[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 76 (Wednesday, April 20, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23287-23288]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-09091]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket Nos. CP15-115-000; CP15-115-001]
National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation, Empire Pipeline, Inc.;
Notice of Schedule for Environmental Review of the Northern Access 2016
Project
On March 17, 2015, National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation (National
Fuel) and Empire Pipeline, Inc. (Empire) (collectively referred to as
National Fuel) filed an application in Docket No. CP15-115-000
requesting a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity pursuant
to Section 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act to construct and operate certain
natural gas pipeline facilities in Pennsylvania and New York. National
Fuel amended its application on November 4, 2015. The proposed project
is known as the Northern Access 2016 Project (Project), and would
expand the National Fuel pipeline system to provide 497,000 dekatherms
per day of new firm natural gas transportation capacity and the Empire
pipeline system to provide 350,000 dekatherms per day of new firm
natural gas transportation capacity.
On March 27, 2015, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
(Commission or FERC) issued its Notice of Application for the Project.
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 Project. This instant notice
identifies the FERC staff's planned schedule for the completion of the
EA for the Project.
Schedule for Environmental Review
Issuance of EA--July 27, 2016
[[Page 23288]]
90-day Federal Authorization Decision Deadline--October 25, 2016
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
The Project involves the construction and operation of certain
facilities to provide natural gas transportation service from a receipt
point in McKean County, Pennsylvania to an existing Empire pipeline
system in Niagara County, New York.
National Fuel's proposed facilities include: Installation of about
96.9 miles of new 24-inch-diameter natural gas pipeline in McKean
County, Pennsylvania and Cattaraugus and Erie Counties, New York;
modifications at the existing Porterville Compressor Station in Erie
County; addition or modification of interconnect/tie-in facilities;
addition of 13 mainline valve sites; and cathodic protection
facilities.
Empire's proposed facilities in Niagara County include: The new
Pendleton Compressor Station; 2.1 miles of new 24-inch-diameter
pipeline for the compressor station; the new Wheatfield Dehydration
Facility; construction/modification of tie-in facilities; and removal
of an existing meter and odorizer station.
Background
On October 22, 2014, the Commission issued a Notice of Intent to
Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Planned Northern Access
2016 Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and
Notice of Public Scoping Meetings (NOI). The NOI was issued during the
pre-filing review of the Project in Docket No. PF14-18-000. On April
29, 2015, the Commission issued a supplemental NOI for the newly
identified locations for the Pendleton Compressor Station and
Wheatfield Dehydration Facility. After National Fuel filed a new site
for the Pendleton Compressor Station in the amended docket, the
Commission issued an additional supplemental NOI on November 19, 2015.
The NOIs were 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 comments from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service; New York State Department of Environmental
Conservation; New York Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic
Preservation; and numerous individuals and landowners. The primary
issues raised by the commentors include potential impacts on wetlands;
waterbodies; forested areas; groundwater; threatened and endangered
species; socioeconomic; land use and recreational; air quality; noise;
safety; and potential cumulative impacts.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the New York Department of
Agriculture and Markets are cooperating agencies in the preparation of
the EA.
Additional Information
In order to receive notification of the issuance of the EA 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 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.,
CP15-115), 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: April 14, 2016.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-09091 Filed 4-19-16; 8:45 am]
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