2018-15128. Dakota Natural Gas, LLC; Notice of Application

Take notice that on June 28, 2018, Dakota Natural Gas, LLC (DNG), P.O. Box 68, Le Sueur, Minnesota 56058, filed in Docket No. CP18-511-000 an application pursuant to section 7(f) of the Natural Gas Act (NGA) requesting a service area determination so that it may expand or enlarge its facilities with or without further Commission authorization. DNG is a recently formed local distribution company (LDC) which aims to serve customers primarily in Drayton, North Dakota. In order to serve customers in Drayton, DNG would need to construct approximately 17.3 miles of new pipeline facilities, of which 9.3 miles would be located in Minnesota, running west from an interconnect with Viking Gas Transmission Company at a Town Border Station northwest of Donaldson, Minnesota to the Minnesota-North Dakota Border, with an additional 1.5-mile segment running from the Minnesota-North Dakota border to a regulator station north of Drayton. The remaining 6.5 miles of pipeline would run south from the regulator station to the city of Drayton. DNG also requests that the Commission determine that DNG qualifies as an LDC for the purposes of transportation under section 311 of the Natural Gas Policy Act of 1978 and that it be granted waiver of all reporting and accounting requirements, as well as other rules and regulations that are normally applicable to natural gas companies subject to the Commission's jurisdiction, all as more fully set forth in the application which is on file with the Commission and open to public inspection.

The filing is available for review at the Commission in the Public Reference Room or may be viewed on the Commission's website web at 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. For assistance, contact FERC at [e-mail] or call toll-free, [phone] or TYY, [phone].

Any questions concerning this application may be directed to Jason T. Gray, Gray, Duncan, Weinberg, Genzer, & Pembroke, P.C., 1615 M Street NW, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20036, by telephone at [phone], by fax at [phone], or by email at [e-mail].

Pursuant to section 157.9 of the Commission's rules, 18 CFR 157.9, within 90 days of this Notice the Commission staff will either: Complete its environmental assessment (EA) and place it into the Commission's public record (eLibrary) for this proceeding; or issue a Notice of Schedule for Environmental Review. If a Notice of Schedule for Environmental Review is issued, it will indicate, among other milestones, the anticipated date for the Commission staff's issuance of the final environmental impact statement (FEIS) or EA for this proposal. The filing of the EA in the Commission's public record for this proceeding or the issuance of a Notice of Schedule for Environmental Review will serve to notify federal and state agencies of the timing for the completion of all necessary reviews, and the subsequent need to complete all federal authorizations within 90 days of the date of issuance of the Commission staff's FEIS or EA.

There are two ways to become involved in the Commission's review of this project. First, any person wishing to obtain legal status by becoming a party to the proceedings for this project should, on or before the comment date stated below file with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20426, 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 NGA (18 CFR 157.10). A person obtaining party status will be placed on the service list maintained by the Secretary of the Commission and will receive copies of all documents filed by the applicant and by all other parties. A party must submit seven copies of filings made in the proceeding with the Commission and must mail a copy to the applicant and to every other party. Only parties to the proceeding can ask for court review of Commission orders in the proceeding.

However, a person does not have to intervene in order to have comments considered. The second way to participate is by filing with the Secretary of the Commission, as soon as possible, an original and two copies of comments in support of or in opposition to this project. The Commission will consider these comments in determining the appropriate action to be taken, but the filing of a comment alone will not serve to make the filer a party to the proceeding. The Commission's rules require that persons filing comments in opposition to the project provide copies of their protests only to the party or parties directly involved in the protest.

Persons who wish to comment only on the environmental review of this project should submit an original and two copies of their comments to the Secretary of the Commission. Environmental commentors will be placed on the Commission's environmental mailing list, will receive copies of the environmental documents, and will be notified of meetings associated with the Commission's environmental review process. Environmental commentors will not be required to serve copies of filed documents on all other parties. However, the non-party commentors will not receive copies of all documents filed by other parties or issued by the Commission (except for the mailing of environmental documents issued by the Commission) and will not have the right to seek court review of the Commission's final order.

The Commission strongly encourages electronic filings of comments, protests and interventions in lieu of paper using the eFiling link at http://www.ferc.gov. Persons unable to file electronically should submit an original and 7 copies of the protest or intervention to the Federal Energy regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20426.

Comment Date: 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on July 31, 2018.

Dated: July 10, 2018.

Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,

Deputy Secretary.