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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 230 (Friday, November 29, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 94720-94721]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-27977]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP17-443-001]

National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation; Notice of Request for 
Extension of Time

    Take notice that on November 15, 2024, National Fuel Gas Supply 
Corporation (National Fuel) requested that the Commission grant an 
extension of time, until December 31, 2025, to complete abandonment of 
Well WH23 in the Wharton Storage Field as part of its Wharton WH23 
Storage Well Abandonment Project (Project) located in Potter County, 
Pennsylvania. On March 25, 2017, the Commission issued a Notice of 
Request Under Blanket Authorization for the Project, which established 
a 60-day comment period, ending on July 7, 2017. No protests were filed 
during the comment period, and accordingly, by Rule, the project was 
authorized on July 8, 2017, and construction required to be completed 
within one year or July 24, 2018. The Commission subsequently granted 
four extensions of time; the current deadline for the Project 
facilities to be constructed and placed into service is December 31, 
2024.\1\
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    \1\ See National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation, Request for 
Extension of Time, filed July 22, 2021, and September 21, 2021 
delegated letter order to National Fuel granting National Fuel's 
request.
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    National Fuel states abandonment activities were suspended in June 
2023 due to higher than anticipated wellhead pressures and that it has 
conducted work to allow for monitoring and isolation of certain storage 
reservoir zones. National Fuel states it plans to complete abandonment 
work and monitor the wellhead pressure over the 2024-2025 withdrawal 
season to assure the well is sealed. Therefore, National Fuel requests 
an extension of time until December 31, 2025, to complete abandonment 
work and assure that Well WH23 is sealed.
    This notice establishes a 15-calendar day intervention and comment 
period deadline. Any person wishing to comment on National Fuel's 
request for an extension of time may do so. No reply comments or 
answers will be considered. If you wish to obtain legal status by 
becoming a party to the proceedings for this request, you should, on or 
before the comment date stated below, file a motion to intervene in 
accordance with the requirements of the Commission's Rules of Practice 
and Procedure (18 CFR 385.214 or 385.211) and the Regulations under the 
Natural Gas Act (NGA) (18 CFR 157.10).
    As a matter of practice, the Commission itself generally acts on 
requests for extensions of time to complete construction for NGA 
facilities when such requests are contested before order issuance. For 
those extension requests that are contested,\2\ the Commission will aim 
to issue an order acting on the request within 45 days.\3\ The 
Commission will address all arguments relating to whether the applicant 
has demonstrated there is good cause to grant the extension.\4\ The 
Commission will not consider arguments that re-litigate the issuance of 
the certificate order, including whether the Commission properly found 
the project to be in the public convenience and necessity and whether 
the Commission's environmental analysis for the certificate complied 
with the National Environmental Policy Act

[[Page 94721]]

(NEPA).\5\ At the time a pipeline requests an extension of time, orders 
on certificates of public convenience and necessity are final and the 
Commission will not re-litigate their issuance.\6\ The Director of the 
Office of Energy Projects, or his or her designee, will act on all of 
those extension requests that are uncontested.
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    \2\ Contested proceedings are those where an intervenor disputes 
any material issue of the filing. 18 CFR 385.2201(c)(1).
    \3\ Algonquin Gas Transmission, LLC, 170 FERC ] 61,144, at P 40 
(2020).
    \4\ Id. at P 40.
    \5\ Similarly, the Commission will not re-litigate the issuance 
of an NGA section 3 authorization, including whether a proposed 
project is not inconsistent with the public interest and whether the 
Commission's environmental analysis for the permit order complied 
with NEPA.
    \6\ Algonquin Gas Transmission, LLC, 170 FERC ] 61,144, at P 40 
(2020).
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    In addition to publishing the full text of this document in the 
Federal Register, the Commission provides all interested persons an 
opportunity to view and/or print the contents of this document via the 
internet through the Commission's Home Page (https://www.ferc.gov). 
From the Commission's Home Page on the internet, this information is 
available on eLibrary. The full text of this document is available on 
eLibrary in PDF and Microsoft Word format for viewing, printing, and/or 
downloading. To access this document in eLibrary, type the docket 
number excluding the last three digits of this document in the docket 
number field.
    User assistance is available for eLibrary and the Commission's 
website during normal business hours from FERC Online Support at (202) 
502-6652 (toll free at 1-866-208-3676) or email at 
[email protected], or the Public Reference Room at (202) 502-
8371, TTY (202) 502-8659. Email the Public Reference Room at 
[email protected].
    The Commission strongly encourages electronic filings of comments 
in lieu of paper using the ``eFile'' link at http://www.ferc.gov. In 
lieu of electronic filing, you may submit a paper copy which must 
reference the Project docket number.
    To file via USPS: Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Secretary, Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20426.
    To file via any other courier: Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Secretary, 
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, 
Maryland 20852.
    The Commission's Office of Public Participation (OPP) supports 
meaningful public engagement and participation in Commission 
proceedings. OPP can help members of the public, including landowners, 
environmental justice communities, Tribal members and others, access 
publicly available information and navigate Commission processes. For 
public inquiries and assistance with making filings such as 
interventions, comments, or requests for rehearing, the public is 
encouraged to contact OPP at (202) 502-6595 or [email protected].
    Comment Date: 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on December 6, 2024.

    Dated: November 21, 2024.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2024-27977 Filed 11-27-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
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