[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 6 (Friday, January 9, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1401-1403]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-00156]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket Nos. CP15-22-000 CP15-24-000]
Dominion Cove Point LNG, LP; Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Assessment for the Proposed St. Charles Transportation
and Keys Energy Projects and Request for Comments on Environmental
Issues
The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) will prepare an environmental assessment (EA) that will
discuss the environmental impacts of two related projects--the St.
Charles Transportation and Keys Energy Projects--both involving
construction and operation of facilities proposed by Dominion Cove
Point LNG, LP (DCP) in Fairfax County, Virginia and Charles County,
Maryland. The Commission will use this EA in its decision-making
process to determine whether the projects are 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 on the projects. Your input will help the Commission staff
determine what issues they need to evaluate in the EA. Please note that
the scoping period will close on February 4, 2015.
You may submit comments in written form. Further details on how to
submit written comments are in the Public Participation section of this
notice. If you sent comments on this project to the Commission before
the opening of these dockets on December 3, 2014, you will need to file
those comments in Docket No. CP15-22-000 for the St. Charles
Transportation Project, and CP15-24-000 for the Keys Energy Project, 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.
If you are a landowner receiving this notice, a pipeline company
representative may contact you about the acquisition of an easement to
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construct, access, operate, and maintain the proposed facilities. The
company would seek to negotiate a mutually acceptable agreement.
However, if the Commission approves the project, that approval conveys
with it the right of eminent domain. Therefore, if easement
negotiations fail to produce an agreement, the pipeline company could
initiate condemnation proceedings where compensation would be
determined in accordance with state law.
DCP provided potentially affected landowners and residents within
0.5 mile radius around the proposed compression upgrades a fact sheet
prepared by the FERC entitled ``An Interstate Natural Gas Facility On
My Land? What Do I Need To Know?'' This fact sheet addresses a number
of typically-asked questions, including the use of eminent domain and
how to participate in the Commission's proceedings. It is also
available for viewing on the FERC Web site (www.ferc.gov).
Summary of the Proposed Project
DCP proposes to construct, install, own, operate, and maintain
certain facilities located in Fairfax County, Virginia and Charles
County, Maryland which comprise the St. Charles Transportation Project
and the Keys Energy Project. These projects would involve the
installation of new facilities and modification of existing facilities.
The St. Charles Transportation Project would consist of the
following facilities:
Pleasant Valley Compressor Station (Fairfax County,
Virginia)
[cir] Install one new 7,000-horsepower (hp) electric compressor at
the existing compressor station;
[cir] extend the existing compressor building;
[cir] replace the existing filter-separator with one new filter-
separator;
[cir] add one new gas cooler; and
[cir] install miscellaneous piping and measurement upgrades, meter
runs, piping, fitting and valves.
Competitive Power Ventures (CPV) Maryland Interconnect
(Charles County, Maryland)
[cir] Install two new 16-inch taps (one on TL-522 and one on TL-
532) for customer delivery.
The St. Charles Transportation Project would allow delivery of an
additional 132,000 dekatherms per day (Dt/d) of natural gas to CPV
Maryland, LLC (CPV Maryland). According to DCP, additional compression
at the Pleasant Valley Compressor Station is required to deliver gas to
CPV Maryland. The two new 16-inch taps would be required for customer
delivery.
The Keys Energy Project would consist of the following facilities:
Pleasant Valley Compressor Station (Fairfax County,
Virginia)
[cir] Install one new 6,000-hp electric compressor and one new gas
cooler at the existing compressor station; and
[cir] add necessary interconnecting pipe work to and from supply/
discharge headers.
Keys Energy Interconnect (Charles County, Maryland)
[cir] Install two new 16-inch taps (one on TL-522 and one on TL-
532) for customer delivery;
[cir] construct a metering and regulating (M&R) station that would
feed gas from the new taps to the Keys Energy, LLC (Keys Energy)
lateral line1; and
[cir] construct a dekatherm building that would house electronic
flow control equipment.
The Keys Energy Project would provide an additional approximately
107,000 Dt/d of natural gas to a new generating station to be
constructed by Keys Energy (Keys Energy Center, Prince George's County,
Maryland). According to DCP, the Pleasant Valley Compressor Station
would provide additional compression that is required to deliver gas to
the Keys Energy Center. The two new 16-inch taps would be required for
customer delivery.
The general locations of the project facilities are 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 appendices were sent to all those
receiving this notice in the mail and are available at www.ferc.gov
using the link called ``eLibrary'' or from the Commission's Public
Reference Room, 888 First Street NE., Washington, DC 20426, or call
(202) 502-8371. For instructions on connecting to eLibrary, refer to
the last page of this notice.
