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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20140957 Ver 1_Project Update (August 2016)_20160823 Jl , In (p NEXT STEPS(cont'd) > CO o When the draft EIS is completed,a Notice of Availability will m N appear in the Federal Register,and the EIS will be mailed z G Federal to the environmental mailing list for these proceedings. i Energy There will be a public review period to comment on the �' ill Q Regulatory document. The comments we've received so far have �H — 1 if helped the environmental and engineering staff identify and o — Commission �1'I o - c� evaluate the potential impacts of the projects. Please stay „ O (,) Pi W z - y involved and consider filing comments on the draft EIS N o 1"LI cc) = allo �� Office of Energy when it is available. Staff will then complete the final EIS. D Noo o D The Commission will consider the findings of the final EIS, o �' w W Projects along with all information in the record including non NC. r; c� �a — environmental information,when it makes its decision on11E1 �w whether to approve or deny the projects. (�� cD Q= PROJECT UPDATE FOR THE We have received many comments requesting that the nnnv �� _ ATLANTIC COAST PIPELINE AND FERC prepare a programmatic EIS to address the effects ""� = SUPPLY HEADER PROJECT of the proposed ACP and SHP and the other natural gas �v projects in the region. Commission staff will prepare DOCKET NOS. CP15-554-000, project specific environmental impact statements or CP15-555-000 environmental assessments for each project, all of which 0 _ , CP15-554-001 will be published and distributed for public comment. As part of any project specific review,the Commission August 2016 considers other activities in close enough time or space to g have appreciable cumulative impacts if a proposed project _ is constructed. This analysis of whether there are overlapping impacts from other projects, including those c" ' •••w • outside of Commission jurisdiction, will be contained in o °"° the cumulative impacts section of each environmental in document. > C) sig 4 en HOW TO STAY INFORMED 0 U Cr) 0 I Go to the FERC website at http://www.ferc.gov. Click on W a) 0) \` 0 the eLibrary link,click on"General Search,"and enter the 0 0 .0 (0 �( ) docket number(i.e., CP15-554 for ACP or CP15-555 for N as N 0 Mot SHP). Be sure you have selected an appropriate date 12 .g_ 0 U to range. For assistance,please contact FERC Online m OCI) Z (4 Support at FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or toll free at tri 1-866-208-3676. ,cp U ps tri 1` in In addition,the FERC offers a free service called N AlaeSubscription that allows you to keep track of all issuances 0 "tZ0 CC tit (pewit rM,•,e,. and submittals in specific dockets. Using this service can N N reduce the amount of time you spend monitoring our c5 •- V website by automatically providing you with electronic w 4. A� Nava ' Catalina notification when new items are posted and providing direct zp links to the documents. To register for this service,go to: a O , http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/esubscriotion.aso. rip While we believe that the Internet is the best way to stay A O� informed of the projects,we realize that not everyone has ,.,,,, Internet access. From this point forward, issuances by the w = 4.1 y `"'"" environmental staff, including the EIS document,will be W mailed to the environmental mailing list in either hard copy C or compact disc format. PURPOSE FERC's Environmental Review Process The purpose of this mailing is to provide you with an update on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's(FERC or Commission)environmental review of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline(ACP)and Supply Header Project(SHP); where we are, and (dates of completed activities are noted) what's next in the environmental review process; and how you can stay informed. PROJECT DESCRIPTION Approved Atlantic's and DTI's pre-filing request and assigned PF Docket Nos. For the ACP,Atlantic Coast Pipeline, LLC(Atlantic)plans to construct and operate 603.7 miles of variable diameter natural gas PF15-6 and PF15-5(11/13/14) pipeline in West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina. In addition, Atlantic plans to construct and operate three new compressor stations in Lewis County,West Virginia; Buckingham County, Virginia; and Northampton County, North Carolina. For the SHP, Dominion Transmission, Inc. (DTI)plans to construct and operate about 37.5 miles of natural gas pipeline loop in Participated in applicants' open houses to identify stakeholder concerns (1/2015) Pennsylvania and West Virginia, and modify four existing compressor stations in Westmoreland and Green Counties, Pennsylvania and Marshall and Wetzel Counties,West Virginia. If the projects are approved, construction is anticipated to take Issued Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS 