eLibrary system (see the last page of this notice 
for instructions on using eLibrary).
    FERC staff intend to conduct additional in-person public scoping 
sessions in the Project area. Once scheduled, scoping meeting dates, 
times, and locations will be provided in a separate notice at least two 
weeks prior to the date of the meeting(s).
    Additionally, the Commission offers a free service called 
eSubscription, which

[[Page 41429]]

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 Planned Project

    Transco plans to construct, modify, and operate natural gas 
pipeline facilities along its existing pipeline system in Virginia, 
North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama. The Southeast 
Supply Enhancement Project would provide 1,586,900 Dekatherms per day 
of new firm transportation capacity to the mid-Atlantic and southeast 
United States. According to Transco, its project would remove pipeline 
capacity constraints and meet growing natural gas-fired power 
generation, commercial, residential, and industrial demand in the 
region. The Southeast Supply Enhancement Project would consist of the 
facilities listed below.
     Construction of approximately 30.6 miles of 42-inch-
diameter pipeline in Pittsylvania County, Virginia and Rockingham 
County, North Carolina, designated as the Eden Loop.\1\
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    \1\ A pipeline loop is a segment of pipe constructed parallel to 
an existing pipeline to increase capacity.
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     Construction of approximately 24.0 miles of 42-inch-
diameter pipeline in Guilford, Forsyth, and Davidson Counties, North 
Carolina, designated as the Salem Loop.
     Addition of compressor units at the following existing 
Transco compressor stations (CS):
    [cir] CS 165 in Pittsylvania County, Virginia (two compressor 
units);
    [cir] CS 155 in Davidson County, North Carolina (three compressor 
units); and
    [cir] CS 150 in Iredell County, North Carolina (one compressor 
unit).
     Replacement of three existing compressor units with larger 
compressor units at Transco's existing CS 145 in Cleveland County, 
North Carolina.
     Piping modifications at the following existing Transco 
compressor stations:
    [cir] CS 135 in Anderson County, South Carolina;
    [cir] CS 125 in Walton County, Georgia;
    [cir] CS 120 in Henry County, Georgia; and
    [cir] CS 105 in Coosa County, Alabama.
     Regulator installation on the Eden Loop near mileposts 
1382.5 and 1382.7 in Rockingham County, North Carolina and at CS 120 in 
Henry County, Georgia.
    The general location of the project facilities is shown in appendix 
1.

Land Requirements for Construction

    Based on preliminary estimates, construction of the planned 
facilities would disturb about 961 acres of land for the aboveground 
facilities and the pipeline. Following construction, Transco would 
maintain about 392 acres for permanent operation of the project's 
facilities; the remaining acreage would be restored. Most of the 
planned pipeline route parallels Transco's existing pipeline rights-of-
way.

NEPA Process and the Environmental Document

    Any environmental document issued by Commission staff will discuss 
impacts that could occur as a result of the construction and operation 
of the planned 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;
     environmental justice;
     air quality and noise;
     reliability and safety; and
     climate change.
    Commission staff will also evaluate reasonable alternatives to the 
planned 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.
    Although no formal application has been filed, Commission staff 
have already initiated a NEPA review under the Commission's pre-filing 
process. The purpose of the pre-filing process is to encourage early 
involvement of interested stakeholders and to identify and resolve 
issues before the Commission receives an application. As part of the 
pre-filing review, Commission staff will contact federal and state 
agencies to discuss their involvement in the scoping process and the 
preparation of the environmental document.
    If a formal application is filed, Commission staff will then 
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 environmental 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 determination on 
the proposed project. If Commission staff prepares an EIS, a Notice of 
Intent to Prepare an EIS/Notice of Schedule will be issued once an 
application is filed, which will open an additional public comment 
period. Staff will then prepare a draft EIS that 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 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.
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    \2\ For instructions on connecting to eLibrary, refer to the 
last page of this notice.
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    With this notice, the Commission is asking agencies with 
jurisdiction by law and/or special expertise with respect to the 
environmental issues related to 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.
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    \3\ The Council on Environmental Quality regulations addressing 
cooperating agency responsibilities are at 40 CFR 1501.8.

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[[Page 41430]]

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 our findings on the impacts on historic 
properties and summarize the status of consultations under section 106.
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    \4\ The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation regulations 
are at 36 CFR 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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Environmental Mailing List

    The environmental mailing list 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 planned 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 PF24-2-000 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).

Becoming an Intervenor

    Once Transco files its application with the Commission, you may 
want to become an ``intervenor'' which is an official party to the 
Commission's proceeding. Only intervenors have the right to seek 
rehearing of the Commission's decision and be heard by the courts if 
they choose to appeal the Commission's final ruling. An intervenor 
formally participates in the proceeding by filing a request to 
intervene pursuant to Rule 214 of the Commission's Rules of Practice 
and Procedures (18 CFR 385.214). Motions to intervene are more fully 
described at https://www.ferc.gov/how-intervene. Please note that the 
Commission will not accept requests for intervenor status at this time. 
You must wait until the Commission receives a formal application for 
the project, after which the Commission will issue a public notice that 
establishes an intervention deadline.

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 (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 toll free at (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.

Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2024-10344 Filed 5-10-24; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P