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Land Requirements for Construction
Construction of the proposed facilities for the St. Charles
Transportation Project would disturb about 22.6 acres of land for the
aboveground facilities. Following construction, DCP would maintain
about 1.5 acres for permanent operation of the project's facilities;
the remaining acreage would be restored and revert to former uses.
Construction of the proposed facilities for the Keys Energy Project
would disturb about 28.5 acres of land for the aboveground facilities.
Following construction, DCP would maintain about 2.1 acres for
permanent operation of the project's facilities; the remaining acreage
would be restored and revert to former uses. The proposed facility
modifications for both the St. Charles Transportation and Keys Energy
Projects would occur within an agricultural field; existing compressor
station property; or within existing, maintained DCP rights-of-way.
The EA Process
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires the
Commission to take into account the environmental impacts that could
result from an action whenever it considers the issuance of a
Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity. NEPA also requires us
\2\ to discover and address concerns the public may have about
proposals. This process is referred to as ``scoping.'' The main goal of
the scoping process is to focus the analysis in the EA on the important
environmental issues. By this notice, the Commission requests public
comments on the scope of the issues to address in the EA. We will
consider all filed comments during the preparation of the EA.
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\2\ ``We,'' ``us,'' and ``our'' refer to the environmental staff
of the Commission's Office of Energy Projects.
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In the EA we will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of
the construction and operation of the proposed project under these
general headings:
Geology and soils;
land use;
water resources, fisheries, and wetlands;
cultural resources;
vegetation and wildlife, including migratory birds;
air quality and noise;
endangered and threatened species; and
public safety.
We 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.
The EA will present our independent analysis of the issues. The EA
will be available in the public record through eLibrary. Depending on
the comments received during the scoping process, we may also publish
and distribute the EA to the public for an allotted comment period. We
will consider all comments on the EA before making our recommendations
to the Commission. To ensure we have the opportunity to consider and
address your comments, please carefully follow the instructions in the
Public Participation section below.
With this notice, we are asking agencies with jurisdiction by law
and/or special expertise with respect to the environmental issues of
this project to formally cooperate with us in the
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preparation of the EA.\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. Currently, no agencies have expressed an intention to
participate as a cooperating agency in the preparation of the EA to
satisfy its NEPA responsibilities related to this project.
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\3\ The Council on Environmental Quality regulations addressing
cooperating agency responsibilities are at Title 40, Code of Federal
Regulations, Part 1501.6.
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Consultations 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, we are using this notice to initiate consultation
with the applicable State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPO), 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\ We will define the project-specific Area of
Potential Effects (APE) in consultation with the SHPOs as the project
develops. On natural gas facility projects, the APE at a minimum
encompasses all areas subject to ground disturbance (examples include
construction right-of-way, contractor/pipe storage yards, compressor
stations, and access roads). Our EA for these projects 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'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.
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Public Participation
You can make a difference by providing us with your specific
comments or concerns about the projects. 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 your
comments are timely and properly recorded, please send your comments so
that the Commission receives them in Washington, DC on or before
February 4, 2015.
For your convenience, there are three methods which you can use to
submit your comments to the Commission. In all instances please
reference the project docket numbers (CP15-22-000 and/or CP15-24-000)
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 on the Commission's Web site (www.ferc.gov) under the link to
Documents and Filings. This is an easy method for interested persons to
submit brief, text-only comments on a project;
(2) You can 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.
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 projects. We will update the environmental mailing list
as the analysis proceeds to ensure that we send the information related
to this environmental review to all individuals, organizations, and
government entities interested in and/or potentially affected by the
proposed projects.
If we publish and distribute the EA, copies will be sent to the
environmental mailing list for public review and comment. If you would
prefer to receive a paper copy of the document instead of the CD
version or would like to remove your name from the mailing list, please
return the attached Information Request (appendix 2).
Becoming an Intervenor
In addition to involvement in the EA scoping process, you may want
to become an ``intervenor'' which is an official party to the
Commission's proceeding. Intervenors play a more formal role in the
process and are able to file briefs, appear at hearings, and be heard
by the courts if they choose to appeal the Commission's final ruling.
An intervenor formally participates in the proceeding by filing a
request to intervene. Instructions for becoming an intervenor are in
the User's Guide under the ``e-filing'' link on the Commission's Web
site.
Additional Information
Additional information about the projects is available from the
Commission's Office of External Affairs, at (866) 208-FERC, or on the
FERC Web site at 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., 000).
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 now 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 www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/esubscription.asp.
Finally, public meetings or site visits will be posted on the
Commission's calendar located at www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/EventsList.aspx along with other related information.
Dated: January 5, 2015.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2015-00156 Filed 1-8-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P