Notice2022-11034
Northern Natural Gas Company; Notice of Scoping Period Requesting Comments on Environmental Issues for the Proposed Northern Lights 2023 Expansion Project
Primary source
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Published
May 23, 2022
Issuing agencies
Energy DepartmentFederal Energy Regulatory Commission
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 99 (Monday, May 23, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 99 (Monday, May 23, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31228-31230]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-11034]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP22-138-000]
Northern Natural Gas Company; Notice of Scoping Period Requesting
Comments on Environmental Issues for the Proposed Northern Lights 2023
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 Northern Lights 2023 Expansion Project
(Project), involving construction and operation of facilities by
Northern Natural Gas Company (Northern) in Freeborn, Scott, Sherburne,
Stearns, and Washington Counties, Minnesota, and Monroe County,
Wisconsin. 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 17, 2022. 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 comments during the preparation of the
environmental document.
If you submitted comments about this Project to the Commission
before the opening of this docket on March 28, 2022, you will need to
file those comments in Docket No. CP22-138-000 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.
Northern 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 (<a href="http://www.ferc.gov">www.ferc.gov</a>)
under the Natural Gas Questions or 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 <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#286e4d5a4b67464441464d7b5d5858475a5c684e4d5a4b064f475e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="662003140529080a0f080335131616091412260003140548010910">[email protected]</span></a>.
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(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 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''; 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 (CP22-
138-000) 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.
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 Proposed Project
The Project would provide for incremental winter firm service of
44,222 dekatherms per day (Dth/day) serving residential, commercial and
industrial customer market growth in Northern's Market Area and 6,667
Dth/day of additional firm service that would allow a shipper enhanced
reliability and flexibility in scheduling their transportation
capacity.
The Project consists of the following facilities:
<bullet> A 2.8-mile extension of 36-inch-diameter Ventura North E-
line, in Freeborn County, Minnesota;
<bullet> a 1.07-mile, 30-inch-diameter loop of 20-inch-diameter Elk
River 1st and 2nd branch lines, in Washington County, Minnesota;
<bullet> a 1.14-mile extension of 24-inch-diameter Willmar D branch
line, in Scott County, Minnesota;
<bullet> a 2.5-mile extension of 8-inch-diameter Princeton tie over
loop, in Sherburne County, Minnesota;
<bullet> a 2.0-mile loop of 3-inch-diameter Paynesville branch
line, in Stearns County, Minnesota;
<bullet> a 0.34-mile extension of 8-inch-diameter Tomah branch line
loop, in Monroe County, Wisconsin; and
<bullet> aboveground facilities including one new pig launcher,
four new valve settings, replacement of valves and piping inside four
facilities, removal of three valve settings, and associated piping.
The general location of the Project facilities is shown in appendix
1.\1\
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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="ecaaa9beafa38280858289bf999c9c839e98ac8a899e8fc28b839a">[email protected]</a> or call toll free, (886) 208-3676
or TTY (202) 502-8659.
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Land Requirements for Construction
Construction of the Project would disturb about 255.4 acres of
land. The total acreage required for operation of all Project
facilities is about 52.4 acres. About 12.4 percent of the construction
footprint would overlap with easements for existing Northern
facilities.
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:
<bullet> Geology and soils;
<bullet> water resources and wetlands;
<bullet> vegetation and wildlife;
<bullet> threatened and endangered species;
<bullet> cultural resources;
<bullet> land use and recreation;
<bullet> environmental justice;
<bullet> air quality and noise;
<bullet> reliability and safety; and
<bullet> cumulative impacts
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 \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 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.
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\3\ 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
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Preservation Offices, 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.
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\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.
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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; potentially interested Indian
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 <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b1f6d0c2e1c3dedbd4d2c5f0d5d5c3d4c2c2f2d9d0dfd6d4f1d7d4c3d29fd6dec7"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="bbfcdac8ebc9d4d1ded8cffadfdfc9dec8c8f8d3dad5dcdefbdddec9d895dcd4cd">[email protected]</span></a> stating your
request. You must include the docket number CP22-138-000 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 <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
(CP22-138) 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#62240710012d0c0e0b0c07311712120d101622040710014c050d14"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c187a4b3a28eafada8afa492b4b1b1aeb3b581a7a4b3a2efa6aeb7">[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. 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: May 17, 2022.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2022-11034 Filed 5-20-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
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