2 years. Public (NOI)and opened scoping period to seek THE FERC ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROCESS Input Opportunities public comments (2/27/15) The FERC is the lead federal agency responsible for conducting the environmental review of the projects. In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act,the FERC is preparing an environmental impact statement(EIS)for the proposed Conducted public scoping meetings; projects. The U.S. Forest Service; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; U.S. Fish and consulted with interested Wildlife Service, Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge;West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection; and stakeholders (3/2015) West Virginia Division of Natural Resources are cooperating in the development of the EIS. The EIS will identify and describe potentially affected lands and resources, disclose the potential impacts on these resources,evaluate alternatives, and describe, Issued Notice of Application and assigned as appropriate, any avoidance, minimization, and mitigation measures necessary to reduce the potential impacts of the ACP CP Docket Nos. CP15-554 and CP15-555 and SHP. In addition to the applications and project data, we will analyze information that has been filed by other stakeholders after applicants filed formal application and commentors in the proceeding. All substantive environmental issues identified by commentors will be addressed in the EIS. Non-environmental and policy-related comments will be addressed in the Commission's Order issuing or denying a Analyze data and begin certificate. preparing draft EIS WHERE WE ARE IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROCESS Activities that have occurred since our last Project Update in June 2015 are discussed below. Issued Supplemental NOI(5/3/16)and On September 18,2015, Atlantic and DTI filed applications with the FERC. Each project proponent was assigned a new open supplemental revised scoping periodaafter Public Atlantic filed application Certificate Proceeding (CP)docket number: CP15-554-000 for the ACP and CP15-555-000 for the SHP. The applications Input incorporating major route alternatives included final environmental resource reports that informed the FERC, other agencies, affected landowners, and stakeholders Opportunities about the proposed facilities and construction methods;the existing environment in the general ACP and SHP areas; potential Conducted supplemental scoping environmental impacts of the ACP and SHP; measures to avoid or reduce impacts; safety and operational procedures; and meetings (5/20-21/16) alternatives considered. On March 1, 2016,and April 15,2016,Atlantic filed an amendment and supplemental environmental information to its initial application, regarding the incorporation of route alternatives into its proposed route, including a route Continue to analyze data and issue modification through the Monongahela National Forest (MNF) and George Washington National Forest(GWNF) in West Virginia We are here additional data requests and Virginia; a route modification in Cumberland County, North Carolina;and other smaller route changes in Virginia and North Carolina. In response to Atlantic's amendment, FERC staff issued a supplemental Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS on May 3, IIssue draft EIS and open 2016,opened a supplemental scoping period,and held additional scoping meetings near the MNF and GWNF. public comment period FERC Staff is reviewing the resource reports and supplemental filings,which are composed of several volumes and thousands of pages of information, and has issued data requests seeking additional information from the companies. These information Public Input Hold public comment meetings requests,and responses filed by the applicants to date, are available for review in the Commission's publicly accessible Opportunities administrative record. Respond to comments, NEXT STEPS revise draft EIS, issue final EIS We are continuing our review of the information provided in Atlantic's and DTI's resource reports and supplemental filings,as well as comments submitted on the projects by the public. We will continue to accept and evaluate comments received from Commission issues order approving or stakeholders during all phases of the projects;as such, re-opening of the official scoping period is not needed. denying the applications When we have all the information necessary to complete our analysis and write the EIS,we will issue a Notice of Schedule for Environmental Review. This notice will announce the target dates for issuing the draft and final EISs and will disclose the federal Public can request rehearing authorization action/decision deadline for other agencies. of FERC decision If approved and once certain conditions are met, FERC issues Notice to proceed with construction