[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 198 (Friday, October 11, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 82599-82603]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-23519]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP24-514-000]
National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation; Notice of Scoping Period
Requesting Comments on Environmental Issues for the Proposed Tioga
Pathway Project, and Notice of Virtual 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 Tioga Pathway Project involving
construction and operation of facilities by National Fuel Gas Supply
Corporation (National Fuel) in Potter and Tioga Counties, Pennsylvania.
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 November 4, 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 or 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 August 21, 2024, you will need to file
those comments in Docket No. CP24-514-000 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.
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 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.
National Fuel 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
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 also 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'';
(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-
514-000) 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
[[Page 82600]]
must be addressed to: Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Acting Secretary, Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, Maryland
20852; or
(4) In lieu of sending written comments, the Commission invites you
to attend one of the virtual public scoping sessions its staff will
conduct by telephone, scheduled as follows:
Date and Time:
Tuesday, October 29, 2024, 10:00 a.m. (EST), Call in number: 1-888-
810-4938
Tuesday, October 29, 2024, 4:00 p.m. (EST), Call in number: 1-888-
810-4938
The primary goal of these scoping sessions is to have you identify
the specific environmental issues and concerns that should be
considered in the environmental document. Note the first scoping
session is scheduled from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. EST, and the second
scoping session is scheduled from 4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. EST. Note that
the scoping sessions will start at 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. and will
end once all participants wishing to comment have had the opportunity
to do so or at 11:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., respectively, 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 three
(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 sessions will be publicly
available on FERC's eLibrary system (see the last page of this notice
for instructions on using eLibrary).
It is important to note that the Commission provides equal
consideration to all comments received, whether filed in written form
or provided orally at a virtual scoping session.
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
National Fuel proposes to provide 190,000 dekatherms per day of
firm transportation service from the Tioga County, Pennsylvania natural
gas production area to downstream delivery points with other interstate
pipelines, which reach various end-use markets and demand centers in
the United States and Canada, and (ii) modernize a portion of National
Fuel's existing Line Z20 pipeline system.
The Tioga Pathway would consist of the following facilities:
Line Z20: Replace approximately 3.8 miles of 12-inch-
diameter 1936-vintage bare steel pipeline with new 20-inch-diameter
coated steel pipeline in National Fuel's existing right-of-way in
Potter County, Pennsylvania;
Line YM59: Install approximately 19.5 miles of new 20-
inch-diameter coated steel pipeline beginning at the east end of the
3.8-mile Z20 Pipeline replacement, traversing Potter and Tioga
Counties, Pennsylvania, and ending at the NFG Midstream Covington, LLC
(Midstream) Lee Hill Interconnect;
McCutcheon Hill OPP Station: Construct a new over-pressure
protection (OPP) station at the interconnection between the eastern
terminus of the Z20 Pipeline replacement and the western terminus of
the YM59 Pipeline in Potter County;
Measurement equipment at Midstream's Lee Hill
Interconnect: \1\ The Lee Hill Interconnect is a proposed producer
interconnect with Midstream that will connect the proposed YM59
Pipeline to Midstream's facilities at the southeastern terminus of the
Project in Tioga County;
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\1\ This interconnect would be designed, installed, owned,
operated, and maintained by Midstream, except for the interconnect's
gas measurement, gas quality, over pressure protection devices and a
pig launcher, which would be owned, operated, and maintained by
National Fuel.
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Perform minor modifications at National Fuel's existing
Ellisburg Compressor Station \2\ including replacing/installing
measurement, OPP devices, flow control, and other associated
appurtenances. The Ellisburg Compressor Station is in Potter County;
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\2\ National Fuel does not propose any changes to compressor
units or to the certificated capacity at the Ellisburg Compressor
Station.
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Construct one new remote-control valve setting along the
Line YM59 Pipeline in Tioga County;
Perform modifications to an existing valve setting on Line
Z20 in Potter County; and
Install a new cathodic protection ground bed along the
Line YM59 Pipeline in Tioga County.
The general location map of the project facilities is shown in
appendix 1.\3\
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\3\ 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.
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Land Requirements for Construction
Construction of the proposed facilities would disturb about 359.8
acres of land for the aboveground facilities and the pipeline.
Following construction, National Fuel would maintain about 128.5 acres
for permanent operation of the project's facilities; the remaining
acreage would be restored and revert to former uses. The entire 3.8
miles of the replacement pipeline (Line Z20) is proposed within
existing National Fuel right-of-way in Potter County, Pennsylvania. Of
the 19.5 miles of new Mainline Pipeline (Line YM59), 17.8 miles (91
percent of length) is proposed within new right-of-way and 1.7 miles (9
percent of length) would parallel existing Eastern Gas Transmission and
Storage, Inc. pipelines.
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;
threatened and endangered species;
cultural resources;
[[Page 82601]]
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 will then 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 EA
or draft and final EIS will be available in electronic format in the
public record through eLibrary \4\ 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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\4\ 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 of this project to formally cooperate in the
preparation of the environmental document.\5\ 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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\5\ The Council on Environmental Quality regulations addressing
cooperating agency responsibilities are at Title 40, Code of Federal
Regulations, Section 1501.8.
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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.\6\ The environmental document for this
project will document findings on the impacts on historic properties
and summarize the status of consultations under section 106.
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\6\ 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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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 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 CP24-514-000 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 will be posted on the Commission's
calendar located at https://www.ferc.gov/news-events/events along with
other related information.
Dated: October 4, 2024.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Acting Secretary.
Appendix 1
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
[[Page 82602]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN11OC24.016
Appendix 2
[[Page 82603]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN11OC24.015
[FR Doc. 2024-23519 Filed 10-10-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-C