[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 162 (Wednesday, August 23, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39992-39993]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-17847]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket Nos. CP17-26-000; CP15-499-000; CP15-499-001]
Pomelo Connector, LLC, Texas Eastern Transmission, LP; Notice of
Schedule for Environmental Review of the Pomelo Connector Pipeline and
South Texas Expansion Projects
On May 22, 2015 and December 30, 2016 Texas Eastern Transmission,
LP (Texas Eastern) filed an application and supplements/amendments in
Docket No. CP15-499-000/CP15-499-001 and Pomelo Connector, LLC (Pomelo)
filed an application on December 22, 2016 in Docket No. CP17-26-000
requesting a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity pursuant
to Section 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act to abandon, construct, modify,
and operate gas pipeline facilities in Texas. Pomelo's project known as
the Pomelo Connector Pipeline Project (Pomelo Connector Pipeline) would
provide up to 400,000 dekatherms per day (Dth/d) of firm transportation
service from an interconnection with Texas Eastern at the proposed
Pomelo Petronila Compressor Station in Nueces County, Texas, to the
Nueces Header pipeline system. Texas Eastern's project, known as the
South Texas Expansion Project (STEP), would provide approximately
396,000 Dth/d of firm natural gas transportation service to an
interconnection with the Nueces Header. Collectively, the STEP and
Pomelo Connector Pipeline projects are referred to as the Projects.
On June 5, 2015, and January 4, 2017 the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission (Commission or FERC) issued its Notice of Applications for
the Projects. Among other things, that notice alerted agencies 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 Assessment (EA) for the Projects. This instant
notice identifies the FERC staff's planned schedule for the completion
of the EA for the Projects.
Schedule for Environmental Review
Issuance of EA--September 18, 2017
90-day Federal Authorization Decision Deadline--December 17, 2017
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
Pomelo Connector Pipeline consists of construction and operation of
approximately 14 miles of 30-inch-diameter pipeline, a new 5,000
horsepower (hp) compressor station, approximately 0.2 mile of new 30-
inch-diameter pipeline, and associated aboveground facilities in Nueces
County, Texas. Pomelo would engage in certain construction, operation,
maintenance, and abandonment activities under blanket construction
certificate authorization, and abandon all of the capacity of the
Pomelo Connector Pipeline upon the in-service date by lease to Texas
Eastern. STEP consists of construction and operation of a new 8,400 hp
gas turbine unit in Nueces County, Texas; piping modifications at its
existing Angleton Station property in Brazoria County, Texas; a new
8,400 hp gas turbine unit at its existing Blessing Compressor Station
in Matagorda County, Texas; clean burn emission work and piping
modifications at its existing Mont Belvieu Compressor Station in
Chambers County, Texas; and piping modifications at its existing Vidor
Compressor Station in Orange County, Texas.
Background
On April 6, 2017, the Commission issued a Notice of Intent to
Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Projects and
Request for Comments on Environmental Issues (NOI). The NOI 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 NOI, the Commission received a total of
five comment letters from the following: The Texas Parks and Wildlife
Department, Union Pacific Railroad, Gary Pyraon--an adjacent landowner
to the proposed Petronila Compressor Station site, John Young--an
individual, and the Teamsters National Pipeline Labor Management
Cooperation Trust. The comments addressed related and non-
jurisdictional facilities, air quality/greenhouse gas emissions,
alternatives, biological resources, migratory birds, habitat and
wildlife, water resources, hazards/safety concerns, stormwater, and
general support for the Projects.
Additional Information
In order to receive notification of the issuance of the EA and to
keep track of
[[Page 39993]]
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 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, select
``General Search'' from the eLibrary menu, enter the selected date
range and Docket Number excluding the last three digits (i.e., CP17-26
and CP15-499), 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: August 17, 2017.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2017-17847 Filed 8-22-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P