Notice2023-23106
Rio Bravo Pipeline Company, LLC; Notice of Schedule for the Preparation of an Environmental Assessment for the Rio Bravo Pipeline Route Amendment
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
October 19, 2023
Issuing agencies
Energy DepartmentFederal Energy Regulatory Commission
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 201 (Thursday, October 19, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 201 (Thursday, October 19, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72057-72058]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-23106]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP23-519-000]
Rio Bravo Pipeline Company, LLC; Notice of Schedule for the
Preparation of an Environmental Assessment for the Rio Bravo Pipeline
Route Amendment
On July 20, 2023, Rio Bravo Pipeline Company, LLC (Rio Bravo) filed
an application in Docket No. CP23-519-000 requesting a Certificate of
Public Convenience and Necessity pursuant to Section 7(c) of the
Natural Gas Act to construct and operate certain natural gas pipeline
facilities. The proposed project is known as the Rio Bravo Pipeline
Route Amendment (Amendment), and would involve four minor route
adjustments to the previously authorized route for the Rio Bravo
Pipeline, as well as incorporate several minor design changes.
On August 1, 2023, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
(Commission or FERC) issued its Notice of Application for the
Amendment. 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 Amendment.
[[Page 72058]]
This notice identifies Commission staff's intention to prepare an
environmental assessment (EA) for the Amendment 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 14, 2023
90-day Federal Authorization Decision Deadline \2\--February 12, 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
Amendment's progress.
Project Description
The Amendment would adjust the Rio Bravo Pipeline's certificated
route from approximate milepost (MP) 69.8 to MP 79.4 and from
approximate MP 92.4 to MP 93.0 in Willacy County, Texas and from
approximate MP 99.7 to MP 100.5 in Willacy and Cameron Counties, Texas.
The Amendment would also relocate a meter station and extend the
approved Rio Bravo Pipeline route approximately 0.6 mile in Cameron
County, Texas and modify the pipe wall thickness of the majority of the
Rio Bravo Pipeline consistent with U.S. Department of Transportation's
Pipeline Hazardous Materials Safety Administration regulations. The
route adjustments are intended to minimize impacts on certain sensitive
environmental resources, address landowner requests, meet technical
requirements from the International Boundary and Water Commission, and
align the terminus of the pipelines with the currently approved design
of the Rio Grande LNG Terminal.
Background
On August 23, 2023, the Commission issued a Notice of Scoping
Period Requesting Comments on Environmental Issues for the Proposed Rio
Bravo Pipeline Route Amendment (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 U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, several individuals, Rio
Grande LNG, LLC, and from Rio Bravo. The primary issues raised by the
commenters specific to the scope of the Amendment are requests to
extend the scoping comment period; impacts on endangered species (e.g.,
ocelot habitat), wildlife, and cultural resources; and reliability and
safety. All substantive comments received during the scoping period and
up until issuance of the EA will be addressed in 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.
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#ace3fcfceccac9decf82cbc3da"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="1e514e4e5e787b6c7d30797168">[email protected]</span></a>.
Additional information about the Amendment 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.,
CP23-519), 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#ffb9baadbcb0919396919aac8a8f8f908d8bbf999a8d9cd1989089"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="21676473626e4f4d484f44725451514e535561474453420f464e57">[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.
Dated: October 13, 2023.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2023-23106 Filed 10-18-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
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