Document ID: FERC-2023-0134-0001
Agency: ferc
Document Type: Notice
Title: Environmental Issues: Wyoming Interstate Co., LLC, Diamond Mountain Compressor Station Abandonment Project
Posted Date: 2023-02-03T05:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 23 (Friday, February 3, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7430-7432]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-02252]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP23-14-000]

Wyoming Interstate Company, LLC; Notice of Scoping Period 
Requesting Comments on Environmental Issues for the Proposed Diamond 
Mountain Compressor Station Abandonment Project

    The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or 
Commission) will prepare an environmental document, that will discuss 
the environmental impacts of the Diamond Mountain Compressor Station 
Abandonment Project (Project) involving abandonment of facilities by 
Wyoming Interstate Company, LLC (WIC) in Uintah 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 27, 2023. 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.

[[Page 7431]]

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 November 10, 2022, you will need to file 
those comments in Docket No. CP23-14-000 to ensure they are considered 
as part of this proceeding.
    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 proposed 
Project and encourage them to comment on their areas of concern.

Public Participation

    There are three methods you can use to submit your 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 [email protected].
    (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 (CP23-
14-000) 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, Maryland 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 Proposed Project

    WIC proposes the abandonment in-place of its Diamond Mountain 
Compressor Station and associated facilities encompassing 3.4 acres in 
Uintah County, Utah. The existing mainline block valve and associated 
access road (0.8 acre) would continue operating normally. No 
anticipated ground disturbance is associated with the proposed Project. 
WIC is proposing this abandonment due to the progressive decline of 
natural gas production in the Uintah basin over the past decade.
    The Project would consist of the following actions:

 disconnecting pipes from compressor units;
 draining oil and coolant from turbines;
 draining water from domestic and heating systems;
 disconnecting power; and
 removing applicable station valves and turbine surge valves
    The general location of the Project facilities is shown in appendix 
1.\1\
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    \1\ 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 [email protected] or call toll free, (886) 208-3676 
or TTY (202) 502-8659.
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Land Requirements for Construction

    The Project as proposed would be abandoned in-place, no additional 
land would be required, and no ground disturbance is anticipated. The 
facilities proposed for abandonment encompass 3.8 acres. The Project 
occurs on land owned by WIC, who would continue inspecting the site for 
safety and environmental concerns after the abandonment.

NEPA Process and the Environmental Document

    Any environmental document issued by the Commission will discuss 
impacts that could occur as a result of the abandonment of the proposed 
Project facilities under the relevant general resource areas:

 geology and soils;
 water resources and wetlands;
 vegetation and wildlife;
 threatened and endangered species;
 cultural resources;
 land use; and
 air quality and noise.

    Commission staff will evaluate reasonable alternatives to the 
proposed Project and make recommendations on how to lessen or avoid 
impacts on the various resource areas. An abandonment by removal 
alternative is also being considered by FERC staff. This alternative 
would cause temporary ground disturbance to 10.2 acres during the 
removal process. The mainline block valve station and access road (0.8 
acre) would still remain in operation after removal. The alternative 
would consist of the following actions:

 removal of all aboveground equipment;
 removal of all piping;
 removal of fluids, electrical buildings and foundations; and
 removal of fencing.

    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.
    Following this scoping period, Commission staff will 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 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 decision regarding the proposed 
Project. If Commission staff prepares an EIS, a Notice of Intent to 
Prepare an EIS/Notice of Schedule will be issued, which will open up an 
additional comment period. Staff will then prepare a draft EIS which 
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

[[Page 7432]]

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 and the 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 of this Project to formally cooperate in the 
preparation of the environmental document.\2\
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    \2\ The Council on Environmental Quality regulations addressing 
cooperating agency responsibilities are at title 40, Code of Federal 
Regulations, section 1501.8.
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    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.

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.\3\ The environmental document for this 
Project will document findings on the impacts on historic properties 
and summarize the status of consultations under section 106.
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    \3\ The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation's 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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Environmental Mailing List

    The environmental mailing list includes federal, state, and local 
government representatives and agencies; elected officials; 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 proposed 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 complete one of 
the following steps:
    (1) Send an email to [email protected] stating your 
request. You must include the docket number CP23-14-000 in your 
request. If you are requesting a change to your address, please be sure 
to include your name and the correct address. If you are requesting to 
delete your address from the mailing list, please include your name and 
address as it appeared on this notice. This email address is unable to 
accept comments. OR
    (2) Return the attached ``Mailing List Update Form'' (appendix 2).

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 at 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 [email protected] or (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 27, 2023.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2023-02252 Filed 2-2-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P