Notice2021-27789
Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC; Notice of Scoping Period Requesting Comments on Environmental Issues for the Planned Southside Reliability Enhancement Project and Notice of Public Virtual Scoping Session
Primary source
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Published
December 23, 2021
Issuing agencies
Energy DepartmentFederal Energy Regulatory Commission
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 244 (Thursday, December 23, 2021)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 244 (Thursday, December 23, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72949-72952]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-27789]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. PF22-1-000]
Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC; Notice of Scoping
Period Requesting Comments on Environmental Issues for the Planned
Southside Reliability Enhancement Project and Notice of Public Virtual
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 Southside Reliability Enhancement
Project involving construction and operation of facilities by
Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC (Transco) in Mecklenburg
and Pittsylvania Counties, Virginia, and Davidson, Hertford, and
Iredell Counties, North Carolina. 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.
[[Page 72950]]
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 14, 2022. Comments may be
submitted in written or oral form. Further details on how to submit
written or oral 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 verbal 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 1, 2021, you will need to file
those comments in Docket No. PF22-1-000 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 (<a href="http://www.ferc.gov">www.ferc.gov</a>) under the links to Natural Gas Questions or
Landowner Topics.
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 <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#34725146577b5a585d5a51674144445b464074525146571a535b42"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="cc8aa9beaf83a2a0a5a2a99fb9bcbca3beb88caaa9beafe2aba3ba">[email protected]</span></a>.
(1) You can file your comments electronically using the eComment
feature, which is located on the Commission's website (<a href="http://www.ferc.gov">www.ferc.gov</a>)
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
(<a href="http://www.ferc.gov">www.ferc.gov</a>) 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 (PF22-1-
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, Maryland 20852; or
(4) In lieu of sending written comments, the Commission invites you
to attend a virtual public scoping session its staff will conduct by
telephone, scheduled as follows:
Date: Wednesday, January 5, 2022
Time: 6-8 p.m. Eastern Standard Time
Dial-in Number: 888-604-9359
Participant passcode: 8998724
The primary goal of the scoping session is to have you identify the
specific environmental issues and concerns that should be considered in
the environmental document. Individual oral comments will be taken on a
one-on-one basis with a court reporter present on the line. This format
is designed to receive the maximum amount of oral comments, in a
convenient way during the timeframe allotted, and is in response to the
ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
There will not be a formal presentation by Commission staff. The
scoping session is scheduled from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Standard
Time. You may call at any time after 6 p.m. at which time you will be
placed on mute and hold. Calls will be answered in the order they are
received. Once answered, you will have the opportunity to provide your
comment directly to a court reporter with FERC staff or representative
present on the line. A time limit of five minutes will be implemented
for each commentor.
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).
It is important to note that the Commission provides equal
consideration to all comments received, whether filed in written form
or provided verbally at a virtual scoping session. Although there will
not be a formal presentation, Commission staff may answer questions
about the environmental review process during individual's time with
the court reporter.
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 <a href="https://www.ferc.gov/ferc-online/overview">https://www.ferc.gov/ferc-online/overview</a> to register for eSubscription.
Summary of the Planned Project
Transco plans to modify two existing compressor stations and three
existing meter stations and construct and operate one new 30,500
horsepower (hp) compressor station in North Carolina and Virginia. The
general location of the planned project facilities is shown in
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appendix 1.\1\ Specifically, the Southside Reliability Enhancement
Project would consist of the following facilities:
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\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
<a href="http://www.ferc.gov">www.ferc.gov</a> using the link called ``eLibrary''. For instructions on
connecting to eLibrary, refer to the last page of this notice. At
this time, the Commission has suspended access to the 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 <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection" class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="d99f9c8b9a96b7b5b0b7bc8aaca9a9b6abad99bfbcabbaf7beb6af">[email protected]</a> or call toll free, (886) 208-3676
or TTY (202) 502-8659.
