Document ID: FERC-2015-1019-0001
Agency: ferc
Document Type: Notice
Title: Environmental Assessments; Availability, etc.: East Tennessee Natural Gas, LLC, Proposed Loudon Expansion Project
Posted Date: 2015-08-04T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 149 (Tuesday, August 4, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46266-46267]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-19066]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP15-91-000]

East Tennessee Natural Gas, LLC; Supplemental Notice of Intent To 
Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Loudon Expansion 
Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues

    On March 24, 2015, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC 
or Commission) issued in Docket No. CP15-91-000 a Notice of Intent to 
Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Loudon Expansion 
Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues (NOI). In 
response to scoping comments and data requested by FERC staff, East 
Tennessee Natural Gas, LLC (East Tennessee) has developed Route G-1 as 
its new proposed route for the above-referenced project in Monroe and 
Loudon Counties, Tennessee. FERC staff is further evaluating 
Alternative Route B as described in East Tennessee's February 20, 2015 
filing, the Eastside Alternate Route as described in its May 8, 2015 
filing, Alternate Route G as described in its July 10, 2015 filing, as 
well as the originally proposed route (Route F). This Supplemental 
Notice is being issued to seek comments on the new Proposed Route G-1 
and the alternatives mentioned above, and opens a new scoping period 
for interested parties to file comments on environmental issues 
specific to these routes.
    The March 24, 2015 NOI announced that the FERC staff will prepare 
an environmental assessment (EA) to address the environmental impacts 
of the Loudon Expansion Project (Project). Please refer to the NOI for 
more information about the overall facilities proposed by East 
Tennessee in Tennessee, and FERC staff's EA process. The Commission 
will use the EA in its decision-making process to determine whether the 
Project is in the public convenience and necessity.
    We \1\ are now specifically seeking comments on the new Proposed 
Route G-1, Alternate Route B, Alternate Route G, and the Eastside 
Alternate Route to help the Commission staff evaluates all potential 
environmental impacts. Please note that this supplemental scoping 
period will close on August 27, 2015.
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    \1\ ``We,'' ``us,'' and ``our'' refer to the environmental staff 
of the Commission's Office of Energy Projects.
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    This Supplemental Notice is being sent to the Commission's current 
environmental mailing list for this Project, including landowners along 
the originally proposed route (Route F) and new landowners that would 
be affected by the new proposed route (Route G-1) or the alternate 
routes (Alternate Routes B, G, and the Eastside Alternate Route).
    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 proposed facilities. The company 
would seek to negotiate a mutually acceptable agreement. However, if 
the Commission approves the Project, that approval conveys with it the 
right of eminent domain. Therefore, if the easement negotiations fail 
to produce an agreement, the pipeline company could initiate 
condemnation proceedings where compensation would be determined in 
accordance with state law.
    A fact sheet prepared by the FERC entitled ``An Interstate Natural 
Gas Facility on My Land? What Do I Need To Know?'' is available for 
viewing on the FERC Web site (www.ferc.gov). This fact sheet addresses 
a number of typically asked questions, including the use of eminent 
domain and how to participate in the Commission's proceedings.

Public Participation

    For your convenience, there are three methods you can use to submit 
your comments to the Commission. The Commission will provide equal 
consideration to all comments received, whether filed in written form 
or provided verbally. The Commission encourages electronic filing of 
comments and has expert staff available to assist you at (202) 502-8258 
or efiling@ferc.gov. Please carefully follow these instructions so that 
your comments are properly recorded.
    (1) You can file your comments electronically using the eComment 
feature located on the Commission's Web site (www.ferc.gov) under the 
link to Documents and Filings. This is an easy method for interested 
persons to submit brief, text-only comments on a project;
    (2) You can file your comments electronically using the eFiling 
feature located on the Commission's Web site (www.ferc.gov) under the 
link to Documents and Filings. 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 must select the type of filing you are making. If 
you are filing a comment on a particular

[[Page 46267]]

project, please select ``Comment on a Filing;'' or
    (3) You can file a paper copy of your comments by mailing them to 
the following address: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC 
20426.

Summary of the New Proposed Route G-1 and Alternate Routes B, G, and 
Eastside

    Following original Route F until milepost (MP) 1.5, the new 
Proposed Route G-1 would then turn east, cross under Tennessee State 
Highway 72 and parallel it until MP 3.1 where it would meet and be 
collated with East Tennessee's existing Loudon-Lenoir City Lateral 
pipeline. Alternate Route G and the Eastside Alternate Route would 
follow similar paths but each route would be located slightly farther 
east, rejoining and paralleling the Loudon-Lenoir City Lateral pipeline 
at approximately MP 3.5. All three of these routes would cross Tellico 
Lake. Alternate Route B would start at the same location as all other 
routes, but would then proceed west of those routes, avoiding Lake 
Tellico completely, rejoining and paralleling the Loudon-Lenoir City 
Lateral pipeline at approximately MP 5.4.
    Overview and aerial maps of the previously proposed route, newly 
proposed route, and the three alternate routes are included in Appendix 
1.\2\
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    \2\ The appendices referenced in this notice are not being 
printed in the Federal Register. Copies of appendices were sent to 
all those receiving this notice in the mail and are available at 
www.ferc.gov using the link called ``eLibrary'' or from the 
Commission's Public Reference Room, 888 First Street NE., 
Washington, DC 20426, or call (202) 502-8371. For instructions on 
connecting to eLibrary, refer to the last page of this notice.
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Currently Identified Environmental Issues

    We have identified several issues that we think deserve attention 
for our comparison of the new proposed route and three alternatives 
based on a review of the proposed facilities and the environmental 
information provided by East Tennessee. This preliminary list of issues 
may be changed based on your comments and our analysis.
     Waterbodies;
     karst geology, including caves; and
     candidate and listed threatened or endangered species.

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; commenters; and local libraries and newspapers. 
This list also includes landowners affected by the pipelines as 
currently proposed, as well as landowners that may be affected by the 
Kemblesville Loop Alternative Route 2. We will update the environmental 
mailing list as the analysis proceeds to ensure that we send the 
information related to this environmental review to all individuals, 
organizations, and government entities interested in and/or potentially 
affected by the proposed Project.
    Copies of the completed EA will be sent to the environmental 
mailing list for public review and comment. If you would prefer to 
receive a paper copy of the document instead of a CD version or would 
like to remove your name from the mailing list, please return the 
attached Information Request (Appendix 2).

Becoming an Intervenor

    In addition to involvement in the EA scoping process, you may want 
to become an ``intervenor'' which is an official party to the 
Commission's proceeding. Intervenors play a more formal role in the 
process and are able to file briefs, appear at hearings, 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. Instructions for becoming an intervenor are in 
the User's Guide under the ``e-filing'' link on the Commission's Web 
site.

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 Web site (www.ferc.gov) using the eLibrary link. Click on the 
eLibrary link, click on ``General Search'' and enter the docket number, 
excluding the last three digits in the Docket Number field (i.e., CP15-
91). 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 formal documents issued by the Commission, such as orders, 
notices, and rulemakings.
    In addition, the Commission offers a free service called 
eSubscription which allows you to keep track of all formal issuances 
and submittals in specific dockets. 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.

    Dated: July 28, 2015.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2015-19066 Filed 8-3-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P