[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 140 (Tuesday, July 21, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44066-44067]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-15732]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP17-80-000]
Columbia Gas Transmission, LLC; Notice of Request for Extension
of Time
Take notice that on July 8, 2020, Columbia Gas Transmission, LLC
(Columbia) requested that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
(Commission) grant an extension of time, until July 18, 2023, to
complete the construction of the Eastern Panhandle Expansion Project,
as authorized in the July 19, 2018 Order Issuing Certificate (July 19
Order).\1\ The July 19 Order required Columbia to complete construction
and make the facilities available for service within two years of the
Order date.
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\1\ Columbia Gas Transmission, LLC, 164 FERC 61,036 (2018).
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Columbia states that, due to unforeseen delays in acquiring an
easement from the government of Maryland across the Western Maryland
Rail Trail, additional time is now required in order to complete the
construction of the authorized Project facilities.
This notice establishes a 15-calendar day intervention and comment
period deadline. Any person wishing to comment on Columbia's request
for an extension of time may do so. No reply comments or answers will
be considered. If you wish to obtain legal status by becoming a party
to the proceedings for this request, you should, on or before the
comment date stated below, file a motion to intervene in accordance
with the requirements of the Commission's Rules of Practice and
Procedure (18 CFR 385.214 or 385.211) and the Regulations under the
Natural Gas Act (18 CFR 157.10).\2\
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\2\ Only motions to intervene from entities that were party to
the underlying proceeding will be accepted. Algonquin Gas
Transmission, LLC, 170 FERC 61,144, at P 39 (2020).
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As a matter of practice, the Commission itself generally acts on
requests for extensions of time to complete construction for Natural
Gas Act facilities when such requests are contested before order
issuance. For those extension requests that are contested,\3\ the
Commission will aim to issue an order acting on the request within 45
days.\4\ The Commission will address all arguments relating to whether
the applicant has demonstrated there is good cause to grant the
extension.\5\ The Commission will not consider arguments that re-
litigate the issuance of the certificate order, including whether the
Commission properly found the project to be in the public convenience
and necessity and whether the Commission's environmental analysis for
the certificate complied with the National Environmental Policy Act.\6\
At the time
[[Page 44067]]
a pipeline requests an extension of time, orders on certificates of
public convenience and necessity are final and the Commission will not
re-litigate their issuance.\7\ The OEP Director, or his or her
designee, will act on all of those extension requests that are
uncontested.
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\3\ Contested proceedings are those where an intervenor disputes
any material issue of the filing. 18 CFR 385.2201(c)(1) (2019).
\4\ Algonquin Gas Transmission, LLC, 170 FERC 61,144, at P 40
(2020).
\5\ Id. at P 40.
\6\ Similarly, the Commission will not re-litigate the issuance
of an NGA section 3 authorization, including whether a proposed
project is not inconsistent with the public interest and whether the
Commission's environmental analysis for the permit order complied
with NEPA.
\7\ Algonquin Gas Transmission, LLC, 170 FERC 61,144, at P 40
(2020).
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In addition to publishing the full text of this document in the
Federal Register, the Commission provides all interested persons an
opportunity to view and/or print the contents of this document via the
internet through the Commission's Home Page (http://www.ferc.gov) using
the eLibrary link. Enter the docket number excluding the last three
digits in the docket number field to access the document. At this time,
the Commission has suspended access to 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 TYY,
(202) 502-8659.
The Commission strongly encourages electronic filings of comments,
protests and interventions in lieu of paper using the e-File link at
http://www.ferc.gov. Persons unable to file electronically should
submit an original and three copies of the protest or intervention to
the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE,
Washington, DC 20426.
In lieu of electronic filing, you may submit a paper copy.
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.
Comment Date: 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on July 30, 2020.
Dated: July 15, 2020.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-15732 Filed 7-20-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P