Notice2021-12774
Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC; Notice of Schedule for the Preparation of an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Amendment to the Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity for the Mountain Valley Pipeline Project
Primary source
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Published
June 17, 2021
Issuing agencies
Energy DepartmentFederal Energy Regulatory Commission
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 115 (Thursday, June 17, 2021)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 115 (Thursday, June 17, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32254-32255]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-12774]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP21-57-000]
Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC; Notice of Schedule for the
Preparation of an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Amendment
to the Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity for the Mountain
Valley Pipeline Project
On February 19, 2021, Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC (Mountain
Valley) filed an application in Docket No. CP21-057-000 requesting a
Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity pursuant to Section
7(c) of the Natural Gas Act amending Mountain Valley's certificate of
public convenience and necessity for the Mountain Valley Pipeline
Project (Amendment to the Certificate of Public Convenience and
Necessity for the Mountain Valley Pipeline Project or Amendment
Project) to grant Mountain Valley the ability to change the crossing
method for specific wetlands and waterbodies yet to be crossed by the
project from the open-cut crossings to one of several trenchless
methods. The Amendment Project would affect certain natural gas
pipeline facilities in Wetzel, Lewis, Webster, Nicholas, Greenbrier,
Summers, and Monroe Counties, West Virginia and Giles, Montgomery,
Roanoke, Franklin, and Pittsylvania Counties, Virginia. Mountain Valley
also proposes two minor route adjustments to avoid crossing wetlands
and waterbodies.
On March 1, 2021, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
(Commission or FERC) issued its Notice of Application for the Project.
Among other things, that notice alerted agencies issuing federal
authorizations of the requirement to complete all necessary reviews and
to reach a final decision on a request for a federal authorization
within 90 days of the date of issuance of the Commission staff's
environmental document for the Project.
This notice identifies Commission staff's intention to prepare an
environmental assessment (EA) for the Amendment Project and the planned
schedule for the completion of the environmental review.\1\
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\1\ 40 CFR 1501.10 (2020).
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Schedule for Environmental Review
Issuance of EA--August 13, 2021
90-day Federal Authorization Decision Deadline--November 11, 2021
If a schedule change becomes necessary, an additional notice will
be
[[Page 32255]]
provided so that the relevant agencies are kept informed of the
Project's progress.
Project Description
On October 13, 2017, the FERC issued a Certificate of Public
Convenience and Necessity for the Mountain Valley Pipeline Project
under Docket CP16-010-000. The Mountain Valley Pipeline Project
consists of approximately 303.5 miles of new natural gas pipeline and
multiple aboveground facilities located in West Virginia and Virginia.
The Amendment Project would change 120 crossings of 182 waterbodies
and wetlands from open-cut crossings to trenchless crossings (this
includes 117 conventional bore crossings, 1 Direct Pipe crossing, and 2
guided conventional bore crossings). It also includes a minor route
adjustment near milepost 230.8 to avoid the need to cross a waterbody;
and a minor alignment shift and workspace adjustment near milepost 0.7
to avoid the need to cross a wetland.
Background
On March 16, 2021, the Commission issued a Notice of Scoping Period
and Requesting Comments on Environmental Issues for the Proposed
Amendment to the Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity for
the Mountain Valley Pipeline Project (Notice of Scoping). The Notice of
Scoping was sent to affected landowners; Federal, State, and local
government agencies; elected officials; environmental and public
interest groups; Native American tribes; other interested parties; and
local libraries and newspapers. In response to the Notice of Scoping,
the Commission received comments from the Environmental Protection
Agency, the Monacan Indian Nation, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, Roanoke
County, Franklin County Board of Supervisors, the Lewis County
Commission, multiple non-government agencies, and multiple individuals
and landowners. The primary issues, among others, raised by the
commenters are the need for the Amendment Project, requests for
additional environmental reviews, and concerns with permits, the
geology in the Project area, groundwater and drinking water,
environmental compliance, environmental justice and outreach,
greenhouse gas and climate change, safety and feasibility, and cultural
resources. All substantive comments will be addressed in the EA.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is a cooperating agency in the
preparation of the EA.
Additional Information
In order to receive notification of the issuance of the EA and to
keep track of formal issuances and submittals in specific dockets, the
Commission offers a free service called eSubscription. This service
provides automatic notification of filings made to subscribed dockets,
document summaries, and direct links to the documents. Go to <a href="https://www.ferc.gov/ferc-online/overview">https://www.ferc.gov/ferc-online/overview</a> to register for eSubscription.
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 <a href="http://www.ferc.gov">www.ferc.gov</a> 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 <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#02446770614d6c6e6b6c67517772726d707642646770612c656d74"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="3e785b4c5d71505257505b6d4b4e4e514c4a7e585b4c5d10595148">[email protected]</span></a> 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.
Dated: June 11, 2021.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2021-12774 Filed 6-16-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
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