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<bullet> Installation of a new compressor station (Compressor
Station 168) which includes one new 30,500 hp electric motor-driven
compressor unit, and installation of new mainline valves on South
Virginia Lateral A-Line and B-Line at the new Compressor Station 168 in
Mecklenburg County, Virginia;
<bullet> Addition of one 16,000 hp electric motor-driven compressor
unit at existing Compressor Station 166 in Pittsylvania County,
Virginia;
<bullet> Installation of piping modifications to allow for flow
reversal at existing Compressor Station 155 in Davidson County, North
Carolina;
<bullet> Replacement of one meter run to increase delivery volumes
by 40,000 dekatherms per day (Dth/d) of natural gas at the existing
Ahoskie meter and regulatory (M&R) station in Hertford County, North
Carolina;
<bullet> Installation of new facilities to increase delivery
volumes by 120,000 Dth/d at the existing Pleasant Hill M&R station in
Northampton County, North Carolina; and
<bullet> Upgrade meter and controls and debottleneck piping to
increase delivery volumes by 263,400 Dth/d at the existing Iredell M&R
station in Iredell County, North Carolina.
The Southside Reliability Enhancement Project would enable Transco
to provide 160,000 Dth/d of incremental firm transportation capacity
from Transco's Compressor Station 165 in Pittsylvania County, Virginia
and 263,400 Dth/d from the Pine Needle storage facility to delivery
points in North Carolina. As described by Transco, the total delivery
capacity of 423,400 Dth/d would reduce supply constraints when natural
gas demand is the highest, support overall reliability and
diversification of energy infrastructure in the mid-Atlantic, and
benefit the public by promoting competitive markets and increasing the
security of natural gas supplies to major delivery points serving the
mid-Atlantic.
Land Requirements for Construction
Construction and modification of the planned facilities would
disturb about 117 acres of land, which includes temporary construction
workspace, permanent easement, and permanent access roads. Following
construction, Transco would maintain all 117 acres for permanent
operation of the project's facilities.
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:
<bullet> geology and soils;
<bullet> water resources and wetlands;
<bullet> vegetation and wildlife;
<bullet> threatened and endangered species;
<bullet> cultural resources;
<bullet> land use;
<bullet> socioeconomics;
<bullet> air quality and noise; and
<bullet> reliability and safety.
Commission staff have already identified minority and/or low-income
environmental justice communities adjacent to the existing compressor
stations and M&R stations. Community groups, schools, churches, and
businesses within these environmental justice communities, along with
known environmental justice organizations, have been included on the
Commission's environmental mailing list for the project, as further
explained in the Environmental Mailing List section of this notice.
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 (<a href="https://www.ferc.gov/industries-data/natural-gas/environment/environmental-documents">https://www.ferc.gov/industries-data/natural-gas/environment/environmental-documents</a>). 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 Title 40, Code of Federal
Regulations, Part 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
[[Page 72952]]
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 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; local
community groups, schools, churches, and businesses; 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 <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#094e687a597b66636c6a7d486d6d7b6c7a7a4a6168676e6c496f6c7b6a276e667f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="0e496f7d5e7c61646b6d7a4f6a6a7c6b7d7d4d666f60696b4e686b7c6d20696178">[email protected]</span></a> stating your
request. You must include the docket number PF22-1-000 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 <a href="https://www.ferc.gov/resources/guides/how-to.asp">https://www.ferc.gov/resources/guides/how-to.asp</a>. 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 (<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 (i.e., PF22-1). Be sure you have
selected an appropriate date range. For assistance, please contact FERC
Online Support at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#8bcdeef9e8c4e5e7e2e5eed8fefbfbe4f9ffcbedeef9e8a5ece4fd"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="54123126371b3a383d3a31072124243b262014323126377a333b22">[email protected]</span></a> 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 <a href="https://www.ferc.gov/news-events/events">https://www.ferc.gov/news-events/events</a> along with
other related information.
Dated: December 15, 2021.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2021-27789 Filed 12-22-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
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