Document ID: FERC-2014-1339-0001
Agency: ferc
Document Type: Notice
Title: Environmental Impact Statements; Availability, etc.: Sabal Trail Transmission, LLC, Southeast Market Pipelines Project
Posted Date: 2014-10-22T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 204 (Wednesday, October 22, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63115-63117]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-25066]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. PF14-1-000]

Sabal Trail Transmission, LLC; Supplemental Notice of Intent To 
Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Planned Southeast 
Market Pipelines Project and Request for Comments on Environmental 
Issues Related to New Alternatives Under Consideration

    In response to concerns raised about the Sabal Trail Transmission 
LLC's (Sabal Trail) planned Sabal Trail Project (Project),\1\ 
additional pipeline route alternatives and compressor station location 
alternatives are now being considered. These alternatives which are 
described below would affect new landowners; therefore, the Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or Commission) is issuing this 
supplemental notice (Notice) to provide these landowners and other 
interested parties an opportunity to comment on the Project. The FERC 
is the lead federal agency responsible for conducting the environmental 
review of this Project. The Commission's staff will prepare an 
environmental impact statement (EIS) that discusses the environmental 
impacts of the Project. This EIS will be used in-part by the Commission 
to determine whether the Project is in the public convenience and 
necessity.
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    \1\ The Project is one of three projects being reviewed 
concurrently as the Southeast Market Pipelines Project (SMP 
Project).
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    You have been identified as a landowner or an interested party that 
may be affected by new alternatives being considered or by the 
corresponding segment of the currently planned route. Information in 
this Notice was prepared to familiarize you with these new 
alternatives, the Project as a whole, and the Commission's 
environmental review process, and instruct you on how to submit 
comments about the Project and the alternatives under consideration. 
This Notice is also being sent to: Federal, state, and local government 
agencies; elected officials; environmental and public interest groups; 
Native American tribes; other interested parties; and local libraries 
and newspapers. We encourage elected officials and government 
representatives to notify their constituents about the Project and 
inform them on how they can comment on their areas of concern. Please 
note that comments on this Notice should be filed with the Commission 
by November 14, 2014.
    If your property would be affected by one of the alternatives under 
consideration, you should have already been contacted by a Sabal Trail 
representative. A Sabal Trail representative may have also contacted 
you or may contact you in the near future about the acquisition of an 
easement to construct, operate, and maintain the planned facilities or 
request permission to perform environmental surveys on your property. 
Some landowners may not be contacted if the alternative across their 
property is found to be either not feasible or not environmentally 
preferable to other alternatives being considered. If the Commission 
approves the Project, that approval conveys with it the right of 
eminent domain. Therefore, if easement negotiations fail to produce an 
agreement, the pipeline company could initiate condemnation proceedings 
where compensation would be determined in accordance with state law.
    To help potentially affected landowners and other interested 
parties better understand the Commission and its environmental review 
process, the ``For Citizens'' section of the FERC Web site 
(www.ferc.gov) provides information about getting involved in FERC 
jurisdictional projects, and a citizens' guide entitled ``An Interstate 
Natural Gas Facility On My Land? What Do I Need to Know?'' This guide 
addresses a number of frequently asked questions, including the use of 
eminent domain and how to participate in the Commission's proceedings.

Project Background

    On October 16, 2013 the Commission's environmental staff approved 
Sabal Trail's request to use the Commission Pre-Filing Process for the 
Project. The purpose of the Pre-Filing Process is to encourage the 
early involvement of interested stakeholders to identify and resolve 
project-related issues before an application is filed with the 
Commission. On February 18, 2014 the Commission issued a Notice of 
Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Planned 
Southeast Market Pipelines Project, Request for Comments on 
Environmental Issues, and Notice of Public Scoping Meetings.
    During the course of the Pre-Filing Process, numerous concerns have 
been expressed about the potential environmental impacts of the 
Project. Based on the merits of these comments and to ensure that 
public concerns are fully considered during the Pre-Filing Process, 
additional alternatives have been identified and are being considered.

Project Summary

    As noted previously, the Project is part of the SMP Project and 
will be reviewed concurrently along with the Florida Southeast 
Connection Project and the Hillabee Expansion Project. The SMP Project 
would involve the construction and operation of over 650 miles of 
interstate natural gas transmission pipeline and associated facilities 
in Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. The Project would connect with the 
Hillabee Expansion Project in Alabama, and the Florida Southeast 
Connection Project in Florida.
    The Sabal Trail portion of the SMP Project would involve the 
construction and operation of approximately 460 miles of 36-inch-
diameter natural gas transmission pipeline beginning in Tallapoosa 
County, Alabama and ending in Osceola County, Florida. Sabal Trail also 
plans to construct and operate approximately 14 miles of 36-inch-
diameter natural gas transmission pipeline in Osceola and Orange 
Counties, Florida (Hunters Creek Line) and approximately 24 miles of 
24-inch-diameter natural gas transmission

[[Page 63116]]

pipeline in Marion and Citrus Counties, Florida (Citrus County Line). 
In addition to the planned pipelines, Sabal Trail would construct and 
operate five new compressor stations located in Tallapoosa County, 
Alabama; Dougherty County, Georgia; and Suwannee, Marion, and Osceola 
Counties, Florida.

Project Alternatives

    The following alternatives are being considered. Illustrations of 
these alternatives are provided in Appendix 1.

