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###### Department of Energy

###### Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

          - [Docket No. PF20-4-000]

The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or Commission) will prepare an environmental document that will discuss the environmental impacts of the Delta Lateral Project involving construction and operation of facilities by Kern River Gas Transmission Company (Kern River) in Millard County, Utah. The Commission will use this environmental document in its decision-making process to determine whether the project is 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 regarding the project. As part of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review process, the Commission takes into account concerns the public may have about proposals and the environmental impacts that could result from its action whenever it considers the issuance of a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity. This gathering of public input is referred to as “scoping.” The main goal of the scoping process is to focus the analysis in the environmental document on the important environmental issues. Additional information about the Commission's NEPA process is described below in the                     *NEPA Process and Environmental Document*                     section of this notice.                

                    By this notice, the Commission requests public comments on the scope of issues to address in the environmental document. To ensure that your comments are timely and properly recorded, please submit your comments so that the Commission receives them in Washington, DC on or before 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on February 3, 2021. Comments may be submitted in written form. Further details on how to submit comments are provided in the                     *Public Participation*                     section of this notice.                

Your comments should focus on the potential environmental effects, reasonable alternatives, and measures to avoid or lessen environmental impacts. Your input will help the Commission staff determine what issues they need to evaluate in the environmental document. Commission staff will consider all written comments during the preparation of the environmental document.

If you submitted comments on this project to the Commission before the opening of this docket on July 1, 2020, you will need to file those comments in Docket No. PF20-4-000 to ensure they are considered.

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 planned 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 construct, operate, and maintain the planned facilities. The company would seek to negotiate a mutually acceptable easement agreement. You are not required to enter into an agreement. However, if the Commission approves the project, the Natural Gas Act conveys the right of eminent domain to the company. Therefore, if you and the company do not reach an easement agreement, the pipeline company could initiate condemnation proceedings in court. In such instances, compensation would be determined by a judge in accordance with state law. The Commission does not subsequently grant, exercise, or oversee the exercise of that eminent domain authority. The courts have exclusive authority to handle eminent domain cases; the Commission has no jurisdiction over these matters.

                    A fact sheet prepared by the FERC entitled “An Interstate Natural Gas                           ( print page 1493)                        Facility On My Land? What Do I Need To Know?” addresses typically asked questions, including the use of eminent domain and how to participate in the Commission's proceedings. This fact sheet along with other landowner topics of interest are available for viewing on the FERC website (                    *www.ferc.gov*) under the links to Natural Gas Questions or Landowner Topics.                

## Public Participation

                    There are three methods you can use to submit your written comments to the Commission. Please carefully follow these instructions so that your comments are properly recorded. The Commission encourages electronic filing of comments and has staff available to assist you at (866) 208-3676 or                     *FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov.*

                    (1) You can file your comments electronically using the                     *eComment*                     feature, which is located on the Commission's website (                    *www.ferc.gov*) under the link to FERC Online. Using eComment is an easy method for submitting brief, text-only comments on a project;                

                    (2) You can file your comments electronically by using the eFiling feature, which is located on the Commission's website (                    *www.ferc.gov*) under the link to FERC Online. 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 will be asked to select the type of filing you are making; a comment on a particular project is considered a “Comment on a Filing”; or                

(3) You can file a paper copy of your comments by mailing them to the Commission. Be sure to reference the project docket number (PF20-4-000) on your letter. Submissions sent via the U.S. Postal Service must be addressed to: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426. Submissions sent via any other carrier must be addressed to: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, MD 20852.

                    Additionally, the Commission offers a free service called eSubscription, which makes it easy to stay informed of all issuances and submittals regarding the dockets/projects to which you subscribe. These instant email notifications are the fastest way to receive notification and provide a link to the document files which can reduce the amount of time you spend researching proceedings. Go to                     *https://www.ferc.gov/​ferc-online/​overview*                     to register for eSubscription.                

## Summary of the Planned Project

Kern River plans to construct and operate an approximately 35.84-mile-long, 24-inch-diameter pipeline; a delivery meter station located near Delta, Utah; and appurtenant facilities including a block valve, taps, and a launcher and receiver in Millard County, Utah. The planned Delta Lateral Project would provide about 140 million standard cubic feet of natural gas per day to the Intermountain Power Agency's Intermountain Power Project.

The Delta Lateral Project would consist of the following facilities:
    - A 35.84-mile-long, 24-inch-diameter natural gas pipeline;
    - a delivery meter station;
    - two mainline taps with automated lateral inlet valve assemblies;
    - an in-line inspection device ( i.e.,                      pig  [1]                                          ) launcher and receiver;                
    - an automated lateral block valve assembly; and
    - ancillary facilities.

                    The general location of the project facilities is shown in appendix 1.[2] 

## Land Requirements for Construction

Construction of the planned facilities would disturb about 538 acres of land for the pipeline and aboveground facilities. Following construction, Kern River would maintain about 218 acres for permanent operation of the project's facilities; the remaining acreage would be restored and revert to former uses. About 50 percent of the planned pipeline route parallels existing pipeline, utility, or road rights-of-way.

