Notice2023-11938
East Tennessee Natural Gas, LLC; Notice of Schedule for the Preparation of an Environmental Assessment for the System Alignment Program Project
Primary source
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Published
June 6, 2023
Issuing agencies
Energy DepartmentFederal Energy Regulatory Commission
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 108 (Tuesday, June 6, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 108 (Tuesday, June 6, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37050-37051]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-11938]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP23-131-000]
East Tennessee Natural Gas, LLC; Notice of Schedule for the
Preparation of an Environmental Assessment for the System Alignment
Program Project
On March 31, 2023, East Tennessee Natural Gas, LLC (East Tennessee)
filed an application in Docket No. CP23-131-000 requesting a
Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity pursuant to section
7(c) and Authorization pursuant to section 7(b) of the Natural Gas Act
to replace, construct, and operate certain natural gas pipeline
facilities in Tennessee, North Carolina, and Virginia. The proposed
project is known as the System Alignment Program Project (Project).
East Tennessee states that the Project would improve the operational
reliability of East Tennessee's system by minimizing the amount of
displacement in the system design to meet customers' shifting needs.
On April 14, 2023, 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 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 November 17, 2023
90-day Federal Authorization Decision Deadline \2\ February 15, 2024
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\2\ The Commission's deadline applies to the decisions of other
federal agencies, and state agencies acting under federally
delegated authority, that are responsible for federal
authorizations, permits, and other approvals necessary for proposed
projects under the Natural Gas Act. Per 18 CFR 157.22(a), the
Commission's deadline for other agency's decisions applies unless a
schedule is otherwise established by federal law.
If a schedule change becomes necessary, additional notice will be
provided so that the relevant agencies are kept informed of the
Project's progress.
Project Description
East Tennessee would construct approximately 16.1 miles of 24-inch-
diameter pipeline loop (Boyds Creek Loop) adjacent to its existing 16-
inch-diameter pipeline in Knox and Sevier Counties, Tennessee; a new
6,000-horsepower compressor station (the Talbot Compressor Station) in
Jefferson County, Tennessee; a new 19,000-horsepower compressor station
in Rockingham County, North Carolina (the Draper Compressor Station);
and ancillary facilities in Knox County and Sevier Counties, Tennessee
and Washington and Wythe Counties, Virginia. East Tennessee would also
replace approximately 6.4 miles of 8-inch-diameter pipeline with new
24-inch-diameter pipeline within its existing right-of-way in
Washington County, Virginia and complete a hydrotest of an
approximately 1.2 mile-segment of existing pipeline in Patrick County,
Virginia.
Background
On October 19, 2022, the Commission issued a Notice of Scoping
Period Requesting Comments on Environmental Issues for the Planned
System Alignment Program Project (Notice of Scoping). The Notice of
Scoping was issued during the pre-filing review of the Project in
Docket No. PF22-8-000 and 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 North Carolina
Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, Choctaw Nation of
Oklahoma, U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs,
State of Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation: Division
of Air Pollution Control, Commonwealth of Virginia Department of
Conservation and Recreation, Environmental Protection Agency,
Appalachian Voices, Teamsters National Pipeline Labor, Quapaw Nation,
North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, Tennessee
Department of Environment and Conservation: Division of Water
Resources, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, and fifteen
landowners. The primary issues raised by the commenters are impacts on
cultural and natural resources; incomplete tribal consultations, worker
trainings, and permitting; potential groundwater contamination;
potential air and noise pollution; and impacts on landowner property.
All substantive comments will be addressed in the EA. No cooperating
agencies are involved in the preparation of this EA.
Additional Information
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 <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#ade2fdfdedcbc8dfce83cac2db"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="743b242434121106175a131b02">[email protected]</span></a>.
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 (<a href="http://www.ferc.gov">www.ferc.gov</a>). Using the ``eLibrary'' link, select
``General Search'' from the eLibrary menu, enter the selected date
range and ``Docket Number'' excluding the last three digits (i.e.,
CP23-131), and follow the instructions. For assistance with access to
eLibrary, the helpline can be reached at (866) 208-3676, TTY (202) 502-
8659, or at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#094f4c5b4a46676560676c5a7c7979667b7d496f6c7b6a276e667f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="d99f9c8b9a96b7b5b0b7bc8aaca9a9b6abad99bfbcabbaf7beb6af">[email protected]</span></a>. The eLibrary link on the FERC
website also provides access to the texts of formal documents issued by
the Commission, such as orders, notices, and rule makings.
[[Page 37051]]
Dated: May 30, 2023.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2023-11938 Filed 6-5-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
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