Sasser Route Alternative (Terrell and Dougherty Counties, Georgia)

    To address concerns regarding the planned route's impact on the 
environment and its proximity to numerous residences located in the 
Kiokee-Flint area of Dougherty County, the Sasser Route Alternative 
would deviate from Sabal Trail's planned route near Milepost (MP) 138.5 
and extend south and east for approximately 21.5 miles before rejoining 
Sabal Trail's planned route at the proposed site of the Albany 
Compressor Station near MP 168.5.

Albany Compressor Station Alternatives (Dougherty County, Georgia)

    To address concerns regarding the planned compressor station's 
proximity to the City of Albany and the potential effects of the 
station on the surrounding environment, two additional compressor 
station locations (Sites 3A and 5) have been identified and are being 
considered.
    Albany Compressor Station Site Alternative 3A is an approximately 
53-acre parcel located at MP 155.7 of the planned pipeline route, 1.7 
miles north of Leary Road and 0.8 miles west-southwest of Woods Valley 
Trail. This site is adjacent to both the planned pipeline route and the 
Sasser Route Alternative.
    Albany Compressor Station Site Alternative 5 is an approximately 
53-acre parcel located along the Sasser Route Alternative, south of 
Gillionville Road at its intersection with Tallahassee Road. This site 
would only be suitable for the Sasser Route Alternative.

Withlacoochee River Crossing Route Alternative (Hamilton and Suwannee 
Counties, Florida)

    To address concerns regarding the planned route's impact on karst 
terrain and known springs, the Withlacoochee River Crossing Route 
Alternative would deviate from Sabal Trail's planned route near MP 
260.8 and extend for approximately 11.4 miles in a generally south and 
southeasterly direction, crossing the Suwannee River State Park via 
horizontal direction drill and rejoining the planned route at 
approximately MP 270.4.

Wacassassa Flats Route Alternative (Gilchrist County, Florida)

    In response to the Gilchrist County Board of Commissioners and to 
address concerns regarding the planned route's impact on karst terrain, 
known springs, its proximity to residences, and its impacts on 
landowners, the Wacassassa Flats Route Alternative would deviate from 
Sabal Trail's planned route at approximately MP 320.8 and extend 19.4 
miles generally south and east through the area known as the Wacassassa 
Flats until rejoining the planned route at approximately MP 339.3.

Happy Trails Route Alternative (Osceola County, Florida)

    To address concerns regarding the planned route's effects on 
wetlands and its proximity to residences, the Happy Trails Route 
Alternative would deviate from Sabal Trail's planned route at 
approximately MP 466.6 and extend generally east and then south before 
rejoining the planned route at approximately MP 469.2.

The EIS Process

    The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires the 
Commission to take into account the environmental impacts that could 
result from an action whenever it considers the issuance of a 
Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity. NEPA also requires us 
to discover and address concerns the public may have about proposals. 
This process is referred to as scoping. The main goal of the scoping 
process is to focus the analysis in the EIS on the important 
environmental issues. By this Notice, the Commission requests public 
comments on the alternative pipeline routes and aboveground facility 
locations currently under consideration. We will consider all filed 
comments including any additional alternatives that are suggested 
during the preparation of the EIS.
    Our independent analysis of the issues will be presented in a draft 
EIS that will be placed in the public record, published, and 
distributed to the public for comments. We will also hold public 
comment meetings in the Project area and will address comments on the 
Draft EIS in a Final EIS. The Final EIS will also be placed in the 
public record, published, and distributed to the public. To ensure your 
comments are considered, please carefully follow the instructions in 
the Public Participation section below.

Consultations 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, we are using this supplemental Notice to inform the 
Georgia and Florida State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPOs) of the 
alternatives under consideration, and to solicit their views and those 
of other government agencies, interested Indian tribes, and the public 
on the SMP Project's potential effects on historic properties.\2\ We 
will define the project-specific Area of Potential Effects (APE) in 
consultation with the SHPOs as the SMP Project develops. On natural gas 
facility projects, the APE at a minimum encompasses all areas subject 
to ground disturbance (examples include construction right-of-way, 
contractor/pipe storage yards, compressor stations, meter stations, and 
access roads). Our EIS for the SMP Project will document our findings 
on the impacts on historic properties and summarize the status of 
consultations under section 106.
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    \2\ 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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Public Participation

    You can make a difference by providing us with your specific 
comments about the Project. Your comments should focus on the potential 
environmental effects, reasonable alternatives, and measures to avoid 
or lessen environmental impacts. The more specific your comments, the 
more useful they will be. To ensure that your comments are considered 
in a timely manner and properly recorded, please send your comments so 
that the Commission receives them in Washington, DC on or before 
November 14, 2014.
    For your convenience, there are three methods you can use to submit 
your comments to the Commission. In all instances, please reference the 
Project docket number (PF14-1-000) with your submission. The Commission 
encourages electronic filing of comments and has expert staff available 
to assist you at (202) 502-8258 or efiling@ferc.gov.
    (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

[[Page 63117]]

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 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.

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. 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 
planned Project.
    Copies of the draft EIS 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 the CD version or would like to 
remove your name from the mailing list, please return the attached 
Information Request (Appendix 2).

Becoming an Intervenor

    Once Sabal Trail files its application with the Commission, 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. 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.

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 (i.e., PF14-1). 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.
    Finally, public meetings or site visits will be posted on the 
Commission's calendar located at www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/EventsList.aspx along with other related information.

    Dated: October 15, 2014.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2014-25066 Filed 10-21-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P