Notice2025-10265

Gulf South Pipeline Company, LLC; Notice of Scoping Period Requesting Comments on Environmental Issues for the Proposed Southeast Compression for Utility Reliability Expansion Project

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Published
June 6, 2025

Issuing agencies

Energy DepartmentFederal Energy Regulatory Commission

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 108 (Friday, June 6, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 108 (Friday, June 6, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24124-24126]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-10265]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP25-219-000]


Gulf South Pipeline Company, LLC; Notice of Scoping Period 
Requesting Comments on Environmental Issues for the Proposed Southeast 
Compression for Utility Reliability 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 Southeast Compression for Utility 
Reliability Expansion Project involving construction and operation of 
facilities by Gulf South Pipeline, LLC (Gulf South) in Madison Parish, 
Louisiana and Forrest, Hinds, and Jasper Counties, Mississippi. 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. 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 p.m. Eastern Time on June 30, 2025. Comments may be submitted 
in written form. 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 25, 2025 you will need to file 
those comments in Docket No. CP25-219-000 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 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

[[Page 24125]]

Commission has no jurisdiction over these matters.
    Gulf South 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, 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#1d5b786f7e5273717473784e686d6d726f695d7b786f7e337a726b"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="3e785b4c5d71505257505b6d4b4e4e514c4a7e585b4c5d10595148">[email&#160;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 (CP25-
219-000) on your letter. Submissions sent via the U.S. Postal Service 
must be addressed to: Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Secretary, Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Room 1A, Washington, DC 
20426. Submissions sent via any other carrier must be addressed to: 
Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 
12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, MD 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, 
community organizations, 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#236c737363454651400d444c55"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="440b141404222136276a232b32">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>.

Summary of the Proposed Project

    Gulf South proposes modifications at three existing compressor 
stations (Tallulah, Jasper, and Forrest) and construction of one new 
compressor station (Hinds) located in Madison Parish, Louisiana and 
Jasper, Forrest, and Hinds Counties, Mississippi, respectively. The 
Southeast Compression for Utility Reliability Expansion Project would 
increase capacity by 280,000 dekatherms per day (Dth/d) to serve 
certain southeast markets on Gulf South's system to its existing Jasper 
and Forrest Compressor Stations in addition to a small amount of 
incidental capacity, approximately 35,000 Dth/d, on an isolated portion 
of Gulf South's system, specifically from the Perryville area to an 
interconnect with Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company, LLC upstream of the 
Jasper Compressor Station.
    The project would consist of the following modifications:
    <bullet> installation of one new Solar Titan 250 compressor unit at 
the existing Tallulah Compressor Station;
    <bullet> installation of one new Solar Mars 100 compressor unit at 
the existing Jasper Compressor Station;
    <bullet> installation of one new Solar Titan 130 compressor unit 
and restaging the existing Solar Mars 100 compressor unit at the 
existing Forrest Compressor Station; and
    <bullet> construction of one new compressor station (Hinds), 
including the installation of one new Solar Titan 250 compressor unit.
    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. For 
assistance, contact FERC at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection" class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="276162756468494b4e494274525757485553674142554409404851">[email&#160;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 proposed facilities would impact a total of 
89.43 acres of land during construction and medication activities, 
including 1.17 acres of operational impacts associated with access road 
construction and an expanding facility footprint at the Forrest 
Compressor Station, and 7.92 acres of permanent impacts associated with 
the construction of the proposed Hinds Compressor Station.

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 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 visual impacts;
    <bullet> socioeconomic impacts;
    <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 the 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 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.

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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\ Cooperating agency responsibilities are addressed in Section 
107(a)(3) of NEPA (42 U.S. Code 4336(a)(3)).
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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 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; 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#e4a38597b4968b8e818790a5808096819797a78c858a8381a482819687ca838b92"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="89cee8fad9fbe6e3eceafdc8ededfbecfafacae1e8e7eeecc9efecfbeaa7eee6ff">[email&#160;protected]</span></a> stating your 
request. You must include the Docket Number CP25-219-000 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 (<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. Be sure you have selected an 
appropriate date range. For assistance, please contact FERC Online 
Support at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#86c0e3f4e5c9e8eaefe8e3d5f3f6f6e9f4f2c6e0e3f4e5a8e1e9f0"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="682e0d1a0b27060401060d3b1d1818071a1c280e0d1a0b460f071e">[email&#160;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: May 30, 2025.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2025-10265 Filed 6-5-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P


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Indexed from Federal Register on June 6, 2025.

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