Document ID: FERC-2019-1228-0001
Agency: ferc
Document Type: Notice
Title: Guidance: Horizontal Directional Drill Monitoring, Inadvertent Return Response, and Contingency Plans
Posted Date: 2019-10-16T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 200 (Wednesday, October 16, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Page 55305]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-22523]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. AD19-6-000]

Notice of Availability of the Final Guidance for Horizontal 
Directional Drill Monitoring, Inadvertent Return Response, and 
Contingency Plans

    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (FERC or 
Commission) Office of Energy Projects has finalized its Guidance for 
Horizontal Directional Drill Monitoring, Inadvertent Return Response, 
and Contingency Plans (HDD Guidance), which was issued in draft form on 
October 26, 2018 for comment. The draft HDD Guidance has been revised 
to address substantive comments received.
    The HDD Guidance can be found in Docket Number AD19-6-000. The HDD 
Guidance can also be viewed on the Commission's website at http://www.ferc.gov/industries/gas/enviro/guidelines.asp.
    The HDD Guidance is intended to assist the industry with 
preparation of their project HDD plans for FERC staff review. This 
guidance 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.
    In response to the draft HDD Guidance, Commission staff received 
comments from 15 entities including natural gas pipeline companies, 
engineering consulting firms, trade organizations, environmental 
interest groups, and state environmental departments. 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 location-specific, were already adequately/
accurately addressed as written, or regarded topics that were not 
relevant to the HDD Guidance.
    All of the information related to the HDD Guidance and submitted 
comments can be found on the FERC website (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 excluding the last 
three digits (AD19-6). 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 formal documents issued by the Commission, such as orders, 
notices, and rulemakings.

    Dated: October 9, 2019.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2019-22523 Filed 10-15-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P