Notice2025-22942
Rockies Express Pipeline LLC; Cheyenne Connector, LLC; East Cheyenne Gas Storage, LLC; Notice of Schedule for the Preparation of an Environmental Assessment for the Critical Energy Reliability Link Project
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
December 16, 2025
Issuing agencies
Energy DepartmentFederal Energy Regulatory Commission
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 239 (Tuesday, December 16, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 239 (Tuesday, December 16, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58238-58239]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-22942]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP25-539-000]
Rockies Express Pipeline LLC; Cheyenne Connector, LLC; East
Cheyenne Gas Storage, LLC; Notice of Schedule for the Preparation of an
Environmental Assessment for the Critical Energy Reliability Link
Project
On August 15, 2025, Rockies Express Pipeline LLC (REX), Cheyenne
Connector, LLC (Cheyenne Connector), and East Cheyenne Gas Storage, LLC
(East Cheyenne) (collectively the Applicants) filed an application in
Docket No. CP25-539-000 requesting a Certificate of Public Convenience
and Necessity pursuant to Sections 7(c) and 7(b) of the Natural Gas Act
to construct, operate, and abandon certain natural gas pipeline
facilities. The proposed project is known as the Critical Energy
Reliability Link Project (Project) and would provide up to 100,000
dekatherms per day (Dth/d) of firm natural gas transportation service
and 50,000 Dth/d of no-notice service to Colorado Springs Utilities in
Colorado Springs, Colorado.
On August 29, 2025, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
(Commission or FERC) issued its Notice of Application for the Project.
Among other things, that notice alerted agencies
[[Page 58239]]
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\ The EA will be
issued for a 30-day comment period.
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\1\ For tracking purposes under the National Environmental
Policy Act, the unique identification number for documents relating
to this environmental review is EAXX-019-20-000-1765365565.
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Schedule for Environmental Review
Issuance of EA--July 2, 2026
90-day Federal Authorization Decision Deadline \2\--September 30, 2026
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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
REX proposes to construct and operate in Weld, Adams, Arapahoe,
Elbert, and El Paso counties, Colorado: approximately 160 miles of 24-
inch-diameter natural gas pipeline, one new compressor station, and
associated metering and appurtenant facilities. REX would also acquire,
via a lease agreement, capacity on the Cheyenne Connector Pipeline
(Cheyenne Connector Lease) and capacity on East Cheyenne's gas storage
facilities (East Cheyenne Lease) Additionally, Cheyenne Connector and
East Cheyenne propose to abandon by lease 250,000 Dth/d of existing
unsubscribed transportation capacity to REX, pursuant to the Cheyenne
Connector Lease; and abandon by lease 1,500,000 dekatherms of existing
unsubscribed storage capacity to REX, pursuant to the East Cheyenne
Lease.
Background
On October 10, 2025, the Commission issued a Notice of Scoping
Period Requesting Comments on Environmental Issues for the Proposed
Critical Energy Reliability Link Project, and Notice of Public Scoping
Sessions (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 Colorado Parks and Wildlife Northeast Region,
Arapahoe County of Emergency Management, Colorado Competitive Council,
Colorado Real Estate Alliance, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, Building
Jobs4Colorado, and three landowners. The primary issues raised by the
commenters relate to high priority habitats; threatened and endangered
species; noxious weeds; impacts on aquifers; restoration of areas
disturbed by the Project; facility lighting impacts; landscape
(including grassland and soils) disturbances within Elbert County;
impacts on rural communities; and general support for the project. All
substantive comments 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.
For public inquiries and assistance with making filings such as
interventions, comments, or requests for rehearing, contact the Office
of Public Participation at (202) 502-6595 or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#622d323222040710014c050d14"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="d699868696b0b3a4b5f8b1b9a0">[email protected]</span></a>.
Additional information about the Project is available from 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., CP25-539), 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#4d0b081f0e0223212423281e383d3d223f390d2b283f2e632a223b"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="2b6d6e796864454742454e785e5b5b44595f6b4d4e5948054c445d">[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.
(Authority: 18 CFR 2.1)
Dated: December 11, 2025.
Carlos D. Clay,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2025-22942 Filed 12-15-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
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