[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 38 (Tuesday, February 28, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 12088]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-03840]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. AD16-3-000]
Notice of Availability of the Final Guidance Manual for
Environmental Report Preparation
The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (FERC or
Commission) Office of Energy Projects has finalized its revised
Guidance Manual for Environmental Report Preparation (Guidance Manual),
which was issued in draft form on December 18, 2015, for comment. The
Guidance Manual has been revised to incorporate changed regulations;
provide updated guidance on how to prepare resource reports and how
interstate and liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects may demonstrate
compliance with certain regulatory requirements; and address
substantive comments received on the draft Guidance Manual.
The Guidance Manual can be found in Docket Number AD16-3-000. The
full text of the Guidance Manual can be viewed on the Commission's Web
site at http://www.ferc.gov/industries/gas/enviro/guidelines.asp.
Applicable sections of Title 18 of the Code of Federal Regulations
are referenced or summarized throughout the Guidance Manual. The
Guidance Manual is intended to provide guidance to the industry. This
manual does not substitute for, amend, or supersede the Commission's
regulations under the Natural Gas Act of 1938 or the Commission's and
Council on Environmental Quality's regulations under the National
Environmental Policy Act. It imposes no new legal obligations and
grants no additional rights. Comments on the draft Guidance Manual that
addressed only the text of regulations were not incorporated in the
final Guidance Manual.
In response to the draft Guidance Manual, Commission staff received
comments from a variety of industry representatives, trade
associations, federal and state agencies, non-governmental
organizations, public interest groups, consultants, and other
interested parties. Staff reviewed and considered each comment and
modified several portions of the document in response. Staff declined
to modify the document where comments either were too project- or
location-specific to be included in general guidance, were already
adequately/accurately addressed as written, or regarded topics that
were not relevant to the Guidance Manual or resource report
preparation.
The Guidance Manual is divided into two volumes. Volume 1 relates
to the preparation of resource reports for both interstate natural gas
projects and Commission-jurisdictional LNG facilities. Volume 2 is
specific to LNG facilities and is intended to replace a series of
staff's previously developed guidance documents about the preparation
and review of LNG applications: Draft Guidance on Resource Report 11
and 13 issued on December 15, 2005, Draft Preferred Format Submittal
Guidance issued on April 12, 2006, and Draft FERC Seismic Design
Guidelines and Data Submittal Requirements for LNG Facilities issued on
January 23, 2007. These documents should be considered obsolete.
All of the information related to the proposed updates to the
Guidance Manual and submitted comments can be found on the FERC Web
site (www.ferc.gov) using the eLibrary link. Click on the eLibrary
link, click on ``Docket Search'' and in the Docket Number field enter
the docket number ``AD16-3,'' excluding the last three digits. 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
formal documents issued by the Commission, such as orders, notices, and
rulemakings.
Dated: February 22, 2017.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2017-03840 Filed 2-27-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P