[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 32 (Thursday, February 18, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8196-8197]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-03324]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Notice of Schedule for Environmental Review of the Leach Xpress
and Rayne Xpress Expansion Projects
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Docket No.
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Columbia Gas Transmission, LLC......... CP15-514-000
Columbia Gulf Transmission, LLC........ CP15-539-000
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On June 8, 2015, Columbia Gas Transmission, LLC (Columbia Gas)
filed an application in Docket No. CP15-514-000 requesting a
Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity pursuant to Section
7(c) and 7(b) of the Natural Gas Act to construct, operate, abandon in-
place, and maintain certain natural gas pipeline facilities. The
proposed Leach XPress Project, located in West Virginia, Ohio, and
Pennsylvania, would provide about 1.5 million dekatherms of natural gas
per day of firm transportation service to natural gas consumers served
by the Columbia Gas pipeline systems.
Additionally, on July 29, 2015, Columbia Gulf Transmission, LLC
(Columbia Gulf) filed an application in Docket No. CP15-539-000
requesting a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity pursuant
to Section 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act to construct, own, and operate
the proposed Rayne XPress Expansion Project. The Rayne Express
Expansion Project, located in Kentucky, would add new compression and
provide about 621,000 dekatherms per day of firm transportation on
Columbia Gulf's system. Together, these proposals are referred to in
this notice as ``the Projects.''
On June 22 and August 11, 2015, respectively, the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (FERC or Commission) issued its Notice of
Application for the Leach XPress Project and Rayne XPress Expansion
Project. Among other things, these notices alerted other agencies
issuing federal authorizations of the requirement to complete all
necessary reviews and to reach a final decision on the request for a
federal authorization within 90 days of the date of issuance of the
Commission staff's final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the
Projects. This instant notice identifies the FERC staff's planned
schedule for completion of the final EIS for the Projects.
Schedule for Environmental Review
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Issuance of Notice of Availability September 1, 2016.
of the final EIS.
90-day Federal Authorization November 30, 2016.
Decision Deadline.
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If a schedule change becomes necessary, an additional notice will
be provided so that the relevant agencies are kept informed of the
Project's progress.
Project Description
Columbia Gas plans to construct approximately 160 miles of new
natural gas pipeline in West Virginia (Marshall County), Ohio
(Fairfield, Hocking, Monroe, Morgan, Muskingum, Noble, Perry and Vinton
Counties) and Pennsylvania (Greene County), two new compressor stations
in Ohio (Noble and Jackson Counties), one new compressor station in
West Virginia (Marshall County), and modify two existing compressor
stations in West Virginia and Ohio.
Columbia Gulf plans to construct and operate 51,800 horsepower of
new compression in two new compressor stations located in Carter,
Menifee and Montgomery Counties, Kentucky, and modify the existing
Means Measurement and Regulation Station in Means and Montgomery
County, Kentucky.
Background
On October 9, 2014, the Commission staff granted Columbia Gas's
request to use the FERC's Pre-filing environmental review process and
assigned the Leach XPress Project Docket No. PF14-23-000. On January
13, 2015, the Commission issued a Notice of Intent to Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement for the Planned Leach XPress Project,
Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of Public
Scoping Meetings (NOI). Additionally, on September 4, 2015, the
Commission issued a Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement for the Rayne XPress Expansion Project and Request for
Comments on Environmental Issues.
Both NOIs were sent to federal, state, and local government
agencies; elected officials; affected landowners; environmental and
public interest groups; Native American tribes and regional
organizations; commentors and other interested parties; and local
libraries and newspapers. The primary issues raised by the commentors
included federally listed bats, forested plant and animal habitat,
freshwater mussel habitat, salamander habitat, potential future
subsidence of mining land, and effects on public health and safety.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ohio Environmental
Protection Agency, the West Virginia Department of Environmental
Protection, the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources, and the
Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection are cooperating
agencies in the preparation of the EIS.
Additional Information
In order to receive notification of the issuance of the EIS and to
keep track of all formal issuances and submittals in specific dockets,
the Commission offers a free service called eSubscription. 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.
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 (www.ferc.gov). Using the ``eLibrary'' link, select
``General Search'' from the eLibrary menu, enter the selected date
range and ``Docket Number'' for the project you wish to access
excluding the last three digits
[[Page 8197]]
(i.e., CP15-514, CP15-539), 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 [email protected]. The eLibrary link
on the FERC Web site also provides access to the texts of formal
documents issued by the Commission, such as orders, notices, and rule
makings.
Dated: February 10, 2016.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-03324 Filed 2-17-16; 8:45 am]
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