## NEPA Process and the Environmental Document

Any environmental document issued by Commission staff will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of the construction and operation of the planned project under the relevant general resource areas:
    - Geology and soils;
    - water resources and wetlands;
    - vegetation and wildlife;
    - threatened and endangered species;
    - cultural resources;
    - land use;
    - air quality and noise; and
    - reliability and safety.

Commission staff will also evaluate reasonable alternatives to the planned project or portions of the project and make recommendations on how to lessen or avoid impacts on the various resource areas. Your comments will help Commission staff identify and focus on the issues that might have an effect on the human environment and potentially eliminate others from further study and discussion in the environmental document.

Although no formal application has been filed, Commission staff have already initiated a NEPA review under the Commission's pre-filing process. The purpose of the pre-filing process is to encourage early involvement of interested stakeholders and to identify and resolve issues before the Commission receives an application. As part of the pre-filing review, Commission staff will contact federal and state agencies to discuss their involvement in the scoping process and the preparation of the environmental document.

                    If a formal application is filed, Commission staff will then determine whether to prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA) or an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The EA or the EIS will present Commission staff's independent analysis of the environmental issues. If Commission staff prepares an EA, a                     *Notice of Schedule for the Preparation of an Environmental Assessment*                     will be issued. The EA may be issued for an allotted public comment period. The Commission would consider timely comments on the EA before making its determination on the proposed project. If Commission staff prepares an EIS, a                     *Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS/Notice of Schedule*                     will be issued after an application is filed, which will open an additional public comment period. Staff will then prepare a draft EIS that will be issued for public comment. Commission staff will consider all timely comments received during the comment period on the draft EIS, and revise the document, as necessary, before issuing a final EIS. Any EA or draft and final EIS will be available in electronic format in the public record through eLibrary [3]                                          and the                           ( print page 1494)                        Commission's natural gas environmental documents web page (                    *https://www.ferc.gov/​industries-data/​natural-gas/​environment/​environmental-documents*). If eSubscribed, you will receive instant email notification when the environmental document is issued.                

                    With this notice, the Commission is asking agencies with jurisdiction by law and/or special expertise with respect to the environmental issues related to this project to formally cooperate in the preparation of the environmental document.[4]                                          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, the U.S Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management has expressed its intention to participate as a cooperating agency in the preparation of the environmental document to satisfy its NEPA responsibilities related to this project.                

## Consultation 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, the Commission is using this notice to initiate consultation with the applicable State Historic Preservation Office(s), 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.[5]                                          The environmental document for this project will document our findings on the impacts on historic properties and summarize the status of consultations under section 106.                

## 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 project and includes a mailing address with their comments. Commission staff will update the environmental mailing list as the analysis proceeds to ensure that Commission notices related to this environmental review are sent to all individuals, organizations, and government entities interested in and/or potentially affected by the planned project.

If you need to make changes to your name/address, or if you would like to remove your name from the mailing list, please return the attached “Mailing List Update Form” (appendix 2).

## Becoming an Intervenor

                    Once Kern River files its application with the Commission, you may want to become an “intervenor” which is an official party to the Commission's proceeding. Only intervenors have the right to seek rehearing of the Commission's decision 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 pursuant to Rule 214 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedures (18 CFR 385.214). Motions to intervene are more fully described at                     *https://www.ferc.gov/​resources/​guides/​how-to.asp.*                     Please note that the Commission will not accept requests for intervenor status at this time. You must wait until the Commission receives a formal application for the project, after which the Commission will issue a public notice that establishes an intervention deadline.                

## Additional Information

                    Additional information about the project is available from the Commission's Office of External Affairs, at (866) 208-FERC, or on the FERC website (                    *www.ferc.gov*) using the eLibrary link. Click on the eLibrary link, click on “General Search” and enter the docket number in the “Docket Number” field. Be sure you have selected an appropriate date range. For assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at                     *FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov*                     or toll free at (866) 208-3676, or for TTY, contact (202) 502-8659. The eLibrary link also provides access to the texts of all formal documents issued by the Commission, such as orders, notices, and rulemakings.                

                    Public sessions or site visits will be posted on the Commission's calendar located at                     *https://www.ferc.gov/​news-events/​events*                     along with other related information.                

Dated: January 4, 2021.

Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,

Deputy Secretary.

# Footnotes

1.                             A “pig” is a tool that the pipeline company inserts into and pushes through the pipeline for cleaning the pipeline, conducting internal inspections, or other purposes.                    
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2.                             The appendices referenced in this notice will not appear in the                         **Federal Register**                        . Copies of the appendices were sent to all those receiving this notice in the mail and are available at                         *www.ferc.gov*                         using the link called “eLibrary.” For instructions on connecting to eLibrary, refer to the last page of this notice. At this time, the Commission has suspended access to the Commission's Public Reference Room due to the proclamation declaring a National Emergency concerning the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), issued by the President on March 13, 2020. For assistance, contact FERC at                         *FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov*                         or call toll free, (886) 208-3676 or TTY (202) 502-8659.                    
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3.                             For instructions on connecting to eLibrary, refer to the last page of this notice.                    
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4.                             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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5.                             The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation 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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[FR Doc. 2021-00129 Filed 1-7-21; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717-01-P