[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 232 (Tuesday, December 3, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72671-72672]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-28896]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP13-528-000]
Northern Natural Gas Company; Notice of Availability of the
Environmental Assessment for the Proposed West Leg 2014 Expansion
Project
The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) has prepared an environmental assessment (EA) for the West
Leg 2014 Expansion Project, proposed by Northern Natural Gas Company
(Northern) in the above-referenced docket. Northern requests
authorization to construct, operate, and maintain new natural gas
facilities in Dakota and Dodge Counties, Nebraska and Woodbury County,
Iowa to provide for 88,430 dekatherms per day (Dth/d) to serve
increased markets for industrial, commercial, and residential uses.
The EA assesses the potential environmental effects of the
construction and operation of the West Leg 2014 Expansion Project in
accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy
Act (NEPA) of 1969. The FERC staff concludes that approval of the
proposed project, with appropriate mitigating measures, would not
constitute a major federal action significantly affecting the quality
of the human environment.
The U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, U.S. Department of Agriculture
Natural Resources Conservation Service, Iowa Department of Natural
Resources, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, and the Papio-Missouri
River Natural Resources District participated as cooperating agencies
in the preparation of the EA. Cooperating agencies have jurisdiction by
law or special expertise with respect to resources potentially affected
by the proposal and participate in the NEPA analysis.
The proposed project includes the following facilities:
Approximately 7 miles of 20- and 24-inch-diameter pipeline
in Dakota County, Nebraska and Woodbury County, Iowa;
A new 4,700-horsepower compressor station in Dodge County,
Nebraska;
A new 9,480-horsepower compressor station in Dakota
County, Nebraska; and
A new meter station in Woodbury County, Iowa.
The FERC staff mailed copies of the EA to federal, state, and local
government representatives and
[[Page 72672]]
agencies; elected officials; environmental and public interest groups;
Native American tribes; potentially affected landowners and other
interested individuals and groups; newspapers and libraries in the
project area; and parties to this proceeding. In addition, the EA is
available for public viewing on the FERC's Web site (www.ferc.gov)
using the eLibrary link. A limited number of copies of the EA are
available for distribution and public inspection at: Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission, Public Reference Room, 888 First Street NE.,
Room 2A, Washington, DC 20426, (202) 502-8371.
Any person wishing to comment on the EA may do so. Your comments
should focus on the potential environmental effects, reasonable
alternatives, and measures to avoid or lessen environmental impacts.
The more specific your comments, the more useful they will be. To
ensure that the Commission has the opportunity to consider your
comments prior to making its decision on this project, it is important
that we receive your comments in Washington, DC on or before January 6,
2014.
For your convenience, there are three methods you can use to file
your comments with the Commission. In all instances please reference
the project docket number (CP13-528-000) with your submission. The
Commission encourages electronic filing of comments and has expert
staff available to assist you at 202-502-8258 or [email protected].
(1) You can file your comments electronically using the eComment
feature located on the Commission's Web site (www.ferc.gov) under the
link to Documents and Filings. This is an easy method for submitting
brief, text-only comments on a project;
(2) You can also file your comments electronically using the
eFiling feature on the Commission's Web site (www.ferc.gov) under the
link to Documents and Filings. 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 must select the type of filing you are making. If
you are filing a comment on a particular project, please select
``Comment on a Filing''; or
(3) You can file a paper copy of your comments by mailing them to
the following address: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC
20426.
Any person seeking to become a party to the proceeding must file a
motion to intervene pursuant to Rule 214 of the Commission's Rules of
Practice and Procedures (18 CFR 385.214).\1\ Only intervenors have the
right to seek rehearing of the Commission's decision. The Commission
grants affected landowners and others with environmental concerns
intervenor status upon showing good cause by stating that they have a
clear and direct interest in this proceeding which no other party can
adequately represent. Simply filing environmental comments will not
give you intervenor status, but you do not need intervenor status to
have your comments considered.
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\1\ See the previous discussion on the methods for filing
comments.
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Additional information about the project is available from the
Commission's Office of External Affairs, at (866) 208-FERC, or on the
FERC Web site (www.ferc.gov) using the eLibrary link. Click on the
eLibrary link, click on ``General Search,'' and enter the docket number
excluding the last three digits in the Docket Number field (i.e., CP13-
528). Be sure you have selected an appropriate date range. For
assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at
[email protected] or toll free at (866) 208-3676, or for TTY,
contact (202) 502-8659. The eLibrary link also provides access to the
texts of formal documents issued by the Commission, such as orders,
notices, and rulemakings.
In addition, the Commission offers a free service called
eSubscription which allows you to keep track of all formal issuances
and submittals in specific dockets. This can reduce the amount of time
you spend researching proceedings by automatically providing you with
notification of these filings, document summaries, and direct links to
the documents. Go to http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/ferconline.asp.
Dated: November 26, 2013.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2013-28896 Filed 12-2-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P