Notice2026-08650
Gulf South Pipeline Company, LLC; Notice of Scoping Period Requesting Comments on Environmental Issues for the Proposed Petal Cavern Expansion 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
May 5, 2026
Issuing agencies
Energy DepartmentFederal Energy Regulatory Commission
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 86 (Tuesday, May 5, 2026)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 86 (Tuesday, May 5, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24216-24218]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-08650]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP26-127-000]
Gulf South Pipeline Company, LLC; Notice of Scoping Period
Requesting Comments on Environmental Issues for the Proposed Petal
Cavern 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 Petal Cavern Expansion Project
(Project) involving construction and operation of facilities by Gulf
South Pipeline, LLC (Gulf South) in Forrest County, 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 and Necessity. 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 May 29, 2026. 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 March 12, 2026, you will need to file
those comments in Docket No. CP26-127 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.
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#074162756448696b6e696254727777687573476162756429606871"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="34725146577b5a585d5a51674144445b464074525146571a535b42">[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 (CP26-
127-000) 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.
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#753a252535131007165b121a03"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="256a757565434057460b424a53">[email protected]</span></a>.
Summary of the Proposed Project
The Project consists of the development of a new salt dome storage
cavern with a total capacity of 16 billion cubic feet (Bcf), including
10.0 Bcf of working gas and 6.0 Bcf of cushion gas, increasing overall
Petal Gas Storage Field (or Petal Storage Field) capacity. All Project
activities will be located within the existing Petal Storage Field in
Forrest County, Mississippi.
The primary components of the proposed Project are described below:
<bullet> develop the Petal Storage Cavern #1, a new salt dome
storage cavern at the existing Petal Storage Field to be utilized for
natural gas storage;
[[Page 24217]]
<bullet> install an intercompany check meter into the new cavern
(Maximum Allowable Operating Pressure: 3200 Pounds per Square Inch
Gauge and max flow rate: 500 million standard cubic feet per day;
<bullet> install one new permanent well pad with wellhead for gas
injection/withdrawal (I/W) and associated valves, piping, and
instruments;
<bullet> install one, 12-inch-diameter, approximately 0.25-mile-
long brine return line and one, 12-inch-diameter, approximately 0.25-
mile-long freshwater line to the new cavern that will be tied into the
existing brine return line and the existing freshwater line connected
to the existing leach plant;
<bullet> connect the new cavern to both Petal and Hattiesburg
headers with an approximately 0.36-mile-long 20-inch-diameter natural
gas pipeline;
<bullet> construct two new brine disposal wells (Disposal Well No.
4 and Disposal Well No. 5) with associated well pads;
<bullet> install one, 12-inch-diameter, approximately 0.11-mile-
long brine disposal line connecting both new brine disposal wells to
the existing brine disposal line and associated tie-ins;
<bullet> construct new permanent access roads (PARs) to the new I/W
well pad and disposal well sites are proposed, and existing PARs will
be utilized to construct the Project; and
<bullet> develop staging/laydown yards within the existing Petal
Storage Field to be used during construction.
The general location of the project facilities is shown in appendix
1.\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\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="f0b6b5a2b3bf9e9c999e95a38580809f8284b096958293de979f86">[email protected]</a> or call toll
free, (886) 208-3676 or TTY (202) 502-8659.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Land Requirements for Construction
Gulf South would utilize 35.8 acres (temporary and permanently
impacted areas) to construct the Project and 10.4 acres (permanently
impacted areas) for operation of the Project. Temporarily impacted
areas primarily consist of those areas necessary to facilitate
construction, including the construction of right-of-way, temporary
workspace adjacent to proposed storage facilities, staging area, and
existing PARs. Following the completion of construction activities,
areas temporarily impacted would be restored to approximate pre-
construction conditions. Permanent impact areas would include the new
maintained pipeline rights-of-ways, I/W well pad, disposal wells, and
new PARs.
NEPA Process and the Environmental Document
Any environmental document issued by the Commission 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;
<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 \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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ For instructions on connecting to eLibrary, refer to the
last page of this notice.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.\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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ Cooperating agency responsibilities are addressed in Section
107(a)(3) of NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4336(a)(3)).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 findings on the impacts on historic properties
and summarize the status of consultations under section 106.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\4\ 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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
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
[[Page 24218]]
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#074066745775686d62647346636375627474446f66696062476162756429606871"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="7a3d1b092a0815101f190e3b1e1e081f090939121b141d1f3a1c1f0819541d150c">[email protected]</span></a> stating your
request. You must include the docket number CP26-127-000 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 FERC
website at <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#50163522331f3e3c393e35032520203f222410363522337e373f26"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="6a2c0f180925040603040f391f1a1a05181e2a0c0f1809440d051c">[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.
(Authority: 18 CFR 2.1)
Dated: April 29, 2026.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2026-08650 Filed 5-4-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on May 5, 2026.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.