Notice2023-13207
Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC, Northern Natural Gas Company; Notice of Scoping Period Requesting Comments on Environmental Issues for the Proposed Pelto Area Abandonment Project
Primary source
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Published
June 22, 2023
Issuing agencies
Energy DepartmentFederal Energy Regulatory Commission
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 119 (Thursday, June 22, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 119 (Thursday, June 22, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40796-40799]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-13207]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP23-200-000]
Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC, Northern Natural Gas
Company; Notice of Scoping Period Requesting Comments on Environmental
Issues for the Proposed Pelto Area Abandonment 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 Pelto Area Abandonment Project
(Project), involving the abandonment of facilities operated by
Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC (Transco) and Northern
Natural Gas Company (Northern) (the Companies), in Louisiana state
waters offshore of Terrebonne Parish and within the Pelto and Ship
Shoal Blocks of federal offshore waters of the Gulf of Mexico. 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 an authorizing Order. 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 July 14, 2023. 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 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 April 20, 2023, you will need to file
those comments in Docket No. CP23-200-000 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.
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#23654651406c4d4f4a4d46705653534c515763454651400d444c55"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="1a5c7f687955747673747f496f6a6a75686e5a7c7f6879347d756c">[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 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 (CP23-
200-000) 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.
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#d29d828292b4b7a0b1fcb5bda4"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="317e616171575443521f565e47">[email protected]</span></a>.
Summary of the Proposed Project
The Companies seek to abandon six pipeline segments with different
ownership interests that total about 32.1 miles. These segments are
listed below.
Pipeline Facilities Owned by Transco
<bullet> Pipeline Segment Numbers (PSN) 1536 and PSN1534, 8-inch-
diameter pipelines located from Valve LE 2739 to the PL-11 Platform.
PSN 1536 and PSN 1534 total approximately 18.2 miles in length.
Approximately 12.6 miles of these segments are within federal waters
and 5.6 miles are within state waters.
<bullet> PSN 4778, a 12-inch-diameter pipeline totaling 0.9-mile in
length and located from Valve LE 1593 and Valve LE 1597 to Valve LE
195, entirely within federal waters.
<bullet> PSN 5136, a 16-inch-diameter pipeline totaling 0.9 mile in
length and located from the PL-10 Platform to Valve LE 1694, entirely
within federal waters.
Pipeline Facilities Owned by Transco and Northern \1\
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\1\ A third company, Kinetica Midstream Energy, LLC (Kinetica),
owns the remaining 6.98 percent of both PSN 5135 and PSN 5137.
Kinetica has previously abandoned services to these assets and, as
such, is not a party listed as an applicant to this application.
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<bullet> PSN 5135, a 12-inch-diameter pipeline totaling 1.3 miles
in length and located from the Ship Shoal 70 Platform (SS-70 Platform)
to Valve LE 1596,
[[Page 40797]]
entirely within federal waters. Transco owns 82.94 percent, and
Northern owns 10.08 percent of this segment.
<bullet> PSN 5137, a 20-inch-diameter pipeline totaling 10.8 miles
in length and located from the SS-70 Platform to Valve LE 1694,
entirely within federal waters. Transco owns 82.94 percent and Northern
owns 10.08 percent of this segment.
Additionally, Transco proposes to abandon risers in place from the
PL-10 and PL-11 Platforms, abandon risers by removal from the SS-70
Platform, and remove metering and associated equipment from the PL-10,
PL-11, and SS-91 Platforms in federal waters.
Project pipelines in federal waters are within a Bureau of Ocean
Energy Management (BOEM) identified Significant Sediment Resource Area
and are required by BOEM to be removed upon abandonment. Similarly, the
Louisiana Office of State Lands requires removal of abandoned pipelines
within state waters. Therefore, all Project pipelines would be
abandoned by removal, with the exception of 40- to 80-foot-long
sections located at 27 active foreign pipeline crossings (resulting in
approximately 0.2 to 0.4 mile of pipeline abandoned in place).
The general location of the Project facilities is shown in appendix
1.\2\
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\2\ 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. For assistance, contact FERC at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection" class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="efa9aabdaca0818386818abc9a9f9f809d9baf898a9d8cc1888099">[email protected]</a> or call toll free, (886) 208-3676 or TTY
(202) 502-8659.
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Land Requirements for Abandonment
A total of about 1,156.1 acres would be temporarily impacted by the
Project. Following the completion of Project activities, all temporary
workspaces within federal and state waters would be restored to
approximate pre-construction contours through normal tidal and wave
action.
NEPA Process and the Environmental Document
Any environmental document issued by the Commission will discuss
impacts that could occur as a result of the abandonment activities,
under the relevant general resource areas:
<bullet> geology and sediments;
<bullet> water resources and wetlands;
<bullet> vegetation and wildlife;
<bullet> threatened and endangered species;
<bullet> cultural resources;
<bullet> land use;
<bullet> environmental justice;
<bullet> air quality and noise; and
<bullet> 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 \3\ 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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\3\ 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.\4\ 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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\4\ 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 Louisiana State Historic Preservation Office, 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.\5\ 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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\5\ 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 federal, state, and local government
representatives and agencies; elected officials; environmental and
public interest groups; and other interested parties. 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#c88fa9bb98baa7a2adabbc89acacbaadbbbb8ba0a9a6afad88aeadbaabe6afa7be"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="571036240725383d32342316333325322424143f36393032173132253479303821">[email protected]</span></a> stating your
request. You must include the docket number CP23-200-000 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
[[Page 40798]]
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#b2f4d7c0d1fddcdedbdcd7e1c7c2c2ddc0c6f2d4d7c0d19cd5ddc4"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="3f795a4d5c70515356515a6c4a4f4f504d4b7f595a4d5c11585049">[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: June 14, 2023.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
Appendix 1
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN22JN23.000
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Appendix 2
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN22JN23.001
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN22JN23.002
[FR Doc. 2023-13207 Filed 6-21-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-C
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